We should not trust in ourselves but in God

2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead


We should NOT trust in ourselves. Too often we do just that. We count on ourselves to react or act in certain ways and when we don't we crumble into despair because we've trusted ourselves to overcome things when in fact it is God that overcomes, it's in God we have to trust.


Strange isn't it that our money has those words- In God We Trust. Do we really? We should, but unfortunately we trust in others and we trust in ourselves and leave God out of it completely.


2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:


The sentence of death is in ourselves. In and of ourselves we warrant death and it doesn't matter a wit how good we are. We can be super good people. We can be sweet and kind, and the best person to be about.


2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.


Having a form of godliness. A form of godliness. If you have a form of something you have a kind of that thing but NOT that thing itself. If I have a form of goodness, I don't have goodness itself do I? Just a form of it, a sort of goodness without actually having true goodness. It's not enough to have a form of godliness, it's not and yet so many people think it is perfectly okay to have a form of godliness.


Denying the power of God, denying the truth of God, you can have a form of godliness but you won't have the power of God in you


Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.


1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.


1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.


2Co 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.


2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God


1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.


Kept by the power of God. A far cry from having a form of godliness and denying the power there of.


2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead


We should not turst in ourselves... but in God.


May God help us do this, trust in Him, not ourselves for Salvation is in Him, not us. By His mercy, my His grace, His love so wondrous and so amazing, passing all understanding.


All glory and power unto our Creator now and forever! All praise and honor unto Him!


Amen!

Partakers of Sufferings

2Co 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Co 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.


Partakers of sufferings.


Whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and SALVATION- which is EFFECTUAL in the ENDURING of the same sufferings which we also suffer...


Or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and SALVATION.


We will have sufferings, we will. The suffering can come in so many forms. We can't pinpoint one suffering being harder than another because we all suffer in our own way. It's true. There are pain tolerances for every individual and there are suffering tolerances as well. The tolerance level being high or low but in the end it doesn't matter really because as individuals we have to live with the sufferings we endure not collectively. I can't truly feel your pain and suffering, I can empathize but I can't feel exactly what you are feeling because I'm not you. So many people say 'man up', meaning endure the suffering like a man, who supposedly endures it very stoically. We all have to 'man up' but our 'manning up' isn't a self-serving, self-endurance test it's a test of our faith, our ability to look to God so we endure through Him, not of ourselves.


We have to have hope knowing that any suffering we endure will be rewarded, there will be a consolation found in Christ when He returns, our consolation- SALVATION.


Salvation is our prize and worth enduring what? Anything? Yes, anything.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we as partakers in lifes sufferings endure unto the end our prize life with Christ forever, salvation found in Him.


Amen.

Grace be to you

2Co 1:2 Grace be to you...


What a saluatation!


Grace be to you. What does it mean to say that to someone? Grace be to you. It's the most wonderful thing anyone could truly say to another isn't it? Grace be to you. Grace is the whole message of our Lord's reason for taking on humanity and living among us, choosing to die so we could be forgiven and receive His grace, His forgiveness for our sins. Grace- undeserved forgiveness. Saying those words- grace be to you is bringing the message of Christ's love and forgiveness to others. We are to be ambassadors of Christ spreading the message of grace.


Remember this from my blog a few days ago--


'1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.


By the grace of God I am what I am. Grace is a REAL thing, not just something to mutter in prayer. Paul said- 'His grace which was bestowed upon me was NOT in vain.' Given this gift of grace, freed from sin, forgiven by the Lord, Paul used this miracle as we all should as God directs us. Paul said- 'but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me.' Paul laboured for Christ, but knows it wasn't of himself but by the grace of God with Him. Left to His own devices Paul would have continued to persecute Christ's followers. He knew this. By the grace of God bestowed on Him he lived and laboured. We can all have the grace of God given to us. Do we labour with the grace we receive to bring Christ to others? Can the grace bestowed upon us be in vain? God forbid.'


Grace be to you. Those words offer the knowledge of salvation. A beautiful message we should all be eager to bestow upon others.


It's easy for us to say 'good bye' to someone isn't it? The original context of that word is 'God be with you.' Yet it was shortened so that people no longer mean 'God be with you', they simply mean they are going away.


Saying God be with you is offering the hope to someone, offering God to someone which is what... offering the grace of God.


I don't imagine it would be easy to change our way of speaking and say 'Grace be to you' or even 'God be with you' if we aren't used to doing so. Is it something we might want to try though? We are to bring the message of God's grace to others by His grace. May the Lord guide us in this as we contemplate our words, our lives, our actions.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever!


Amen.

Mortal must put on immortality

1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.


1Co 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.


The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.


Has death been destroyed? No. Death is all around us, we live in its shadow every day. Death of people, death of animals, death in all its seeming finality. Experts rate death as the number one stress inducer in people. If you've had a death of a loved one recently you are ranked right up at the top of those experiencing high stress. Death takes things away from us. Death steals from us. Yesterday we talked a little about death being a sleep so those that are taken from us by death are only taken temporarily. We will be reunited with them into a life we can only imagine, incorruptible life, bodies of incorruption. Those of us who are middle aged notice the effects of a corruptible body more so than those who are young. We see the wrinkles, we notice the effects of aging and for us in our corruptible state those are signs of our inevitable demise. I'm not trying to be morbid, just realistic. People spend a lot of money trying to stay the hands of time on them, trying to keep the inevitable corruption of the body at bay. No one likes the reminder of their finite state, that death is going to meet them even if they live to be 100 years old, no one has defeated death except a very few of God's chosen. Christ experienced death and has the power over death and as the Bible says-- the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. God shall be all in all. This is the day I long for the day when the end comes, the day death is destroyed, the day God is all in all without any exception.


By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we see the day of His coming, may we be alive and changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye putting on incorruption without seeing death. May this be the will of God by the grace of Jesus, through the sacrifice, by the righteousness of our Savior now and forever.


1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


Amen!

The dead do rise, but...

1Co 15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
1Co 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?


1Co 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:


1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.


1Co 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.


1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:


1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.


1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.


1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.


1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.


1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.


1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.


1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

*******

The dead do rise, when?
Every man in his own order- Christ, the first fruits, then they that are Christ's at His coming.


Yes, the dead to rise, but they don't rise immediately upon dying as some believe. You hear all the time about friends and loved one going to heaven and seeing you from heaven as if they live on right after death. The mainstream belief is that loved ones KNOW you love them, see you, and understand everything going on in your life. This isn't true.


Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.


The dead know not any thing. This is a far cry from the belief the dead know everything, the complete opposite in fact. We try to placate our own grief, or guilt, by believing the dead know we love them and miss them and are sorry for anything we did to hurt them in any way. The belief is a selfish belief because truthfully if the dead have risen and know everything going on in our lives can they be happy? Think about it truthfully. Can a loved one alive and well in heaven look down upon our grief, upon our sicknesses, our tragedies and be happy? Yet we believe they are up there in heaven where there is only happiness. Do you see the great contradiction. We make up this fantasy to appease ourselves and who cares about the contradictions. The truth is this...


1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.


Fallen asleep.


1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.


Of them that slept.


Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.


Lazarus sleeps and Jesus will go to wake him, yet his disciples questioned by he would wake a sick man when sleep is good for the sick. Jesus then made it clear that the sleep Lazarus was experience was death's sleep.


Death's sleep. People will believe what they want to irregardless of Scripture. People will believe in traditions of men and fables of men and not care about Scripture facts and there is nothing anyone can do about this. But truthfully if a person stopped and thought about death as a temporary sleep- temporary meaning that when Christ returns the dead in Him will rise up to new life in Him- it's so much more comforting to believe rather then a loved one witnessing the suffering of life and loved ones and believing they are somehow happy no matter what they see and know.


My father sleeps in Christ and has slept for 25 years now. It's comforting to me to know that he is not witnessing any of the suffering our family has experienced. It's comforting knowing his trials are over and he has been resting in true peace of nothingness, the same peace we have with a dreamless, wonderful, very restful night's sleep. The next thing my father will know is Jesus at His coming when He shall rise in Christ to live with Him forevermore.


The dead do rise, but not until Jesus returns.


May we all find comfort in the knowledge the Bible provides to us, the truth in Christ now and forever. By the love, by the grace, by the mercy and forgiveness of our Lord and Savior, always.


Amen.

Christ Risen, Living In His Grace

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.


Many people saw Jesus after He'd been raised from the dead. There is NO doubt He was killed, murdered on the cross, no doubt. Jesus had become quite a sensation for stirring up the people. Miracles performed as never a man had performed them before. Some were in awe of Him others in fear of Him, some were angry with Him and that anger turned into hatred and they sought to have Him killed. With no doubt of His death, no contesting the fact He was dead at all, Jesus was buried in a tomb. The problem had been solved, the relief of those who hated Him and wanted Him dead had to be tremendous. But Jesus didn't stay dead, he rose again! Just as there was no doubt of His death there was no doubt of His rising again... 500 people saw Him at once! He didn't just appear to a few chosen few. There was NO DOUBT of His rising from the dead, no doubt.


1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.


1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.


By the grace of God I am what I am. Grace is a REAL thing, not just something to mutter in prayer. Paul said- His grace whish was bestowed upon me was NOT in vain. Given this gift of grace, freed from sin, forgiven by the Lord, Paul used this miracle as we all should as God directs us. Paul said- but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me. Paul laboured for Christ, but knows it wasn't of himself but by the grace of God with Him. Left to His own devices Paul would have continued to persecute Christ's followers. He knew this. By the grace of God bestowed on Him he lived and laboured. We can all have the grace of God given to us. Do we labour with the grace we receive to bring Christ to others? Can the grace bestowed upon us be in vain? God forbid.


May we receive the grace of God and by that grace live in Him, for Him, always.


Amen.

Love

1Co 13:4
Charity suffereth long
and is kind
charity envieth not
charity vaunteth not itself
is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5
Doth not behave itself unseemly
seeketh not her own
is not easily provoked
thinketh no evil
1Co 13:6
Rejoiceth not in iniquity
but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7
Beareth all things
believeth all things
hopeth all things
endureth all things.
1Co 13:8
Charity never faileth
but whether there be prophecies
they shall fail
whether there be tongues
they shall cease
whether there be knowledge
it shall vanish away.
1Co 13:9
For we know in part
and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10
But when that which is perfect is come
then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11
When I was a child
I spake as a child
I understood as a child
I thought as a child
but when I became a man
I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly
but then face to face
now I know in part
but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13
And now abideth faith,
hope,
charity,
these three;
but the greatest of these is charity.

Who Delivers Us? Jesus Christ!

1Co 9:27


(ASV) but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.


(Bishops) But I tame my body, and bryng it into subiection, lest by any meanes, that when I haue preached to other, I my selfe shoulde be a castaway.


(CEV) I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others.


(DRB) But I chastise my body and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.


(KJV) But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.


(KJV+) ButG235 I keep underG5299 myG3450 body,G4983 andG2532 bring it into subjection:G1396 lest that by any means,G3381 when I have preachedG2784 to others,G243 I myselfG848 should beG1096 a castaway.G96


(KJV-1611) But I keepe vnder my body, and bring it into subiection: lest that by any meanes when I haue preached to others, I my selfe should be a castaway.


(KJVA) But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.


(Vulgate) sed castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo ne forte cum aliis praedicaverim ipse reprobus efficiar

*******

Buffet my body
Tame my body
Keep my body under control
Chastise my body
Keep under my body


Buffet, tame, keep, chastise this sounds like something hard to do doesn't it? When you have to tame something that means it's wild, when you have to keep something under control that means it can be out of control, when you chastise something it's because it needs chastising. Paul here is talking about keeping himself in check. He doesn't want to be one who preaches to others how they should act and be found not following his own counsel. Living Godly isn't easy, it was Paul who also said this...


Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.


Who delivers us from the body? Christ.


We can't accept Christ and then willfully let ourselves go out of control. We make choices and those choices are reflected in our actions. Knowing that our own bodies are carnal and desiring of carnal lusts we do have to make choices to keep it under control- buffet, tame, chastise ourselves.


1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


WITH THE TEMPTATION ALSO MAKE A WAY TO ESCAPE!


A way to escape. What's that suggest? When you are trying to escape what are you trying to do? Get free from something holding you captive. To escape from a something bothersome to you. You are trying to get away from something. Escaping... do you have escape from something not keeping you captive? You might say you want to escape from everyday life, a figurative statement meaning that you want to go on a vacation and get away from everyday life. You might want to escape a boring lecture, you want to get away from that lecture. You might be compelled to stay at the lecture because it means points towards a grade, but you feel as if you are suffering through the lecture, right? Escaping a temptation is getting away from that temptation without succumbing to it. Can you escape something if you don't do anything? Can a prisoner escape a captor if they just sit in their prison? Can you escape your everyday life if you never go on vacation? Can you escape that lecture if you stay in the room? No. To escape an action must be taken. 'With the temptation also make a way to escape.' A way to escape.


