Saturday, March 11, 2017

Jesus did not sugar-coat Christianity.

Are you risen with Christ? Are you seeking those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God? Are your affections on things above not on things on earth?

I need to ask myself these questions, and do so daily if not more often- especially lately. Where are my affections? When my heart is overwhelmed with sadness for things on earth isn't that where my heart is? I ask myself- doesn't God want my heart filled with love for others, and I know He does.  Maybe I need to believe He wants my heart filled with others for their ETERNAL lives, not just because they exist. What do I mean? Jesus loves us all, yet we know not all will be saved, this is a fact.

Mat_7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

That is Jesus speaking - telling people to depart from Him because they are workers of iniquity. There will be many who are NOT Jesus' when He returns all because they choose iniquity over His Love. Could it be that all the while they are believing they are doing God's will they are in truth doing their own will?

Getting back to what I was saying earlier, Jesus' entire ministry after His baptism was spent preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. Everything He did, every miracle He performed was done to bring people closer to the kingdom of heaven and for no other reason. The eternal life of people is what concerned Jesus most. He did not say that He came to rid the world of heartache and pain right then and there. In fact He said stuff like this--

Joh_16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

And this--

Mar_14:7  For ye have the poor with you always…

And His Apostle said this--

2Co 11:23  … I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 
2Co 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 
2Co 11:25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 
2Co 11:26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 
2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 
2Co 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 
2Co 11:29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 
2Co 11:30  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 
2Co 11:31  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

And Jesus said this--

Joh 17:9  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 
Joh 17:10  And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 
Joh 17:11  And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 
Joh 17:12  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 
Joh 17:13  And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 
Joh 17:14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 
Joh 17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 
Joh 17:16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 
Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 
Joh 17:18  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 
Joh 17:19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 
Joh 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 

And this--

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 
Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 
Mat 10:18  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 
Mat 10:19  But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 
Mat 10:20  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 
Mat 10:21  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 
Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 
Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 
Mat 10:24  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 

Jesus comprehended that NOT all would belong to Him by their own choosing, by their own will.  Jesus knew there would be A LOT of pain and heartache in this world, A LOT. He didn't sugar-coat Christianity. What He did was give us the HOPE and PEACE found only in HIM, a hope and peace we could find NO WHERE else!  We know this world will give us heartache after heartache in ways we probably can't even fully imagine. Yet if we are RISEN with CHRIST we need to SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE. We aren't seeking those things which are above when we aren't seeking the hope of eternal life for all we ever come in contact with.  Jesus wants our affections heavenward. And Jesus comprehended how hard that would be. He told a rich young ruler that he was very close to eternal life- but he had one thing left to do- give up all his worldly possessions.  The ruler went away SAD, why? Because he wasn't willing to give up the things of this world. Anyone who holds fast to the things of this earth and not Christ will go away sad.

Satan would use our affection for things of this earth to turn our hearts away from Christ. Christ will use any attempt on Satan's part to turn our hearts from Him to strengthen us in Him if we choose HIM and HIS will over our own will. 

May God keep our minds and hearts on HIM and on Christ and the things above not the things below! All through Jesus Christ our LORD and His sacrifice, may we be saved in Him, through Him, by Him and be His for eternity!

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 
Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 
Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 
Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 
Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 
Col 3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 
Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 
Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 
Col 3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 
Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 
Col 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 
Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 
Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 
Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 
Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 
Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 
Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

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