Following From Our Hearts.

Following the law of God- which is written in our hearts.

Amazing isn't it? The law of God can be written in our hearts. There are those who follow the law of God from His written word, and those who follow the law not from written law are doing so because it is in their hearts. The truth was in their hearts and it was from there they kept the law. Their OWN conscience bear witness to them. Their thoughts will accuse or excuse, we know what this is like don't we?

Those who would be God's will follow God from their hearts.

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 

Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 

Remember this--

Heb 10:5  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 

Heb 10:6  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 

Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 

Heb 10:17  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 

We need the law in our hearts and minds, we need God to write on our hearts and minds! 

Truthfully there are those who have no access to the written word. You wouldn't think so in this day and age, however the Word of God is still illegal in more countries than people realize.

'Afghanistan, Algeria, China (People's Republic), Comoros, Djibouti, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Yemen'

From <https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/9351/in-what-countries-is-it-illegal-to-own-a-bible-the-most-banned-book-in-the-worl>

This is just a bit about the information out there about the Word of God being illegal, hard to get to, please search the internet for more knowledge. Most of us have easy access to the Bible, to the written laws, to Jesus' reaffirmation of the moral law. We know what truth our Lord would have us know. We STILL need the law of God written on our hearts and minds forever!

More on this tomorrow by the WILL and GRACE of our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever!! All in HIS LOVE!

God will judge all mankind, there are no exemptions.

We cannot judge another person's eternal life, not ever, not for a moment. No matter how horrific a person may be, it is still not up to us to judge anyone. Likewise, no matter how wonderful a person is, do we dare judge that they are saved? Is it better to deem all saved than none? We know that all won't be saved but we aren’t to judge who will be and who won't be.  We do not know the heart of a single person, we scarcely know our own hearts half the time. We witness our own faults- and there are many- and we beg forgiveness, praying we will be among those worthy through the Savior, and His righteousness, to be saved.

Rom 2:1  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 

How true it this! Of course all the Word of God is truth, but let's pay attention to this for a few moments. We have no excuse for judging another. If we choose to judge another we are in fact condemning ourselves, why? Because we too have so many faults worthy of condemnation. We are not clean, we will never be clean of our own accord. We need to claim Christ as our righteousness, and just as we can claim Christ as our righteousness, so to can others. We may struggle daily with our faults, we are truly wretched people, who could despair of being saved from ourselves, but we have CHRIST our advocate, who stands in our behalf, pleading His blood spilled, His life given for ours because we could never sacrifice enough to ever warrant salvation for ourselves.

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 

Rom 2:3  And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 

No one will escape judgement.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 

We could easily despise the goodness of God - His riches, His forbearance, His longsuffering towards us, because all of that will cause us to realize the darkness within us. When we stop despising God's goodness towards us- we are truly led to repentance.  When we understand that ONLY God can give us all we need and no other, not even ourselves, we can repent and rely upon 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; 

We dare not encourage the hardness and impenitent of our hearts which will only lead us to the day of wrath and revelation- the revelation of the righteousness of God's judgement.  We need the mercy of God in our lives always!

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

God WILL render to every man according to his deeds- ALL deeds, ALL men. God will judge righteously.

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

We NEED to be patient, ALWAYS seeking to do well - that the end of that well doing is for the glory and honor, the immortality that we will find in eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD and SAVIOR! We should not do well to get the glory and honor of others, our hope in any well doing should be for the SAVIOR to be HONORED and GLORIFIED!  

Rom 2:8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 

Any who willingly, tragically seek to do evil endlessly even after truth is offered time and again will face an end far different than those who seek Christ.

Rom 2:9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 

Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 

Rom 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God. 

God will judge all no matter who they are, no matter what religion, or non-religion, no matter what their lifestyle, their ethnicity, no matter what, GOD will judge all and the standard of His judgement is Christ, the truth.

May we seek CHRIST first and foremost! Please! All through His love and ALL that means. Now and forever!!!!!!!

Faith in God- Believing No Matter What.

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

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. 

The gospel of Christ has POWER, the gospel of Christ IS POWER, and the power is it… is of GOD unto salvation to EVERYONE that believes.

The RIGHTEOUSNESS of  GOD is revealed from faith to faith, from believing to believing. The JUST shall LIVE BY FAITH.

When you choose to be a Christian you are choosing to live by FAITH.  You can't make anyone believe, they have to choose to believe on their own.  You can tell someone that you have faith and they may say how can you believe just by believing, it makes no sense, there has to be more you have to have something tangible, proof.

