Jesus Kept the Sabbath

 Jesus kept the SABBATH.

Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the SABBATH DAY, and stood up for to read.

Luk 4:31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the SABBATH days.

Luk 6:1 And it came to pass on the second SABBATH after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

Luk 6:2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the SABBATH days?

Luk 6:3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;

Luk 6:4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?

Luk 6:5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the SABBATH.

On the Sabbath there are exceptions for basic needs. David ate bread that the priests alone were supposed to eat, it was an exception to a rule. He didn't eat it all that time, just that one time when he desperately needed it. The disciples plucked ears of corn and rubbed them, getting the kernels out and ate them. They didn't harvest the field of corn, they merely took something easily accessible. They didn't stop and boil it in a pot of water. They ate the kernels right then and there as they walked. They didn't grind up the kernels to make a cornmeal paste to cook. They took something readily available to them and because they had to rub the corn to get the kernels, it was considered to be wrong. Because they had to pluck the corn cob from the stalk, that too was considered wrong. The plucking action, the rubbing action to the pharisees violated the Sabbath. Did either of those actions take the disciples away from being able to listen to Jesus as he talked? No. Were either of those actions considered hard labor? No. They were simple gestures. They didn't take a basket full of corn and get all the kernels off the cob to eat.

Even in the wilderness when God was renewing the Sabbath through Moses to the people before they ever reached Sinai, they were kept from laboring to go get the manna on the Sabbath. The disciples didn't purposefully go out to get the corn, it was there before them as they walked through a field. If we were supposed to just stay in our houses all day just laying down or sitting still and eating unheated leftovers, we would have been told that. Today we aren't out there walking in the desert day after day for six days straight. We don't need to sit in our tents (houses) and rest the entire day without moving around. Yes, some may work very hard six days a week and need the physical rest the Sabbath provides. When the wandering in the wilderness stopped for God's people, they gathered together on the Sabbath just as Jesus as His custom was, and also rested.

Luk 6:6 And it came to pass also on another SABBATH, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

Luk 6:7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the SABBATH day; that they might find an accusation against him.

Luk 6:8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.

Luk 6:9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the SABBATH days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

We know the answer, the Pharisees didn't want to know the answer but they knew it too. Doing evil on the Sabbath was very wrong. Destroying life on the Sabbath, extremely bad. Therefore doing good for others and healing on the Sabbath is a good thing. I can't imagine God would want people to die on the Sabbath because healing was considered work, He wouldn't, and Jesus revealed this very wonderful truth.

Luk 13:10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the SABBATH.

Why wouldn't teaching be considered work, especially if the teachers taught other days of the week? Teaching God's word is never work, it's love, so no wonder Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath. He never got in trouble from the act of teaching or there would have been an outcry before he said more than a few words. Some become upset over the truths He was teaching, they didn't want the truths, they enjoyed their spiritual blindness.

Luk 13:14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the SABBATH day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the SABBATH day.

Luk 13:15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the SABBATH loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

Luk 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the SABBATH day?

The audacity to say in effect- stay in your pain, stay in your infirmity, stay in your sickness through the Sabbath because you don't deserve to be healed on the Sabbath. You must continue suffering, you probably deserved it for some sin. A very real possible thought that synagogue ruler was having as he rebuked the people. Jesus called that ruler and others that were thinking the same thing, out on what was said. He called them right to their faces, HYPOCRITES! He told them something they'd all done probably that very morning, led their animals to water to drink. No ox or ass would die by going a single day without water, so why did they believe it necessary to lead them out of their stalls to water? Jesus was telling it like it was. They cared more about their animals than they did the sick, injured, deformed, maimed. That woman there suffered 18 years! 18 years! And they wanted her to suffer longer. Imagine being bent over unable to stand up straight for 18 years and someone can heal you and others say it's wrong to do it right then and there. Crazy, and Jesus knew it.

Luk 14:1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the SABBATH day, that they watched him.

Luk 14:2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

Luk 14:3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the SABBATH day?

Luk 14:4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

Luk 14:5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the SABBATH day?

Once again it is recorded for all time… It is okay to help others on the Sabbath! If you'd help an animal without a second thought, then why not a fellow human being?!

Luk 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the drew on.

Luk 23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

Luk 23:56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the SABBATH day according to the commandment.

Jesus had died. Did the women hurry back to prepare what was needed for His body for His entombment and bring them to Him? No. To prepare a dead body was not helping by reliving pain, Jesus could feel no pain. To prepare a dead body would not in any way serve to worship God. It wouldn't even have been worship for Jesus, Immanuel- God with us. Jesus wouldn't have been aware of any worship while He was in death's sleep. Ecc_9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing… Jesus wouldn't have known they were there. They rested on the Sabbath day as the commandment tells us we should. They had absolutely no instruction from Jesus to change something as monumental as the Sabbath commandment given at Sinai as part of the ten royal laws written by the finger of God Himself.

