Bearing the infirmities of the weak.

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

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The weak.

Act 20:35  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. 

1Co_1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty

1Co_9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

2Co_12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

2Co_13:4  For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

1Th_5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

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Bear the infirmities of the weak. Support the weak.

Being weak isn't something we encourage, why would we? We are to be able-bodied, able to do for ourselves and not rely upon others. Yet throughout our Lord's word we are told to help those who are weak. If being weak is offensive then why are they to be helped? Seriously, why? Weakness can come in so many forms and if we possess a weakness that is self-willed and self-encouraged then we are not just weak we are sluggards, we are liars to ourselves, to God. If our weakness is something in us that we strive against so we can be strong in the Lord, then our weakness is not evil. Admitting a weakness isn't easy for most people. We don't want to be considered weak. Even those who end up being weak through various illnesses, or old age and such do not want to be weak. Many of those who are weak despise the weakness within them yet they are victims to that weakness. 

I would love to say that I am one of the strong supporting the weak but lately I feel I am one of the weak ones in need of supporting. Or rather, I thought I was strong and able to support the weak only to come face to face with my own weakness when I could not support the weak.

We do need to bear the infirmities of the weak, but what do we do if we are weak?  Do we allow others to support us? Do we rail against our weakness and shun the helping hand? 

When we are helping the weak do we feel they are somehow less than they should be, or is our compassion for them so much greater than anything else? Where is our mercy if we despise those we are helping? Christ would NEVER despise those He's helped, which is all of us in our great weakness.

No, we can't strive to be weak, but if we do find ourselves weak we must not hate ourselves but humble ourselves allowing those who are stronger to be blessed in our weakness.

Also, when we are strong we must not hesitate to support the weak, the bear the infirmities of the weak. We are called to this …

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

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And a note to make here is we aren’t to be concerned with pleasing ourselves before helping others. If we think about taking our pleasure when someone is in need, we are not doing God's work. This isn't to say if we can't help someone for legitimate reasons then we can't, but to choose self over others will forever be against all our Savior has revealed to us. 

May God forgive me if I've done this in my situation of late, truly my weakness has prevented me from being strong for another, forgive me, Savior, forgive me.

All in the name of our Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ now and forever!

Able to save our souls.

Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

We have to LAY APART - all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness.

(Filthiness-foul with, characterized by, or having the nature of filth; disgustingly or completely dirty)

(Superfluity-Superfluous definition, being more than is sufficient or required; excessive)

(Naughtiness- 1. Behaving disobediently or mischievously 2. Indecent; improper.

Lay apart (STOP all filthy, disgusting and excessive disobedience and mischief.

Do we do this? Do we allow ourselves to keep bits and pieces of our naughtiness? How often do people believe naughtiness is cute and acceptable? How often do we joke about things that are truly filthy? We have to lay apart- give up the part of us that gives into the world's acceptable account of what is proper and what isn't. The world is NOT our standard! The world doing something and behaving a certain way is NOT our example! We are NOT to blend into the world!  We are NOT to let ourselves be drawn away by the world and yet it is so hard to keep ourselves from the world and it's ways. God help us!

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 

2Co 7:1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 

Eph 5:4  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 

We truly have to receive with meekness the established word of our God if we wish to be saved!

We need to humble ourselves before God and receive His truth! All by HIS grace!  We can't truly expect to be filthy, to be disobedient and willfully give ourselves to the world and its ways and then be saved, can we?

Paul lamented His connection to the flesh, to the world- he called himself a wretched man for doing the things he didn't want to do, things he knew were not of the Spirit. When we pat ourselves on the back and long to be of the world and its ways, we cannot truly be God's. Jesus was not of this world, and we are not of this world! Please, by the grace of our Lord may we NOT be of the world! May we put aside all that is of this world! May we RECEIVED the WORD of our LORD which is able to save our souls!

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR now and forever!

Our Wrath, God's Wrath.

Not appointed to wrath--

Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 

Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 

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1Th 5:9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 

1Th 5:10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 

1Th 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

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We are NOT appointed to wrath.

There is a wrath to come unlike any wrath we may personally possess.