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

Faith is the substance of THINGS HOPED FOR.

Faith is the EVIDENCE of things NOT SEEN.

Faith.

By its very nature faith cannot be touched physically.  Faith is a choice.

We place our faith in people, and in things all the time. A person puts faith in their vehicles that they are going to get them to where they need to go. When their vehicles break down, they start to lose faith in the vehicle. They get the vehicle fixed and once again they begin to have faith in that vehicle. We have faith in people that they will behave in a certain manner, hopefully respectable and kind. We have faith in our spouses. We don't lose faith in them until they do something against the trust, the faith we've placed in them to not harm us- mentally, emotionally, and physically. Then we make a choice to learn to have faith in the person once again or not.

Having faith in God is having faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, having faith in the revealed truth given to us, having faith in the prophecies we need to comprehend. We don't ever have to lose FAITH in God because He's only ever told us the truth. We are to put our TREASURES in heaven, not earth. We are to seek a heavenly home, not cling to this earthly one. Our lives here on earth are going to be filled with heartache, agonizing heartache, pain, unbelievable agony in many way. We are NOT promised easy lives here and now, we just aren't. Our faith doesn't need to perish as we are tested and tried in horrific fires over and over again through our lives, because our faith tells us we will be tested this way. Our hope is in Jesus, and Jesus is in heaven, and Jesus will come again and take us back to heaven with Him.

Faith - unseen belief, believing no matter what.

All by the grace and love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever!!!!!!!

Word of His Grace.

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. 

The word of God - is so powerful, we don't realize enough how powerful it is, if we did we'd use it so much more. The word is our weapon.

The word is a sword.

I'm not just saying these things, God said these things!

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

Paul told those he was ministering to that he commended them to God and to the WORD of HIS GRACE.  That word of grace would build them up and give them an inheritance among all who are sanctified.

The power of the WORD.

We can spend all day reading the word of God and receive nothing from it at all, we might as well be reading a comic book. We can read it over and over and never comprehend the power it possesses. It is the GRACE of God which is given to us that enables us to understand the power of the word. Without the grace of God we are blind to His amazing truth. If you are reading God's word and it means nothing to you, you need to repent and seek forgiveness for your sins, obtaining the grace, the mercy of our Lord and Savior.  The Holy Spirit will open our spiritual sight so we can see. 

Being commended to God and to his word of grace- we need to realize it will BUILD us up. 

The Word of His grace! 

Do we want the inheritance that is given to those who are sanctified?   We have to live in Christ, live our lives deeply in the Word of God.  All by HIS AMAZING GRACE! 

Paul did not count his own life dear.

Paul served the Lord with ALL humility of mind, with MANY tears and temptations. Paul kept nothing back that was profitable, but taught publicly from house to house. Paul testified to Jews and Greeks of repentance to God, and faith to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Getting ready to go BOUND in the SPIRIT to Jerusalem, not knowing what was going to happen to him, but the HOLY SPIRIT told him that in every city bonds and affliction were there. 

Paul knowing the HOLY SPIRIT was telling him that chains, imprisonment, pain, beatings, whippings, abuse waited for him - did NOT let that stop him from desiring to go. 

Paul did NOT count his own life dear.

He would finish his life with JOY.

His life was the ministry he was called to by the LORD JESUS, testifying to the gospel of the grace of God.

So I ask once again, knowing this truth of Paul's life, what makes people believe they should have an easy, carefree life? Did all those Paul preached to suddenly have an easy life? They believe the message of the gospel, of salvation through Jesus Christ, the were baptized into His Way, His death and life, and were they left with a life of all good things? No. Not a single Christian is promised an easy life here and now, not one. Our idea of an easy life has become so skewed over the many, many years of sin that there is no wonder few would have what we term an easy life. Somewhere along the line people began to equate possessions with a good life. Having just what you needed and no more, wasn't considered a good thing- a desired thing.  Keeping up with the latest gadgets and games, fashions and fads, cars and boats, this is the sort of thing people desire rather than being content with so much less.

Paul's life wasn't one of possessions. Did those he preached to have lives of possessions? Some did. Not everyone is called to a life like Paul, but we are told that Paul is a pattern of the grace of God for us. 

Paul did NOT count his own life dear. Paul found his worth only in Christ Jesus.  No matter what we possess in material things our worth is NOT in what we possess, it's in WHO we possess, and if we possess a life of salvation having Christ with us, then we are of the richest of the rich.