We know we have to bring our bodies under control. We know that we sin in our carnal nature, the war in our members wars against our minds. Wars, captivity, taming, control, escaping. This is life as we know it and ONLY JESUS CHRIST can save us from our sinning selves. We need to escape to HIM. A way to escape...we have to look to Jesus for our escape. 'I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Jesus will save us. We have to give up self to Him and let Him live in us doing His will in us by His righteousness.


Life isn't easy no one said it was, but we have a way of escape ready for us in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. We can find forgiveness in Him, we find pure love in Him, we find righteousness in Him.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we do these things all through Him in His power not our own.


Amen.

Bought With a Price

1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.


The temple of the Holy Ghost.


People have spent millions of dollars over the years, maybe more, to discover hidden temples. Temples are places that are revered and held to be holy places. People have built all sorts of temples to worship false gods. Today there are temples dedicated to God, churches, meeting halls, houses people make special to honor God but what does God want from us now? What temple does God truly honor now? Where is God's Spirit? Has He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell inside stone, wooden, plastic walls? No. The temple where God's Holy Spirit dwells is us. God gives us His grace, His love, the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit who will dwell with us when we give our lives to God. We aren't our own. We aren't. So many people tell others to take charge of their lives, self-empowerment is the word of the day. Self it glorified. We believe we are our own, we are told we are our own, that we control our own lives fully and this is true right up to the point we decide whether or not we want God in our lives. If we choose God then our lives are His and no longer our own. Satan likes to use this aspect as something to deter people from accepting Christ, as if giving up self is the worst thing that could happen. Self cannot save self. Self cannot promise self eternal life. Self has so little control over so much in life and yet people revere self as it's own god, making themselves as god to be in control of so much yet the control is an illusion.


Our body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, we are NOT the Holy Ghost, we have no power of our own. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost which God has given to us, we are NOT our own. We are bought with a price and that price was the life of Jesus Christ God's Son. We have to glorify GOD in our body, and in our SPIRIT-- both of which are God's not our own.


May God bless and keep us in HIM, our spirit with the Holy Spirit given to us by God, paid for by Christ's sacrifice.


In Christ's Love now and forever.


Amen.

A Spectacle Unto the World

1Co 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?


What do we have that we don't receive? Seriously. Think about it. The very air we breath is a gift from God. All that we have we receive in one way or another. Yes, there are a lot of things in life we wish we didn't have to receive such as the angst and all that Satan as prince of this world strives to overcome us with. God allows things to happen for reasons beyond our comprehension but in the end those who trust in Him no matter how they suffer now will have the reward of eternal life in love, with Him. But seriously, when we receive we can't take credit for it can we? We need to give the glory to the one we've received from. When we glory in ourselves as if we could do anything without the Creator, we fail to honor God. Part of learning to give up self is learning that we receive and need to glorify the Giver of all life, rather than patting ourselves on the back and thinking that we give life and have power over life.


1Co 4:8 Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
1Co 4:9 For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men.


Wow. Doomed to death. A spectacle unto the world- unto both angels and men.


Read that again. A spectacle unto the world to both ANGELS and MEN.


We don't like to think of being a spectacle to unseen beings do we? I mean hidden cameras are a frightening thought because people would watch us live our lives and all the private things we do are revealed. There's something demeaning when we think of being watch at our most vulnerable moments and not necessarily because we are committing any sins, but just because we generally aren't raised in a society that promotes full revelation at all times. Yet we are a spectacle. No, we're not apostles, but we are all watched. God sees all. Paul was watched closely, all the apostles were watched closely as their faith so new in a world that hadn't known Christ was tested and tried in many ways. All but one apostle was killed for their faith. The apostles were a spectacle all they did was watched. As Christians our lives are watched too and yet many take this to mean they have to seem pious and perfect. As Christians we need to proclaim Christ's love first and foremost and sometimes love is revealed only after harsh times. That saying- Christians aren't perfect just forgiven is true, and yet it's not an excuse either. Our hearts need to be revealed and with Christ in us it is His love that is shown- not ours. Of ourselves we have nothing.


Paul goes on to say...


1Co 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.
1Co 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
1Co 4:12 and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
1Co 4:13 being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.
1Co 4:14 I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.


WOW.

Being reviled- we bless
Being persecuted- we endure
Being defamed- we entreat


Reviled, persecuted, defamed. None of us wants any of that at all whatsoever, it's completely alien to our way of life. When people revile, persecute, or defame you in our society we try to get them in trouble for hurting us- we sue them, we tell on them, often people take them to court so they are punished for their vile ways of treating others. How often do we even consider blessing someone that reviles another? How often do people simply endure persecution, of defamation? It's ludicrous to our way of thinking. Turning the other cheek isn't promoted, not really.


There are many today that are being reviled, persecuted, and defamed for their Christian ways, for believing in Christ. And Christ's way is far above our so called civilized ways where self comes first and foremost.


May God help us, bless us, keep us in Him. As we are spectacles to the world, to men and angels, may they see Christ in us as we claim Christ's righteousness through the forgiveness He offers us and count on nothing of ourselves.


In the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever.

Amen

Each Man Have His Praise from God

1Co 4:5 Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.


Nothing is hidden from God. The counsel of our hearts are manifested to Him always. We can judge nothing really because we can't see the counsels of the hearts, we can't see the things hidden in the darkness of our lives, things we'd rather keep hidden eternally. God sees it all and He judges. When the Lord comes all will be revealed. May we live in Him and have His righteousness stand as our in the day of His coming. May we have His praise, amazing praise from God as we are found alive in Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior now and forever.


Amen.

The wisdom of the world is foolishness

1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness
1Co 3:20 and again, The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise that they are vain.


The wisdom of this world.
Worldly wise.
Wise in the ways of the world.


Being wise in the world is something people seek all the time. People like to believe they are wise because being wise means not being simple, or stupid, lacking intelligence. Even Solomon asked for wisdom from God and it pleased God because Solomon wanted to be wise in the way of the Lord, not the world.


Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; To discern the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive instruction in wise dealing, In righteousness and justice and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion:
Pro 1:5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and a figure, The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.


