One Mind In Christ.

Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 

Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 

Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

Being likeminded.

Having the same love.

Being of one accord.

Being of one mind.

The world we live in today seems to promote the exact opposite of these things. Being different is lauded as good. Having our own minds, our own opinions are encouraged. Being decisive is the mind set we've applauded. We are now reaping the reward of such encouraging-- a world of super offended.

Even as I write this I know if I were some important writer with millions of readers that I would have just offended the majority of them. Telling people that Christ wants us to be likeminded, having the same love, be of one accord, of one mind, would set people to screaming CULT, FANATIC, LUNATIC, SOCIALIST, COMMUNIST! And many more things as well to deride the very idea that we should not be individuals with minds of our own, thoughts of our own, beliefs of our own, with our own opinion mattering equally to everyone else' opinion even if it is totally different to another's.

We are SO caught up in SELF we can no longer see GOD, but rather we see a false God we've imagined into existence to suit our need.

Satan has taught us to put self before all things as our right of existing.  Satan has used the abuses of religion to corrupt all religion. Satan has succeeded in making it so that there is very little faith on earth, and a lot of corrupted faith.

Luk_18:8  … Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

We can't even imagine why Jesus would say this because we say we have faith and know many- millions even that have faith. Yet Jesus knew then what we refuse to truly see now- that false faith will abound.

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

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

Isn't this the state of our world today?

Many shall be offended.

Many shall betray one another.

Many shall hate one another.

Many false prophets will rise.

Many will be deceived.

Iniquity abounds.

Love of many is cold.

This is truth.  Many are deceived and that deception causes them to have a false faith, yet soothing words are what they want, things easy on the ears and easy on lives filled with deception. 

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

ALL but the very elect will be deceived.  There will not be millions and millions and millions that have faith to salvation, there just won't. We are too self-absorbed for that not to be true.  Self rules in so many areas of our lives.

1Th 5:1  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 

1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 

1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 

Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

Jas 5:1  Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 

Jas 5:2  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 

Jas 5:3  Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 

Jas 5:4  Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 

Jas 5:5  Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 

Jas 5:6  Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. 

Patience in Suffering

Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 

Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 

Jas 5:9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. 

Jas 5:10  Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 

Jas 5:11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 

Jas 5:12  But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. 

By the grace and will of our LORD and SAVIOR may we study this more tomorrow!

All through the love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ now and forever!

Supply of the Spirit.

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

The supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

We all need a supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, every single person who has claimed salvation through our Savior.  We need the Spirit living in us always, we certainly do not need to grieve the Spirit. We need the supply offered to us.

Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 

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

Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 

We need the Spirit of God's Son in our hearts! We need to receive the end of our faith, the end of our believing- our salvation!

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. 

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

The prophets had the Spirit of Christ in them - and the Spirit testified BEFOREHAND of the sufferings Christ would endure and the glory following that suffering.

We need the Spirit of Christ in us!

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_14:26  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_15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me

Joh_16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Please, Lord Jesus our Savior! Please send the Holy Spirit to us, we need a supply of Your Spirit in us! Please! This is our prayer, our supplication and we thank You for hearing our prayer! 

Anger must not lead to sin.

 The anger comes, it's what we do with the anger once it hits us that matters.

Eph_4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath

Do we use our anger to get revenge, retaliating against those who wrong us? No.

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 

Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 

Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 

Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 

Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 

Our anger can be destructive if we use it to hurt anyone. Seriously, if our anger causes us to lash out physically or verbally wounding others we are sinning against them. So what are we to do with our anger?

Mar 3:1  And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 

Mar 3:2  And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 

Mar 3:3  And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 

Mar 3:4  And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 

Mar 3:5  And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 

Mar 3:6  And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. 

Jesus looked around at those in the synagogue just waiting to accuse Him of breaking the sabbath.  Jesus grew angry because their hearts were hard. Those in charge in the synagogue didn't have any compassion on the deformed man, none. There was NO love in them, none! What did Jesus do with His anger? He healed the man, doing GOOD on the Sabbath, saving a life. He didn't let the anger He had for those tempting Him to sin, distorting the truth of the Sabbath to fit their needs, interfere with His doing good.

Did Jesus use His anger? He was angry but He didn't turn on the leaders of the synagogue and yell them, He didn't abuse them in any way.

Our anger often gets away from us and we use it to sin.  We sin against God, or our fellow man, or both and this is something Jesus would NEVER do.

We can get angry, we WILL get angry, but we can't allow that anger to lead us into sin- all by the GRACE and MERCY of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Anger gone wrong.

The wrath of God.

Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath

*

Psa_78:31  The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

Joh_3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Rom_1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness

Eph_5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Col_3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience

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_14:19  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

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_15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

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.

Psa 69:24  Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

Psa 76:7  Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?

Psa 90:11  Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. 

Nah 1:6  Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. 

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 

Rom 2:6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 

Rom 2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life

Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

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Why do we ignore the wrath of God, we pretend it shouldn't exist and if it does it is something grossly wrong for a loving God to have. Any parent can comprehend love and anger. Anyone in love with another can comprehend love and anger. We can love and experience anger.

Anger goes wrong when it is abused.

Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath

Anger is not something we are to hang on to and nurture, feed, allowing it to grow.  Anger is not supposed to be used to commit sin in any way. Anger should be a righteous anger, not unrighteous.  Unrighteous anger is an anger created by selfishness, selfish motives.

We serve self with a lot of our anger. Think about when you get angry. Let's take road rage for an example. A lot of road rage is created by us because we are in a hurry to get somewhere and we lash out at the drivers around us seemingly driving inadequately- unlike we, ourselves and our driving. Even when a person cuts us off, there is a possibility that it wasn't intentional. I know I've personally made some bad decisions while driving that have caused people to probably curse me out big time.  They were bad decision made in a split moment, they were mistakes. If I can make mistakes others can too yet where is my forgiveness for them? Instead my instant rage is ignited. Sure this is just one example and it may not even apply to the majority of any who are reading this.

There are a lot of situations that involve selfish anger.

Remember this--

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 

Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 

Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 

Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 

Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 

When we get filled with anger for those who wrong us- truly wrong us- it is a selfish anger if we do not get over it very quickly, giving it to God and seeking to follow His will.

Notice I said- wrong if we don’t get over it quickly.  The anger comes, it's what we do with the anger that once it hits us that matters.

By the grace of our LORD, may we study this still more tomorrow. All by HIS WILL.

In the name of our SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST now and forever!

Don't let the sun go down on your anger.

Anger.


Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath


That old saying- don't go to bed angry has its roots here, yes?


Anger.


an·ger
ˈaNGɡər/

noun
1. 1.a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.

synonyms:

rage, vexation, exasperation, displeasure, crossness, irritation, irritability, indignation, pique; More

verb
2. 1.fill (someone) with anger; provoke anger in.

synonyms:

infuriate, irritate, exasperate, irk, vex, peeve, madden, put out; More



From <https://www.google.com/search?q=anger&oq=anger&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l4j69i60.5566j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8>



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Strong feeling of ANNOYANCE.
Strong feeling of DISPLEASURE.
Strong feeling of HOSTILITY.


God's anger as we discussed yesterday- was a justifiable anger, a righteous anger it was NOT self wrought, it did NOT stem from selfish motives because God could NEVER be selfish, never it's not possible.


God in creating us was selfless- He gave us the freedom of choice from our creation.  If He had wanted He could have made us puppets, but He did not. His anger stems from the knowledge that His love - the only thing that can give Mankind what they need to be fully the creatures He knows they can be- is purposefully rejected by man's choice and though He tries to get mankind to comprehend they consistently and endlessly refuse His love.


I know what it is like to want someone to do something that is only good for them only to have them refuse. Do you know what that is like? It's frustrating isn't it? You love them, you want good for them, it breaks your heart that they will not listen. Now on the level of Creator with Creation God has ALL of Creation in His thoughts, not just a single person, but ALL. When PEOPLE refuse, absolutely refuse the truth He knows their end and it's not an end of love because they've chosen so. They've chosen. God's wrath has been unleashed in various events through natural occurrences as well as through those God chose, and this wrath was revealed in hope of turning people BACK to their Creator and away from themselves and gods that existed for them who were not their Creator - the Only TRUE God. In the days of Noah… evil had consume ALL but eight people. God could have ended the HUMAN existence, but He didn't.


Gen 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 
Gen 6:6  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 
Gen 6:7  And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 
Gen 6:8  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 


Noah found GRACE… Noah wasn't perfect, but Noah found GRACE in the eyes of the LORD.


There is anger in us, but it is not the anger of God. Our anger usually stems from selfish roots, not selfless. We can have a righteous anger, but no anger we have is an anger we should keep in us for long- righteous or not.


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

God remembers we are but weak flesh.

Psa 78:36  Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. 

Psa 78:37  For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. 

Psa 78:38  But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. 

Psa 78:39  For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. 

God, our Creator, has NEVER been a God who has forgotten His creatures. Paying close attention to us He has watched as we've rejected Him, over and over, and over again. He has grown angry at us, at our outright refusal to accept His love. He's had to watch us make such an awful mess of something He created to be beautiful beyond our imaginings.

