Phm 1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
Phm 1:2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house
Fellowsoldier.
Soldiers- a soldier is a person engaged in military service. Military service is belonging to a group of people whose job it is to defend territory-or beliefs, a system.
Soldiers for Christ.
Fellowsoldier.
Paul, Timothy, Philemon, Apphia, Archippus- they were in a war, they KNEW they were in a war, and they knew WHO their war was against.
It's easy for US to call each other brother and sister in Christ, it sounds so nice. I'm not suggesting it's wrong to call each other brother and sister, it's fine, but we are soldiers all of us. We might not all become prisoners for Christ, but we are ALL soldiers - fellowsoldiers. We have an army we belong to, we have a leader we follow and take orders from. We aren't tossed the armor and told we are on our own. We are constantly told we are in Christ, that the Holy Spirit is sent to us. We are told we can stay in continuous communication with our leader through prayer and we are given a handbook with all the information we need to survive. As soldiers we are NOT protecting our flesh lives we are protecting our eternal spiritual lives AND we are to protect others- that's what a soldier does, right? A soldier fights for their leader, a soldier follows orders, a soldier protects the lives of others.
We are soldiers fighting for Christ.
We are soldiers following the orders of Christ.
We are soldiers loving our fellow man, fighting for them.
The commandments of our God give us the code of conduct we need.
First we must choose to have NO other leaders before God.
Second we must have NO idols in our lives to worship before God.
Third we must NOT speak of our Lord in a bad way.
Fourth we MUST devote the seventh day of the week towards complete worship of our God.
Fifth we MUST Honor our father and mother.
Sixth we MUST NOT murder.
Seventh we MUST NOT sexually be with one that is not our husband or wife.
Eighth we MUST NOT take ANYTHING that is not ours.
Ninth we MUST NOT tell untruths.
Tenth we MUST NOT desire to possess the things others have.
We are soldiers and we have our orders- LOVE GOD and LOVE OUR FELLOWMAN. We are given armor. We are promised life everlasting at the end of the war. We are told we will suffer. We are told we will engage the enemy and that enemy wants to devour us- stopping at nothing to capture us and turn us from our leader. Brainwashing and all manner of spiritual torture is at the enemy's disposal. The war we are in is real, we are soldiers of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Such amazing words.
No man who is a soldier of Jesus Christ- warring- will get mixed up with the affairs of this life-- choosing this life, letting the cares of this life overwhelm them .
We have to UNDERSTAND the distinction between living in this world as a soldier of Jesus Christ- as a pilgrim- and being part of this world. We are called to consider heaven our home, laying our treasures in heaven not here on earth.
We are fellowsoldiers- you and I, we are real soldiers in a real war- yet so many of us live as if we are free from oppression already. We will not be free from oppression until our Savior comes to free us. If we really believe the life we are living right now is the live we are intended to live then we are sorely deceived.
May God help us to fully realize that we are soldiers of Jesus Christ, fellow soldiers one with another.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we not get entangled in the affairs of this life- forgetting life eternal.
Amen.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Prisoner of Christ
Phm 1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer
A prisoner of Jesus Christ.
We know that Paul was jailed several times over his life because of his belief in Jesus Christ, a belief that was contrary to many. Today there sits in MANY prisons around the world people who are jailed for their belief in Jesus Christ.
To say Paul was a PRISONER OF JESUS CHRIST- seems to imply that He is held captive by Jesus Himself. Can we be captive willingly? We hear love songs about it all the time, our hearts being held captive by another. If we are to be a prisoner, held captive by our Savior it would be a willing captivity. The truth is our Savior doesn't use force for anything and He certainly does not hold us to Him against our will. Being held captive because we love our Savior and believe in Him is something that happens ALL the time and has since the time of Christ.
Phm 1:9 Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Eph 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles
Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called
Eph 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
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
Read this again- 'Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord…nor of me his prisoner…' We can't be ashamed to be held captive for our beliefs. The rest of that verse- '…be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.'
Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel.
Afflictions of the gospel.
2Ti 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Suffering trouble as an evil doer- jailed- all because of a love for Jesus Christ, a belief in Jesus Christ.
Jailed for beliefs.
Living here in the United States we aren't jailed for our beliefs. Our prisons aren't filled with people who hold a belief contrary to the government's- at least that's the way it's supposed to be. As long as the beliefs we hold are harmless- not terrorist related- we aren't imprisoned. This is the society I live in. If I lived in say- Pakistan, China, or any number of the many countries that don't allow people to have beliefs contrary to theirs- I could be jailed for my belief in my Savior. It seems surreal to me because I've never lived under such circumstances. I have the knowledge of the factual information given to me, but no real sense of what it must be like to be imprisoned for my beliefs, no idea what it's like to persecuted for my faith.
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
We can't be ashamed of our belief in our Savior.
We have to be active in living for our Savior.
We must understand that NO matter what- we have to be partakers of the afflictions of the gospel as the power of God would have us.
Is it easy for me to say when I don't live where I suffer for my beliefs.
Being a prisoner of Christ, suffering for our beliefs. We might not be called to suffer in the way Paul was called- the way many are called to suffer, put into prisons, beaten, abused, but we are accountable for the freedom we possess to witness for our Savior.
By the grace of God may we live as Christians boldly, bravely, free to believe openly, unafraid to be believers in our life giving Savior and unhesitant to share that belief- a belief many have died for, a belief many are suffering in prisons for.
By the mercy of our LORD! By His will! Through His power!
Guide us, help us, please Lord, we long to be all you would have us be for YOU.
Please.
A prisoner of Jesus Christ.
We know that Paul was jailed several times over his life because of his belief in Jesus Christ, a belief that was contrary to many. Today there sits in MANY prisons around the world people who are jailed for their belief in Jesus Christ.
To say Paul was a PRISONER OF JESUS CHRIST- seems to imply that He is held captive by Jesus Himself. Can we be captive willingly? We hear love songs about it all the time, our hearts being held captive by another. If we are to be a prisoner, held captive by our Savior it would be a willing captivity. The truth is our Savior doesn't use force for anything and He certainly does not hold us to Him against our will. Being held captive because we love our Savior and believe in Him is something that happens ALL the time and has since the time of Christ.
Phm 1:9 Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Eph 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles
Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called
Eph 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
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
Read this again- 'Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord…nor of me his prisoner…' We can't be ashamed to be held captive for our beliefs. The rest of that verse- '…be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.'
Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel.
Afflictions of the gospel.
2Ti 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Suffering trouble as an evil doer- jailed- all because of a love for Jesus Christ, a belief in Jesus Christ.
Jailed for beliefs.
Living here in the United States we aren't jailed for our beliefs. Our prisons aren't filled with people who hold a belief contrary to the government's- at least that's the way it's supposed to be. As long as the beliefs we hold are harmless- not terrorist related- we aren't imprisoned. This is the society I live in. If I lived in say- Pakistan, China, or any number of the many countries that don't allow people to have beliefs contrary to theirs- I could be jailed for my belief in my Savior. It seems surreal to me because I've never lived under such circumstances. I have the knowledge of the factual information given to me, but no real sense of what it must be like to be imprisoned for my beliefs, no idea what it's like to persecuted for my faith.
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
We can't be ashamed of our belief in our Savior.
We have to be active in living for our Savior.
We must understand that NO matter what- we have to be partakers of the afflictions of the gospel as the power of God would have us.
Is it easy for me to say when I don't live where I suffer for my beliefs.
Being a prisoner of Christ, suffering for our beliefs. We might not be called to suffer in the way Paul was called- the way many are called to suffer, put into prisons, beaten, abused, but we are accountable for the freedom we possess to witness for our Savior.
By the grace of God may we live as Christians boldly, bravely, free to believe openly, unafraid to be believers in our life giving Savior and unhesitant to share that belief- a belief many have died for, a belief many are suffering in prisons for.
By the mercy of our LORD! By His will! Through His power!
Guide us, help us, please Lord, we long to be all you would have us be for YOU.
Please.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Our hope, our trust, our faith, our EVERYTHING must be in Christ!
I just had to go back to these two verses, the last in the book of Jude.
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
We really need to remember this-live this- breathe this-
HIM that is able to keep you from FALLING.
HIM that is able to present you FAULTLESS.
We don't keep ourselves from falling, and no one around us keeps us from falling, there is only ONE that can keep us from falling.
We can't present ourselves faultless, our friends can't present us faultless, there is only ONE that can present us faultless.
We try so incredibly hard - we really do and that's not altogether a bad thing. We are to strive against sin, we are to sin no more, we do have our part to play but that's just it- it's a part of submission. Our striving, our sinning no more is a work of submission to the ONE that can keep us from falling. Our egos fueled by our flesh, encouraged by Satan and His minions, demands that WE keep in control of all aspects of our lives, that we submit to no one and if we do submit it's because it serves our egos to do so. We are to submit those egos to our Savior. Our desires are NOT to be paramount. Our needs are NOT to be first and foremost.
Here's something to think about- are you rich? I can imagine the majority will answer no to this question. We have some idealistic, perverted idea of what being rich is. Yet by whose standards are we rich or not- the world's or God's?
What is God's standard of being rich? Is it the same as ours? In my country I'm considered to be living at poverty level. But this exact same poverty level given to another in a poorer country would be considered RICH. Seriously, we don't often think about being rich in this manner. We look at man's standards forgetting God has much different standards. The Bible tells us that it is easier for a camel to fit through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven and why is that? Why did Jesus tell the rich man to go and sell all he had and follow Him? What do our possessions do to us that keeps us from following our Savior? They serve self. They allow us to have comfort and ease, they entrap us in selfishness and they feed our egos. I'm not talking on the scale of Donald Trump, you can be rich and not possess any where near the fortune of Donald Trump or Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, or mega movie stars and famous athletes. Our idea of rich is seriously skewed and Satan loves that because as long as we don't consider ourselves rich we don't sense the possible danger we might be in. When our possessions however meager we consider them to be keep us caught up in them- then we are in great danger. We consider people CRAZY who give away their possessions, their fortunes. CRAZY we call them, and yes, with capital letters. It frightens us to even imagine having to give up our possessions. We tell ourselves God would not want that. God doesn't want a bunch of destitute people. God provides and He's provided all this for me so He must want me to have it all. Jesus isn't around today to follow about here and there, having Him provide food for us miraculously so there is NO way Jesus would tell us today to sell all we have and follow Him. Hey, we don't even use camels for transport today so we don't have to worry about any needle for that camel to go through. Jesus didn't say it's easier for a Mercedes to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get to heaven, things change you know.
I do know. I know that ANYTHING that keeps of us from living in Christ, from living selflessly, will keep us from heaven. If we cherish one possession more than we cherish our Savior, if we cherish even one person more than we cherish our Savior then we put ourselves at risk.
Of course now the thought creeps in- there is NO way I can do all that is required of me, no way at all. And then a sense of depression raises it's ugly little head and despair is right behind that inkling of depression ready to pounce and devour. But you know what, no matter what place we are in - rich or poor, we need to SUBMIT to Christ. Maybe we aren't to be called to give up all we have- Christ didn't tell Nicodemus ( a very rich man) to give up all his wealth. We are called to submit to Christ, that wherever we find ourselves, in whatever state, we are to KNOW, to BELIEVE, to have FAITH only in Christ for salvation! You could give away everything you have to the poor and become a homeless, poor person yourself and still be caught up in selfishness, still believing that YOUR actions will save you, that you've saved yourself by becoming poor so now it will be easy for you to get into heaven. It's Christ's actions that save us. It's our submitting to Christ that saves us. What does Christ ask us to do?
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
2Jn 1:4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
2Jn 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
We need to OBEY our Savior fully, unconditionally obey Him.
The rich man kept all the commandments but lacked one thing- obedience to the Savior. Anything the Savior asks of us we must be willing to do. No, Christ isn't walking upon the earth today giving us direction but we have His word and we have the Holy Spirit that will guide us into all truth.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Our hope, our trust, our faith, our EVERYTHING must be in Christ!
If you are at a crossroad in life, if you have something you are conflicted about, if you feel the conviction of something weighing upon you the pray, pray…pray asking for Christ to keep you from falling, asking for Christ to present you faultless before Him, ask Him to deliver you from every evil work and preserve you to his heavenly kingdom and keep trusting in Him.
REMEMBER…
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
Our eyes have to be upon Jesus, not upon ourselves.
All to Jesus we must surrender.
By His amazing LOVE!
In His mercy, by His grace, through HIS righteousness!
Amen.
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
We really need to remember this-live this- breathe this-
HIM that is able to keep you from FALLING.
HIM that is able to present you FAULTLESS.
We don't keep ourselves from falling, and no one around us keeps us from falling, there is only ONE that can keep us from falling.
We can't present ourselves faultless, our friends can't present us faultless, there is only ONE that can present us faultless.