Let us use Paul's life as a pattern of the grace of God for us, this was everything to Paul and it needs to be everything to us! Please, Lord, please!

Act 20:17  And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. 

Act 20:18  And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, 

Act 20:19  Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: 

Act 20:20  And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 

Act 20:21  Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Act 20:22  And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 

Act 20:23  Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 

Act 20:24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 

Unveil the Evil Around Us.

Continuing with Acts 19--

The other day we studied how Paul's handkerchiefs and aprons were being used by people to cast out their evil spirits.  The power of the Holy Spirit rested upon Paul and it was through this that people were healed. They had faith. The woman that touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed, was healed because of her faith.

Mar 5:25  And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 

Mar 5:26  And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 

Mar 5:27  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 

Mar 5:28  For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 

Mar 5:29  And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 

Mar 5:30  And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 

Mar 5:31  And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 

Mar 5:32  And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 

Mar 5:33  But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 

Mar 5:34  And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. 

She told herself that if she could just touch the hem of his garment she'd be healed. She didn't need to speak with Him, she didn't need Him to pay her any attention, she knew He was filled with the power of God to heal and just touching His clothing would heal her. She was right. She touched Jesus' garment and immediately she was healed, she felt it instantly.  Jesus knew too. He felt the power go out from Himself. Jesus stopped in the middle of the crowd of people around about Him and He wanted to know who touched Him- though He already knew, He just needed to see her, to talk with her.  The woman saw Him look at her and she was fearful, shaking. She fell down before Him and told Him what she'd done and He responded by telling her that her FAITH made her whole, she was to leave in peace, healed.   Just like that woman, others with Paul's handkerchiefs and aprons knew through faith if they could just touch those items they would be healed, and they were right.  Healing of evil spirits… it was noted what was being done and OTHERS wanted to have this power to heal others of evil spirits.

Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

Vagabond Jews- exorcists.  These men knew what Paul was doing and they- being exorcists wanted the same fame. They went to where there were those filled with evil spirits and this time they used the name of Jesus, the Jesus Paul preached hoping it would cause the evil spirits to leave.

Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 

Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 

The evil spirit ANSWERED. The evil spirit told them it knew Jesus and Paul, but not them.  The evil spirit knew that Jesus and Paul could rebuke it, that they had power, power given to them by the Father God. These men weren't known in that way, they weren't known to have the power of God, the Holy Spirit wasn't working in these men- not even the sons of the chief of the priests, Sceva.

Act 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

The man filled with the evil spirit attacked them and they ran out of the house naked and injured.  They had no power over the evil spirits, none. If they thought using Jesus' name or Paul's name would work for them they were very wrong. FAITH is the power. TRUE BELIEF is the power.  You cannot fake truth, you cannot fake belief. God knows our hearts and He knows our truth, we may fool others, but God cannot be fooled, not ever!

Act 19:17  And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 

Act 19:18  And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 

Act 19:19  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 

Act 19:20  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. 

The evil spirits had power over even the sons of the chief of the priests of the Jews.  This knowledge made people realize the truth that Paul preached about Jesus. They believed, they confessed, they let their deeds be brought to light.  Not only that… MANY who used curious arts - EVIL- brought those books and burned them before everyone. They burned these books filled with evil knowledge at the price of fifty thousand pieces of silver!  Today that would be several MILLION dollars' worth of books! Several million dollars of evil knowledge destroyed by those who finally realized the evil it was as they turned their lives over to Christ, to follow Him, to love Him.

Truly the word of God is powerful!  The truth prevailed!

This wasn't some horror movie, this was reality, this was TRUTH.  So why today do we make light of evil, with the majority of people regulating it to nonsense, and foolishness, powerless.  Today the world is filled with a lot of evil works of curious arts and yet they are deemed impotent. The evil spirits have learned through time to be extremely subtle and as such their evil is NOW called good.

Please LORD, please help us to comprehend Your truth!  We can't let ourselves be blind, seeking blindness rather than light because we love our darkness, our dark things, our dark arts. No matter how good we believe them to be today in our modern world, we have to realize they are as evil now as they were in the days of Jesus. Please bring to light in us all that is evil around us hiding under the guise of goodness, of harmlessness. Please LORD, help us! SAVE US FROM OURSELVES!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever, and ever! Please! 

Follow His Steps.

1Pe 2:20  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

When you do well and suffer for it - how do you react?