Jesus and the Sabbath, the above isn't all the verses on the subject, but enough to give us the truth of the matter. Jesus wanted people to worship God on the Sabbath and in doing so, love one another, help one another if there is need. Nitpicking apart every act in our lives trying to decide which are acceptable on the Sabbath and which aren't isn't the thing to do. The commandment that tells us to do no work, no labor because we have six days to do that, meant we are not to exert ourselves in ways that keeps us from worshiping God. We aren't to work to earn our living in ways that aren't helping others in need and we aren't to buy things from others. There is a great example of not doing those things (buying and selling) in Nehemiah 13.

Jesus came to shake off the intense strictures on the Sabbath, but He did not dismiss the Sabbath and He did not work on the Sabbath to earn money, He did not ignore the commandment, He couldn't, it was a commandment of pure love given to us by the Creator, made for us by Him. He created mankind and they were to labor keeping the Garden of Eden, they weren't idle. No, it wasn't work as we know work, but it was spending days doing things other than focusing their worship on God completely. God didn't hover over them in the Garden. God didn't live on earth, in the Garden. God visited with them on the Sabbath day, a day that later He put into a commandment after sin entered the world. A day that we must REMEMBER, the only commandment with that order. A day we are to rest and worship HIM because we were now living in a world that would focus on all things other than their loving God.

God help us all to REMEMBER the seventh day Sabbath, after six days of labor and focusing on our own selves eking out a living in a harsh, brutal world. Keep us in You, in Your love. We know it is out of pure love you gave us such a special SABBATH commandment. Your love for us fills the Sabbath commandment. You're our Creator, our Redeemer, our all in all, our everything, always! Bless and keep us in You Lord, in Your love now and forever! Amen!

Study to Be Quiet

1Th 4:11 '...study to be quiet'


We don't often hear exhortations like that do we? Study to be quiet. Looking at the Greek definition of the words 'study' and 'quiet' we could also say… strive to rest, labor to hold peace, study to refrain from being meddlesome, strive not to talk.


Being told to 'study to be quiet' tells us something doesn't it? We are noisy, restless people who don't often find being quiet very easy. Some of us are chatterboxes and we laugh as we tell others how we love to talk and talk. We make light of it because-well- that's just how we are. How easy is it for us to jump into conversations that others might be having because we have our opinion to share. For some, as soon as the thoughts form in our minds we are spouting them without taking time to think.


When we talk, are we aware of the value of our words? We all know how easy it is for just a few words to turn a happy time into an awful one. We know that truly the tongue is a fire...don't we? But we don't treat our tongues like fire do we? We don't recognize the power our words have to destroy, to hurt, to maim. Our words can do irreparable damage, and yet we seldom stop to think of them as being such a destructive force.


'Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity'.


With this knowledge in mind, with this fire brand in our mouths ready to strike out and burn any and all around us we don't fully equated it with a 'world of iniquity', if we did wouldn't we make a concerted effort to not 'flame' at others, not to let the wicked, sin-filled tongue in our mouths strike out at them, leading to our own destruction. Am I being too dramatic? That's something people like to say today. You're being dramatic. As if your concern is unwarranted. Maybe it is in a lot of cases, but not this one. We can't be dramatic enough when it comes to the things we say. Just knowing how powerful our words could be should really have us making a concerted effort to THINK BEFORE WE TALK. Too often people might want a hurried answer to their question. Or they might tell you that you're being too quiet during a conversation because they want you to jump right in and have fun in the chaotic chatter that is seemingly harmless, at least it's meant to be. Every word we speak has consequences, like it or not. Whether you want to believe it or not, it's true. A simple yes or no can weigh on a person for years especially if it were in answer to a question that has adverse consequences, even deadly consequences.


Perhaps- studying to be quiet is a lesson in not being noisy to our own detriment.


Study to be quiet. Strive to be quiet. Labor to be quiet. This is telling us to WORK at being quiet that being quiet might not come quite so natural to us.


I've heard people say they follow of ten second rule, meaning that before they respond to ANYTHING even remotely controversial they'll silently count to ten while thinking about the consequences of the response they might make. That's a good rule, but maybe ten seconds isn't long enough in every situation. At other times, as a red-faced, fuming, antagonizing person stands there waiting for a response- ten seconds might seem like five minutes. Giving an instantaneous retorts is expected, you might even hear the words - 'Are you going to let them get away with saying that?', if not from others you might hear that from the little sneaky voice inside your head. How often do we respond to stuff harshly because we feel as if our pride has been wounded? We've been hurt by the fiery tongue of another so we feel justified in lashing right back to save our dignity, to preserve our honor, to uphold our selfish idea of the type of person we are and how we deserve to be treated.


Study to be quiet. When we 'think' before we speak we are taking time to contemplate the affect our words will have on the situation at hand. If we are to 'study' to be quiet, we need to truly make an effort to be quiet, don't we?


I read this--
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.


Our tongues are untamed- no man can tame the tongue- at best we can 'study to be quiet', right?


We live in a loud world where our opinions, our words are shouted every which way. We have electronic media platforms to hoist ourselves up on, the soap box or our time, and shout out whatever we feel like it. All too often people will post things they end up regretting the words of their tongue recorded for all to see.


I know I'm mostly speaking my opinion even here, my tongue recorded for all to see. God's words are for us to pray over, to ponder, to study, to bring into our lives.