We try so incredibly hard - we really do and that's not altogether a bad thing. We are to strive against sin, we are to sin no more, we do have our part to play but that's just it- it's a part of submission. Our striving, our sinning no more is a work of submission to the ONE that can keep us from falling. Our egos fueled by our flesh, encouraged by Satan and His minions, demands that WE keep in control of all aspects of our lives, that we submit to no one and if we do submit it's because it serves our egos to do so. We are to submit those egos to our Savior. Our desires are NOT to be paramount. Our needs are NOT to be first and foremost.
Here's something to think about- are you rich? I can imagine the majority will answer no to this question. We have some idealistic, perverted idea of what being rich is. Yet by whose standards are we rich or not- the world's or God's?
What is God's standard of being rich? Is it the same as ours? In my country I'm considered to be living at poverty level. But this exact same poverty level given to another in a poorer country would be considered RICH. Seriously, we don't often think about being rich in this manner. We look at man's standards forgetting God has much different standards. The Bible tells us that it is easier for a camel to fit through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven and why is that? Why did Jesus tell the rich man to go and sell all he had and follow Him? What do our possessions do to us that keeps us from following our Savior? They serve self. They allow us to have comfort and ease, they entrap us in selfishness and they feed our egos. I'm not talking on the scale of Donald Trump, you can be rich and not possess any where near the fortune of Donald Trump or Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, or mega movie stars and famous athletes. Our idea of rich is seriously skewed and Satan loves that because as long as we don't consider ourselves rich we don't sense the possible danger we might be in. When our possessions however meager we consider them to be keep us caught up in them- then we are in great danger. We consider people CRAZY who give away their possessions, their fortunes. CRAZY we call them, and yes, with capital letters. It frightens us to even imagine having to give up our possessions. We tell ourselves God would not want that. God doesn't want a bunch of destitute people. God provides and He's provided all this for me so He must want me to have it all. Jesus isn't around today to follow about here and there, having Him provide food for us miraculously so there is NO way Jesus would tell us today to sell all we have and follow Him. Hey, we don't even use camels for transport today so we don't have to worry about any needle for that camel to go through. Jesus didn't say it's easier for a Mercedes to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get to heaven, things change you know.
I do know. I know that ANYTHING that keeps of us from living in Christ, from living selflessly, will keep us from heaven. If we cherish one possession more than we cherish our Savior, if we cherish even one person more than we cherish our Savior then we put ourselves at risk.
Of course now the thought creeps in- there is NO way I can do all that is required of me, no way at all. And then a sense of depression raises it's ugly little head and despair is right behind that inkling of depression ready to pounce and devour. But you know what, no matter what place we are in - rich or poor, we need to SUBMIT to Christ. Maybe we aren't to be called to give up all we have- Christ didn't tell Nicodemus ( a very rich man) to give up all his wealth. We are called to submit to Christ, that wherever we find ourselves, in whatever state, we are to KNOW, to BELIEVE, to have FAITH only in Christ for salvation! You could give away everything you have to the poor and become a homeless, poor person yourself and still be caught up in selfishness, still believing that YOUR actions will save you, that you've saved yourself by becoming poor so now it will be easy for you to get into heaven. It's Christ's actions that save us. It's our submitting to Christ that saves us. What does Christ ask us to do?
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
2Jn 1:4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
2Jn 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
We need to OBEY our Savior fully, unconditionally obey Him.
The rich man kept all the commandments but lacked one thing- obedience to the Savior. Anything the Savior asks of us we must be willing to do. No, Christ isn't walking upon the earth today giving us direction but we have His word and we have the Holy Spirit that will guide us into all truth.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Our hope, our trust, our faith, our EVERYTHING must be in Christ!
If you are at a crossroad in life, if you have something you are conflicted about, if you feel the conviction of something weighing upon you the pray, pray…pray asking for Christ to keep you from falling, asking for Christ to present you faultless before Him, ask Him to deliver you from every evil work and preserve you to his heavenly kingdom and keep trusting in Him.
REMEMBER…
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
Our eyes have to be upon Jesus, not upon ourselves.
All to Jesus we must surrender.
By His amazing LOVE!
In His mercy, by His grace, through HIS righteousness!
Amen.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Jude 20-25 Compassion and Fear
Jud 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jud 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
We are to have COMPASSION.
Our compassion will make a difference in the eternal life of others. This is something we don't fully understand. Compassion.
[[[[Webster-
COMPASSION, n.
1. A suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration. Compassion is a mixed passion, compounded of love and sorrow; at least some portion of love generally attends the pain or regret, or is excited by it. Extreme distress of an enemy even changes enmity into at least temporary affection.
He being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity. Psa 78.
His father had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Luke 15.
COMPASSION, v.t. To pity.]]]
Of SOME we are to have compassion- and that compassion will make a difference in deciding eternity for some. Seriously. We have to understand just how important we are to others. It's not just a pastor or preacher, a minister or priest who preaches to a congregation- big or small- who affects peoples lives in regards to their place in the eternal realm. The message of our Savior is given to all and for all to give. And the compassion we show towards others as they struggle in this evil world may make a difference to them- the difference between deciding to accept the love of Jesus into their hearts and lives and deciding not to.
Ultimately we are each responsible for our own decision in regards to salvation, but those who have compassion on others which makes a difference are actual laborers with Christ. Christ wanted His followers to share the good news with others.
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Act 5:19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
Act 5:20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Christ wants us to be laborers with Him.
1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Compassion - making a difference. A difference how? Some will be saved by our compassion- saved because we have labored to bring Christ to them through our compassion. Our pity, our suffering with them, our sympathy, our commiseration, our love will truly save others. We don't want to believe that because then that makes us accountable for others. We'd much rather just be concerned with ourselves and our own salvation. We pat ourselves on the back and soothe ourselves by saying we have NO power to save therefore we are NOT responsible for anyone whatsoever. We cry out at the top of our lungs that ONLY Jesus can save, and then we turn our backs on others hoping and praying they'll find the love of Jesus but not doing anything whatsoever to help them. If EVERYONE was responsible only to themselves then why was it so important to our Savior for us to preach to others? Why was it so important for Him to send the apostles out, to train disciples to go out to others? Why did He give them powers?
Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand
And as ye go- PREACH.
Go to others and HEAL them- COMPASSION.
And as ye go- PREACH.
Act 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Act 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
WITNESSES UNTO JESUS everywhere!
Jesus taught first and foremost- COMPASSION on others, this is truly loving others when you have compassion on them- deserving or not. When we reveal compassion first that is a revelation of our Savior. Some will be saved by compassion that we reveal…others...
Jud 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Others are saved by fear.
You've heard of the old fire and brimstone preaching, and there is merit for that.
The Greek word for fear here is --
[[[[Strong's-
G5401
φόβος
phobos
fob'-os
From a primary φέβομαι phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright: - be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror.]]]
Alarm, fright, be afraid, exceeding fear, terror.
Some will be saved by fear! We will pull them out of the fire, we will hate the flesh nature surrounding them, the fleshy sin-filled nature they have clinging to them, covering their lives. And we will pull them from the fire- pull them from destruction using fear to make them understand that their path leads to eternal death. We need to have compassion and we need to preach the unvarnished truth of the two paths we can take, not trying to pretty up the gospel to suit anyone's desire to hear soothing things.
The truth must be the only thing that passes our lips - in compassion and fear- whatever it takes to reveal the love of our Savior and the desire He has that all would come to Him and be saved. We have a part to play in life and maybe it's not to become an evangelist, or a teacher, or do anything on a grand scale but we need to reveal the love of our Savior in our everyday lives.
By the grace of God!
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!
Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jud 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
We are to have COMPASSION.
Our compassion will make a difference in the eternal life of others. This is something we don't fully understand. Compassion.
[[[[Webster-
COMPASSION, n.
1. A suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration. Compassion is a mixed passion, compounded of love and sorrow; at least some portion of love generally attends the pain or regret, or is excited by it. Extreme distress of an enemy even changes enmity into at least temporary affection.
He being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity. Psa 78.
His father had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Luke 15.
COMPASSION, v.t. To pity.]]]
Of SOME we are to have compassion- and that compassion will make a difference in deciding eternity for some. Seriously. We have to understand just how important we are to others. It's not just a pastor or preacher, a minister or priest who preaches to a congregation- big or small- who affects peoples lives in regards to their place in the eternal realm. The message of our Savior is given to all and for all to give. And the compassion we show towards others as they struggle in this evil world may make a difference to them- the difference between deciding to accept the love of Jesus into their hearts and lives and deciding not to.
Ultimately we are each responsible for our own decision in regards to salvation, but those who have compassion on others which makes a difference are actual laborers with Christ. Christ wanted His followers to share the good news with others.
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Act 5:19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
Act 5:20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Christ wants us to be laborers with Him.
1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Compassion - making a difference. A difference how? Some will be saved by our compassion- saved because we have labored to bring Christ to them through our compassion. Our pity, our suffering with them, our sympathy, our commiseration, our love will truly save others. We don't want to believe that because then that makes us accountable for others. We'd much rather just be concerned with ourselves and our own salvation. We pat ourselves on the back and soothe ourselves by saying we have NO power to save therefore we are NOT responsible for anyone whatsoever. We cry out at the top of our lungs that ONLY Jesus can save, and then we turn our backs on others hoping and praying they'll find the love of Jesus but not doing anything whatsoever to help them. If EVERYONE was responsible only to themselves then why was it so important to our Savior for us to preach to others? Why was it so important for Him to send the apostles out, to train disciples to go out to others? Why did He give them powers?
Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand
And as ye go- PREACH.
Go to others and HEAL them- COMPASSION.
And as ye go- PREACH.
Act 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Act 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
WITNESSES UNTO JESUS everywhere!
Jesus taught first and foremost- COMPASSION on others, this is truly loving others when you have compassion on them- deserving or not. When we reveal compassion first that is a revelation of our Savior. Some will be saved by compassion that we reveal…others...
Jud 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Others are saved by fear.
You've heard of the old fire and brimstone preaching, and there is merit for that.
The Greek word for fear here is --
[[[[Strong's-
G5401
φόβος
phobos
fob'-os
From a primary φέβομαι phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright: - be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror.]]]
Alarm, fright, be afraid, exceeding fear, terror.
Some will be saved by fear! We will pull them out of the fire, we will hate the flesh nature surrounding them, the fleshy sin-filled nature they have clinging to them, covering their lives. And we will pull them from the fire- pull them from destruction using fear to make them understand that their path leads to eternal death. We need to have compassion and we need to preach the unvarnished truth of the two paths we can take, not trying to pretty up the gospel to suit anyone's desire to hear soothing things.
The truth must be the only thing that passes our lips - in compassion and fear- whatever it takes to reveal the love of our Savior and the desire He has that all would come to Him and be saved. We have a part to play in life and maybe it's not to become an evangelist, or a teacher, or do anything on a grand scale but we need to reveal the love of our Savior in our everyday lives.
By the grace of God!
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Jude 14-21 Judgment
Jud 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
Jud 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Execute judgment upon ALL.
All that are ungodly will be convinced of their ungodly actions they've committed, and everything they've spoken against the Lord.
This is going to happen!!!
Ignore it if you want but it will happen!!!
Jud 1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
Murmurers
Complainers
Selfish
Arrogant
Opportunists
Do you know anyone like that?
Are you like this?
The world is FILLED with these people, filled! Only by the grace of God can we escape being numbered among the murmurers, the complainers, the selfish, the arrogant, the opportunists.
We need to listen, we need to understand the reality here. Judgment is coming, and if that means being a freak who yells out the truth and others believe that I'm crazy, so be it. Judgment is coming for all. We WILL all be judged. You live right now and believe that you have years before you are judged yet you have to realize that you might not have tomorrow. We live right now by the grace of God. We live right now with the opportunity to make a choice - to choose our Savior and live or live to ourselves and die eternally.
Jud 1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Jud 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Jud 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Mockers in the last time.
Those who walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Those who separate themselves.
Those who are sensual.
Those who HAVE NOT the Spirit.
They exist now! Everywhere! May God keep us in Him! We live in frightful times, we live in ungodly times, we live surrounded by evil on every side. Please Lord SAVE US!
Jud 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Amen!
We must BUILD UP ourselves on our MOST holy FAITH!
Praying in the Holy Ghost!
We must KEEP ourselves in the love of God!
We must look for the MERCY of our Lord Jesus Christ all unto ETERNAL LIFE!
AMEN!
Jud 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Execute judgment upon ALL.
All that are ungodly will be convinced of their ungodly actions they've committed, and everything they've spoken against the Lord.
This is going to happen!!!
Ignore it if you want but it will happen!!!
Jud 1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
Murmurers
Complainers
Selfish
Arrogant
Opportunists
Do you know anyone like that?
Are you like this?