What is your very first thought/emotion.  You did something nice and all you do is catch grief for it undeservedly. We've all been in this situation, sometimes quite often, right? I don't know about you but unfortunately I've got a tendency to get upset because as I would say…"I was only trying to do something nice." I'd feel put out, I'd hold a grudge of upset for at least a couple hours if not more. My upset is NOT acceptable with God.  It says so right there in His word as plain as day. I could try to put my own spin on it and add things like … take it patiently unless it was something super nice and you were buffeted for it in some manner. Yet that's MY spin, not God's and if I add my spin I'm truly corrupting the word of God, the HOLY word of God.

There we have it then, if you do good and you suffer for doing that good- TAKE IT PATIENTLY.

If you do bad and suffer for it, it is acceptable to take the suffering- the punishment patiently, right? You deserve to suffer for your wrong doing and that's completely understandable. We can ALL comprehend being made to suffer for doing wrong, and isn't it awful if one who does wrong is upset because they get punished for it and rightly so? If a person gets their just reward so to speak we can comprehend that, yes? I'm sure the majority of people have been punished a time or two (or three, or four, etc.) for something they've done wrong. Don't we cheer when the bad guys get their comeuppance in our television shows, movies, and books? And on the same note, don't we cheer when the goodness of a person supersedes their natural desire to want to lash out when they get in trouble for doing something good. That person truly is answering to a higher power than their own. To be able to overlook being hurt when all they do is good, truly this is acceptable to God.

That Biblical passage continues with this--

1Pe 2:20  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

1Pe 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 

1Pe 2:23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

We are called to bear it patiently when we rebuked for well doing no matter the circumstances. Our SAVIOR left us an example of this very thing in Himself. We need to follow in our Savior's footsteps.  When He was reviled, He reviled NOT again. When He suffered- He threatened NOT.

Seriously, Jesus did NO wrong yet He suffered terribly, no one can dispute this. Jesus felt pain. Jesus comprehended fully what it meant to be hurt physically, mentally and emotionally.

Luk_22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Jesus knows.  Yet, in all things He endured without reviling again.

Imagine having the patience to endure being slighted for doing good.

Patience.

Where can such patience come from, with what knowledge?   It has to come from the BIGGER PICTURE doesn't it? If ALL we have hope in is this life here and now and things are going horrifically for us so that we can say our lives are just a mess, then is it any wonder we'd give into reviling and the like? If there is no hope at all, no greater purpose to it all, then it's comprehensible isn't it? But if there is a greater purpose, if there is a hope for a better existence, then we can understand that having patience now to endure is towards that end. Our patience can stem from our hope which is Christ Jesus, our Savior. The thing is… now we have to implement the knowledge we possess and the hope we hold. Implementing means making a conscious decision to react in a certain way and praying that it becomes so. Implementing means recognizing the wrong in our reactions whenever they occur and praying - seeking forgiveness and hoping for a future change in our behavior. Implementing means truly seeking to follow in the footsteps of our Lord!

God help us all!

In the Love of our Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever!!!!!!!

Special Miracles- Evil Spirits Departing.

Act 19:11  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 

Act 19:12  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 

Paul's clothing, Paul's handkerchiefs were used by God.  These special miracles were amazing. The people filled with evil spirits were freed from them upon receiving something Paul used. Remember this--

Mat_9:20  And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment

A woman touched the HEM of Jesus' garment and this is what happened…

Mat 9:21  For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 

Mat 9:22  But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Jesus knew when the woman touched His hem. He turned around and saw who touched Him and reassured her, telling her that her faith made her whole.

How amazing it had to be to receive the gift of a special miracle. Do you suppose Paul prayed for these people getting one of his aprons or handkerchiefs? I can't imagine it was something done casually or carelessly. Not everyone could get to Paul but they were learning of the message of salvation through others that he witness to. People filled with evil spirits were tortured by them in various ways. Some evil spirits made their hosts very sick physically, others mentally. Today we don't believe in evil spirits bringing illness either physically or mentally. If we did there would be a world filled with those possessed by evil spirits, right? And we do NOT want to believe the world is filled with evil spirit possessed people.  The trouble is, we've been conditioned to believe the worst case scenarios are the only cases of possession by evil. Why bother about possessions that aren't exorcist like, you know, like that movie of the 1970's that took the world by storm. Yet those people receiving the cloth touched by Paul were healed of the evil spirits possessing them, they didn't need an exorcism, the extreme act of ridding someone of evil spirits. 