Take a few minutes now to read the context of the 'study to be quiet', verse 1 Thess. 4:11. Paul writing to those in Thessalonica .


1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
1Th 4:6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
1Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1Th 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
1Th 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
1Th 4:10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
1Th 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.


Study to be quiet , do your own business, work with your own hands as we commanded you… why? That ye may walk honestly towards them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.


The entreaty is to live as God would have us live, and a part of that is studying to be quiet. Labor, strive to rest, to refrain from meddling, stop talking, hold our peace. Make a real effort to do this. While we are doing so many other things that one who loves God would do, we need to remember being quiet is necessary too.


May God help us to 'study to be quiet', to be as He would have us be and not as we think we should be, or as the world tells us is acceptable to be. We need to be acceptable to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, through the righteousness of our Savior. We need to live in Him as He would have us live, not as we would naturally desire to live. We need to take up our crosses, we need to strive against sin, we need to cling to Christ and place all our hope, all our faith in Him fully.


By the grace and through the love of our Savior now and forever! Amen.
(In part taken from a study done in 2010)

Love As He Loved

 Joh_13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Why did Jesus call it a new commandment? It became a new commandment because it was given after He took on flesh. God declared the Son, became a human and lived among us in that flesh, interacting with us in a way never before done. He showed us what His love meant. He stood before human beings, cried with them, ate with them, walked with them, ever the example.

Jesus could say He was giving us a new commandment because humanity now knew what it meant to love others as He loved us.

He said- AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.

Yes, prior to this we were to love one another, that is an Old Testament command. We were told what this love should be (Ten Commandments). We were instructed to love, but the instructor came in person to give us Himself as living proof showing us how we were to love.

Love others as He loved them. He loved in truth, pure truth.

He was revealing His love when He yelled at the pharisees and when He overturned the moneychangers tables. He was revealing His love when He healed the blind, the lame, the lepers, the demon possessed, etc. We have real examples from Him of His love, always putting the welfare of others before His own and most importantly His love pointed to Salvation, always.

There are more verses about new commandments.

1Jn_2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

1Jn_2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

Contradictory statements? Not really. The old commandment to love one another is from the beginning and is a part of the new commandment. The love of a future Savior became realized with the appearance of Jesus, a present Savior who dispelled the darkness, the ignorance and brought salvation knowledge.

The Savior that was longed for, arrived and He did all that was needed. The true light was shining where before the promise of that light existed as darkness prevailed. After Jesus, the darkness, the lack of knowledge, the unknown way to eternal life and salvation was done away with. The true Light, the true understanding, Jesus.

2Jn_1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

The commandment to love as already stated, is an old one. Just as Jesus did with the other, still relevant, commandments, He brought the truth of them into the light for all to see.

He lived every single commandment perfectly, an example for all. We are to love as He loved. Jesus taught us that our hearts, our inner spirit must live in His love. We can't lust after forbidden things and console ourselves with the fact that we don't act on them. We can't willingly indulge sin in our minds, nurturing it, and then pat ourselves on the back for not physically committing the sin. We have to truly love one another and He showed us how. We must love one another in actions, not just in words mouthed, believing that our words are enough.

We must shun all forms of willful sinning, embracing all of the love Jesus. It is that love we give to others, the love He gives to us.

The future Messiah loved us before He took on flesh.

And He loved us after He took on flesh. We are forever loved.

A new commandment He gave us--in addition to the ten commandments already given- LOVE AS HE LOVED.

Amen.

The Death Sentence Has Only Been Postponed Unless There Is Forgiveness.

 Jer. 6:19  Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring calamity upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

Why would God change? Why would God who gave us the plan of salvation before the world began, that same God who gave us the Ten Commandments after that plan was made, change His mind about them?

We say God demands less of people now. That's a lie and yet we live that way. We read how God brought punishment to His chosen people who abandoned Him and worshipped other gods, how He punished those who did NOT hearken unto His words or to His law. He's the same God today.

The sacrificial ceremonial law was the only law done away with by the greatest Sacrifice there could be, Jesus Christ. It makes sense that it would be done away with because there could never be another sacrifice made by man's hands that could atone for their sins. That lamb slain, those doves brought, all the things sacrificed pointed to the ONE who would be sacrificed and only by our going to Him. Just as if we would go to the temple of old for our sins to be forgiven, when we go to Him we find forgiveness and live.

Time and again the people of Israel betrayed God turning away from Him and His law. The punishments were severe, not mere slaps on the wrist. That same God expects us to still keep His law and to listen to His words- all of them.

The punishments were often death in the Old Testament and that was altered. Why?

Why if a woman, or man for that matter, were caught in adultery were they no longer to be stoned for their sin? Was it because adultery was no longer abhorrent to God? What changed? The sin of adultery remained punishable by death, the only thing that changed was the carrying out of the sentence. No longer would people be stoned to death for that, or for murder, or having other Gods before God, or worshiping idols, or taking God's name in vain, or not keeping the Sabbath, or not honoring your parents--ALL punishable by death before Christ died for us. Do you remember they tried to throw Christ Jesus off a cliff for blasphemy? The laws were still in effect when Jesus lived. Jesus taught mercy, Jesus taught repentance, Jesus taught forgiveness all things necessary to belong to Him.