The world is FILLED with these people, filled! Only by the grace of God can we escape being numbered among the murmurers, the complainers, the selfish, the arrogant, the opportunists.
We need to listen, we need to understand the reality here. Judgment is coming, and if that means being a freak who yells out the truth and others believe that I'm crazy, so be it. Judgment is coming for all. We WILL all be judged. You live right now and believe that you have years before you are judged yet you have to realize that you might not have tomorrow. We live right now by the grace of God. We live right now with the opportunity to make a choice - to choose our Savior and live or live to ourselves and die eternally.
Jud 1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Jud 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Jud 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Mockers in the last time.
Those who walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Those who separate themselves.
Those who are sensual.
Those who HAVE NOT the Spirit.
They exist now! Everywhere! May God keep us in Him! We live in frightful times, we live in ungodly times, we live surrounded by evil on every side. Please Lord SAVE US!
Jud 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Amen!
We must BUILD UP ourselves on our MOST holy FAITH!
Praying in the Holy Ghost!
We must KEEP ourselves in the love of God!
We must look for the MERCY of our Lord Jesus Christ all unto ETERNAL LIFE!
AMEN!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Jude 9-13
Jud 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Michael and the Devil in a dispute. Their dispute was over the body of Moses.
This is what we know of Moses' death-
Deu 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
Deu 34:6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
Deu 34:7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
The LORD buried Moses.
No MAN knows where He was buried.
Moses' death was unnatural. He didn't die of old age, he didn't die naturally. God brought death to Him and we don't know exactly how this was done, but the One who gives the breath of life can take that breath away. The giver of life can take that life. He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep when He created Eve - taking one of Adam's ribs to do so. God who can cause a deep sleep can surely - painlessly- take the breath of life from someone in order to bring death to them that isn't a death caused naturally. However it was done, God BURIED Moses after He died and He buried him in such a way that NO man who looked for Moses would find him.
However, the Devil is not a man. The Devil knew where Moses was buried. The Devil who has dominion over the earth (Just read this-
Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
The devil showed Jesus ALL the kingdom of the world and then… he said this… ALL these will I give thee. All those kingdoms belonged to who? Whose were they to give? The devil's. Jesus didn't reply- No, these kingdoms already belong to me… Jesus answered by telling the devil this…
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Satan wanted Jesus to worship him and then he'd give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world! They are satan's to give! Jesus answered that He would ONLY worship and serve God. Jesus didn't want the kingdoms of the world, He wanted what His Father wanted and that was ALL He wanted.
So here we have the devil, the ruler of the whole world, the king over the world having dominion over the world and He KNOWS where God buried Moses. He KNOWS! And for some reason this happens--
Jud 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
There is a dispute about Moses' body. For whatever reason this dispute has Michael the archangel NOT bringing a railing accusation against the devil, but rather His defense was 'The Lord rebuke thee'. If ever anyone could be accused of wrong doing it would be the devil, he is the epitome of evil and wrongness, he is the father of lies. All evil stems from the devil's influence. Yet no accusation was going to be brought against the devil by the archangel - it was enough to say, 'The Lord rebuke thee.'
Remember we are talking about all this--
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
We are talking about the EVIL people of which Sodom and Gomorrha are a prime example of those who will suffer eternal extinction. Those who are filthy dreamers defiling the flesh, those who despise dominion, those who speak evil of dignities.
The speak evil of dignities- honor, nobleness of mind, propriety, truth, justice, opposition to sin.
They love to rail, they love to speak evil of any they can, but speaking evil of others is NOT what God would have us do- no matter how deserving, as Satan is endlessly deserving of railing, but it is NOT God's way.
Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Evil people speak evil and corrupt themselves!
Jud 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Evil people go in the way of Cain- which is the way contrary to God. No one can dispute the fact Cain was contrary to God and all those who follow in Cain's way- seeking their own will above God's are going the exact same path.
The way of Core being this--
G2879
Κορέ
Kore
Thayer Definition:
Korah = “baldness”
1) a man who, with others, rebelled against Moses
Those who with others rebel. Rebelling against God's way- once again this is the path those who are not with God take. They might believe they are harmlessly just doing their own thing, proud in their suppose superior intellect but in truth they are rebels against their Creator, against their Savior.
Jud 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Jud 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
READ THOSE WORDS AGAIN!
They live and breath among us and will until Jesus comes to redeem us to Himself. We cannot fully separate ourselves from them.
Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
The wheat and the tares together until the harvest.
God's children, Satan's children together until the end of the world.
We mustn't delude ourselves into believing that we even CAN live among others and all be God's children. It's not up to us to EVER determine another person's eternal life- that's for God and God alone. But we have to be discerning and follow God as we are told in His word and that will mean being a stranger in and among others- a stranger that the world will try to convince to change our ways to be as they are- to conform, to become part of the family of Satan. No, they won't say those words but that's exactly what it amounts to. If you are not a child of God's you can only be a child of the wicked one.
We get so confused, and the devil enjoys our confusion. We must live and exist in a world where the tares outnumber the wheat greatly so that there is hardly any wheat left. We live in a world where wheat can turn into a tare and a tare into wheat. We must choose to never change, to never become a tare knowing that we must do our very best to allow God to work through us to by HIS grace and HIS grace alone have tares become wheat.
All glory to God in the Highest!
All praise and honor to our King!
May we be found in Him, His now and His always!
Amen.
Michael and the Devil in a dispute. Their dispute was over the body of Moses.
This is what we know of Moses' death-
Deu 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
Deu 34:6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
Deu 34:7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
The LORD buried Moses.
No MAN knows where He was buried.
Moses' death was unnatural. He didn't die of old age, he didn't die naturally. God brought death to Him and we don't know exactly how this was done, but the One who gives the breath of life can take that breath away. The giver of life can take that life. He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep when He created Eve - taking one of Adam's ribs to do so. God who can cause a deep sleep can surely - painlessly- take the breath of life from someone in order to bring death to them that isn't a death caused naturally. However it was done, God BURIED Moses after He died and He buried him in such a way that NO man who looked for Moses would find him.
However, the Devil is not a man. The Devil knew where Moses was buried. The Devil who has dominion over the earth (Just read this-
Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
The devil showed Jesus ALL the kingdom of the world and then… he said this… ALL these will I give thee. All those kingdoms belonged to who? Whose were they to give? The devil's. Jesus didn't reply- No, these kingdoms already belong to me… Jesus answered by telling the devil this…
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Satan wanted Jesus to worship him and then he'd give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world! They are satan's to give! Jesus answered that He would ONLY worship and serve God. Jesus didn't want the kingdoms of the world, He wanted what His Father wanted and that was ALL He wanted.
So here we have the devil, the ruler of the whole world, the king over the world having dominion over the world and He KNOWS where God buried Moses. He KNOWS! And for some reason this happens--
Jud 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
There is a dispute about Moses' body. For whatever reason this dispute has Michael the archangel NOT bringing a railing accusation against the devil, but rather His defense was 'The Lord rebuke thee'. If ever anyone could be accused of wrong doing it would be the devil, he is the epitome of evil and wrongness, he is the father of lies. All evil stems from the devil's influence. Yet no accusation was going to be brought against the devil by the archangel - it was enough to say, 'The Lord rebuke thee.'
Remember we are talking about all this--
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
We are talking about the EVIL people of which Sodom and Gomorrha are a prime example of those who will suffer eternal extinction. Those who are filthy dreamers defiling the flesh, those who despise dominion, those who speak evil of dignities.
The speak evil of dignities- honor, nobleness of mind, propriety, truth, justice, opposition to sin.
They love to rail, they love to speak evil of any they can, but speaking evil of others is NOT what God would have us do- no matter how deserving, as Satan is endlessly deserving of railing, but it is NOT God's way.
Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Evil people speak evil and corrupt themselves!
Jud 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Evil people go in the way of Cain- which is the way contrary to God. No one can dispute the fact Cain was contrary to God and all those who follow in Cain's way- seeking their own will above God's are going the exact same path.
The way of Core being this--
G2879
Κορέ
Kore
Thayer Definition:
Korah = “baldness”
1) a man who, with others, rebelled against Moses
Those who with others rebel. Rebelling against God's way- once again this is the path those who are not with God take. They might believe they are harmlessly just doing their own thing, proud in their suppose superior intellect but in truth they are rebels against their Creator, against their Savior.
Jud 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Jud 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
READ THOSE WORDS AGAIN!
They live and breath among us and will until Jesus comes to redeem us to Himself. We cannot fully separate ourselves from them.
Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
The wheat and the tares together until the harvest.
God's children, Satan's children together until the end of the world.
We mustn't delude ourselves into believing that we even CAN live among others and all be God's children. It's not up to us to EVER determine another person's eternal life- that's for God and God alone. But we have to be discerning and follow God as we are told in His word and that will mean being a stranger in and among others- a stranger that the world will try to convince to change our ways to be as they are- to conform, to become part of the family of Satan. No, they won't say those words but that's exactly what it amounts to. If you are not a child of God's you can only be a child of the wicked one.
We get so confused, and the devil enjoys our confusion. We must live and exist in a world where the tares outnumber the wheat greatly so that there is hardly any wheat left. We live in a world where wheat can turn into a tare and a tare into wheat. We must choose to never change, to never become a tare knowing that we must do our very best to allow God to work through us to by HIS grace and HIS grace alone have tares become wheat.
All glory to God in the Highest!
All praise and honor to our King!
May we be found in Him, His now and His always!
Amen.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
More Jude
Jud 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
God's pure goodness demands that evil be destroyed. Allowing evil to exist, allowing suffering to continue would be cruel. Only a sadist enjoys given pain to others and God is not a sadist. Enjoying evil and pain is wrong. God does not enjoy evil, it is an aberration.
We know that free choice brings with it the ability to choose between things and allowing freedom of choice is the revelation of one not wishing to dominate, not wishing to subdue, not wishing to be a master to forced slaves, but rather a father to children, a teacher to pupils.
Angels were created beings not of flesh but of spirit.
Angels were created with the ability to choose.
Angels were created with the ability to love, with the ability to reason, with feelings.
Angels could keep their first estate, or they could leave it. They could keep their own habitation or leave it. Some of the angels chose NOT to keep their first estate and left. Some chose to leave their own habitation. When they did that it was completely unacceptable- it was a wrong action.
First Estate, habitation- When you leave your first estate, when you leave your habitation you are effectively leaving a way of life. You are leaving more than a location. A rich man leaving his riches behind to live the life of a poor- begins to live an entire new way of life. When you leave one country to go to another you have new laws to follow. It isn't like leaving one house for another of similar conditions. There weren't two first estates to hop back and forth between. Choosing to leave a habitation that held God and all that God represents was choosing to leave all that is good, all that is love.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
The people crept in UNAWARE- UNGODLY men.
Jud 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
Those who even NOW, in our day, live in a manner like those of Sodom and Gomorrha will be PUNISHED. These people exist and it's not hard to notice them, not today, not in a world where all you have to do is watch the news, look on an internet news site , read a newspaper, listen to news radio and you will hear all about the people who exist today that are likened to those living in Sodom and Gomorrha.
These filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, speak evil of dignitaries and more….
Yes, I'm going to continue to talk about this kind of stuff right now because the Bible talks of this and warns us and we need to heed the warnings not hide behind a heavy blanket of love and sweetness refusing to believe there is love in the warnings, love in leaving the soft, sweetness and recognizing God's love in so much more.
May God continue to bless us, to forgive us, to love us as we continue to study, to pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance into all truth.
In our Savior's love, by His mercy, through His righteousness and grace.
More tomorrow, God willing.
Amen.
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
God's pure goodness demands that evil be destroyed. Allowing evil to exist, allowing suffering to continue would be cruel. Only a sadist enjoys given pain to others and God is not a sadist. Enjoying evil and pain is wrong. God does not enjoy evil, it is an aberration.
We know that free choice brings with it the ability to choose between things and allowing freedom of choice is the revelation of one not wishing to dominate, not wishing to subdue, not wishing to be a master to forced slaves, but rather a father to children, a teacher to pupils.
Angels were created beings not of flesh but of spirit.
Angels were created with the ability to choose.
Angels were created with the ability to love, with the ability to reason, with feelings.
Angels could keep their first estate, or they could leave it. They could keep their own habitation or leave it. Some of the angels chose NOT to keep their first estate and left. Some chose to leave their own habitation. When they did that it was completely unacceptable- it was a wrong action.
First Estate, habitation- When you leave your first estate, when you leave your habitation you are effectively leaving a way of life. You are leaving more than a location. A rich man leaving his riches behind to live the life of a poor- begins to live an entire new way of life. When you leave one country to go to another you have new laws to follow. It isn't like leaving one house for another of similar conditions. There weren't two first estates to hop back and forth between. Choosing to leave a habitation that held God and all that God represents was choosing to leave all that is good, all that is love.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
The people crept in UNAWARE- UNGODLY men.