Evil spirits can make our lives miserable in many, many ways.  More on all this tomorrow, by the grace and will, the mercy of our SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD now and forever!!!!

May we trust when we see God's protection and when we don't see it.

Once again the Jews went after Paul.  The brought him to be tried saying Paul was persuading men to worship God CONTRARY to the law. Paul was all set, ready to open his mouth in his own defense yet before he could the governing power, deputy Gallio, spoke up, talking to the accusing Jews.  He told them outright, if Paul was doing something wrong or wickedly lewd then he would help them. However if it is just Paul and words, names and the Jewish law then it's is up to them to take care of it, he was NOT going to judge such things. And with that, he drove them out of the judgment seat.

Then the Greeks took the chief ruler of the synagogue and beat him up right there before the judgment seat, and the deputy Gallio didn't care at all.

Act 18:12  And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, 

Act 18:13  Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 

Act 18:14  And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 

Act 18:15  But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. 

Act 18:16  And he drave them from the judgment seat. 

Act 18:17  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things. 

God was protecting Paul.  Does this mean God wasn't protecting him when he was beaten, stoned, imprisoned at other times? No. God sees the big pictures, we only see what's in our now and past, and even those are limited. If Paul is being used by God then there may only be certain ways to do so. Remember he was beaten and put in prison with Silas and then the jailer and his family were baptized, accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior.  If Paul hadn't been imprisoned and the events unfolded as they did, that family would not have known Jesus. Paul counted it JOY when he went through the fires of affliction all for Christ.  So, yes, God was protecting Paul during this because it was necessary to God's will. Paul didn't demand to speak up, he was prepared to speak but obviously he wasn't meant to at that time. Do we have to comprehend all the workings of God? No. We do have to trust Him though. And we may be called to go through some really awful stuff, and Satan wants us to blame God for the awful stuff telling us that if God really loved us he wouldn't allow the awful stuff, but that's not true.  The awful stuff is for reasons we may not comprehend in any way, but it is there and we must TRUST.  Faith is NOT comprehending but believing regardless.

May we trust when we see God's protection and when we don't see it.

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

Paul Listened to God.

After Paul gave his pronouncement -  Act 18:6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. 

-  Did he immediately go to the Gentiles? No.  He went into the house of a man called Justus, and Justus worshipped God and lived very close to the synagogue. But not only Justus was there but a man named Crispus- a CHIEF RULER of the SYNAGOGUE, and these men BELIEVED on the LORD.  These Jewish men believed what Paul had revealed- the truth of the Savior!  Crispus' whole family believed as well. Amazing!   And it wasn't just these two men, MANY Corinthians heard what was said and they BELIEVED and were baptized! Sure maybe not many in the whole of the synagogue believed but some of them did and in all of Corinth many did believe. Paul was done preaching to those of the synagogue but he was far from done preaching altogether. 

Act 18:7  And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 

Act 18:8  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 

Paul spent the night in Crispus' house and in a dream vision the Lord spoke to Paul telling him NOT to be afraid, but to speak and not hold his peace. He went on to tell him that he wasn't alone- the Lord was with him and no man would hurt him there because He had a lot of people, a lot of believers in Corinth.

So what did Paul do? He stayed there in that city for a year and a half teaching the word of God.  

Act 18:9  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 

Act 18:10  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 

Act 18:11  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 

Paul listened to God, Paul was guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul believed and wanted others to believe. Do you believe and want others to believe? Is God guiding you in any way to bring the message of His truth to others? Remember we are not all called to be preachers, teachers, evangelist and so on. We may not be a mouth piece for the Lord but there are many ways to witness for our Savior. Our very lives give testament to our walk with our Lord.

By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we walk the walk He would have us walk whatever that may be! All in His love! Now and forever!!!!!!!

Refusing Christ- The Blood is On Your Own Head.

Yesterday we talked about Paul witnessing in the synagogue on the Sabbaths while working during the other days of the week. Paul REASONED with those in the Synagogue and he witnessed to His faith. The next verse however says something else- When two other disciples arrived, suddenly the Holy Spirit impressed upon Paul that he wasn't to reason any longer, but rather simple testify that Jesus was Christ.  I don't know what Paul reasoned with on the other Sabbaths, I'm sure it was of his new faith, but perhaps it was crouched in reasoning that was drawing forth truth from them, getting them to see the facts of things they'd believed for years. Paul had thoroughly laid the groundwork for all who would accept the truth to do so. He'd done every single thing he could to enlighten the eyes of the Jews. When he flat out testified without any doubt that the Messiah had already come, that the one they'd been looking for was in fact the recently crucified Jesus Christ. Paul had NO doubt, Paul was sure of this truth. As he testified he was in fact encouraging all there in the synagogue to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. It was time for them to accept or deny truth, Paul was no longer going to debate with them, time for debating was over. As he lay bare the truth in his testimony he was sadly only met with accusation, opposition, words of blasphemy to the truth given.