As human beings we can comprehend anger, righteous anger.  Anger in itself isn't wrong.

Mar_3:5  And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Jesus became angry and Jesus never sinned, not once in any way at all.  Like His Father, Jesus' anger was a righteous anger, a justified anger.

Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your 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. 

We too can be angry and not sin, yet our anger MUST be a slow anger. Our anger won't work righteousness like God's, our anger can turn into something truly awful, sinful.  Is it any wonder our anger needs to be well in check.

God's anger is justified.

Psa 78:36  Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. 

Psa 78:37  For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. 

Psa 78:38  But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. 

Psa 78:39  For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. 

People flatter God with their lips all the time.

People lie to God every single day.

The heart of people are NOT right with God.

People are NOT stedfast in God's covenant.

Regardless of ALL our disobedience, God is filled with compassion.

God forgive us!

God hasn't destroyed us outright wiping all humanity out of existence.

God knows we are but flesh- weak, weak flesh.

We can't forget this, we can't ignore this aspect of our God, our Creator.

We aren't perfect in His eyes by a long shot, but He doesn't look to us for perfection. He looks to His Son's sacrifice and hears His Son's prayer--

Joh 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. 

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

We Confess, We Pray!

Prayer and Suppliction-

Praying unto the LORD our God- making our confession.

Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 

Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession

Daniel prayed and made his CONFESSION- the following is His confession:

'…and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God'

Dreadful NOT in the way we imagine- read this from Bible Commentator Albert Barnes-

'O Lord, the great and dreadful God - A God great, and to be feared or venerated - הנורא hanôrâ'. This does not mean “dreadful” in the sense that there is anything stern or unamiable in his character, but mainly that he is to be regarded with veneration.'

'…keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments'

This seems to be point noted more than once and even confirmed in the New Testament by Jesus Himself.

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_2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

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_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.

Dan 9:5,6 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments. Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 

Do we sin? Do we commit iniquity? Do we do wickedly? Have we rebelled? Have we departed from God's word? Do we listen to all the word of God given to us by the Holy Spirit as He dictated to men of God in the Bible?

2Pe_1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

We are guilty. We need to confess just as Daniel is confessing.

 Dan 9:7-13 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.  O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. 

We need to TURN from our iniquities so we may understand God's TRUTH.

Dan 9:14-19 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 

We do NOT come before God for OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. We do not petition God because we have any righteousness in us at all! We do NOT have any righteousness of our own, none! We petition God for HIS mercies!

Dan 9:19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

Hear LORD. Forgive LORD. Harken LORD. Defer not LORD.

Please LORD, please. Satan would have us all to sift us all as wheat! Please pray for us even as we pray prayers that are so inferior, so inadequate. Please! As Daniel prayed to YOU we pray! WE PRAY!

Praying Earnestly

Do we set our faces unto the Lord our God when we seek Him by prayer and supplication- all the while denying any self-pursuits?

Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 

Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God…

Do we end our prayers this way--

Dan 9:17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. 

Dan 9:18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 

Dan 9:19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

Daniel prayed earnestly to God recognizing not only his own failings but those of God's chosen people as well. 

We need to pray earnestly right now. We need our Savior to return, we really, really do.  Maybe the craziness of this world is typical to each generation believing their world is crazy, but honestly if each successive generation has acknowledged their declining generation where does that place us now?  Then again, we look back through history and read of some really awful times - dark ages, crusades, holocaust, so many awful things in the past we wouldn't even consider in our supposed enlightened, modern times. Our evil has become more individualized on some levels perhaps. Still, we are in the age of 'knowledge being increased', we know that heralds the coming of Christ. Our level of increasing knowledge only accelerates without any plateauing and I believe that it will continue on that way until Christ returns. With that increase in secular knowledge as well as Biblical comprehension, we can only imagine the things mankind will use that knowledge for, and is using it for.

Truly we need to pray in earnest right now because we need the our SAVIOR to return, we need all the evil to end, to just end.

More on this tomorrow by the grace and will of our God, now and forever!

Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 

Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; 

Dan 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 

Dan 9:6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 

Dan 9:7 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. 

Dan 9:8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. 

Dan 9:9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; 

Dan 9:10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 

Dan 9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. 

Dan 9:12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. 

Dan 9:13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. 

Dan 9:14 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. 

Dan 9:15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. 

Dan 9:16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. 

Dan 9:17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. 

Dan 9:18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 

Dan 9:19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

Committed to God

Commended to God and to the word of his grace.

God and His word of grace are able to build us up, are able to give us an inheritance among all who are sanctified.

Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. 

Commended to God- committed to God.