To know wisdom
To receive instruction in wise dealing
That the wise man may hear and increase in learning
To understand a proverb, and a figure, the words of the wise
The foolish despise wisdom


So you see the wisdom of THIS world is foolishness with God.
God's wisdom however is something to be desired.


Pro 2:2 So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding


God's wisdom, God's understanding.


Read all this--

Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures:
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God.
Pro 2:6 For Jehovah giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding:
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
Pro 2:8 That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints.


Crying out for discernment, crying out for understanding, listening for wisdom, seeking this as we look for HID treasures! How many of us look for hidden treasures? Not many will do so out of the blue, but if a person is told their is a hidden treasure of silver in their house you can bet they'd be tearing the house inside out to find it. Seeking her as silver, searching for her as hid treasures... wisdom, understanding, discernment all for God, these are the things we need not money. We are convinced we need money to live, completely convinced and nothing can change our minds. Money means life, lack of money means death- no food, no house, no clothes, no medicines, no anything. Yet we are told to incline our ear to wisdom, to seek her as silver, not to seek out material riches.


May God bless us with wisdom, we need wisdom, we need the will to seek wisdom over worldly things, to seek for wisdom as if it were a treasure because it is a treasure, it really is.


ro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee


Please God we need to understand righteousness and justice, and equity and every good path. We need wisdom to enter into our hearts. We need knowledge to be pleasant to our soul. We need discretion to watch over us and understanding to keep us.


By your will, by your grace may we understand that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to you, and your wisdom is righteous, just, discerning, understanding. Please Lord forgive us, help us, we need you so desperately because the world and the prince of this world would destroy us in mind, body, and soul. In your love now and forever by our Savior Jesus Christ.


Amen.

The Spirit of God Dwells in Us

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.


The Spirit of God dwells in us!


We are holy to God.


No we might not consider ourselves temples, or holy, all our righteousness are as filthy rags, so it's not easy to believe in our worth to God. Some people who are considered very egotiscal are said to consider themselves God's gift to mankind. In fact, we are all God's gifts to mankind each and every one of us is of a value to God that goes beyond measure. No, being egotiscal isn't a good thing. Thinking that we are important in and of ourselves without considering God is wrong, He is our creator! Without God we are nothing. The Spirit of God dwelling in us by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is truly amazing. We have to really contemplate this- 'If any man destroyeth the temple of God, HIM SHALL GOD DESTROY, for the temple of God is HOLY and such ARE YE.'


If any man destroys YOU, God shall destroy him. Don't think immediate retribution. Don't think brimstone and fire. God's destruction is one of eternal destruction. Revenge belongs to God not us. When we belong to God we trust Him for all things. We are taught to forgive, to turn the other cheek, to do as we want done to us, not do as is done to us. The message of Jesus was one of forgiveness. We must forgive to be forgiven and through Christ we can forgive. Through Christ we can live. The Spirit of God can dwell in us. The natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit, but a man who is born again in Christ receives the Spirit of Christ to become a son of God. Spiritual things are open to those who have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. We can be taught of the Spirit. There isn't instance where we can believe we know instantly all the Spirit has to teach us, it is an ongoing life lesson that will be taught to us forever as long as we dwell in Christ.


By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, by His love always may we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us and be taught of the Spirit. We are unworthy, but Christ is worthy and it's to Him we look, it's Christ we serve, it's His righteousness we believe in.


Amen

The Mind of Christ

1Co 2:12 Now we have received,not the spirit of the world,
but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.


*
We don't receive the spirit of the world from God. Who is the prince of this world? The world's spirit is whose spirit if it isn't a spirit we receive from God? Seriously, think about it? Some like to put it in their heads and others that all things in our current world are part of the spirit of God. But evil and God do not go together, they never have and never will. People want to meld the two, they want to make evil part of God's spirit, of God's will. Horrific things happen and people will say it's God's will as if God desires horrific things to take place. God allows things to happen there is no doubt there at all, but evil in any form is not what God wills or wants. Evil is abhorrant to Him as it should be to us, even more so. He sacrificed His son allowing His son to experience death without knowing accept by faith if He would be raised again. The cup Christ had to bear was beyond anything we can imagine. Why, if Christ knew without any doubt would He have cried out, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' He felt the separation from His Father in a way He'd never felt it before, sin's separation. Had He sinned? No. But He died so that our sins would be forgiven. The spirit of the world is Satan's spirit and we can't pretend evil is just another part of God, it's not.


We can receive the spirit which is of God and we will know the things that are freely given to us of God. Such a miracle, such a blessing for us to receive the spirit which is of God. We all know too well what the spirit of the world has to give to us - a lot of treasures on earth and none in heaven, a lot of treasures that will rot and decay and disappear forever that's all the spirit of the world has to offer us.
*


1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak,
not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost teacheth
comparing spiritual things with spiritual.


*
Man's wisdom is different than God's. The Holy Ghost's teaching isn't man's teaching. Spiritual things compared with spiritual, this is the way the Holy Ghost teaches.
*


1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God
for they are foolishness unto him
neither can he know them
because they are spiritually discerned.


*
The natural man can't receive the things of the Spirit of God. We like to believe anyone can and will receive Spiritual things of God, but the truth is the spiritual things of God seem like foolishness to a natural man, a man who doesn't have Christ as His Savior. A man who hasn't been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, a man who hasn't been born again in Christ. Do you know anyone who scoffs at the things of God? Do you know anyone who thinks some of the things you do are foolish? Is there a lack of comprehension from some people over your Spiritual walk with Christ? It's because the natural man can't receive the things of the Spirit of God. Something to really think about really. Are you receiving the things of the Spirit of God?
*


1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things,
yet he himself is judged of no man.


*
There is a judging that has to occur. Right from wrong judging. If we don't have the ability to judge right from wrong we are lost. Spiritually we have to be able to judge right from wrong. NO, we don't condemn anyone or pass sentence upon them that's for God to do, but we can judge actions without juding eternal life. We have to. God judges us as we judge all things by the Spirit.
*



1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord,
that he may instruct him?
But we have the mind of Christ.


*
NO one knows the mind of the Lord to instruct the Lord, no one! But we have the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit teaches us if we have the mind of Christ. In fact it is the only way we can be taught of the Spirit, the Spirit who will teach us spiritual things can only do so if we have the mind of Christ.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we have the mind of Christ in us and have the Holy Ghost teaching us all things spiritual. We don't want to be natural men, unable to receive the things of the Spirit. Please Lord bless us, forgive us, love us, and live in us. By Your will, by Your love now and forever.