Those who commit adultery, murder and so on- any of the capital offenses- were no longer to be put to death right away. They were to be allowed to live and serve punishments in prisons for their crimes but they were also given a chance to seek forgiveness from Jesus! Those thieves on the cross alongside of Jesus both deserved their death sentence, but only one was spared by the forgiveness of Jesus, that man sought forgiveness.

A person is given their entire life time to seek forgiveness. Yes, some are given the death penalty now, but it's not by God taking away their lifetime opportunity to seek forgiveness, changing their lives and living for Him, it's man taking it away.

God didn't change.

As I said already, the timing on the punishment of the death sentence changed. Not a single unrepentant, unforgiven person will live. Not a single person who rejects God's laws and refuses to listen to God's word will survive their death sentence. There are a lot of people sentenced to death walking around. The gravity of their sins is lost on them. They break all Ten Commandments and seek absolutely no forgiveness. The things they do now they would have been stoned to death for, but now they shrug it off and believe it's of no consequence. They even try to get people to believe it is no longer sin, that what was once worthy of death is no longer worthy of death. Satan has deceived the masses and he's tried to use the Savior's leniency, the Savior's compassion, the Savior's desperate love for all of us- to say it's okay to sin now. They do this because they don't believe the death sentence has just been postponed, but done away with.

Too many people don't believe their sins warrant death. They do. They are just as bad as they ever were. They've done away with the idea of sin and consequences. They either don't care at all whatsoever, or they believe it's not as bad as it used to be.

For those who seek forgiveness for their sins, they do so with the full weight of the truth- that their sin killed the Savior. He died to save them. The weight of their sin was laid upon the dying Christ, He took their punishment. He took their place upon that cross, the cross meant for them. Wake up people, before it is too late! Repentant and recognize the wages of sin is still DEATH. But we do have the Gift of God, Jesus Christ, who can give us life. He won't save us IN our sins, but from the sins we confess and seek forgiveness for, sincerely repenting and forsaking sin, never excusing it in our lives.

God forgive me, a sinner. All glory, thanksgiving and praise, all honor unto You for your sacrifice for me. I can never thank you enough, never. Every day I will lay at the foot of Your cross knowing You died for me. Every day I will pray that because You died for me that You live for me, and that You will live in me, ever my hope, my life! Not I, but Christ always! Amen!

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Holy Scriptures

 The Holy Scriptures. How important are the Old Testament Holy Scriptures? How important were they to Jesus? 

The New Testament points us to their importance. We'd do well to look at the verses talking about scriptures. We do ourselves a great injustice to ignore the Holy Word of God. 

I remember once someone questioning me on the importance of scripture, saying how do you even know it isn't just men writing what they want to write. How do you know the scriptures are God's word? How do we know which version of the scriptures is correct, man has mistranslated so much?

It seems those who choose not to believe that scripture is from God want an outside source, something other than the Bible to reveal it is from God. They don't want God's written word to tell them it's holy. They want proof in some other way. They don't want to be duped by fairy tales made up by a cult of deceived believers. It doesn't matter that some of the greatest literary scholars have believed the Bible as God's inspired word, they are just more people among those deceived. 

Quite the conundrum, yes? 

I remember these spoken lyrics in a Casting Crowns song-

'The Bible was inscribed over a period of 2000 years

In times of war and in days of peace

By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers

Fishermen, singers and shepherds

The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive

Could have been produced by such a diverse crowd

Over a period of time which staggers the imagination

Jesus is its grand subject, our good is designed

And the glory of God is its end'

The sheer complexity of the Bible as God guided it to be put together book by book (scroll by scroll) writing by writing is a 'marvel'.  Men were the instruments God used. The Holy Spirit guided the men. 

Some might argue that a lot of the history- especially the family lineages that go on and on are unnecessary filler taking up space making reading difficult and boring, serving no useful purpose. Then they'd wonder why God would include such nonsense. Others would say there are a lot of bad things in the Bible - sex, drunkenness, betrayals, murders, tortures etc why would God allow that stuff in there? I've seen people who have proudly created memes that say how God ordered women and children killed. Why would God put bad public relations information in His holy word? Those people posting the memes are hoping to disparage God and get people to stop believing in Him. How could a God of love, have children killed? How do you accept a God like that? 

They ask these questions as if God wouldn't ultimately give every innocent child salvation when Christ returns, raising those who died. Jesus said to suffer the children, to let them come to him and He also said that anyone who hurts one of them is better off having a millstone tied about their necks and drowned. Here read it yourself-

Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

The same God who told warriors of His chosen people to kill children, is the one who is in full agreement with His declared son, Jesus, he and his father are one.  

God's ways are not our ways. To think that we know better than God is utterly ridiculous. We may not comprehend all the reasons beyond God's ways, but we know each and every one of them comes from a place of love so deep and pure that any suffering of any one, in any way will all be understood one day. 