How did Paul react to their response? He'd had enough. The Holy Spirit was guiding him every step of the way and it was time for Paul to stop testifying to the Jewish people altogether. He wasn't to reason with them any longer. There were people - Gentiles who were thirsty for truth and it was to them he was being called to go.

Paul was very adamant about his decision and let those there in the synagogue know. He SHOOK HIS RAIMENT- a clear expression of disdain and less they not comprehend the gesture he told them-  YOUR BLOOD BE UPON YOUR OWN HEADS, I AM CLEAN- FROM HENCEFORTH I WILL GO UNTO THE GENTILES.

The guilt of their decision was to be on their own heads, their own fault. Paul had done all he could and there was no more he could do.

So WHY do we today believe that we never really have to get to a place of true and lasting decision?  Why can't we imagine any blood on anyone's heads? We, like Paul need to let the Holy Spirit guide us in our witnessing with the comprehension that sometimes we are to move on and leave with God as judge those who refuse truth.

Please, LORD, please, let us be YOURS, wholly YOURS now and forever! Let the Holy Spirit live in us, guiding us always! All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior forever and ever, now and forever!

Act 18:4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 

Act 18:5  And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 

Act 18:6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. 

Work During the Week- Witness On the Sabbath.

Act 18:1  After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 

Act 18:2  And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 

Act 18:3  And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 

Act 18:4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 

Paul was a tentmaker.  Paul didn't give up making tents when he became a disciple of Christ's. Did he make tents full time? No. He was busy traveling and spreading the gospel. However, when he could he worked his trade. His hands were never idle. He didn't expect to live off the hospitality of people without contributing.

Because he was of the same craft he stayed with the Jews recently displaced from Rome, Aquila and Priscilla.  Staying with them he made tents with them but on the Sabbath he went to their synagogue and once again, he reasoned with those worshipping there- Jews and Greeks.

Paul didn't go into the synagogue and keep quiet about his new found conviction. The disciple went there Sabbath after Sabbath and witnessed of Jesus Christ.  He went into the place of worship where Jews were fulfilling their rituals- the sacrifices made daily were still being made, the same messages were being preached that had been preached for thousands of years. They were going on as if Jesus had not come to save them by the sacrifice of Himself. Paul went into these places of worship and when it was time for people to speak, he spoke of Christ.

We need to respect the beliefs of others - always because in respecting the beliefs we are in truth respecting our fellowman. We don't have to accept something to respect it and by respecting it there is no abuse against it, but rather the Love of God can be allowed to shine forth.  Paul respected the Jews and they allowed him to worship in their synagogue.  Having been thrown out of several synagogues for his preaching of what the mainstream considered blasphemy- having been stoned, whipped, beaten- he still continued to enter synagogues and witness. 

Working his trade, witnessing when he could… Paul is an example for us all.

May God help us to live as we are called to live, just as Paul lived as he was called to live. We may not be called to live Paul's path because we each have our own.  By the grace and mercy of the Lord we will live for Him and He will live through us, may HIS will be done, always! 

The Unknown God- Revealed.

Paul went to Athens and there he found that the Athenians and strangers there spent their time in NOTHING ELSE but to TELL or HEAR some new thing.

Inquiring minds, thirsty for new things and certainly what Paul had to say was a new thing.