Amen.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me....

Matthew 11:13-11:30
'For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.'


Until John the Baptist the Jewish people had their prophets and the law which prophesied to them. They accepted those prophets of old but then John came, a prophet unlike any they had seen. John came to call people to repent, John came to prepare the way of the Lord. And Jesus had this to say...

'And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.'


Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD


Jesus said IF YE WILL RECEIVE IT- THIS IS ELIAS, this was the promised prophet Elijah which was to come before the LORD.


The prophet John wasn't to be forced upon anyone any more than Jesus would force Himself upon anyone. John was the the prophet to preach and make way the coming of the Lord, and those that heard him and believed him would know that he was indeed the prophet who was prophesized to come before the Lord. Jesus said...


'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.'


And Jesus continued...


'But whereunto shall I liken this generation?
It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced;
we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.'


Children not pleased with the results their actions wrought from others. Children are like that aren't they? Fickle. Children have no qualms about letting you know that you haven't acted the way they wanted or expected. A child won't hesitate to say, I did this, but you didn't act like you were supposed to. I played you music and you were supposed to dance instead you just sat there. I complained to you but you didn't give me the sympathy I wanted. It's all about expectation. The majority of the generation of Jesus had expectations of things to come. They knew a prophet was to come before the Lord but they complained that John couldn't be a prophet of God because he didn't feast and drink- he denied himself- he has a devil.


Then the Lord came and they complained of his eating and drinking. The Son of God wouldn't be gluttonous, or a winebibber and because Jesus ate and drank normally and didn't deny himself they complained. The Son of man wouldn't be a friend of publicans or sinners. The people enivisoned the promised Messiah as a man much like themselves with the same disdain for publican and sinners, the same shunning of them. They didn't imagine that the Son of man would come to save the lost, but they pictured Him as one would would confirm their own ideals and share in their disdain for others. Because Jesus didn't fit their idea it was easy to reject Him outright and say He was a sinner just as the others. In grouping Jesus with the others they rejected they rejected their own salvation.


'Wisdom is justified of her children.' KJV
'And wisdom is justified by her works.' American Standard Version of the Bible


The wise don't need to be justified by others. The results of the wise will speak for themselves. The generation of Jesus' day rejected John the Baptist and Jesus Himself, very unwise. The results of the unwise are damnation, the results of the wise, are salvation. Wisdom is justified of her children, by her works. Time will tell.


Continuing... Matthew 11:20-30


'Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.'


WOW! Jesus began to UPBRAID the cities where most of his works were done!!! Why? Because they REPENTED NOT!


Think about it for a moment miracle after miracle wrought from the Son of God before mankind- healing after healing, feeding thousands miraculously, raising the dead to life- miracles of the like they'd never ever seen before and only a few of the thousands believed, only a few of the thousands repented.


When light is given to people they are accountable for that light. These people were given the miracle of having Jesus live His life prior to rising from the dead among them. These people were witnesses of His miracles, His power. They will be accountable for rejecting light of Jesus among them, of rejecting so great a salvation.


Heb 2:3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard


There will be no escape and Jesus Himself warned of that.


Continuing...


'At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.



Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'


Praise be to God! All glory, honor, and praise, all thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever!!!


Let us not be as the majority in Jesus' day all caught up it our imagined salvation so that the reality eludes us. Let us accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, our redeemer, offering us salvation, offering us forgiveness through Him, through His blood. By His love may we take His yoke upon us, may we learn of Him, learn of his meekness and lowliness of heart so we can find rest for our souls. His yoke is easy, His burden is light.


AMEN!

Of the Spirit reap life everlasting

Eph 5:9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth


Goodness, righteousness, truth!!! Fruit of the Spirit indwelling in us!


Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace


Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.


For a HABITATION of God! For Christ to dwell in us through the Spirit. Christ in us how amazing is that? Through the Holy Spirit, a very real entity, a being, a God willing to dwell in us and live in us, working in us His will all for Christ and it's all for love. People don't have it wrong when they say all we need to have in life is love, they're right. You can live in total poverty, total sickness, and if you have the love of Christ you have a hope for a future. Without that love you have nothing. All the things we possess, all the things we think we have in life in our unique being that makes us who we are, all of that means nothing without Christ. You can be lauded as the most beautiful, the smartest, the kindest person on earth and it would mean nothing at all without the love of Christ.


Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.


Sow to the Spirit and get everlasting life.
Sow to the flesh and reap corruption.


Sowing to the Spirit.


Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.


Walking in the Spirit.


Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.


Love
Joy
Peace
Longsuffering
Gentleness
Goodness
Faith
Meekness
Temperance

Fruits of the Spirit.


Crucify the flesh.


Truly it is a crucification to deny self, to deny the flesh. Crucify. Is it done simply? Can we nail our lusts to a cross and have them die? We need to do that daily! EVERY DAY! Give our lives over to Christ, our Lord, our Savior and let Him guide our steps, every day. It's not done simply if you think it should be done automatically without any thought, just be that way. It's not done simply if it's not thought about and willingly done. It won't be forced upon us to accept Christ's love and righteousness. We must actively believe, actively love, actively accept all that Christ has done for us and just as we eat and drink daily and do other actions daily we must make Christ being first in our lives something done daily as often as we need to do it, not assume that because long ago we suddenly learned of Christ and accepted what He did that it covers us forever and ever without another thought. Daily walking in the Spirit.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever in Him and His righteousness through His sacrifice of love.


Amen.

Sword and Supply of the Spirit

Php 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,


The supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Supply of the Spirit. We all need a supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is to think about having a supply of the Spirit. 'For I know that this shall turn to my salvation.... through your prayer...' Through prayer AND the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit of Jesus Christ that dwells in us, Christ's righteousness in us. Without the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us we have no hope at all for salvation.


Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...


Praying always in the Spirit.


Eph 6:17 ...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God


The Spirit has a sword. A sword is used for protection and the word of God is that protection. A sword is used for fighting battles, the Word of God is our sword, life is our battle.


Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit


Filled with the Spirit we don't need to be drunk. May this be all our experience filled with the Spirit. Being drunk gives people a sense of euphoria (at least to start with). Being drunk makes people feel good, that's why they do it, right? Yet drinking to excess, getting drunk to the point we become obnoxious to others and to ourselves, getting into fights, or getting depressed and weepy because of drinking to excess this is wrong and it's the drinking the give us the feelings magnifying them, changing them. People do a lot of things under the influence of alcohol they would never do if they weren't lost in the bottle. Instead of finding the euphoria of alcohol we need to find out euphoria in the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit of God. By the grace and mercy of our Lord we can be filled with the Holy Spirit.