Jud 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
Those who even NOW, in our day, live in a manner like those of Sodom and Gomorrha will be PUNISHED. These people exist and it's not hard to notice them, not today, not in a world where all you have to do is watch the news, look on an internet news site , read a newspaper, listen to news radio and you will hear all about the people who exist today that are likened to those living in Sodom and Gomorrha.
These filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, speak evil of dignitaries and more….
Yes, I'm going to continue to talk about this kind of stuff right now because the Bible talks of this and warns us and we need to heed the warnings not hide behind a heavy blanket of love and sweetness refusing to believe there is love in the warnings, love in leaving the soft, sweetness and recognizing God's love in so much more.
May God continue to bless us, to forgive us, to love us as we continue to study, to pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance into all truth.
In our Savior's love, by His mercy, through His righteousness and grace.
More tomorrow, God willing.
Amen.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Jude 1:1-5
Jud 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called
To them that are sanctified by God the Father.
To them that are preserved in Jesus Christ.
To them that are called.
Made holy by God the Father
Preserved by God the Son
Called.
We ALL need to be made holy by God the Father, don't we? Is there any one at all that doesn't need this? We cannot make ourselves holy it's impossible. We can submit to God and He will make us holy. Jesus Christ will preserve us. We need preservation, don't we? How great would it be if we could be preserved say- like something frozen. Frozen in Christ, made holy by God the Father never changing, forever kept holy by God, forever preserved by Christ. It sounds so wonderful and it really is the only way. We can't make ourselves holy and we can't preserve ourselves- we can't save ourselves. We can only choose to be saved. People make choices every day- many who are ill make choices that affect whether or not their lives are prolonged. A person with a damaged heart can op to allow a surgeon to repair their heart- or they can choose not to allow that surgeon to do surgery. That choice may determine whether they live or die. They choose. We choose often - making decisions that affect our lives, the quality of our lives- our eternal life.
I want to be among THEM who are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.
Jud 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called
Jud 1:2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
EARNESTLY contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.
We need to do this- contend for the faith. Fight for the faith, struggle for the faith. Living in the world we live in today even more so we need to contend for the faith that was GIVEN to the saints. Satan works diligently , untiringly using any and all he can.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jud 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
We CANNOT forget that the people God saved--- were destroyed later for unbelief!
The Lord saved people from slavery to the Egyptians, He freed them from bondage. The Lord saves us from bondage to sin. Just as a lot of those who benefitted from being freed by God from Slavery were later DESTROYED because they chose not to believe in the God that saved them, all those who are freed from the bondage of sin and are given salvation and then go on to believe no longer will be destroyed.
People don’t want to hear that! People don't want to be alarmed, people don't want to listen to those they consider doomsayers. Yet, all through the Bible there are warnings, many, many warnings so is it any wonder we are to pay attention to these warnings, that we are to HEAR and TALK about these warnings? With the warnings comes the hope. The doomsayers are only proclaiming the doom in the hope of avoiding it, of having others avoid the doom. We must not forget those God freed were LATER destroyed because they lacked faith.
May God help us to heed the words He's given to us! May we learn and take His words to heart, trusting in Him to guide us, having faith forever in Him, always, only in Him!
Amen
To them that are sanctified by God the Father.
To them that are preserved in Jesus Christ.
To them that are called.
Made holy by God the Father
Preserved by God the Son
Called.
We ALL need to be made holy by God the Father, don't we? Is there any one at all that doesn't need this? We cannot make ourselves holy it's impossible. We can submit to God and He will make us holy. Jesus Christ will preserve us. We need preservation, don't we? How great would it be if we could be preserved say- like something frozen. Frozen in Christ, made holy by God the Father never changing, forever kept holy by God, forever preserved by Christ. It sounds so wonderful and it really is the only way. We can't make ourselves holy and we can't preserve ourselves- we can't save ourselves. We can only choose to be saved. People make choices every day- many who are ill make choices that affect whether or not their lives are prolonged. A person with a damaged heart can op to allow a surgeon to repair their heart- or they can choose not to allow that surgeon to do surgery. That choice may determine whether they live or die. They choose. We choose often - making decisions that affect our lives, the quality of our lives- our eternal life.
I want to be among THEM who are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.
Jud 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called
Jud 1:2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
EARNESTLY contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.
We need to do this- contend for the faith. Fight for the faith, struggle for the faith. Living in the world we live in today even more so we need to contend for the faith that was GIVEN to the saints. Satan works diligently , untiringly using any and all he can.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jud 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
We CANNOT forget that the people God saved--- were destroyed later for unbelief!
The Lord saved people from slavery to the Egyptians, He freed them from bondage. The Lord saves us from bondage to sin. Just as a lot of those who benefitted from being freed by God from Slavery were later DESTROYED because they chose not to believe in the God that saved them, all those who are freed from the bondage of sin and are given salvation and then go on to believe no longer will be destroyed.
People don’t want to hear that! People don't want to be alarmed, people don't want to listen to those they consider doomsayers. Yet, all through the Bible there are warnings, many, many warnings so is it any wonder we are to pay attention to these warnings, that we are to HEAR and TALK about these warnings? With the warnings comes the hope. The doomsayers are only proclaiming the doom in the hope of avoiding it, of having others avoid the doom. We must not forget those God freed were LATER destroyed because they lacked faith.
May God help us to heed the words He's given to us! May we learn and take His words to heart, trusting in Him to guide us, having faith forever in Him, always, only in Him!
Amen
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Are you deluded?
2Th 2:10 ... because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
They received NOT the love of the truth.
Do you LOVE the truth?
The truth saves us. Not indifference to the truth, not denial of the truth, not disdain for the truth, and certainly not hatred for the truth.
To love is to make a choice to believe in love. If you don't believe love exists then you can't love, can you?
So much has been touted about love, being IN love, falling IN love and yet at the end of the day when you've BEEN in love for a long while, when you've HIT rock bottom in that fall you took into love, when you FEEL none of the emotions of what people have made love out to be- what then?
Loving something isn't being infatuated with something- it isn't a faze with something. We've skewed the word love up so badly when we talk about loving the truth we instantly begin to question our relationship with God. We question whether or not we have that so-called 'love' feeling towards the truth. Do we FEEL the love. We treat love as an emotion, but the Bible tells us plainly that - God is love.
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
God is the source of LOVE. God is the source of our ability to love. God CHOOSES to love us. God made the CHOICE to love us. Did making that choice to love us mean God would have tender feelings for us always? Did making that choice mean God would never punish us? God loves us with a perfect love. But God's love is IN God's law. The two are inseparable.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love is the fulfilling of the law.
If God is love and fulfilling of the law is love - we need to KNOW God and to KNOW the law to know love.
God was REVEALED to us by His Son.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Joh 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Joh 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
Joh 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Joh 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Joh 14:29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Joh 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Beautiful!
If we have a love for the truth, we have a love for God. If we have a love for God, we have a love for the truth. If God is love, and if keeping God's law is love then for us to LOVE God we must want to OBEY Him.
Love isn't purely an emotion that we need to feel, but love is obeying God no matter what we feel.
We've WARPED love into meaning that true love- is UNCONDITIONAL love- that it is loving NO MATTER what and that's not true.
Jesus loves us and forgives us the worst of sins, yet that forgiveness must be something we desire along with a repentance of the sin. We are NOT forgiven if we do not desire that forgiveness, if we do not desire to repent and sin no more. So to say it's and UNCONDITIONAL love would be a distortion of facts. We don't deserve the love, we are loved and forgiven without deserving any of it and we cannot save ourselves in any way, shape, or form- but we MUST accept salvation. WE WILL NOT BE SAVED IN SPITE OF OURSELVES. NO one who chooses NOT to be saved, will be saved. There is NO forced salvation. There is NO forced love of the truth.
We make the choice for Salvation. We make the choice to love God- and that means OBEYING God, because we are told IF YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. We are told LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW. If we choose to KEEP God's commandments we would find ourselves loving our fellow man, we would find ourselves loving God, we would find ourselves loving truth and knowing we love God, knowing we love our fellowman, knowing we love the truth- NOT because of some misguided emotional responses we feel, but because of the knowledge of what love truly is.
Not all of us are able to be overly affectionate people. Not all of us can be overly sweet to others. It's a fact that we all have different dispositions and some are naturally more sour than others but does this mean a person whose disposition is pessimistic, or depressive, or even reclusive doesn't LOVE others? They might not FEEL that FEELING we are taught to believe is love, but their ACTIONS will speak louder than any feeling ever could.
2Th 2:10 ... because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The love of the truth is the love of God and only the love of God can save us.
If we CHOOSE not to receive God's love, God will not force Himself upon us, in fact God will allow you to live with that choice and you will reap the consequences of that choice. You will believe STRONG DELUSIONS believing lies, because you choose not to believe truth. Yes, EVERYONE that chooses NOT to receive the love of the truth will be damned. Everyone who chooses unrighteousness will be damned. Making the choice to not receive the love of the truth is something the majority of people will do- and that's not to say they will all be atheists, devil worshippers, or those who do not believe Jesus is the Son of God. Many who do not receive the love of the TRUTH, will be those who believe they are worshipping God- only they are worshipping a manufactured God, not the One True God who makes it more than clear that if we love Him we will keep His commandments- ALL of His commandments.
Do you have a love for the truth that you might be saved? Or are you deluded, believing lies?
May God give us all a LOVE for the TRUTH that we might be saved. May we not rather have delusions that will feed our egos nurturing self-love. May our eyes be opened fully, may all deception that would keep us from loving God, from loving the truth- be wiped away.
We will be allowed delusions, given delusions make NO mistake about it at all. And delusions seem real to those who are captive to them, delusions appear as truth to them.
Please Lord help us not be given strong delusions to believe in lies! We want Your truth! Only Your truth! We want to receive the love of Your truth! By Your grace!
Amen.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
They received NOT the love of the truth.
Do you LOVE the truth?
The truth saves us. Not indifference to the truth, not denial of the truth, not disdain for the truth, and certainly not hatred for the truth.
To love is to make a choice to believe in love. If you don't believe love exists then you can't love, can you?
So much has been touted about love, being IN love, falling IN love and yet at the end of the day when you've BEEN in love for a long while, when you've HIT rock bottom in that fall you took into love, when you FEEL none of the emotions of what people have made love out to be- what then?
Loving something isn't being infatuated with something- it isn't a faze with something. We've skewed the word love up so badly when we talk about loving the truth we instantly begin to question our relationship with God. We question whether or not we have that so-called 'love' feeling towards the truth. Do we FEEL the love. We treat love as an emotion, but the Bible tells us plainly that - God is love.
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
God is the source of LOVE. God is the source of our ability to love. God CHOOSES to love us. God made the CHOICE to love us. Did making that choice to love us mean God would have tender feelings for us always? Did making that choice mean God would never punish us? God loves us with a perfect love. But God's love is IN God's law. The two are inseparable.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love is the fulfilling of the law.
If God is love and fulfilling of the law is love - we need to KNOW God and to KNOW the law to know love.
God was REVEALED to us by His Son.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Joh 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Joh 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
Joh 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Joh 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Joh 14:29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Joh 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Beautiful!
If we have a love for the truth, we have a love for God. If we have a love for God, we have a love for the truth. If God is love, and if keeping God's law is love then for us to LOVE God we must want to OBEY Him.
Love isn't purely an emotion that we need to feel, but love is obeying God no matter what we feel.
We've WARPED love into meaning that true love- is UNCONDITIONAL love- that it is loving NO MATTER what and that's not true.
Jesus loves us and forgives us the worst of sins, yet that forgiveness must be something we desire along with a repentance of the sin. We are NOT forgiven if we do not desire that forgiveness, if we do not desire to repent and sin no more. So to say it's and UNCONDITIONAL love would be a distortion of facts. We don't deserve the love, we are loved and forgiven without deserving any of it and we cannot save ourselves in any way, shape, or form- but we MUST accept salvation. WE WILL NOT BE SAVED IN SPITE OF OURSELVES. NO one who chooses NOT to be saved, will be saved. There is NO forced salvation. There is NO forced love of the truth.
We make the choice for Salvation. We make the choice to love God- and that means OBEYING God, because we are told IF YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. We are told LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW. If we choose to KEEP God's commandments we would find ourselves loving our fellow man, we would find ourselves loving God, we would find ourselves loving truth and knowing we love God, knowing we love our fellowman, knowing we love the truth- NOT because of some misguided emotional responses we feel, but because of the knowledge of what love truly is.
Not all of us are able to be overly affectionate people. Not all of us can be overly sweet to others. It's a fact that we all have different dispositions and some are naturally more sour than others but does this mean a person whose disposition is pessimistic, or depressive, or even reclusive doesn't LOVE others? They might not FEEL that FEELING we are taught to believe is love, but their ACTIONS will speak louder than any feeling ever could.