Paul had a captive audience as he began to speak among the people and he garnered their attention instantly when he told them about how he passed one of their altars with an inscription stating- TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.  All around their city were many altars erected to the various gods people worshipped. Make no mistake these people openly worshipped strange gods and had whole temples erected to their worship. Worshipping gods was something very important to many of them, if not all. To have an altar dedicated to the UNKNOWN GOD was proof that they certainly did not want to leave out any god at all that might need to be worshipped. When Paul read that about the UNKNOWN GOD, he instantly knew who this God was and was going to let the Athenians and others there know.  The Unknown God did NOT desire any offerings such as most gods, because this Unknown God needed NOTHING from men. This Unknown God gives life to ALL, breath to ALL and ALL things. This Unknown God was the maker of heaven and earth and did not dwell in any temple made by man. This Unknown God was the Father of all men,  and as such He was not made of any gold, or silver, or any such thing.  Paul goes on to tell them that this God is available to ALL men, that He is there for them all! Going still further He tells them that they are this God's children, ALL of them! As being God's children and unaware of being such they were ignorant, but now they know of this God, their Father, He will no longer wink at their ignorance, they need to repent. This God will judge them in the righteousness of One sent to them, One who died for them and was raised up from the dead.

Having said this to the men there they were astonished at what they heard  and some didn't believe Paul at all, while others were curious and wanted to hear them speak again. 
 

Having finished speaking for the day, those who believed what Paul had said went with him.

Today in my estimation (which is far from a professional estimation) the majority of people have had the opportunity to know of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. The knowledge of God and Jesus is not a strange, new thing that is unknown to most. There are so many countries that are fighting against Christians, it is hard to believe that they don't at least have the opportunity to know the gospel.  If we do ever find someone who doesn't know of Christ we, like Paul, need to enlighten them to the truth, right?

People are choosing, as they always have, to believe as they desire. We can only hope and pray their desire like that of some of those Athenians listening to Paul is to know Christ.

People need to worship, and they are free to choose who they want to worship- God never forces worship for Himself, never.  May we believe in God who is not unknown to us.  All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!!! Now and forever!!!!

Act 17:21  (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) 

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

Act 17:22  Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 

Act 17:23  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 

Act 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 

Act 17:25  Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 

Act 17:26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 

Act 17:29  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 

Act 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 

Act 17:31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 

Act 17:32  And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 

Act 17:33  So Paul departed from among them. 

Act 17:34  Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 

A World Turned Upside Down.

Those Paul visited in various cities received him and the message he had to bring in different ways. Some received the word skeptically, others readily. It’s the same today isn't it? Not all people receive the word of truth in the same way.

As Paul continued on, city after city, acceptance by some while others sought his harm intent on stopping him from continuing to 'turn the world upside down' -

Act 17:6  And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also

- Turning the world upside- down.   People like things to remain familiar, when introducing change there is often a belief that the world as we know it is turned upside down and inside out. After thousands of years with rituals given by God to Moses, those rituals were now being tossed aside, why? Because the reason for the rituals had transpired, the GREATEST, the ULTIMTE sacrifice had been made and any ritual sacrifice for sins after that were meaningless. It was time to comprehend that the prophecies had been fulfilled and as a result a change in behavior was expected.  You could do something for years knowing it's all in preparation for something else to take place, and then lose sight that a change is supposed to come. You get set in your ways, in your routine, in your way of thinking. When change comes and you're reminded that it was always supposed to be that way, you may not want to hear that truth, you may just want things to go back the way they were.  When our worlds are turned upside down it's not always a welcomed, pleasant thing to experience. Yet, if we only want to follow truth then we have to recognize change is often necessary.  For all of us waiting and longing for our Savior to return to take us to heaven with Him, we have to realize right now that it will call for a very drastic change to all we know.  There will be nothing in our possessions that will come with us to heaven, we won't have time to pack for this trip, we won't have time to say good bye to anyone. When we are called by our Savior we won't even want to pack or say good bye to everyone- because those going to heaven with our Savior will have been longing for that day of the greatest change ever. Our treasures are in heaven and we will be going to our treasures- the greatest treasure - Christ Himself! 

Having their world turned upside down by the truth is a great thing, yet so many fought against the truth and the change it meant to bring to their lives.  How many today fight against truth that calls for change in their lives? Way too many.

Paul went to the next city and there were 'more noble' people in this city than another. Whey were there 'more noble' people in this city? Because they RECEIVED THE WORD WITH ALL READINESS OF MIND AND SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY MAKING SURE ALL THEY WERE TOLD WAS THE TRUTH.

They wanted truth! Their desire for truth led them to search for it!  Because of their search for the truth MANY believed!

The truth is there, right there in the word of God and we shouldn't be afraid to take any truth a person would have us believe and weigh it against the evidence in the scriptures.   May we ever seek truth!

All through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior now and forever!!!!!!! God's will be done!

Act 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 

Act 17:12  Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 

Act 17:13  But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 

Jesus wants us to believe in prophecy.