That Jesus, a God himself, suffered unimaginably in order to bring us salvation is something we can scarcely truly comprehend. 

Our trouble comes when we are convinced that this world is all there is and all there will ever be. Our trouble comes when we choose to believe there is no God in control. Our trouble comes when we believe to allow suffering for our ultimate good, is something wrong. Our trouble comes when we can't think past 100 years of life, if we're blessed. Our trouble comes when we choose to believe in deception rather than truth and call the truth lies. Our trouble comes when we want nothing to do with faith, in believing in the unseen even though our lives are testament to the idea of believing in an unseen tomorrow, every day. You can choose to believe and gain everything, or you can choose not to believe and risk losing everything. Choosing to believe doesn't rob you of anything eternally important. Choosing not to believe robs you of eternity. Living with hope in the unseen, having faith which is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, is a beautiful thing. 

Suffering is horrific, especially in innocent children, innocent developmentally disabled, innocent animals, it's completely and utterly horrific. The only reason suffering is allowed is because the only other alternative was to wipe humanity out completely. We suffer now for a little while (compared to eternity), in order to be a part of eternal humanity ultimately putting an end to ALL suffering forever.

The millions of deceived faux Christians are not are our role models, only Jesus Christ is our role model and none other. Walk your Christian walk following ONLY Jesus. Don't let the deceived Christians who are wolves in sheep clothing and don't even know it, keep you from learning of Jesus Christ, your Savior in all truth. 

Take a few minutes and read this list of verses about the scriptures. Trust that God will guide you as you study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Let the Holy Spirit who inspired the words bring them to life for you daily. 

2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness

Mar_12:10  And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner

Mar_15:28  And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

Luk_4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Joh_2:22  When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Joh_7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Joh_7:42  Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

Joh_13:18  I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

Joh_17:12  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Joh_19:24  They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

Joh_19:28  After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Joh_19:36  For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

Joh_19:37  And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

Joh_20:9  For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Act_1:16  Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

Act_8:32  The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth

Act_8:35  Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Rom_4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Rom_10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom_11:2  God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying

Rom 11:3  Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 

Rom 11:4  But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 

Rom 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Gal_3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Gal_3:22  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Jas_2:8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well

Jas_2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

1Pe_2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

2Pe_1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

I Remember You, Lord.

 Joh 6:22  The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 

Joh 6:23  (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 

Joh 6:24  When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 

Joh 6:25  And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 

Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 

Jesus told those seeking him… Truly you seek me not because you saw the miracles- but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 

A miracle. Bread multiplied miraculously. Enough bread to feed 5000 people. 

 

If you've ever hosted a dinner party you know feeding a lot of people is an endeavor. Of course if all you had to give them was bread, well, not so complex, right? You go to the store grab a few bags of rolls and that's that. Or if you are so inclined you make your own bread for the occasion. It's doable for a dinner party. Now let's imagine a bread party for 100 people, that's a lot of bread. 500 people, wow, you're going to need a lot more bread. 

The miracle of the 5000 being fed is overwhelming. Yet Jesus told some of those who ate of the miracle bread that they didn't care about the miracle aspect, but rather the fact they had someone who could supply them food from out of nowhere. They believed they had someone who could make it so they'd forever have their bellies full. It didn't matter that it was a miracle from God and the ramifications of that fact. All that mattered was they'd be able to eat forever without end if this bread producer would just keep producing bread. Their thoughts were on the TEMPORARY. We all know we are only ever sated temporarily after eating, sooner or later those hunger pangs will start up again no matter how full we were hours, or even a day before. No matter the amount of food we eat, and unless we eat without ceasing, without waiting for hunger to hit, we will feel the need for food again. (Barring medical conditions). 

So, what's my point.  Food only satisfies for so long before you need to eat again. When people lose their appetites they know they need to eat to maintain their existence, it might not be easy, but they do it just to keep on living.

For people in Jesus' day who were perhaps used to surviving on a couple meals a day, barely sustainable meals, a source of endless food was their focus.

Jesus wanted the focus to be on the miracle. God had provided for their hunger that day because they were in the presence of one who was expounding words of eternal life to them.  The eternal source of life everlasting was there in front of them, and they only saw the source of one who sated their temporary hunger. 

There was a lesson being taught- all the words spoken that day were the miracle- the bread was the proof of those words of eternal life. Who could deny the words being spoken by Jesus especially after they ate miracle bread? Apparently almost all of them could deny Jesus' words of eternal life in favor of simply wanting their temporary lives taken care of. 

The fact that Jesus was NOT there to give them endless supplies of physical sustenance is apparent throughout his entire ministry. However, the endless supply of eternal spiritual food preparing one for eternity was available.  The fact that his life alone was a temporary one was made clear by Jesus. He wasn't sent to make their temporary lives easier. He wasn't there to give temporary luxuries so none would know want and deprivation.  

Feeding the 5000 was a lesson being taught, and so few understood. 

The people the next day wanted more food, more miracles to prove their temporary lives would become ones of ease. 

Still not grasping what Jesus said, they asked what they could do to work the works of God.  Were they asking how they too could produce miracle bread? Hadn't they heard Jesus say not to labor for the temporary? 