Act 14:23  And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 

Committed to the Lord.

Given to God for safe keeping.  Can we commit others to God, can we commend them to God? In a world with so much deception we have to give over to God their spiritual wellbeing. The world will rip apart any and all it can in its effort to keep us from God. And by the world I mean the Prince of this world- Satan.  There are forces at work all around us fighting to keep us from being committed to God, from being committed to our Lord and Savior.

To be committed to God, to be committed to the word of God's grace is something truly amazing.

We NEED to be built up in Christ because only if we are built up in Christ will we receive the inheritance we need to receive among all who are sanctified.

Jesus in His prayer to God the Father-

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. 

The Word of God- the Word of Truth.

We NEED to know God's word! Why do we ever imagine it's not important to know God's word? Why?

Let us be commended to God and to the word of God's grace. Let us be commended to the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Let us NOT go a single day without the word of God!

Every day, every single day we need the word of God! There doesn't exist one day that we do not need to be committed to God, not one!

Believe and Love.

Believe on the name of Jesus Christ, God's Son.

Love one another.

Believe and love.

Sounds simple because it really is simple. We complicate it so much. I'm not saying we won't have a bunch of problems thrown at us, we will. But it is simple to know the truth- believe and love. I know it and now through the Spirit I am able to believe and to love.

Believe and love.

Can we keep these two things fore front in our minds? When they are no longer fore front it's because SELF has emerged in the fore front and pushed them aside.

Jn 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 

1Jn 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 

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.

Greater Than Our Heart.

1Jn 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 

1Jn 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 

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. 

God is greater than our hearts.

We think we are everything, we do. Even a lot of people who think they are nothing, nobodies, no good, worthless they are judging themselves to be that way because they are under the misconception that they should be something special to themselves and the world. We have standards the world has set and when we don't meet those standards we consider ourselves substandard. The idyllic life, we see it all the time as we look at other's lives and hear their amazing stories about how wonderful they are. Giving, kind, wonderful, lovely, charitable, ….  the list goes on. We see these people all the time and we hold ourselves up against their achievements and in their light we feel so dark.

Our hearts do condemn us and God is greater than our heart! God knows all things.

What light are we to measure ourselves against? The light of our Savior and in that light we KNOW we are revealed as wretched, spiritually poor, blind, naked sinners. And when our eyes are opened to the truth of ourselves- every single one of us -from those we consider the greatest to the least, we know there is only one true standard and that is Christ! He will stand in OUR PLACE for us! We aren't supposed to shine on our own. We are supposed to live in the light of Christ!

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

NOW and FOREVER!

Of God.

The truth is hard to hear. How often is this true in our lives? Someone wants to tell you the truth about something and it's prefaced with a pit of fear in our bellies. Why? Because we live in a world filled with so many facades people put on that it's unbelievable. We say what we think people want to hear. We act how we believe others expect us to act. We do all this and we think we're doing a good job of it and then someone says- Can I tell you the truth?  We want the truth, we do, but at the same time we want whatever that truth is to be something good to hear. We don't want truth that will cut us to the quick. We don't want truth that will hurt our feelings. We don't want truth that reveals our flaws.  If you're sitting there reading this and saying that, yes, you do want to hear all that then maybe it's just me, I don't know. We spend so much time putting on the different faces we want people to see, somehow saying we want truth seems at odds with that very real truth.  We wear different faces in different public settings. The faces we wear depends on the people we are exposed to. You go to the grocery store and the interaction you have there is different than when you go to a restaurant setting. You go to a party for a corporate event and then a private party, two different faces. You get home and hang up all the faces you wore through the day and then you put on your family face- and even then you may have a face you wear for spouse and children, and then another when you're just with your spouse and so on. Of course, again this could be just me.  I'm not saying I turn into a whole different person, I'm saying we have interactions with different people and situations and we adapt to them appropriately. 

Getting back to the truth and hearing the truth, we shy away from a lot of truth because it interferes with the lies we have accepted as our own personal truth. We have our own truth and it's a good truth, a truth that a lot of people believe in so it must be a good truth, a real truth, yet isn't that this same situation….

Joh 8:45  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 

Jesus said that. Jesus was telling THE TRUTH, but not everyone wanted to hear the truth- they refused to believe the truth He had to tell. Why?

Joh 8:46  Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 

Joh 8:47  He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 

They didn't want to hear the truth because they were NOT of God and yet they claimed to be God's chosen, they claimed they had all the truth, the REAL truth, the ONLY truth and yet there was God's only begotten Son telling them they weren't of God at all!

Those who do NOT want to hear truth truly are NOT OF GOD.