Paul used the old testament (scriptures) to reason with the Jews and I'm sure many others.  When you want to bring truth to all you meet you will repeat yourself over and over because the truth won't change. You may alter your way of presenting the gospel and you may vary in which parts you preach, but ultimately you will always go back to the basics of the truth.

Sharing the good news of the gospel, bringing the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord is something we must do as the Holy Spirit leads us. We must use the scriptures just as Paul and Silas used them.

Yesterday we listed a lot of old testament scriptures about Jesus, the same scriptures the disciples used, and some of the same scriptures JESUS HIMSELF used.  Prophecies predicting Jesus were unveiled, all of them coming to pass, every single one! The Bible prophecy is true. I can't help but stress this point because so many just don't realize how we exist in prophecy, how our lives are affected by Biblical prophecies.  When our Savior tells us to watch and pray throughout His word we are watching for prophecy to be fulfilled. Jesus predicting the end of this world. Jesus predicted His return. Do you believe in Jesus? If you do believe in Jesus you have to believe in prophecy and its fulfillment. You have to believe in the return of Jesus Christ. You have to believe in the end of this world. So why do we shy away from prophecy? We say it's too confusing to really study or even believe. We say if God wanted us to comprehend it then He would have made it easy to understand. We say we don't really need to study any more prophecy, just the prophecy of our Savior returning.  To shun any prophecy is to run the risk of closing our minds to truth and when we close our minds to truth we are turning away from God and He will allow our spiritual sight to grow dim and even allow us to go spiritually blind if that is was our actions are revealing what we truly desire.  Truth isn't always easy, sometimes it is extremely difficult to accept truth, but if God knows that truth is what we really want, then we will come to know that truth no matter how hard it is to believe.

Those Paul and Silas were talking to reacted in the following way--

Act 17:4  And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 

Act 17:5  But the Jews which believed not…

SOME believed.

Devout Greeks a GREAT MULTITUDE.

Chief women a lot.

Jews believed not.

Even though they were given all they needed, all the truth revealed through prophecy, not all believed.

I like to hope that I would have been among the believers but I'll never know. However, I can be among the believers today, in my time.  I can read the scriptures old and new, I can pray, I can watch and all through the grace and mercy of our Savior I will believe.

What will you do? Would you choose to know ALL truth as it is in Christ, or just some of it?

God bless and keep us all!

Paul Used Prophecy.

Act 17:1  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 

Act 17:2  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures

Act 17:3  Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 

Verses from the scriptures-- perhaps verses Paul and Silas used as they REASONED with the Jews in the synagogue.

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 

Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 

Num 21:6  And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 

Num 21:7  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 

Num 21:8  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 

Num 21:9  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Deu 18:15  The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken

Joh 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Act 3:22  For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 

Act 7:37  This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. 

Psa 16:9  Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 

Psa 16:10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption

Psa 132:11  The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. 

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

Isa 40:10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 

Isa 40:11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. 

Isa 50:6  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

Isa 52:13  Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 

Isa 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men

Isa 53:1  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 

Isa 53:2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 

Isa 53:8  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 

Isa 53:9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 

Isa 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 

Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 

Isa 53:12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 

Jer 23:5  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 

Jer 23:6  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Jer 33:14  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 

Jer 33:15  In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 

Eze 34:23  And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 

Dan 9:24  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 

Dan 9:25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 

Dan 9:26  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 

Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 

Mic 5:3  Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 

Mic 5:4  And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. 

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 

*******

Because the scriptures had been FULFILLED in Christ, Paul could point to them and then Jesus' ministry and ultimate death on the cross.  To be able to point out prophecies and then their fulfillment is a huge deal. Prophecy is given to us for a reason.

One of the biggest reasons for prophecy is for us to be able to comprehend the truth of the scriptures.  When my sister and I went to prophecy lectures back in 1982 we couldn't believe how so much prophecy had come to pass in our history. Knowing the prophecy had come true on so much led us to believe that nothing could stop the rest of the prophecies from coming to pass. 

I've studied prophecies several times over the last few years and I'm sure I'll study them again- LORD WILLING. We do still have prophecies left to unfold and we will be living in unfolding prophecy at the very end, and all those who are alive when Christ returns will live through it. It'll be too late if the end comes to pass and in the very end people are hoping for understanding then. The time to comprehend is now. 

Paul used prophecies and through the Holy Spirit many believed the truth He unveiled. We need to unveil the truth as well, as Christ allows.

More tomorrow by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!  NOW and FOREVER!