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 

Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 

Jesus gave them an answer to their question, the work of God was for them to BELIEVE on HIM WHOM HE SENT.  It wasn't for them to become miracle workers, it was for them to BELIEVE what HE was telling them, and His focus was eternal life.

Joh 6:30  They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 

Joh 6:31  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 

Even after being fed miraculously the day before they wanted a SIGN from Jesus so they could believe him. They wanted a food supply, a constant food supply like their forefathers had been given manna.  If Jesus could give them such a sign, that miracle bread produced daily for their needs then sure, they'd believe in Him and what He said.

Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 

Manna, the temporary life sustaining bread wasn't something pointing them to eternal life, it kept them physically living as they learned God's ways. That manna stopped falling when they could provide for their own physical needs. That manna wasn't to sustain eternal life, it was temporary life sustaining. If it had been necessary for eternal life God would have never stopped it from falling, but a full belly isn't the way of eternal life. The Bible even tells us people treat their bellies like their god. They worship their temporary hunger, living to satisfy the god they've made of their stomachs. When we worship our own bellies, we in truth worship a false god, a false idol.  There is danger in temporary food and these people were focused on the temporary. 

Jesus tells them that His Father is giving them the TRUE BREAD from heaven. The true life sustaining necessary sustenance of eternal life, bread that is much more important than what they'd had to eat the day before.

He went on to say--

Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 

Jesus is the bread of God- able to give life to the world,  ETERNAL LIFE. EVERLASTING LIFE. 

Joh 6:34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 

They just didn't get it. Jesus had just told them that the BREAD is HE WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.  It was a HE. And HE was that HE. Still they wanted the BREAD- not Jesus!  They wanted that temporary bread they could consume with their mouths and they wanted it supplied forever.

Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 

Jesus couldn't have spoken any plainer. He tells them again-

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. Those who come to HIM will NEVER hunger, those that believe on HIM will NEVER thirst.

Logically every single one of those inquiring after this bread didn't like that answer. Jesus Himself wasn't made of bread, or for that matter water. Going to Him as they were right now hadn't produced bread and water for them to eat and drink. If he was saying HE was bread and water then something wasn't quite right. They refuse to switch from the material world to the spiritual world and comprehend that Jesus was offering LIFE EVERLASTING- a future life beyond the temporary. He was offering something so much more important than bread that could rot away. 

Jesus continued--

Joh 6:36  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 

Joh 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 

Joh 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 

Joh 6:39  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 

Joh 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Such detail! Such truth! Jesus was telling them that in the LAST DAY that He would raise up those who are HIS. In the LAST DAY He will raise them up to EVERLASTING LIFE.  He wanted them to understand beyond their temporary lives to their eternal lives. People lived and died and yet there was so much more. There would be in the LAST DAY a rising up of all who are Jesus' to everlasting life, this implied a need for being raised up.  They needed to be raised to everlasting life because they could not raise themselves to it, it wasn't automatically given to them. A LAST DAY would come and on that day JESUS was the way to being raised.  

They still didn't get it. 

Joh 6:41  The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 

Joh 6:42  And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 

Suddenly their minds switched from -give us this eternal food and drink so we aren't hungry or thirsty, you miracle worker. You gave us food yesterday, we want more. We know you can give us food, so do it all the time. They switched from that mind set to the fact Jesus said HE was the bread that came down from heaven.   What? Uhn? This stumped them completely. They knew Jesus. They knew he was born and raised by Joseph and Mary. They'd seen his parents, they'd seen him growing like any other person.  So HOW could he have come down from heaven?  They understood manna being rained down from heaven, but not this man, this man whose family they knew, coming down from heaven. It was ludicrous. 

Jesus had so much more to say…

Joh 6:43  Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Joh 6:45  It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 

Joh 6:46  Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 

Joh 6:47  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 

Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life. 

Joh 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 

Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The prophets who they all believed in, wrote that they shall be taught of God. Jesus told them yes, their forefathers ate heaven sent bread, manna, but they are dead now. That heaven sent bread for their physical sustenance did not give them life everlasting. Jesus himself was the way to  life everlasting, there was no other way. They had to Believe Him, believe that HE was the real bread they needed. The miracle worker was the source of life, not the physical bread. But just like in Moses' day they needed that bread to live, and they needed HIM to live. He was going to DIE so they would have access to living forever. He was going to give his life - the life that was, like theirs, sustained by bread. He was going die, for them to live. He wanted them to understand the truth of what He was telling them. He was sent by God, they saw the miracle(s) He could perform that no other had ever done before, they had all the proof they needed to recognize Him as the true source of eternal life- the eternal bread. And HE would give up His life  so they would forevermore have a way to life everlasting.  The bread- a metaphor He wanted them to understand. They needed MORE THAN THE BREAD THEY ATE THE DAY BEFORE! Look beyond the temporary, look to the eternal! His flesh- he would give that up for them. 