2Th 2:10 ... because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The love of the truth is the love of God and only the love of God can save us.
If we CHOOSE not to receive God's love, God will not force Himself upon us, in fact God will allow you to live with that choice and you will reap the consequences of that choice. You will believe STRONG DELUSIONS believing lies, because you choose not to believe truth. Yes, EVERYONE that chooses NOT to receive the love of the truth will be damned. Everyone who chooses unrighteousness will be damned. Making the choice to not receive the love of the truth is something the majority of people will do- and that's not to say they will all be atheists, devil worshippers, or those who do not believe Jesus is the Son of God. Many who do not receive the love of the TRUTH, will be those who believe they are worshipping God- only they are worshipping a manufactured God, not the One True God who makes it more than clear that if we love Him we will keep His commandments- ALL of His commandments.
Do you have a love for the truth that you might be saved? Or are you deluded, believing lies?
May God give us all a LOVE for the TRUTH that we might be saved. May we not rather have delusions that will feed our egos nurturing self-love. May our eyes be opened fully, may all deception that would keep us from loving God, from loving the truth- be wiped away.
We will be allowed delusions, given delusions make NO mistake about it at all. And delusions seem real to those who are captive to them, delusions appear as truth to them.
Please Lord help us not be given strong delusions to believe in lies! We want Your truth! Only Your truth! We want to receive the love of Your truth! By Your grace!
Amen.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Years of Pilgrimage
Pilgrim- I want to take a moment and remind myself that I'm just a pilgrim in life.
We grew up being taught a pilgrim was someone who came from another country to a new one to start a new life. Who here in the United States hasn't been taught the story of the pilgrims and indians? It's the foundation of our Thanksgiving holiday. We are taught pilgrims are a people who lived long, long ago and who exist no more- the pilgrims having integrated themselves into this country. The descendants of the pilgrims were born natural citizens of this country and were no longer considered pilgrims but descendants from pilgrims.
But all that is talked about as something that happened a very long time ago. We don't call anyone that comes over to this country now- a pilgrim. We call people who come over here now- immigrants.
We keep the word pilgrim for our ancestors dating way back, for those who were adventurous and coming to a NEW land. If you told someone you were a pilgrim today they'd smile and nod, and then they'd play along. You could tell someone you're on a pilgrimage and they'd be more understanding- you're on an adventure but you're not really a pilgrim. It's more acceptable to be on a pilgrimage than to be considered a pilgrim. Yet, anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and longs for His return is a pilgrim. It's too easy for us to forget this fact. It's too easy for the devil to skew our thinking and get us to believe that we are home, that this is our home, this existence is our beginning, middle, and end. We will be born here and therefore we will live here and die here, and that's all there is.
It is true, we are born here.
It is true, we live here.
It is also true, we might die here, many have.
Yet you can die in a strange land can't you? Many pilgrims died in the foreign land they traveled to- all of them did if they didn't return to their homeland.
How many of those who travel to other lands and make a living there, spending the majority of their lives in that new place, always think of their homeland? I imagine those who left their original place of birth and didn't want to leave think of their homeland fondly and those who left under threat of persecution are glad have gotten out from under oppression. I know having just moved about here in the U.S.A. that I consider the place of my birth, the place I spent most of my life, home and yet I wouldn't want to return there to live. I have a million fond memories of that place, but life changes so much and there is no true going back because you can't go back to a time, just a place.
Do I like the place I live now? Do I consider it my home? The fact that I actually live here makes it my home, but I don't necessarily like living here. In fact every place I've lived has had its downsides. I imagine even the most perfect place we could find would still have it's downsides. The truth of the matter is… we are pilgrims here on earth and by the grace of God we will NEVER find a place here in this sin-filled, degraded earth that we are willing to call our true home, perfect in all ways. While we can have a certain peace here on earth it must be a peace we find in Christ, not in things, not in our earthly homes, not in our earth bound, flesh bound, sin encumbered lives. We have to find peace outside of ourselves, outside of our surroundings whatever they may be, however wonderful, or however awful they may be.
We cannot forget we are pilgrims. I know I've spoken on this before but it's something that's touched me again.
Gen 47:8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?
Gen 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
Gen 47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
The days of my pilgrimage.
People talk about birthdays and whether or not we should celebrate them. Some people say only the ungodly celebrated birthdays and we shouldn't and I do understand their point of view but I also have to wonder at the fact birthdays were NOTED, every time someone's age is mentioned in the Bible- it's a fact that their birth day was noted, it was remembered. The celebration aspect is something that can be perverted in my estimation. As with a lot of things you can celebrate them in a perverted fashion and by that I mean celebrate them taking glory to yourself, or putting glory upon another. All glory goes to God. When we note the day of our birth we CAN do so and give glory to God.
Here Jacob was brought before Pharaoh as Joseph brought him from the land of Canaan to Egypt to survive the famine under his care. Pharaoh sees this old man, the father of the one who has literally saved Him and all of Egypt and then some, because God gave him the interpretation to dreams, dreams God gave to Pharaoh.
Think about it a moment-- Joseph was 17 when he was sold into slavery- He was 30 years old when Pharaoh set him over all the land of Egypt. Seven good years passed after that, so Joseph was 37 years old at that point. Two years into the famine Joseph was reunited with his father again, at 39 years of age. For NINE years Pharaoh knew Joseph on a personal level. Pharaoh knew Joseph had been a slave, he most likely learned all there was to know about him and knew that he'd been in Egypt for 22 years- without any family. Then miraculously his family is there. It isn't any wonder that Pharaoh would want to meet the father of the man who saved all of Egypt. Upon meeting him Pharaoh wants to know how old this man was, this father of Joseph, and he's told-
Gen 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
130 years.
Jacob knew his age and it was termed in this way- The days of the years of my PILGRIMAGE are 130 years. Those years had to be kept track of. Our birth days were NOT ignored, they were noted. The days of the years of OUR PILGRIMAGE … The days of the years of my pilgrimage are 47. Say your age that way, let it roll off your tongue. Or simply say the years of my pilgrimage are… (for me) 47. Isn't that beautiful? Seriously, it's a STARK reminder to us of what? Not to celebrate the years we've lived, not to celebrate the age we've attained as if it's some great achievement, not to celebrate our existence alone, but rather a celebration of the number of years we've been on our pilgrimage here on earth. A celebration of acknowledgement that we've been given by God those years however few or however many they may be. We are acknowledging our journey just at is was acknowledged throughout the Bible. Acknowledging our pilgrimage!
Remember this…
Gen 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
Gen 5:8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
Gen 5:11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
And so on… noting years of our lives is something that was done from the beginning. They HAD to take note of the day of birth to keep track of the years of their lives, right?
Every single acknowledgment of that day of birth added to the years of pilgrimage they had lived. Just imagine for a moment- that day comes around and the person knows it's that day- do they just simply ignore it completely? Don't you think they acknowledge it, seriously? If someone came up to them and asked them how old they were do you really think they have to stop and calculate it, or have they made note of their age as that day in the year passed so they could readily give an answer? Age isn't something that is ignored in the Bible at all, yet there are people who would have us just ignore our day of birth completely.
Can you imagine Jacob upon the day of his birth that year noting that his age is now 130. Don't you imagine that they day might bring some reflection with it?
Jacob went on to say this about his age--
Gen 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
Gen 47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
Few and evil have the days of the years of my life have been.
Few and evil.
We, who don't live as a rule into our 130's, 140's, but rather mostly into our 70's and 80's- can say the same can't we? The days of our years of life are few and evil.
We may want to deny the evil part but in truth we live among evil and we sin, falling into evil over and over again. By the grace of our Savior we can be forgiven of the evil in the days of the years of our life, but that doesn't make them any less evil-- it makes us forgiven.
This study isn't intended to be a plug for keeping birthdays, but simply an acknowledgment of our PILGRIMAGE and yes, we need to note the days of the years of our pilgrimage, there is no shame in that and as we note our age, our birthdays, we need to note especially that we are MARKING the years we've been PILGRIMS here on earth, and bring to mind more pointedly that we are STILL on this pilgrimage. We still live in this strange land that isn't anything like the land we are promised will be ours one day. We are pilgrims in this life- everything around us is temporary. If we don't feel as if we belong to this world, PRAISE GOD, we don't! We are PILGRIMS!
David said--
Psa 119:54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
Paul said--
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Peter said--
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
From now on upon your birthday think of it the way God would have us think of it- as marking the years of our pilgrimage here. Let it be a reminder of our being pilgrims still and all that entails. Let our birthdays remind us even more starkly that we are here only temporarily and we live for eternal life in our Savior. All praise, all honor, all glory to our God!
By the most amazing, wondrous grace of our God, in His love now and forever!
Amen.
We grew up being taught a pilgrim was someone who came from another country to a new one to start a new life. Who here in the United States hasn't been taught the story of the pilgrims and indians? It's the foundation of our Thanksgiving holiday. We are taught pilgrims are a people who lived long, long ago and who exist no more- the pilgrims having integrated themselves into this country. The descendants of the pilgrims were born natural citizens of this country and were no longer considered pilgrims but descendants from pilgrims.
But all that is talked about as something that happened a very long time ago. We don't call anyone that comes over to this country now- a pilgrim. We call people who come over here now- immigrants.
We keep the word pilgrim for our ancestors dating way back, for those who were adventurous and coming to a NEW land. If you told someone you were a pilgrim today they'd smile and nod, and then they'd play along. You could tell someone you're on a pilgrimage and they'd be more understanding- you're on an adventure but you're not really a pilgrim. It's more acceptable to be on a pilgrimage than to be considered a pilgrim. Yet, anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and longs for His return is a pilgrim. It's too easy for us to forget this fact. It's too easy for the devil to skew our thinking and get us to believe that we are home, that this is our home, this existence is our beginning, middle, and end. We will be born here and therefore we will live here and die here, and that's all there is.
It is true, we are born here.
It is true, we live here.
It is also true, we might die here, many have.
Yet you can die in a strange land can't you? Many pilgrims died in the foreign land they traveled to- all of them did if they didn't return to their homeland.
How many of those who travel to other lands and make a living there, spending the majority of their lives in that new place, always think of their homeland? I imagine those who left their original place of birth and didn't want to leave think of their homeland fondly and those who left under threat of persecution are glad have gotten out from under oppression. I know having just moved about here in the U.S.A. that I consider the place of my birth, the place I spent most of my life, home and yet I wouldn't want to return there to live. I have a million fond memories of that place, but life changes so much and there is no true going back because you can't go back to a time, just a place.
Do I like the place I live now? Do I consider it my home? The fact that I actually live here makes it my home, but I don't necessarily like living here. In fact every place I've lived has had its downsides. I imagine even the most perfect place we could find would still have it's downsides. The truth of the matter is… we are pilgrims here on earth and by the grace of God we will NEVER find a place here in this sin-filled, degraded earth that we are willing to call our true home, perfect in all ways. While we can have a certain peace here on earth it must be a peace we find in Christ, not in things, not in our earthly homes, not in our earth bound, flesh bound, sin encumbered lives. We have to find peace outside of ourselves, outside of our surroundings whatever they may be, however wonderful, or however awful they may be.
We cannot forget we are pilgrims. I know I've spoken on this before but it's something that's touched me again.
Gen 47:8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?
Gen 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
Gen 47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
The days of my pilgrimage.
People talk about birthdays and whether or not we should celebrate them. Some people say only the ungodly celebrated birthdays and we shouldn't and I do understand their point of view but I also have to wonder at the fact birthdays were NOTED, every time someone's age is mentioned in the Bible- it's a fact that their birth day was noted, it was remembered. The celebration aspect is something that can be perverted in my estimation. As with a lot of things you can celebrate them in a perverted fashion and by that I mean celebrate them taking glory to yourself, or putting glory upon another. All glory goes to God. When we note the day of our birth we CAN do so and give glory to God.
Here Jacob was brought before Pharaoh as Joseph brought him from the land of Canaan to Egypt to survive the famine under his care. Pharaoh sees this old man, the father of the one who has literally saved Him and all of Egypt and then some, because God gave him the interpretation to dreams, dreams God gave to Pharaoh.
Think about it a moment-- Joseph was 17 when he was sold into slavery- He was 30 years old when Pharaoh set him over all the land of Egypt. Seven good years passed after that, so Joseph was 37 years old at that point. Two years into the famine Joseph was reunited with his father again, at 39 years of age. For NINE years Pharaoh knew Joseph on a personal level. Pharaoh knew Joseph had been a slave, he most likely learned all there was to know about him and knew that he'd been in Egypt for 22 years- without any family. Then miraculously his family is there. It isn't any wonder that Pharaoh would want to meet the father of the man who saved all of Egypt. Upon meeting him Pharaoh wants to know how old this man was, this father of Joseph, and he's told-
Gen 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
130 years.