1Th 1:9  … how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 

1Th 1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 

Luk 3:7  Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 

Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 

Rev_19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Rev_16:1  And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Rev_15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

Rev_14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb

Rev_12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Rev_6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Heb 4:2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 

Heb 4:3  For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 

God has a wrath.

God has a wrath to come.

People do NOT like to talk about God's wrath at all, and why would they? It's a very fearful thing.

We are not to be wrathful, we are not to be unkind to any. When Jesus walked the earth during His ministry He did not bring any wrath with Him. Jesus didn't mete out punishment, there is a day appointed for that and it's not for us to promote.

We truly are not to be wrathful in our dealings it does NOT work any righteousness whatsoever and we will be delivered from the 'wrath' to come.

Prayerfully we will delve more deeply into the WRATH to come, we need to know more about it don't we?

We also need to keep ourselves from wrath and we can ignite wrath within us in so many ways. Pay attention to your life, notice the wrath. If you do NOT have any wrath in your life, if you are not prone to ire, to anger then PRAISE GOD!

Please, Lord, please help us all. Give us the knowledge, the understanding we need to know about the wrath to come. Keep us from any personal wrath we are prone towards. We don't want to be kept from  Your righteousness.  All by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ now and FOREVER!

Slow to Wrath.

Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 

Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 

How slow is our wrath?  Seriously, how fast do we become wrathful?

Anger or Wrath is an intense emotional response. It is an emotion that involves a strong uncomfortable and emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat. Anger can occur when a person feels their personal boundaries are being or going to be violated. Some have a learned tendency to react to anger through retaliation as a way of coping. (wiki)

Let me ask you this? Have you ever had any road rage? Even a little bit? Road rage truly has become an epidemic. The anger we feel when driving and encounter what we perceive as anger inducing situations causes us to react in ways we shouldn't. We yell, we swear, we drive unsafely, we let that anger fuel us and you know what? Many times things we get upset about from other drivers are innocent mistakes, unintended swerves, a hurried lane change from an instinctive reaction to get into the right lane for a turn, a total miscalculation of the time it takes to stop… there are a lot of mistakes made innocently, I know- I've made lots of them. Yet when we encounter *stupid* drivers we instantly feel we have the right to be angry, to get wrathful.  How slow are we to wrath behind the steering wheel of our cars?

There are many situations that bring wrathful feelings upon us- having to wait extra long in lines, at drive throughs of fast food places, at tardy waiters/waitresses, at slow moving people when we are in a rush (I've even gotten perturbed at my elderly dog- much to my shame- for not moving fast enough when I need to rush to do something(important somethings). It's not my dog's fault I'm in a rush and she can't comprehend I have to run to get to grandma before she falls on the floor.  We get angry in many, many situations and most of them have the root cause of us being self-centered. Did the need to get to grandma bring out my selfishness? No, not all anger is selfish but a lot of it is. We are in a rush simply because we don't want out precious time wasted in many situations.  That time we believe is being wasted could be spent in prayer, couldn't it? Instead we use it to get wrathful, to get angry and fueled by that anger allow it to rile us into doing things we shouldn't (swearing, etc)

Also, how many of us are swift to speak and slow to hear? Preferring to speak not listen? How many of us have to fight not to interrupt those talking to us because we are in such a hurry to add our point of view, our two cents to the conversation? We believe our need to speak supersedes the one talking to us because what we have to say is so incredibly important it might just take away the need for the other to speak at all.  We understand, we know things, we have opinions that matter greatly, we, we, we! 

God knows how important it is for us to be slow to speak, fast to hear and slow to anger. God knows and wants us to know and comprehend fully. If we want to work the righteousness of God, we have to pray for these words of the greatest wisdom to become a part of our lives- so ingrained in us it is natural for us to be slow to speak, swift to hear and very slow to anger.

Please, Lord, we would work Your righteousness! Live in us, let us do Your will, all through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and FOREVER!

Willing to learn.

Psa_25:4  Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

Psa_25:5  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Psa_86:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Psa_119:12  Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

Psa_119:66  Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

Psa 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Asking God to teach us, this is so important. Why do we often assume God will automatically teach us? If this were true would David have to ask over an over to be taught? David learned, but he never wanted to stop learning. One could say that if he asked once and God answered, why did he have to ask over and over? Perhaps the Holy Spirit was inspiring him to do so because of how important it is for us to be willing to learn from God.