 

Joh 6:52  The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 

Still they refused to comprehend. No, Jesus wasn't holding out his arms and telling them to bite him and take some of his flesh to eat. It was a METAPHOR. They had the miracle of bread being supplied to them the day before. He could also supply them with eternal life, eternal bread it would be found in Him, His life, His death and YES, they could have this life eternal too, through HIM. There was no other way they could get it, none. 

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 

Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 

Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 

Joh 6:58  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 

Joh 6:59  These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

His flesh, His blood--- eat and drink -- GET YOUR LIFE FROM HIM! No other way. You had to have HIM as your source of LIFE ETERNAL! If you don't have HIM as your source of life eternal you will have eternal death. EAT, DRINK- get LIFE from JESUS! He died to make this possible! To take Him literally is to deny the truth of His entire message, and that is what MANY did. They were confounded because they refused to see the metaphoric message He was giving to them. He wasn't instituting cannibalism!!! How ludicrous an idea! Metaphorically it all makes sense, perfect sense.

At the last supper He didn't rip off pieces of his flesh and tell them to eat it. He didn't let his blood pour into a cup and pass it around. BREAD and WINE- SYMBOLICALLY taken in REMEMBRANCE of Jesus giving His LIFE so we could live!  

The many couldn't comprehend what Jesus was saying, they thought Him a mad man. Coming from heaven when they knew he was born on earth like any man. Eating his flesh and drinking his blood, crazy talk.  Even though it was they who introduced the manna, the bread, the eating of that bread they still refused to take the step necessary to understand Jesus was the source of eternal life, something so much more important than their bellies.  

Joh 6:60  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 

Joh 6:61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 

Joh 6:62  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

IN HIS OWN WORDS HE EXPLAINS PLAINLY.

The flesh profiteth nothing! THE WORD THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU- THEY ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE!    

Spirit and life!

He wanted them to understand He was being metaphoric and still, they refused to understand. 

Joh 6:64  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 

Joh 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 

He told them outright, some of you believe not. He knew that even one among his Apostles would betray him because of unbelief.

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 

Joh 6:67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 

Joh 6:69  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 

Joh 6:70  Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 

Joh 6:71  He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. 

Jesus tried so hard to get people to believe, he did all he could do. But the blind would remain blind, yet he would give sight to those who would see. 

Mat 26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 

This bread represents his body.

Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 

Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 

This wine represents his blood.

Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 

It was the fruit of the vine, not his real blood, never real blood. Jesus used so many symbols, parables and so on. Those who seek truth can see this, those who seek tradition cannot. 

1Co 11:23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

Do this- take bread, eat it, remember His body broken for us.

1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 

Do this- take the wine, drink it, remember his resurrected life. 

1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 

We remember! We show that we remember by these symbolic actions. Jesus is life eternal, life everlasting!

Bread for five thousand, bread for a day,

Bread for eternity, your every word spoken.

Bread for remembrance, Bread of Life.

Bread for the belly, can't satisfy.

Bread for the spirit, everlasting, ever living.

Bread, Jesus, your body once bruised, once broken. 

Bread, your words devoured.

Yes, I remember you often, your sacrifice, your life, you dying and being raised up for me. I remember you.

Crucified With Christ

 

The Jewish religion began with God calling a man out from heathenism, out from his family, his way of life, away from the false gods his people were known to worship. This man, Abram, obeyed the voice of God. From that point on all the way to the birth of Jesus, these people, descendants of Abram, whose name was changed by God to Abraham, were called to a different way of life than others. 

They were called to be God focused, not self-focused. They were called to look beyond themselves and their earthly life. They were called to a life of hardship, of hunger, cold, pain. They were called to walk entirely by faith and not sight. So often they wanted to return to the warmth, the ease, the fulness of their bellies. Day after day, they wanted the quenching of their thirst at the first thought of need. They couldn't understand why they were call to a life of sacrifice, of suffering and yet beholden to Abram they journeyed with him, and that was only the beginning of those called chosen of God.

The history of those people called by God to be His chosen is rife with backsliding and betrayal, and still God remained a part of them. Just like the Gentiles, who as a majority refused God and his ways, the Jewish people constantly refused God and his ways too, only they substituted their own ways and called them God's.  They kept the title of being God's chosen and perverted that title over and over. 

Among those of the corrupted people, God was always able to find a faithful few. Those faithful few were called from their darkness shrouded religion into the light of truth. They exposed the apostasy among God's chosen and called for change. Change didn't always come. Punishments were enacted. Then maybe after a brief reprieve of repentance, once more the dark overshadowed the light. The cycle was seemingly endless. History shows very bright spots among the constant corruption and those bright spots served as beacons to those who truly sought God.

Then the Messiah was born. God Himself in flesh. And God Himself revealed  the corruption among those He'd chosen to be His people. He showed them that they'd lost sight of God. They'd taken a ceremonial system meant to teach sacrifice and forgiveness and perverted it through their avarice, through their pride and self-serving. The system meant to point to God had been twisted. They made sin a simple matter. Go on sin, then sacrifice--- wash, rinse, and repeat over and over again. Yes sin, we've got you covered here just buy this expensive animal and we'll do the rest and you are free to go, guilt free. 