Jacob knew his age and it was termed in this way- The days of the years of my PILGRIMAGE are 130 years. Those years had to be kept track of. Our birth days were NOT ignored, they were noted. The days of the years of OUR PILGRIMAGE … The days of the years of my pilgrimage are 47. Say your age that way, let it roll off your tongue. Or simply say the years of my pilgrimage are… (for me) 47. Isn't that beautiful? Seriously, it's a STARK reminder to us of what? Not to celebrate the years we've lived, not to celebrate the age we've attained as if it's some great achievement, not to celebrate our existence alone, but rather a celebration of the number of years we've been on our pilgrimage here on earth. A celebration of acknowledgement that we've been given by God those years however few or however many they may be. We are acknowledging our journey just at is was acknowledged throughout the Bible. Acknowledging our pilgrimage!
Remember this…
Gen 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
Gen 5:8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
Gen 5:11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
And so on… noting years of our lives is something that was done from the beginning. They HAD to take note of the day of birth to keep track of the years of their lives, right?
Every single acknowledgment of that day of birth added to the years of pilgrimage they had lived. Just imagine for a moment- that day comes around and the person knows it's that day- do they just simply ignore it completely? Don't you think they acknowledge it, seriously? If someone came up to them and asked them how old they were do you really think they have to stop and calculate it, or have they made note of their age as that day in the year passed so they could readily give an answer? Age isn't something that is ignored in the Bible at all, yet there are people who would have us just ignore our day of birth completely.
Can you imagine Jacob upon the day of his birth that year noting that his age is now 130. Don't you imagine that they day might bring some reflection with it?
Jacob went on to say this about his age--
Gen 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
Gen 47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
Few and evil have the days of the years of my life have been.
Few and evil.
We, who don't live as a rule into our 130's, 140's, but rather mostly into our 70's and 80's- can say the same can't we? The days of our years of life are few and evil.
We may want to deny the evil part but in truth we live among evil and we sin, falling into evil over and over again. By the grace of our Savior we can be forgiven of the evil in the days of the years of our life, but that doesn't make them any less evil-- it makes us forgiven.
This study isn't intended to be a plug for keeping birthdays, but simply an acknowledgment of our PILGRIMAGE and yes, we need to note the days of the years of our pilgrimage, there is no shame in that and as we note our age, our birthdays, we need to note especially that we are MARKING the years we've been PILGRIMS here on earth, and bring to mind more pointedly that we are STILL on this pilgrimage. We still live in this strange land that isn't anything like the land we are promised will be ours one day. We are pilgrims in this life- everything around us is temporary. If we don't feel as if we belong to this world, PRAISE GOD, we don't! We are PILGRIMS!
David said--
Psa 119:54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
Paul said--
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Peter said--
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
From now on upon your birthday think of it the way God would have us think of it- as marking the years of our pilgrimage here. Let it be a reminder of our being pilgrims still and all that entails. Let our birthdays remind us even more starkly that we are here only temporarily and we live for eternal life in our Savior. All praise, all honor, all glory to our God!
By the most amazing, wondrous grace of our God, in His love now and forever!
Amen.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Hell 2- You don't burn ashes
Yesterday we began a study on Hell. Let's recap a bit.
There are four words translated as hell in the Bible.
1. Sheol
2. Hades
3. Geenna ( gehenna )
4. tartaroō
Sheol is one of the words used for hell. In a verse from Psalms David is prophesying of Jesus and he says this--
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- sheol)
Paul repeats the words of David-
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- hadēs)
We know for a fact our Savior never went to man's fictional idea of hell, upon His death. Christ did go to the grave and He was left in the grave for three days.
Let's look at the word Hades.
Hades
G86
ᾅδης
hadēs
It never means the place of punishment. Its meaning is 'an unseen place', 'the grave', 'pit', 'region of the dead'.
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Wait… what?! What was that last verse? 'And death and HELL were cast….' WHERE? 'INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.'
Okay, let's get this straight. Hell is imagined by the majority of people to be a lake of fire right? I mean we've all seen it depicted in movies and such and it's always a huge fiery place where people are suffering endlessly. And yet the Bible clearly says- and HELL is going to be cast into a lake of fire. So if Hell is a huge fiery place of torment and it's cast into a lake of fire would that make any sense at all whatsoever?
Again this word can mean grave as we've already noted.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
That word grave there is hades.
Now the word - Geeena- Gehenna
G1067
γέεννα
geenna
gheh'-en-nah
Of Hebrew origin ([H1516] and [H2011]); valley of (the son of) Hinnom; gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem.
(2Ch 28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did NOT that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
2Ch 28:2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
2Ch 28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
(2Ch 33:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem
2Ch 33:2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. )
2Ch 33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
This was a REAL place. And it was considered a place of punishment. There WILL be a punishment for evil make no mistake about that, none. The Bible is clear that that wicked will be punished and this place of punishment was a place of punishment that no one who walk through that fire in the valley survived- they were destroyed utterly after suffering the pain of burning in that fire. There will be a LAKE of FIRE. Remember we just read about 'hell' being cast into a lake of fire. That fire will exist and the wicked will be punished in that lake of fire- but it isn't a place that exists right now where spirit bodies go to suffer endlessly.
Mat 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell (geenna)?
Mar 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Read this--
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.
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.
Every man in his OWN order shall be MADE alive- after death.
Christ
The firstfruits
They that are Christ's at his coming
THEN cometh the end… he must reign till he hath put ALL enemies under his feet.
And read this--
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
There is a lake of fire for those NOT written in the book of life- but NO ONE is cast into this lake of fire until after Christ comes, until after Christ and His people reign in heaven 1000 years!
Now the last word for hell-
G5020
ταρταρόω
tartaroō
ONE time in the entire Bible does the word hell mean this.
2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment
Cast them to hell- to chains of darkness to be reserve unto the JUDGMENT. Who was cast there? A person? No! Angels that sinned! Angels are not flesh and cannot die as our flesh dies. Angels can suffer eternal death- the second death, but only after the judgment. Until then - these angels that sinned are kept in darkness- hell. This word hell doesn't mean those angels are suffering eternally in a pit of fire.
Surprisingly hell as people have been taught to believe- DOESN'T EXIST!
A lake of fire will exist at the end of the world.
Another question that is brought up is the eternity this fire is supposed to burn.
I don't know about you but I cannot ever imagine God keeping a lake of fire burning forever and ever and ever, never ending it, but having people (those who are with Him) see and KNOW former loved ones, suffering horrifically. I can't comprehend this aspect and with good reason- God would NEVER do that. God would never keep a place we would call the HELL people imagine exists even now-forever and eternally in existence. Satan is the root of all pain and suffering, not God! Satan would win a victory even in eternal, endless suffering if people were to be forever reminded of sin and it's horrors. God is a JUST God. God is a fair God! All we know of goodness and of God the Father was revealed to us by His Son and His Son showed ONLY compassion for the suffering.
So these words- eternal fire, unquenchable fire, forever and ever- what exactly are meant by them?
Let's look at a few examples--
Jeremiah 17:27
But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
Obviously there is NOT fire STILL destroying Jerusalem. Right? Jerusalem was destroyed as Jeremiah predicted it would be if the people did not turn from their evil ways. They didn't turn from them and they were taken captive to Babylon, though many were killed and the temple was completely destroyed. There were fires but saying it would not be quenched did not mean it would go on forever and ever without end. Not being quenched as any fireman could tell you means a fire that is unable to be subdue burns until there is NOTHING left to burn. It's not quenched by man, it goes out on its own only when it no longer has a source of fuel.
2 Chronicles 36:19-21
2Ch 36:19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.
2Ch 36:20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:
2Ch 36:21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
Jude 7
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
READ that again!
Suffering the vengeance of ETERNAL FIRE.
Is Sodom still burning?
Is Gomorrha still burning?
No and no. The eternal part of the fire is the END results. Eternal destruction, eternally destroyed. That eternal fire from God was truly an eternal fire as only such as God can possess.
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly
Ashes.
Eternal fire.
You don't burn ashes- the result OF the burning- is the ashes. The fire has burned all it can burn.
Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Do you see? With Sodom and Gomorrha as our example for the ungodly- we know that there will be a punishment that will be eternal in its results. Just as stubble is burned to ash, the wicked will be burned to ash without any ROOT or BRANCH left for them to ever live again. This is the second death- the death that NO ONE who receives it will live again. There will be no spirit body given to these people to suffer endlessly, they will be GONE, entirely gone. Anyone that has had the great misfortune of living through a house fire understands the eternal state of things they possessed being forever gone. Medical examiners understand that a cremated body is beyond examination-the fire having destroyed all that was flesh. God's eternal fire, eternal in its results is ALL consuming and hotter than anything we can ever fully imagine. Satan will be destroyed in that fire, death will be destroyed in that fire.
There is NO eternal suffering, but there is eternal nothingness. And honestly this is a just punishment for all evil, for all sin- not some ongoing ever burning pit of agonizing pain.
People love to use that idea to scare people into wanting to be good, into wanting to be in heaven, but at the same time it has people wondering about the LOVE of GOD. They can't comprehend a loving God allowing something so horrifying to exist- with good reason too. How many people have NOT wanted to know anything about their Savior because people have succumbed to this belief in hell, to this belief in ongoing suffering?
If we believe our God is love then we KNOW in our hearts just as we abhor the suffering going on in the world, that He abhors it infinitely more than we do. He could NEVER be an advocate of ongoing suffering, but rather just punishment and then and end to all sin and the results of all sin.
The earth will be made new and it will not contain any lake of fire for people disembodied or not to know suffering.
So, yes, there is a hell- but really studying the Bible reveals the truth to it all.
Death is a sleep. (Jn 11:11-14)
Resurrection will come when Christ returns- the holy in Christ will rise to meet the Lord then and the wicked will be killed. (1 Thess 4:16,17; 2 Thess 2:8)
A second resurrection will come after 1000 years as the earth is left desolate- Satan confined- having NO one to deceive. (Rev.20:3-7)
The wicked dead will rise again in this resurrection and Satan will be loosed allowed to deceive all over again and then all will be judged and accordingly punished, and destroyed in the second death. (Rev.20:7)
Sin, Satan, Death- all will be GONE ENTIRELY! (Rev.8-15)
Rev. 21 (All)
AMEN!!!!!!!
There are four words translated as hell in the Bible.
1. Sheol
2. Hades
3. Geenna ( gehenna )
4. tartaroō
Sheol is one of the words used for hell. In a verse from Psalms David is prophesying of Jesus and he says this--
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- sheol)
Paul repeats the words of David-
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- hadēs)
We know for a fact our Savior never went to man's fictional idea of hell, upon His death. Christ did go to the grave and He was left in the grave for three days.
Let's look at the word Hades.
Hades
G86
ᾅδης
hadēs
It never means the place of punishment. Its meaning is 'an unseen place', 'the grave', 'pit', 'region of the dead'.
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Wait… what?! What was that last verse? 'And death and HELL were cast….' WHERE? 'INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.'
Okay, let's get this straight. Hell is imagined by the majority of people to be a lake of fire right? I mean we've all seen it depicted in movies and such and it's always a huge fiery place where people are suffering endlessly. And yet the Bible clearly says- and HELL is going to be cast into a lake of fire. So if Hell is a huge fiery place of torment and it's cast into a lake of fire would that make any sense at all whatsoever?
Again this word can mean grave as we've already noted.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
That word grave there is hades.
Now the word - Geeena- Gehenna
G1067
γέεννα
geenna
gheh'-en-nah
Of Hebrew origin ([H1516] and [H2011]); valley of (the son of) Hinnom; gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem.
(2Ch 28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did NOT that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
2Ch 28:2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
2Ch 28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
(2Ch 33:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem
2Ch 33:2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. )
2Ch 33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
This was a REAL place. And it was considered a place of punishment. There WILL be a punishment for evil make no mistake about that, none. The Bible is clear that that wicked will be punished and this place of punishment was a place of punishment that no one who walk through that fire in the valley survived- they were destroyed utterly after suffering the pain of burning in that fire. There will be a LAKE of FIRE. Remember we just read about 'hell' being cast into a lake of fire. That fire will exist and the wicked will be punished in that lake of fire- but it isn't a place that exists right now where spirit bodies go to suffer endlessly.
Mat 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell (geenna)?
Mar 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Read this--
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.
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.
Every man in his OWN order shall be MADE alive- after death.
Christ
The firstfruits
They that are Christ's at his coming
THEN cometh the end… he must reign till he hath put ALL enemies under his feet.
And read this--
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
There is a lake of fire for those NOT written in the book of life- but NO ONE is cast into this lake of fire until after Christ comes, until after Christ and His people reign in heaven 1000 years!
Now the last word for hell-
G5020
ταρταρόω
tartaroō
ONE time in the entire Bible does the word hell mean this.