It does no good to teach one who is unwilling to learn, one who has no desire to be taught. If we half-heartedly want to know God and His will, can we really know Him? Our heart's desire must be to know God.

Joh_17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

We can know God by being taught by Him.

Teach us!

We would know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ sent by the Father.

Psa_143:10  Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Mic 4:2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

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

Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 

Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 

Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 

Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 

Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 

Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

More on this tomorrow by the will and grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever!

Teach.

Psa 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Teach me.

How can God teach us?

Throughout our lives we have been taught many things by many people, many situations. As children we are made to go to school to learn, all the while our parents are still teaching us ways of life at home. It’s the parents that teach proper behaviors, personal hygiene, manners- when we begin school we are expected to have a certain amount of these.

We have educators all through our lives up to 18 years and beyond if we take on higher learning. Also, even if we don't take on formal higher education we learn out in the job force from our bosses, our supervisors and such.

Can we ever say there comes a day when we cease to learn? I don't think so. I think we are learning all the time even if it's stuff we won't necessarily use, we can't help but learn because we are exposed to influences all around us- on our computers, on the television, in movies, books, just in people we meet all the time.

Teach me to do thy will - we say this to God. We want to be taught by GOD and God will teach us, He wants us to learn.

Psa_25:8  Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

Psa_25:9  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

Psa_25:12  What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

Psa_27:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

Psa_32:8  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Psa_34:11  Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Psa_51:13  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Psa_86:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Psa_90:12  So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE and WILL of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!

Searched.

Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Our hearts are searched.

Psa 44:21  Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. 

And our response to being searched…

Willingness.

Psa_139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts

Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Knowing and Known.

We are known by God. Like it or not, we are all known by God.

God knows all about us.

Luk_12:7  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 

Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 

Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Even as we are known-- we are known inside and out we are well known. We are known so well that everything we do is known- there is nothing we do in secret not a single thing.

Job 34:21  For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. 

Job 31:4  Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

Psa 139:2  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 

Psa 139:3  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 

Psa 139:4  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 

Jer 23:24  Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. 

Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. 

When our Savior returns and we join Him we will know as we are known and if all of us is known, we will know all there is to know. Truly we are looking through a dark glass, and everyone knows how limited our vision is with darkness. We know so very little in the grand scheme of things. We do know enough though to teach us that salvation is found in our Lord, Jesus Christ! Knowing the salvation of the LORD is life everlasting. Everything else we learn and know is secondary to the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord.  

Overcome Evil.

Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Overcome evil.

Evil can be overcome.

Evil would grab hold of us and never let us go if we allow it.

Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Deliver us from evil.

We don’t need to be delivered from something that hasn't gotten ahold of us, right? In fact you can't be delivered from something you aren’t afflicted with. You can only be delivered from something you possess. If we need to be delivered from evil there is a reason for it, right? Evil will attack us every single chance it gets.

Joh 17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 

Jesus is asking God, the Father to keep us from evil.

Let's read that entire prayer.

oh 17:1  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 

Joh 17:2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 

Joh 17:4  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 

Joh 17:5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 

Joh 17:6  I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 

Joh 17:7  Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 

Joh 17:8  For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 

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; 

Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 

Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 

Joh 17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 

Joh 17:24  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 

Joh 17:25  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 

Joh 17:26  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. 

An amazing prayer.

Are we among those Jesus is talking about? Are we His? Do we belong to Him?  We need sanctification!

We need to be delivered from evil.

Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Overcome evil with good.

3Jn_1:11  Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God

Isa 1:16  Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 

Isa 1:17  Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 

2Ti 3:10  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience

1Co 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 

1Co 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 

1Co 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 

1Co 13:7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 

1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 

We know what it means to overcome evil with good- we know what is good. Our Savior is good.

By the grace of God may we overcome evil with good- with Christ!

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE and WILL of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. May His mercy cover us always!

Looking.

Looking.