The entire ceremonial service was corrupt.  The lambs slain to atone for the people's sins no longer had them realizing the depths of their transgressions. Mere ritual, by rote, a performance enacted with strict precision- day after day after day.

The Messiah, for three years of His ministry set out to show His people the truth. He did it slowly, step by step His love stripped back the façade of a hard-hearted, cold, calculating system that would no longer be necessary. The backsliding people were condemned along with their phony claim to godliness. The truth of God's love, of His forgiveness was made plain and abhorred by those whose hearts were evil continuously. The individualization of a person's relationship with God was brought to light. The knowledge that the Messiah came to open the way to life eternal was revealed. No, the Messiah was not to be a world dominating leader with an army of soldiers. No, the Messiah was not to destroy all those who were not among the chosen people, or bring those people into subjugation under the chosen ones. The Messiah came and shouted truth as He lived love for all to see. 

Instead of a chosen people from a world filled with people, instead of an elite society keeping all the riffraff out, the Messiah told the chosen people that their heartless, soulless, loveless existence was not God's way, and they were no longer God's chosen people, they could come out of that old way of life.

No longer would there be a single chosen people among the many. No longer would one race of people lay claim to God's preference. There would be the Messiah and any who would believe in Him and the love of God revealed to a broken world.

Not Jewish? No worries. A new and better way through Christ says that your ethnicity doesn't matter, your heart does, the truth does. 

Today, however, we've formed many offshoots of the Way of Christ.  

Ask yourself, why did Christ Himself tell us that few will find Him?

Why did Christ Himself say that many will think they are His, but they won't be?

Why did Christ Himself reveal that there would still be a broad way that many would travel taking them away from Him, and a narrow way for true followers?

The corruption of Christ's way began very shortly after Christ's death. 

Satan wasn't going to sit idle while Christ's conquering Him took place. He knew the fight was decided, the outcome of the war known. He knew He'd lost and his death sentence passed. He also understood that while he lived the rest of his existence on death row that he could still take as many of the humans that Christ died for with him.  In fact, he wanted them all! 

Corrupting the truth was a given for Satan who had nothing at all to lose. He was going to snatch as many people as he could, knowing everyone he laid claim to would break a piece of the Savior's heart.

Satan was down, but not out, able to created endless havoc from his death bed, from his jail cell. And…  today, this very moment, he has filled the world with his trophies and continues to add to them daily.

Just as the corrupted chosen people of God so long ago before Christ's appearance were in a constant state of backsliding and repentance, so holds true today of Christ's chosen people.  Instead of a single group of people among many in the world, that kept turning their backs on God. Today we have a world full of people, with many supposedly the true chosen who keep turning their backs on God. Some blatantly, others under the guise of false worship. 

Like the Jews of old who believed they'd forever be God's chosen and all others left out, there are Christian churches today that believe they are the only chosen church and all others are left out.  With both churches- the Jewish before Christ and the Christian after Christ- they believe in proselyting. They believe that people can come into their church, their ways, and be converted, and then they'll be God's people, but they don't believe anyone can truly be God's without them, not in the long run.

Few there be.

Narrow the way.

Not a single true follower of Christ wants to be among the many on the broad path caught under the delusion they are Christ's.  But to ignore these truths is self-deception.

Are you a follower of truth as it is found in Christ Jesus? Or are you a follower of the truth as it is found in traditions of man who claim to follow Christ Jesus?

How many Jewish people in Christ's day, in the Apostle's day, were under the delusion they were God's chosen still? How many of those people held fast to the traditions of man claiming God's favor? How many were completely sincere in their belief as they let themselves be led down the broad road? How many were utterly convinced in their hearts that they were following God and His way, only to die believing lies? They never accepted Christ or His sacrifice. They never listened to His words. They never followed His way, or His truth. They never kept the heart of the commandments AND had the testimony of Jesus. The never loved Jesus and therefore kept his commandments out of that love. They never saw the LOVE in the commandments that Christ alone revealed. They never picked up their own crosses and followed Him.  They were clinging to traditions of men under the guise of it being God's way. They were deceived because they refused the truth. They were blinded because they didn't want to see. They held fast to their personal beliefs, not God's. Their love was corrupt and self-serving, a feel-good religion without the truth- all the truth. They snatched a truth here and there and made that their religion while shunning the rest of the truth- allowing themselves to be deceived.

We are crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live, but not us, rather Christ in us. We die daily to all things but Christ and His way. Christ is the truth, the way, the life. We believe and ask for help for our unbelief- truly wanting help towards that end. We love Him and therefore keep His commandments. We know not one little dot of an i, or a tiny cross of a t, will be done away with from the Royal Law, the Moral Law, not a single one of those Ten Commandments that Christ's expounded upon as He kept them all. We cry out, God forbid that we glory in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! Christ by whom the world is crucified to us, and us to the world. 

The cross, the sacrifice of innocent blood, the death of a God, the end of Sin. The cross of suffering and death. The cross of a life without blemish yet still blamed.  A cross where we crucify ourselves along with the innocent One. We live a life leading only to the cross. We glory in that cross and ALL it represents- Christ's sacrifice so we might live a life eternal with Him.

Gal 6:14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.