In His amazing love.


Amen.

The Spirit is Truth

Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?


Receiving the Spirit.
Beginning in the Spirit, we must stay in the Spirit.
How?


1Jn 5:6 ... the Spirit is truth.


We must stay in truth. Truth must be our standard that we hold high in ourselves. There are a lot of things we don't have control over in life, a lot. One thing we do have control over is the truth. We can hold truth to be paramount and not abide a lie. If we choose to lie over anything we are choosing to follow the father of lies, Satan, and not the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is truth in all things the truth.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever.


Amen

The Spirit

Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?


Receiving the Spirit.


1Jn 5:6 ... the Spirit is truth.


1Jn 3:24 ...And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.


1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren...


Php 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,


Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...


Eph 6:17 ...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God


Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit


Eph 5:9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth


Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace


Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.


Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.


Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.


Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.


Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.


Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.


Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.


Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.


Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.


Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.


Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.


Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?


2Co 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.


2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.


2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.


1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1Co 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.


1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?


1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.


Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Rom 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Crucified With Christ

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.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.


I am crucified with Christ.


What exactly does that mean?


It goes on to say...


Nevertheless I live, yet NOT I, but Christ liveth in me.


To be crucified is to be killed. If a person is killed yet they live, we have to ask ourselves how that is possible. You can't kill something and have it live, killed means dead, no longer living. Yet Christ was crucified. Christ was murdered and yet He lived. As the Son of God a miracle was performed. God raised His Son back to life accepting His sacrifice for all of mankind giving mankind hope of eternal life. When we are crucified and yet we live, what does it mean? We aren't killed and then brought back to life. If we are crucified with Christ it has to mean something in us is killed, something in us dies so that Christ can live in us. What is it in us that dies? What are we crucifying, or what is being crucified? I. The I in us is being crucified. Self. The part in us we use to say I am. We cannot save ourselves, Christ must save us, Christ must live in us through faith. Christ lives, and it is Christ in us living that is righteous, not anything of ourselves. Christ living in us is the grace He gives to us, the hope He gives to us. Christ has to live in us by faith. The love of the Son of God was manifest in His dying for us, taking on our sins and being crucified. We could die a million deaths and none of them would warrant a thing because we have no righteousness. Christ's death gives us eternal life, His righteousness alone saves us. It is only through His death that we can live. To be crucified with Christ means any part in us that believes it is righteous has to die.


We cannot frustrate the grace of God and we do frustrate it when we believe that by our own actions we are saved eternally. We frustrate the grace of God when we believe anything we do is righteous in His eyes and warrants anything at all. Only Christ's righteousness brings salvation. Christ is dead in vain if we believe our own righteous acts can save us.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord we live only in Him. All praise and glory, all honor to Him now and forever. In His righteousness alone may we be crucified with Him so that we may live in Him forever.


Amen.

God be merciful to me a sinner

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.


We live in a world of self-exaltation.


We live in a world where we are obsessed with ourselves.


The world revolves around us because we exist and all things should be just so in order that our lives are acceptable to us.


Work humbles us doesn't it? Having to take time our of our lives to go to a job we more often than not do not like at all. Work. It might not be tilling the ground so that it produces food for you to live, but it's a task that gives you monies to buy that food, to buy the roof over your head, to buy the water you drink, the clothes you wear, the entertainment you desire.


God said this to Adam--


Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life
Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.


We are far from the days of ekeing out a living from the ground and supplyling all our own means of living. Except for a very tiny minority of people who go back to such a life, and except for those in the remote jungles, and those who live in such poverty they cannot do otherwise, people do not supply their own needs, but rather work to pay others to supply those needs.


Still, working humbles us a bit and even those who stay at home and work can't escape the many needs a household has to keep it running smoothly. Work humbles us and those who are rich and have no need to work lose some of that humbleness don't they? We call them stuck-up, self-absorbed, snobs and with good reason- they are rich and think they have need of nothing. They are like that Pharisee who prayed about his own humbleness, his own goodness, self-exalting himself, claiming his own righteousness as satisfactory. People, working class people, sometimes long for that day they can retire and live off the work of their years - enjoying time off to do what they want to do rather than what they have to do. Sometimes they'll boast of their years of working and their deserving of this time off that age has provided for them. All too often however people have to work beyond their time of retirement just to survive and these people aren't looking towards any leisure life of retiring but rather death will be their rest and they know it.


Do all working class people have a humbleness? No. Why? Because we like to exalt ourselves even when we aren't rich. We like to have illusions of such a life of self-importance. Isn't today's key word- self? Believing in yourself and you can accomplish anything. Take pride in yourself. You are everything and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The trouble with all this self-exaltation is that many people don't quite believe it. There's this nagging doubt in their minds about their self-worth and they are told that's a problem that needs correcting-- you need to be fixed so that you can believe in your own self-worth and once you have that belief the whole world will be at your fingertips and nothing will stop you from realizing whatever it is you hope to realize. Stop holding yourself back we tell people. We boast that we are just as good as everyone else and NO ONE is better than us, no one. We are just as important as the next guy. We tell others don't let anyone make you feel like you are nothing, especially not yourself. Tell yourself you're important and believe it. Yet, isn't that a trap? A big trap that is very pretty and enticing to us because we want to believe in ourselves, that we have some sort of self worth that makes our lives worth living. We are not taught that we need Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and only through Him are we worth anything, because it's in His eyes we are valuable enough to die for. It's not because we are wealthy that we attract the eye of our Savior. Our demeanor and deportment, our station in life, our clothes, our ability to believe in ourselves are not what attracts Him at all. Being on the top of the list in tithing and works, even charity work, will not catch the eyes of our Lord. Self does not attract but repels the One who gave all of Himself for us. Taking self out of the picture and replacing self with Jesus is what matters more than anything. God first, always. Yet we're too busy putting ourselves first even using His name to do so, to really put Him first in our lives above our desires, our needs, our wants, our lives. Sometimes our lives change unexpectedly proving to us that we really do have little control over our own lives, yet we are often in a hurry to pick up the reins again and start running our lives rather than seeking God first and in seeking God first accepting that His path for us might be different than one we'd choose for ourselves.