How do you look for something? You search for it, you're active in pursuing what you're looking for. If I say I'm looking forward to seeing you, then you know exactly what I mean. I'm desirous to see you again, I want to see you, it is a hope I have- seeing you. And if I'm looking forward to seeing you then I'm wondering when I will see you again, right?  I could say, I can't wait to see you again, and not know when I'll be seeing you and you'd still know that I really want to see you, probably sooner rather than later. If I'm looking for you then I'm expecting to see you. You can't look for someone or something without expecting to see it, can you? Without that hope of finding what you're looking for, you're not really looking.

Are we LOOKING for our Savior, for that blessed Hope? We should be, our Bible tells us to.

Looking unto Jesus.

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith

Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jud_1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Looking for the coming of the day of God.

2Pe_3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God

Looking diligently lest we fail of the grace of God.

Heb_12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God

Looking unto Jesus.

Heb_12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith

Looking for that blessed hope.

Tit_2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ

Love - those who don't love you.

Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 

Truthfully, it's easy to love those who love us, isn't it? I mean those who really love us, not those who pretend to love us. Okay, maybe it's not easy to love anyone. Could this be a sign of the times? We do know this…

Mat_24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

And this…

Mat 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

And this…

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.

Love is going to be in very short supply when our Savior returns. Love how we imagine love is supposed to be- the giving- not receiving sort, is definitely waxing cold. You may be able to point at lots of examples of the kindness of people towards one another and they may be genuine who am I to judge. I hear about a lot kindness, I'm the recipient of a lot of kindness- of love. And if I love those who love me while not loving those who hate me and revile me, and persecute me, what then? If I put conditions on MY love and all that love entails, I'm not loving unconditionally. I'm not loving as Jesus loves. Jesus loves us so much He died for us SINNERS. Jesus did not die for perfect people. Jesus died to save the sinners, wanting those sinners to repent of their sins and seek forgiveness in Him. Jesus wants us to find our HOPE in HIM.  Jesus wants us to LOVE as He loves.  Jesus said this--

Luk_23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Those who had crucified Him, those who had nailed Him to the cross--Father forgive them!

Jesus wanted forgiveness for those who were murdering Him.

We need to love and not just those who make it easy, not those who make it difficult because they impose upon out self-centeredness, but all… we need to love all. All includes strangers, all includes the hateful, all includes the worst of the worst. We can HATE what they do, but love them in Jesus' love, and that means Jesus wanting them to find forgiveness in Him, and through Him salvation. It's not a matter of deserving salvation because NONE of us do from the greatest sinner to the least. It's a matter of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior- and His forgivingness, His willingness to love us in spite of our sins- LOVE.

All through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD and SAVIOR NOW and FOREVER!

If the will of God be so...

1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 

Suffer for doing good.

We often lament not being rewarded for our good deeds. We complain about doing our good deeds because we are suffering as we do the good. God forgive us, we are so weak, so flesh-filled, so self-centered, so sinful!

Suffer for doing good.

Christ suffered for sins.  Did He complain? No.

Christ suffered being put to death.

We are told it is BETTER if GOD WILLS for us to SUFFER for doing good things, better than suffering for doing evil. 

We can comprehend that, can't we? Seriously, we understand that evil doing should get its just rewards so when evil doers suffer we can see the sense in it.

We fail to comprehend a person who does good- suffering. There is something in us that says the good deserve good things, not suffering.

It's not true and will never be true on this earth as it is without Christ having returned to take those good in Him back to heaven with Him.

The good can expect suffering, and if not expect it they should accept it when it comes without marveling at their misfortune. People will suffer for doing good things.

We are told this--

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 

The sun rises on the evil and the good.

Rain falls on the just and the unjust.

We do not do good to expect good in return. We do not expect to be immune from suffering because we do something good, or believe we are overall good in our lives. We don't treat others good only when they treat us good. We are CHRIST'S representatives here and now, we are NOT here to represent ourselves, our lives, our goodness!

WE DON'T MATTER in and of ourselves. Without Christ we are NOTHING!  Yet Satan would have us believing that we are all that does matter! How we feel matters, how we think matters, how we are treated matters- but truthfully only CHRIST matters and when we are CHRIST'S we matter simply because we are IN HIM.  If He could suffer for us, why do we believe we shouldn't have to suffer for Him?