2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment
Cast them to hell- to chains of darkness to be reserve unto the JUDGMENT. Who was cast there? A person? No! Angels that sinned! Angels are not flesh and cannot die as our flesh dies. Angels can suffer eternal death- the second death, but only after the judgment. Until then - these angels that sinned are kept in darkness- hell. This word hell doesn't mean those angels are suffering eternally in a pit of fire.
Surprisingly hell as people have been taught to believe- DOESN'T EXIST!
A lake of fire will exist at the end of the world.
Another question that is brought up is the eternity this fire is supposed to burn.
I don't know about you but I cannot ever imagine God keeping a lake of fire burning forever and ever and ever, never ending it, but having people (those who are with Him) see and KNOW former loved ones, suffering horrifically. I can't comprehend this aspect and with good reason- God would NEVER do that. God would never keep a place we would call the HELL people imagine exists even now-forever and eternally in existence. Satan is the root of all pain and suffering, not God! Satan would win a victory even in eternal, endless suffering if people were to be forever reminded of sin and it's horrors. God is a JUST God. God is a fair God! All we know of goodness and of God the Father was revealed to us by His Son and His Son showed ONLY compassion for the suffering.
So these words- eternal fire, unquenchable fire, forever and ever- what exactly are meant by them?
Let's look at a few examples--
Jeremiah 17:27
But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
Obviously there is NOT fire STILL destroying Jerusalem. Right? Jerusalem was destroyed as Jeremiah predicted it would be if the people did not turn from their evil ways. They didn't turn from them and they were taken captive to Babylon, though many were killed and the temple was completely destroyed. There were fires but saying it would not be quenched did not mean it would go on forever and ever without end. Not being quenched as any fireman could tell you means a fire that is unable to be subdue burns until there is NOTHING left to burn. It's not quenched by man, it goes out on its own only when it no longer has a source of fuel.
2 Chronicles 36:19-21
2Ch 36:19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.
2Ch 36:20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:
2Ch 36:21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
Jude 7
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
READ that again!
Suffering the vengeance of ETERNAL FIRE.
Is Sodom still burning?
Is Gomorrha still burning?
No and no. The eternal part of the fire is the END results. Eternal destruction, eternally destroyed. That eternal fire from God was truly an eternal fire as only such as God can possess.
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly
Ashes.
Eternal fire.
You don't burn ashes- the result OF the burning- is the ashes. The fire has burned all it can burn.
Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Do you see? With Sodom and Gomorrha as our example for the ungodly- we know that there will be a punishment that will be eternal in its results. Just as stubble is burned to ash, the wicked will be burned to ash without any ROOT or BRANCH left for them to ever live again. This is the second death- the death that NO ONE who receives it will live again. There will be no spirit body given to these people to suffer endlessly, they will be GONE, entirely gone. Anyone that has had the great misfortune of living through a house fire understands the eternal state of things they possessed being forever gone. Medical examiners understand that a cremated body is beyond examination-the fire having destroyed all that was flesh. God's eternal fire, eternal in its results is ALL consuming and hotter than anything we can ever fully imagine. Satan will be destroyed in that fire, death will be destroyed in that fire.
There is NO eternal suffering, but there is eternal nothingness. And honestly this is a just punishment for all evil, for all sin- not some ongoing ever burning pit of agonizing pain.
People love to use that idea to scare people into wanting to be good, into wanting to be in heaven, but at the same time it has people wondering about the LOVE of GOD. They can't comprehend a loving God allowing something so horrifying to exist- with good reason too. How many people have NOT wanted to know anything about their Savior because people have succumbed to this belief in hell, to this belief in ongoing suffering?
If we believe our God is love then we KNOW in our hearts just as we abhor the suffering going on in the world, that He abhors it infinitely more than we do. He could NEVER be an advocate of ongoing suffering, but rather just punishment and then and end to all sin and the results of all sin.
The earth will be made new and it will not contain any lake of fire for people disembodied or not to know suffering.
So, yes, there is a hell- but really studying the Bible reveals the truth to it all.
Death is a sleep. (Jn 11:11-14)
Resurrection will come when Christ returns- the holy in Christ will rise to meet the Lord then and the wicked will be killed. (1 Thess 4:16,17; 2 Thess 2:8)
A second resurrection will come after 1000 years as the earth is left desolate- Satan confined- having NO one to deceive. (Rev.20:3-7)
The wicked dead will rise again in this resurrection and Satan will be loosed allowed to deceive all over again and then all will be judged and accordingly punished, and destroyed in the second death. (Rev.20:7)
Sin, Satan, Death- all will be GONE ENTIRELY! (Rev.8-15)
Rev. 21 (All)
AMEN!!!!!!!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Hell -1
I've been talking about death lately or rather the state of the dead. The Bible tells us beyond a doubt that the 'dead know nothing' . Jesus tells us death is a sleep. We are told the dead will rise again when Jesus returns- not before, not upon dying. These are all Biblical facts. More facts from the Bible have led me to believe that there are a few other things that the majority of people seem to get wrong.
God is love.
God wants pain and tears done away with.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Do we believe God? Should we? Yes, we should. And God is telling us through His amazing word that HE shall wipe away ALL tears, that there will be NO death, NO sorrow, NO crying, NO Pain.
Yet people want to believe that there is a place filled with pain, filled with sorrow that will exist forever without end.
The opposite side of the heaven scenario is the hell scenario. People going to heaven or hell upon death. Because we've already established that people don't go to heaven when they die, it's a given that they aren't going to a place called hell. We've discussed heaven and now we need to discuss hell.
What exactly is hell?
Let's look at the word itself--
There are four words translated as hell in the Bible.
1. Sheol
2. Hades
3. Geenna ( gehenna )
4. tartaroō
Taking them one at a time--
Sheol- this word is used a lot and it's necessary to note that both the righteous AND the wicked go to sheol.
Gen 37:35
Gen 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Gen 37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
Sheol-grave ( this is Jacob, righteous before God, who talks of going to the grave- going to sheol.)
Psa 89:48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
Man. Man cannot deliver himself from death or the grave. We can't keep ourselves from dying and we can't bring ourselves out of the grave. But God can do both.
We have to note this as well-
Sheol is the same as Hades in the New Testament compare- Ps.16:10 with Acts 2:27
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- sheol)
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- hadēs)
Who is the Holy One? Jesus. Jesus was NEVER in the HELL people envision - burning and torment, the place of the wicked. Jesus was in the grave for three days, not descended into a burning, fiery pit alive. Yet you say the word hades, the word hell and that's what people believe. This word has the meaning of GRAVE. Christ was left in the grave, but not for long. Christ saw NO corruption.
Let's read more of this passage - it's enlightening really.
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
Act 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Act 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
The patriarch David DEAD and BURIED and IN his sepulchre IN PAUL'S time- many, many, many years after He'd died. David was NOT in heaven.
Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Christ was not left in the GRAVE. This makes such perfect sense.
Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.
More tomorrow by the grace of our Savior.
Amen.
God is love.
God wants pain and tears done away with.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Do we believe God? Should we? Yes, we should. And God is telling us through His amazing word that HE shall wipe away ALL tears, that there will be NO death, NO sorrow, NO crying, NO Pain.
Yet people want to believe that there is a place filled with pain, filled with sorrow that will exist forever without end.
The opposite side of the heaven scenario is the hell scenario. People going to heaven or hell upon death. Because we've already established that people don't go to heaven when they die, it's a given that they aren't going to a place called hell. We've discussed heaven and now we need to discuss hell.
What exactly is hell?
Let's look at the word itself--
There are four words translated as hell in the Bible.
1. Sheol
2. Hades
3. Geenna ( gehenna )
4. tartaroō
Taking them one at a time--
Sheol- this word is used a lot and it's necessary to note that both the righteous AND the wicked go to sheol.
Gen 37:35
Gen 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Gen 37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
Sheol-grave ( this is Jacob, righteous before God, who talks of going to the grave- going to sheol.)
Psa 89:48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
Man. Man cannot deliver himself from death or the grave. We can't keep ourselves from dying and we can't bring ourselves out of the grave. But God can do both.
We have to note this as well-
Sheol is the same as Hades in the New Testament compare- Ps.16:10 with Acts 2:27
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- sheol)
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- hadēs)
Who is the Holy One? Jesus. Jesus was NEVER in the HELL people envision - burning and torment, the place of the wicked. Jesus was in the grave for three days, not descended into a burning, fiery pit alive. Yet you say the word hades, the word hell and that's what people believe. This word has the meaning of GRAVE. Christ was left in the grave, but not for long. Christ saw NO corruption.
Let's read more of this passage - it's enlightening really.
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
Act 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Act 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
The patriarch David DEAD and BURIED and IN his sepulchre IN PAUL'S time- many, many, many years after He'd died. David was NOT in heaven.
Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Christ was not left in the GRAVE. This makes such perfect sense.
Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.
More tomorrow by the grace of our Savior.
Amen.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Sleep Death
Psa 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
None. Yet don't you believe that giving thanks would be something done constantly if you've gone over from a flesh body to a spirit body leaving behind all the infirmities the flesh has with it? Wouldn't you be shouting your thanks if you were granted heaven upon death? There is NO thanks in death. Death is something to be abhorred, not something to welcome. Don't get me wrong, death can be welcomed by many who are fighting for their lives against a painful, vile disease. What is it that is welcomed though? The end of the pain, not the end of life, just the end of the pain life brings. People who are happy don't wish to die, why? Because they know on some level that death is an ending. Death is the end of their flesh existence and their ability to interact with those still living. If death were something wonderful- an immediate passing into a spirit life living in a wondrous heavenly abode where you could still know everything there is to know about all that is going on with your loved ones- wouldn't it be wise to just encourage the death of ALL the world. Seriously, wouldn't death be desired if we REALLY believed it was a passing into that sort of existence? The thing is people AREN'T sure what happens after death. People want to believe it's a wondrous passing into a spirit life living in a wondrous heavenly abode, but there is something wrong about that belief- it's not TRUE. It simply isn't TRUE. Death isn't any great mystery! It isn't! There is NO question about what death is, not if you believe in Jesus Christ God's Son, the Savior of the World. He says--
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.
JESUS said plainly-- Lazarus is DEAD.
But Jesus just said-- our friend Lazarus sleepeth.
There are different types of sleeping. A sleep that is nightly. A sleep that is healing (have you ever notice how the majority of sick people seem to need more sleep?). A sleep that is the sleep of death.
Lazarus is sleeping.
Lazarus is dead.
Which is it? Both. Lazarus is sleeping death's peaceful sleep of nothingness, of painlessness.
There is NO mystery here! None! Jesus wasn't confused about what death was. Jesus understood that death is exactly like sleeping, knowing nothing until you wake again. Is it any wonder you can't give thanks in death, do you thank people when you're sleeping? No. Is it any wonder the dead know nothing? No. Do you know anything when you are sleeping? You're clueless as to what is taking place around you, completely clueless until you wake up and your thought process begins again.
Read this…
Psa 88:10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
No, the dead have no thought why would you show them wonders?
No, the dead won't rise up and praise you, they can't…they're dead.
Ecc 2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
Everyone dies the same. Death is the same for EVERYONE. Death is the same slipping down into nothingness of death's sleep for every single person. You can be the richest man in the whole world and when you die you will sleep just as the poorest man. The wisest man and the biggest fool both inherit the sleep of death.
Job 7:8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
Job 7:9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
Job 7:10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
You go down to the grave and you come up NO MORE!
You do not return to your house!
Your place will not know you any more!
Death is a sleep, not some grand adventure into the spirit realm where you can watch the living as they go through the struggle of life. How wondrous would it be to have to watch your loved ones suffer and be able to do absolutely nothing for them? Death is a sleep and nothing more. A sleep you can and will wake from- some to eternal life and others not.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The DEAD in Christ will RISE!
Why would they need to rise if they are already living as spirit beings in heaven?
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.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
The DEAD SHALL BE RAISED incorruptible, when? At the LAST TRUMP.
Remember this… we just read it…
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
The LORD will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the TRUMP of God!
When our Savior return if we've died in Christ, if we are in death's sleep, we will be awakened by our Savior! Just as the moment awareness comes to us upon waking in the morning from a night's sleep, we will wake when Christ returns for us and the first awareness after we die that we have will be rising to meet the Lord. How amazingly wonderful is that?! How awesome is it to know that death is NOTHING to fear if we live in Christ and have accepted Him as our Savior, loving Him more than life itself.
Our loved ones are not without us in some spirit form in heaven, because truthfully, could they really be happy being without us… their loved ones? Oh sure, people like to pretend they are up there visiting with all those that passed on before them, but it's just not so. They are sleeping, they're not existing in another form without us. What a blessed sleep that is, knowing they'll be woken up by the calling of our Savior Himself!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, may we be found in Him alive or in death's sleep. To hear the sound of our King's calling us to Him, it's a day not far off, and it's a sound I long to hear.