Did you ever stop and wonder how many forks in the road of your life that you've come to and chosen the wrong one? Some are blatantly obvious wrong forks, yet I think we are presented daily with these choices and we need to seek God first. If we make a wrong choice while humbly seeking God first, God will know. We, like the Publican have to pray--


'God be merciful to me, a sinner'


And as a sinner who trusts in self more than God, this needs to be changed by God's mercy and our willingness to allow Him to work in us as we choose to follow Him and only Him and not self.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever.


Amen.

Do I seek to please men?

Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.


So many of us are caught up in the idea that we have to please others. No, I'm not saying please as in physically please others- though that too is an issue of it's own. We grow up being taught to conform at all costs. The ones that stand out as radicals are punished by society in many ways. This isn't to say that our culture hasn't embraced non-conformity as a way of formally protest issues, this it saying that to protest is to be a non-conformist and to be labeled at such. Some, though they are a minority, revel in non-conformity. They love to buck the system every chance they get. Again, labels are attached to those people. They are called troublemakers, rabble rousers, and many other things. The point being we aren't taught to be non-conformists. We are taught from a young age the this is the way things are done and if you don't do them that way then you will suffer consequences. Many countries around the world take this to a very harsh extreme and as such their children learn to conform early on. Other countries are more lax and the result seems to be a society that is much more troublesome.


This verse above--

Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.


Do I seek to please men?


If we seek to please our fellow man, if we seek to keep the even flow of well-being at all costs, we sacrifice principles to do so. Some might scoff at that and say, that's old school thinking, that happened in the old days now you can do or be whatever you want, worship whoever you want or not worship at all and nothing matters. We don't force anyone to bow down to a king or die, we don't imprison people who stand up and claim God as their Father, we don't imprison those who claim Satan as their Father. And we say this is the way Jesus would have it. Loving all, letting all do whatever it is that is pleasing to them because that is what it's all about. You don't love if you don't accept everyone for who they are. You don't love or show the love of Jesus if you condemn anyone. Jesus loved the sinner we are to love the sinners too, especially because we are among them. So where is a line drawn here? Where does this verse come into play?


Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.


For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.


We need to understand what it means to please God.


Does it please God when we worship Satan? No.
Does it please God when we accept any faith that denies Christ as the world's Savior? No.
Does it please God when we have no principles that demand we stand up for our beliefs? No.
Time and time again throughout the Bible we are shown that those who believe in God and refuse to worship at any other altar are persecuted. Paul didn't go into the cities of pagans and worship at their altars to their Gods just to show He had love for those people. Paul went into the cities of pagans and stood up for God preaching Christ crucified, preaching the true God in heaven above and for this he was beaten, imprisoned, persecuted time and time again. Was He not showing Christ's love? Today people say if we are unaccepting we are loveless. Today people say to be a Christian is to accept all faiths.


If we please men, we would not be the servant of Christ. We have to be prepared to be disliked for our faith in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. We have to understand that many are going to persecute us and we will seem to the whole world as if we are not loving at all, but haters. We will seem like the devil's own to those who hold a false belief in what it means to be Christ's. Right now we might face this in little things, but the little things are stepping stones leading up to a stronger faith. Our faith is tested and tried and by the Grace of God we will strive always to please God and not worry about pleasing man, or being accepted by man, even those who claim Christianity as a way of life and point to you and say you are of the devil.


God first.


Please God first, always.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever in Him and His amazing love and forgiveness, through His righteousness.


Amen.

Present Evil World

Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father


How evil was the world in Jesus' day?


For some reason we think our day is the epitome of evil and yet we forget when the world was consumed with evils we would not abide today such as--


The Roman Colliseum and the infamous gladiators-

Internet-

Occasionally used for executions in which the hero of the story — played by a condemned person — was killed in one of various gruesome but mythologically authentic ways, such as being mauled by beasts or burned to death.


The brave gladiators face each other in pairs. They know it's a fight to the death.


When the Christians refused to sacrifice to the emperor and worship his false gods, they were accused of treason and thrown into the arena to combat wild beasts. When one member of a family was accused the whole family would be thrown into the lions den, small children included.


In 80 Emperor Titus held an openings party, which lasted 100 days. The party took the lives of 5000 animals.


The fights that were shown in the Colosseum were inhuman. Humans killing humans, animals killing animals and there were even fights between animals and humans. Blood was shed all over.


*******

We would not tolerate anything like that today. Yet some will argue a lot of that stuff goes on today behind the scenes of every day life and they're right. Criminal activities thrive and the world is filled with evil but it has always been filled with evil. This world is Satan's. Satan is the prince of this world and it will never be filled with peace as long as He remains the prince of this world. Jesus prayed to the Father to keep us from the evil of the world- not take us out of the world. The verse above...


Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father


Jesus will deliever us from the present evil world, He died, giving himself for OUR sins. The evil of the world will not disappear. We have to live surrounded by the evil of the present world, but our treasures don't have to be of this world. Our treasures are to be in heaven. As far as I know no one has a physical treasure chest they can fill in heaven. Our treasures have to be treasures of the heart bound to Christ's heart. There should be NOTHING in this world that we should be so entangled with that we aren't willing to give it all up for our heavenly treasure- Christ. Cares of this world will try to bring us down and do away with any heavenly treasure we might possess. As long as we holdfast to this world we lose heaven. Jesus died to deliver us from this present evil world. By His grace and His mercy, by His unfathomable love and forgiveness of our vile sins, we will be delivered.


In Him.


Amen.

Because We Will Be Judged

Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.


We judge.


We form opinions, we form estimations, we decide, we condemn, we pass sentence on (even if it isn't legal, and only a mental sentence), we deliberate, we assume. We do all this to each other all the time on a daily basis. We might not think this is something we do but we pass people on the street and we are making mental judgments on them. We take in their demeanor and label them and I'd be remissed if I said this was always a bad thing- it saves lives sometimes right? We see a seedy character and we instantly judge them to be a threat and we act accordingly- cautiously. However sometimes we judge wrong based on what we see, don't we? We don't see the heart, only God sees the heart. I had a relative tell me not too long ago that they were going to get a tattoo that read- 'Only God Judges Me' or something to that effect. I was touched by that revelation, that my realtive felt judged by others and this led them to want to proclaim permanently that only God can judge them. They're right. Only God can judge. We can make observations and rather err on the side of judging harshly perhaps we need to judge on side of being less harsh. Instead of the worse maybe we need to think of the best, or if not the best then at least better. Maybe we need to judge on the side of compassion, exchanging condemnation for sympathy deserved or undeserved.