More tomorrow on this by the GRACE of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- NOW AND FOREVER!!!!!!!

Unseen Hope.

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith

Living by - things you HOPE for.

Living by- the EVIDENCE of things UNSEEN.

Heb_11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We need to live by HOPE.
We need to live by the UNSEEN.

What is our hope?

1Ti_1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope

Our hope- God our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom_8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Hope that is seen is NOT hope.

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2Co 5:7  For we walk by faith, not by sight

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 

1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 

The Just live by faith-  the end of our faith is our salvation- salvation is found in Jesus Christ our Lord, our Hope!

Are we living by faith? Or are we demanding to see results of our faith- proof from God? Are we demanding to understand how He is working in our lives? Can we TRUST that He is working even when our lives are falling apart? When storms rage all around us in so many different forms, are we holding fast in our faith, in our Savior believing in the salvation He offers us. Do we remember that the things that are not seen are ETERNAL, but things we see are temporal?

God help us to live by FAITH, to live by CHRIST JESUS our SAVIOR.

Live or dead -may we be Christ's when He returns.

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 

Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 

Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

The dead will live.

Those alive will never die.

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 shall rise first.

Then those who are alive will rise with them and all will meet the Lord in the air, and we will EVER be with the Lord!

These words bring comfort to all who would believe them, but not many do these days.

How do they explain them away? I don't even know. Who do they think the dead are that are being raised? I don't know. They believe people go right to heaven upon death so I'm not sure who they believe are being raised. Perhaps they are going to make up theories about bodies being reunited with spirit forms- but nowhere is that found in the Bible, nowhere. When Lazarus died his spirit didn't go to heaven. If he did go to heaven why would Jesus want to bring Lazarus back from heaven to suffer death all over again? Jesus woke Lazarus from death's long sleep but eventually Lazarus died again and is still sleeping death's long sleep.

Sleeping in death is peaceful-

Ecc_9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing

Dead know not anything.

What do you know when you're sleeping? Seriously. There could be a major catastrophe somewhere while you're sleeping and you won't know about it until you wake. We don't know what's happening around us while we sleep. We may dream, but dreams are not knowing things going on in the world around us.

Psa_6:5  For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

No remembering.

No thanking anyone.

Death's sleep is peaceful - the dead will not know anything until that last trump sounds and either they will rise to meet Christ, or rise to meet their eventual eternal destruction.

When any loved one of mine falls into death long sleep I know they are at peace, pure peace of sleep. They are not up in heaven looking down upon us here watching all we do- good and bad. They are not watching us suffer, would that be heaven as we imagine? They are not floating unseen about us doing things like watching over us, again where is the peace in doing that if they are watching us suffer? People somehow derive pleasure in believing their loved ones are happy now with other loved ones, and they are all living happily in heaven. Sure, I want my loved ones to be happy, but I do not want them aware of all the pain and heartache in our lives. Knowing my loved ones are sleeping undisturbed, and unable to be disturbed in any way whatsoever until our Lord returns gives me great peace of mind.

I can't change anyone's mind on their beliefs and I don't want to, I only hope and pray the Lord reveal His truth to all, and all are open to His truth.  I want everyone to want truth and nothing but the Lord's truth. If people desire truth God will give it to them. It is then my prayer that the Lord opens the hearts of all those desirous of His truth so they will know and follow only His truth. We need eyesalve to see! May we all be blessed with this eyesalve! May we not embrace familiar blindness just because it's in our comfort zone. May we NOT be among the deceived content to remain deceived, blind to our own blindness.

Please Lord, may we be Yours, wholly Yours now and forever through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Death's Sleep.

Joh_5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

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

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

Joh_11:24  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

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.

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 first- comfort one another with these words.

How can we comfort one another with these words if we live under the deception that the dead are already risen in Christ before He descends from heaven with a shout?

When Christ returns-  will He find any that believe His truth?

Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 

Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 

Christ has NO reason to return to earth if the dead in Him are already risen.

There IS a resurrection but it is NOT until our Savior returns for us!

The DEAD IN CHRIST will rise.