How many millions of people out there believe they are of God only they aren't?  We can't judge another's eternal life we just can't! We can know truth though. I'm not going to tell ANYONE they are not of God. Jesus can tell people they are not of God, but I cannot, I wouldn't dare. I can only pray and hope I am following all the truth that Jesus has for me and that others are too. 

The Biblical truth is that so many will not be of God, and many will believe they are- just like those in the days Jesus walked the earth.

May we be OF GOD.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!

Money and Sorrow.

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

1Ti 6:11  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 

Money and sorrow. How often does money bring sorrow to us? Seriously. Of course you'll get those who like to tease saying as long as they have money they have no sorrow, but that's not true either.  There are many who do have money and along with that money they have a lot of heartache as well. Money brings sorrow it just does. Just this past week I saw someone cry because they wouldn't have money to do something they promised someone they'd do. Money, brings tears so often whether it's a lack of it or problems with having it in excess.

When we covet money we can err from the faith. 

It's not easy not to covet money when we lack it. Yet coveting money even to meet our most basic needs takes our faith from us. We need to trust that God will provide for the things He desires we have. It's NOT our desires that matter, truly, and this is something we really need to comprehend and in comprehending make a real part of our lives.

Loving money- putting money before God, before our fellowman, this is evil.

Knowing we are told that loving money is the ROOT of all evil…. Shouldn't we be very, very careful where money is concerned?

We need to examine ourselves- we are told to, and surely we need to examine ourselves in connection with our relationship to the money we deal with in our lives.

Please, LORD, please help us to NOT love money! Please! Teach us to love YOU first above all things, and our fellowman next- NOT MONEY!

Please, LORD, please…. Help me.

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

Filled With the Fruits of the Spirit.

Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 

Php 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 

Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

The fruits of righteousness.

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

The fruits of righteousness, the fruit of the Spirit.

We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and in turn the fruits of the Holy Spirit will be in us.

Here the apostle is telling us that he PRAYS that our love may abound more and more in KNOWLEDGE and in ALL judgment. That we may APPROVE things that are excellent! That we may be sincere without offence till the DAY of CHRIST. That we may be FILLED with the FRUITS of RIGHTEOUSNESS- which are BY JESUS CHRIST- unto GLORY and PRAISE of GOD.

Are we filled with the fruits of the Spirit? The Apostle prays but, are we? It is His prayer, but is it effective in us? Has our knowledge abounded more and more through love. Are we sincere without offense?

The fruits of the Spirit-

Love

Joy

Peace

Longsuffering

Gentleness

Goodness

Faith

Meekness

Temperance

If our life is not filled with these fruits we need to ask ourselves why.

We need to learn so much more. Our lives should be filled with constant learning, constant growth in the Holy Spirit.

May we learn and be filled with the fruits of the Spirit- by the grace and will of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Now and forever!

Receive the Gift.

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

What shall we do?  Their conscience was awakened to truth and the first thing they asked was- what shall we do?

Peter answered-

Repent and be baptized in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST-  why? For the REMISSION of sins.

If we repent and if we are baptized all in the name of our Savior so our sins are forgiven then we will receive a gift!  The gift we will receive is the HOLY SPIRIT.

All who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, accept His dying in their place for their sins. All receive the Holy Spirit, but what does that mean exactly?

What is the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

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

Love

Joy

Peace

Longsuffering

Gentleness

Goodness

Faith

Meekness

Temperance

We believe we have these things of our own accord but the truth is, we are given them as a gift.  Our natural person is not prone to these things. We may come across as being naturally nice- but often that is a façade we put on because inwardly we don't feel loving, joyful, peaceful, longsuffering, gentle, good, faithful, meek or temperate. 

I remember reading from a C.S. Lewis book- Mere Christianity where he mentions pretending, because when we pretend it often works out that the pretense becomes reality.  It can happen, a person can get into a situation where they have to pretend to be something- happy etc, and then end up being happy after all. Each of us has probably experienced this sort of thing in our life. So should we pretend, do we put on charity - making ourselves do acts of love in order to become loving?  Maybe we need to. What can it hurt to pretend loving others, to pretend love, as long as it isn't to hurt anyone at all in any way. To feign loving acts, not loving someone you don't love, but loving acts, a loving way of life, where is the wrong.

To seek all the fruits of the Spirit as if they are ours naturally this is a good thing.

Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.

Where is the wrong in any of these things? Where?

We have had our conscience awakened against sin, we have accepted Christ Jesus as our Savior the only one who can save us from our sins, and we repent of that which would keep us from the love of our Savior. We have been baptized and we would now receive the Holy Spirit, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us constantly, endlessly, always.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior! Forever!