We will be judged as we judge that's something we need to constantly hold before us as we go through our day to day lives. Do we want others to judge us with compassion? Do we want others to form good estimations of us? Do we want the sentences passed on us to be good ones? We do. However we know with the majority of people not God's but rather under the control of the enemy (knowingly or not), that we will be judged harshly and even so we can't return judgment the same.


Judge not.


Judge not.


Why?


Because we will be judged.


Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.


By the grace of our Lord may we hold God ever before us. Leaving judging to God. If any vengeance is needed, let God claim it. Is it easy? No. Only by the power of our Lord will we live as we should. Only through the righteousness of our King will we prevail.


In Christ's love, through His cleansing blood, by His mercy, through His forgiveness now and forever.


Amen.

Seek God First

Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.


Do you really believe God will provide for you?
The Gentiles don't believe.
Who is a Gentile?

gentile (jèn´tìl´) noun
1. Often Gentile . One who is not of the Jewish faith or is of a non-Jewish nation.
2. Often Gentile . A Christian.
3. A pagan or heathen.
4. Often Gentile . Mormon Church. A non-Mormon.

Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary


Basically a Gentile is anyone who is not God's.
We are either God's or not God's. We either choose to be with God, or not to be with God.
Those who choose not to be God's are Gentiles and they concern themselves of the things of this world.
Those who choose to be God's have to rely on God for all things. For the very breath they breathe, for the very heart beating in their chests, all of it is by God. Seeking GOD FIRST is our duty. God First.


We too often concern ourselves with everything and put God as an afterthought.


God first means God first!


The first thing we think of upon waking should be God and His will being done in us.
It's not easy for us to do this because we can't grab God up and put Him on us as we might a pair of glasses, or a bath robe, or slippers. What's the first thing you do upon waking? Think about it. Do you put on glasses? Do you shuffle off to the bathroom? Do you wash your face, brush your teeth? There are quite a few things people could do first upon waking, and no matter what you do first unless it is a prayer to God, it shouldn't be done before acknowledging a new day in which to worship, praise, and honor God.


God First!


This is something I've written on before and something I'll probably write on again and again, it's that important and it helps me to remember as well. God first. When we seek the kingdom of God first we are seeking God first. Seeking to be embraced by the forgiveness, the mercy, the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior; seeking to live in Christ now and forever.


In the love of Christ.


Amen.

God Knows Us

Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Isa 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
Isa 29:15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
Isa 29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?


How many of us talk of God? How many of us say things to honor God? A lot of us do. I know lots of people who would loudly profess Christ crucified, of God the Father glorified. It's easy to speak. It's easy to say things. Easy to spout off whatever we want to and whatever we think others might want to hear. We can fool others, we can possibly even try to fool ourselves but we can't fool God ever. God knows our hearts and He doesn't lie when He says there are people who draw near to Him with their mouths, people that honor Him with their lips, but their hearts are removed FAR from Him. They have no HEART connection, no real love for God. They are taught by other men, but they are not taught of God.


The wisdom of the wise men -- perish.
The understanding of thr prudent men -- is hidden.


Nothing is hid from God! Nothing we do is hidden from Him! We think we do things in secret but there is no such thing. All that we are, all that we do God knows. The worst of the worst isn't given freedom in their evil to go unnoticed, their acts are recorded. The best of the best, they too are an open book to God. Nothing is hid. We can sneak around on other people, friends, loved ones; we can hurt others in ways we believe are anonymous and we can get away with a lot of our evilness without a single person finding us out, but God knows. The deepest ways we take to hide our counsel from the Lord is ineffective. All the works we do in the dark believing no one sees, God sees. God knows us in and out.


We can twist things all we want and our fellow man may believe all our upside down and inside out deceptions are effective, but they're not.


When we create something does that creation tell us we didn't make it? Does it? No! It's absurd to even think such a thing. Does a child who knows their birth parents tell their birth parents they didn't create them, their mother that they didn't birth them? Their father that he had no hand in their conception? NO! Creations do not question their creator because truth is truth, it's ludicrous to think otherwise. The thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? The thing made question the maker? Yet we foolish people dare to question God over and over and over. We think in our small minded ways that we have a right to question the Creator, that somehow questioning our Maker makes us on equal or higher ground than He is. Fools. We are fools.


God knows us.
God knows our hearts.
Nothing is hidden from God.
Nothing.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior let us lay our hearts open to Him fully and stand before our God, our Creator with nothing hidden from Him. Lord, know us, see us, help us, save us. In Your love, Your righteousness, Your mercy, Your forgiveness now and forever. We believe, Lord, help our unbelief.


Amen.

God First!

Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.


Clay- Moist, sticky earth; mud.


A potter needs moist, sticky earth, mud to work with, to form their objects. If a potter takes a lump of dry, hardened clay can they work it, change it? No. Clay needs to be malleable. If the LORD is our potter we are malleable in His hands. With the Lord nothing is impossible so even if we've let ourselves grow hard He can soften us again. Yet there is talk of this--


Exo 7:13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
Exo 7:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.


Exo 7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

Exo 8:32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.


1Sa 6:6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?


2Ki 17:14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.


2Ch 36:13 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.


Neh 9:16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,


Job 9:4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?


Jer 19:15 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.


Dan 5:20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:


Mar 6:52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.


Mar 8:17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?


Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.


****

We can become hardened, we can be hardened and this isn't a good thing at all! We don't want to be hardened against God in any way. That last verse- 'Exhort one another DAILY, while it is called To day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.' Sin will hardened us. Sin will kill us. Sin separates us from God and without God our Father, our Potter, molding us we are lost forever. If the clay is separated from the potter it cannot be worked. If the clay is hardened, it cannot be worked. We are the work of God's hand and He will shape us as we need to be shaped into vessels pleasing to Him if we don't let the deceitfulness of sin overtake us. We can't shape ourselves. We can't mold ourselves. We cannot force God to work us. We are clay and we can't forget this. We can't become arrogant in ourselves and believe that as clay we can be the potter. Clay can NEVER shape itself it remains however it is found -- a lump, unshapened, unformed, nothing of value. The Potter needs to shape us, to form us, to make us vessels for Him. When we believe that because we are formed as human beings that we are shaped fitted for God we become very arrogant. It is by the grace of God we were formed in our mothers wombs and brought to life. It is by the grace of God we live each day. We can't take our lives for granted. We can't hardened our hearts, our necks, our minds into believing we live of our own accord. In a world that promotes self, we have to promote God first before self and never forget it, never. God first. God first. God first!