Who are the DEAD IN CHRIST that need rising if everyone believes they are already risen? Who are they?!  Seriously, who are the DEAD IN CHRIST that need to be raised up to MEET Christ in the air? Haven't the dead already risen and met Christ? So many believe that they have, that they do, but they are under one of Satan's greatest deceptions ever to be made. 

People think I’m crazy when I tell them I don't believe our loved ones go to heaven or hell when they die. I don't think our loved ones are meeting each other in heaven after death. I believe that death is a SLEEP. I believe this because my Bible tells me this. Christ will return and the DEAD IN CHRIST will rise from their graves and meet Him in the air, that's what my Bible tells me! Christ calls death a sleep-

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. 

If everyone who has loved God died and went right to heaven, what need is there of Christ to return and have the dead in Him rise? There isn't any reason and it's completely contradictory.

Our breath of life goes back to God who gives it to us, but we go to sleep and if we go to sleep in Christ the next thing we know upon waking is rising from our graves to meet our Savior in the air!

That last trump is going to sound, but truly will Christ find faith on earth? So few will believe in the truth, more will believe the deception and they will be caught up among the many not the few. They will be caught up among those who will cry out to Christ that they've done many wonderful things in His name and He is going to tell them to depart from Him, they are workers of iniquity. They don't believe they are, but they are DECEIVED by the great deceiver.

May we believe only in the truth of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST now and forever!

The God of Peace.

Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 

Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.

The God of peace.

Rom_15:33  Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Rom_16:20  And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Php_4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

1Th_5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need the God of peace with us!

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Think on these things.

We need to learn to think on the things of God but Satan surrounds us with so much that would draw us away from God.

What is true. What is honest. What is just. What is pure. What is lovely. What is of good report. What is virtuous. What is praiseworthy.

When we think on things that aren't true, things that aren't honest, things that aren't pure, things that aren't lovely, things that aren't of good report, things that aren't virtuous, things that aren't praiseworthy- then we are NOT thinking on the things of God.

Truth, honesty, purity, lovely, good, virtuous, praise- things that are in very short supply in our world, in our lives. We are surrounded by so much that glorifies lying, impurity, bad, dishonesty, deception, things we could never praise God for. Daily we can be bombarded by this stuff in many ways.  We need to think on things God would have us think on!

God doesn't want us focusing on the bad, He knows it's out there in our world, but He doesn't want us to wrap the bad things about us like a cloak of justification for our not trusting in Him for all things working together for good to us who love the Lord. 

Rom_8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God of Peace.

When our lives seem anything but peaceful, we have to cling tightly to God and HIS PEACE. Our hope is in CHRIST- not in good days, good feelings, easy times and happiness right here and now. Christ wants us to look heavenward all the while Satan is determined to get us to look only at the here and now. Satan wants us to wallow in the now as if it's all there is, Satan is a liar. 

More on this tomorrow by the grace and will of God! All through the love of Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior now and forever!

God's Peace, Not My Peace.

Eph 6:23  Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

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. 

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

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Isa 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 

Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 

Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Isa 57:19  I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him

*******

Peace. We talked a little bit about peace yesterday. I honestly wished it was as easy to follow the knowledge we receive as it was to write about it. I intellectually understand what it means to have God's peace, but putting that understanding into practice is another matter.  It is so difficult to find peace in a crisis, at least for me. I'm struggling and I need my Lord and Savior to open my heart to His will, to let the Holy Spirit show me the way to His peace amidst the worst times. I don't like letting my current situation cause disquiet in me, panic in me, anxiety in me, exhaustion and dismay in me. I pray to be strong in the Lord, to be able to look to Him as my Hope, my Rock, my Stronghold, my Fortress, my King, my Savior, my God. I have to stop looking at myself for these things because I HAVEN'T the ability to bring myself peace.

I need this-- as I was reminded--

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. 

I need this peace He can leave with me, the peace He can give to me, peace that the world cannot give to me. I need to not let my heart be troubled, or afraid.

Please, Lord help me to look outward for my strength not inward as if I should have some special ability to give myself peace. Let Your peace live in me. Let me cling to You, growing ever closer to You and further away from myself. All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!