In HIS love, in HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
None. Yet don't you believe that giving thanks would be something done constantly if you've gone over from a flesh body to a spirit body leaving behind all the infirmities the flesh has with it? Wouldn't you be shouting your thanks if you were granted heaven upon death? There is NO thanks in death. Death is something to be abhorred, not something to welcome. Don't get me wrong, death can be welcomed by many who are fighting for their lives against a painful, vile disease. What is it that is welcomed though? The end of the pain, not the end of life, just the end of the pain life brings. People who are happy don't wish to die, why? Because they know on some level that death is an ending. Death is the end of their flesh existence and their ability to interact with those still living. If death were something wonderful- an immediate passing into a spirit life living in a wondrous heavenly abode where you could still know everything there is to know about all that is going on with your loved ones- wouldn't it be wise to just encourage the death of ALL the world. Seriously, wouldn't death be desired if we REALLY believed it was a passing into that sort of existence? The thing is people AREN'T sure what happens after death. People want to believe it's a wondrous passing into a spirit life living in a wondrous heavenly abode, but there is something wrong about that belief- it's not TRUE. It simply isn't TRUE. Death isn't any great mystery! It isn't! There is NO question about what death is, not if you believe in Jesus Christ God's Son, the Savior of the World. He says--
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.
JESUS said plainly-- Lazarus is DEAD.
But Jesus just said-- our friend Lazarus sleepeth.
There are different types of sleeping. A sleep that is nightly. A sleep that is healing (have you ever notice how the majority of sick people seem to need more sleep?). A sleep that is the sleep of death.
Lazarus is sleeping.
Lazarus is dead.
Which is it? Both. Lazarus is sleeping death's peaceful sleep of nothingness, of painlessness.
There is NO mystery here! None! Jesus wasn't confused about what death was. Jesus understood that death is exactly like sleeping, knowing nothing until you wake again. Is it any wonder you can't give thanks in death, do you thank people when you're sleeping? No. Is it any wonder the dead know nothing? No. Do you know anything when you are sleeping? You're clueless as to what is taking place around you, completely clueless until you wake up and your thought process begins again.
Read this…
Psa 88:10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
No, the dead have no thought why would you show them wonders?
No, the dead won't rise up and praise you, they can't…they're dead.
Ecc 2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
Everyone dies the same. Death is the same for EVERYONE. Death is the same slipping down into nothingness of death's sleep for every single person. You can be the richest man in the whole world and when you die you will sleep just as the poorest man. The wisest man and the biggest fool both inherit the sleep of death.
Job 7:8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
Job 7:9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
Job 7:10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
You go down to the grave and you come up NO MORE!
You do not return to your house!
Your place will not know you any more!
Death is a sleep, not some grand adventure into the spirit realm where you can watch the living as they go through the struggle of life. How wondrous would it be to have to watch your loved ones suffer and be able to do absolutely nothing for them? Death is a sleep and nothing more. A sleep you can and will wake from- some to eternal life and others not.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The DEAD in Christ will RISE!
Why would they need to rise if they are already living as spirit beings in heaven?
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.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
The DEAD SHALL BE RAISED incorruptible, when? At the LAST TRUMP.
Remember this… we just read it…
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
The LORD will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the TRUMP of God!
When our Savior return if we've died in Christ, if we are in death's sleep, we will be awakened by our Savior! Just as the moment awareness comes to us upon waking in the morning from a night's sleep, we will wake when Christ returns for us and the first awareness after we die that we have will be rising to meet the Lord. How amazingly wonderful is that?! How awesome is it to know that death is NOTHING to fear if we live in Christ and have accepted Him as our Savior, loving Him more than life itself.
Our loved ones are not without us in some spirit form in heaven, because truthfully, could they really be happy being without us… their loved ones? Oh sure, people like to pretend they are up there visiting with all those that passed on before them, but it's just not so. They are sleeping, they're not existing in another form without us. What a blessed sleep that is, knowing they'll be woken up by the calling of our Savior Himself!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, may we be found in Him alive or in death's sleep. To hear the sound of our King's calling us to Him, it's a day not far off, and it's a sound I long to hear.
In HIS love, in HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
You know you will die
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.
You know you will die.
We ALL know we will eventually die.
We know that when a person dies that which keeps them alive- their breath, their heartbeat- all stops. We know that decay begins in a dead body and that body goes through a breakdown process until- if left untouched- the flesh returns to dust, and if even more time passes, the bones turn to dust also. There is NO dispute here, it's all proven fact that can't be denied by anyone whatsoever. The flesh dies. The person that was that flesh is no more. Some have the process of returning to dust accelerated through cremation, burning the flesh and bone until it is nothing more than ashes. These are all known facts.
We know we will die. We know what happens to us when we die. We cease to function ever again. We are buried and eventually we are forgotten (unless we are famous in some way and the memory of our actions become part of history. Us, being able to partake of ANYTHING is gone.
Over 150,000,000 American's believe in ghosts (as per a site on the internet how true it is, I don't know) .
74% of American's believe in life after death. (Same note as above)
It doesn't say on the site I read if that's INSTANT life after death or DELAYED life after death, but I'm more than willing to believe that MOST of that percentage believe in INSTANT life after death. You can tell just by the mainstream media - people LOVE to console other people with the words- 'They are in heaven NOW.'
This is DECEPTION! People want me to shut up about it and are quick to say- 'It's a HARMLESS deception if it is one, which it isn't. Believing people go right to heaven after death hurts NO ONE. If the majority of people believe this it can't be wrong!'
DECEPTION! I can't shout it here any louder. DECEPTION!!!!!
This is a deception that was begun BEFORE our first parents- Adam and Eve- ever sinned. This was part of the LIE that caused them to sin. This was part of the deception SATAN used! He used it back then and He hasn't stopped using it, and He won't stop using it until He is no more.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die
If SATAN is telling the truth then there IS life right after death- which means there is life after life because obviously there is no REAL death. If your conscious being never dies, if your consciousness never ceases at all whatsoever but just goes on and on and the moment you die your consciousness breaks free from your flesh body- then you don't DIE. If your consciousness goes on endlessly then you KNOW you are transformed in that moment of death, you know your body is dead, you know you are living on in another form and you know everything that is going on around you- you might even go to heaven- where people say all the time that loved ones go and watch over us. Your knowing awareness of things around you is endless after death if you no longer possess a body that needs to sleep to function. But this can't be true, not according to the Bible, not according to our Creator.
Remember this…
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing
The DEAD KNOW NOT ANY THING.
If the part of you that makes you - you- conscious of yourself, the part of you that KNOWS things- never ever dies, never ceases to exist, never stops, then you continue to know things, right? You are still living.
We aren't told that the living know their bodies will die but they will continue to have knowledge. Where in the Bible are we told that? We aren't told that upon the body dying we will live on forever bodiless. We aren't told that upon death part of us will keep living and that part will be rewarded or punished. We are told that our reward comes WITH Christ.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Read this… There is more than one resurrection -
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
IF people DON'T REALLY DIE- this makes NO SENSE whatsoever. The REST of the dead lived NOT again. IF everyone just keeps on living, why would the dead need to live again? Why????
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell(the grave) delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Why are the dead being delivered up from anywhere?! Why, if we just keep on living after our bodies die???
Christ dying means NOTHING if we just continue to live on in some disembodied form after our body dies. If we have this spirit form that lives on happily in heaven why would we ever want to go back into a body? We can't believe in Christ if we believe we just keep on living after we die and there really is no such thing as real dying- mind and body.
Christ came and NOT even HE went on to live in spirit form in heaven after He died. He lay physically in the grave- dead in body and mind- dead - as in what being DEAD REALLY means- knowing nothing until He was brought to life again by God days later. He even says He hasn't gone to His Father yet, He hadn't gone to heaven yet.
For some reason people think they are greater than the God that came to save them. They believe they live on and on endlessly, and not even the God-Man who died did that.
Satan's deception is alive and well and many have bought into it, believing it's harmless to believe that the dead are still alive- it some how eases our minds when we grieve and it helps when we have to linger in illness or injury before dying ourselves.
Deception is NEVER harmless, and this great deception is far from being harmless.
What is the harm? Believing in a lie, not believing in the truth.
Lies. Deceit.
Psa 101:7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
May God help us as we continue to study on this subject, this VERY important subject.
We must not believe in deception no matter how much we might be inclined to do so.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we be found in HIS TRUTH, not believing in lies and deceit.
In His love!
Amen.
You know you will die.
We ALL know we will eventually die.
We know that when a person dies that which keeps them alive- their breath, their heartbeat- all stops. We know that decay begins in a dead body and that body goes through a breakdown process until- if left untouched- the flesh returns to dust, and if even more time passes, the bones turn to dust also. There is NO dispute here, it's all proven fact that can't be denied by anyone whatsoever. The flesh dies. The person that was that flesh is no more. Some have the process of returning to dust accelerated through cremation, burning the flesh and bone until it is nothing more than ashes. These are all known facts.
We know we will die. We know what happens to us when we die. We cease to function ever again. We are buried and eventually we are forgotten (unless we are famous in some way and the memory of our actions become part of history. Us, being able to partake of ANYTHING is gone.
Over 150,000,000 American's believe in ghosts (as per a site on the internet how true it is, I don't know) .
74% of American's believe in life after death. (Same note as above)
It doesn't say on the site I read if that's INSTANT life after death or DELAYED life after death, but I'm more than willing to believe that MOST of that percentage believe in INSTANT life after death. You can tell just by the mainstream media - people LOVE to console other people with the words- 'They are in heaven NOW.'
This is DECEPTION! People want me to shut up about it and are quick to say- 'It's a HARMLESS deception if it is one, which it isn't. Believing people go right to heaven after death hurts NO ONE. If the majority of people believe this it can't be wrong!'
DECEPTION! I can't shout it here any louder. DECEPTION!!!!!
This is a deception that was begun BEFORE our first parents- Adam and Eve- ever sinned. This was part of the LIE that caused them to sin. This was part of the deception SATAN used! He used it back then and He hasn't stopped using it, and He won't stop using it until He is no more.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die
If SATAN is telling the truth then there IS life right after death- which means there is life after life because obviously there is no REAL death. If your conscious being never dies, if your consciousness never ceases at all whatsoever but just goes on and on and the moment you die your consciousness breaks free from your flesh body- then you don't DIE. If your consciousness goes on endlessly then you KNOW you are transformed in that moment of death, you know your body is dead, you know you are living on in another form and you know everything that is going on around you- you might even go to heaven- where people say all the time that loved ones go and watch over us. Your knowing awareness of things around you is endless after death if you no longer possess a body that needs to sleep to function. But this can't be true, not according to the Bible, not according to our Creator.
Remember this…
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing
The DEAD KNOW NOT ANY THING.
If the part of you that makes you - you- conscious of yourself, the part of you that KNOWS things- never ever dies, never ceases to exist, never stops, then you continue to know things, right? You are still living.
We aren't told that the living know their bodies will die but they will continue to have knowledge. Where in the Bible are we told that? We aren't told that upon the body dying we will live on forever bodiless. We aren't told that upon death part of us will keep living and that part will be rewarded or punished. We are told that our reward comes WITH Christ.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Read this… There is more than one resurrection -
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
IF people DON'T REALLY DIE- this makes NO SENSE whatsoever. The REST of the dead lived NOT again. IF everyone just keeps on living, why would the dead need to live again? Why????
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell(the grave) delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Why are the dead being delivered up from anywhere?! Why, if we just keep on living after our bodies die???
Christ dying means NOTHING if we just continue to live on in some disembodied form after our body dies. If we have this spirit form that lives on happily in heaven why would we ever want to go back into a body? We can't believe in Christ if we believe we just keep on living after we die and there really is no such thing as real dying- mind and body.
Christ came and NOT even HE went on to live in spirit form in heaven after He died. He lay physically in the grave- dead in body and mind- dead - as in what being DEAD REALLY means- knowing nothing until He was brought to life again by God days later. He even says He hasn't gone to His Father yet, He hadn't gone to heaven yet.
For some reason people think they are greater than the God that came to save them. They believe they live on and on endlessly, and not even the God-Man who died did that.
Satan's deception is alive and well and many have bought into it, believing it's harmless to believe that the dead are still alive- it some how eases our minds when we grieve and it helps when we have to linger in illness or injury before dying ourselves.
Deception is NEVER harmless, and this great deception is far from being harmless.
What is the harm? Believing in a lie, not believing in the truth.
Lies. Deceit.
Psa 101:7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
May God help us as we continue to study on this subject, this VERY important subject.
We must not believe in deception no matter how much we might be inclined to do so.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we be found in HIS TRUTH, not believing in lies and deceit.
In His love!
Amen.
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