A Life Turned Upside-Down. (Paul)

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 

The LORD appeared to Paul and told Him - I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 

Paul was persecuting Jesus? Imagine Paul's possible thoughts in that instant. Here in vision he was seeing Jesus!  Now, Paul wasn't a Jesus follower, obviously. Paul was in agreement with the majority of other Pharisees, Jesus was a blasphemer and worthy of death. He believed this so deeply, that He had to defend the almighty God against this awful imposter, this liar, this blasphemer! He took it upon himself to be one of the leading defenders of the one true God. And now, now he was stopped in his tracks suddenly right there as he journeyed to Damascus on his heaven ordained, holy mission by the very One he was trying to rid the world of. Yes, Paul wanted the name of Jesus Christ blotted out of existence and the only way to do that was to rid the world of all of His followers. Every last person who dared to go along with the liar, Jesus, had to be destroyed! Yet, there Jesus was! Paul's mind had to cried out, 'But you're dead! How can you be talking to me!?' So many wild thoughts had to have flickered through Paul's mind in an instant.

Told to rise, to get on his feet- Paul listened, and still his mind had to be far from blank. Jesus?! Jesus?! The one he had been thrilled to know had been killed?! Jesus, the one he hated with such passion?! It couldn't be Him, could it?! But how?! Why?!

Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 

As he rose from the ground, Paul heard Jesus say He appeared to him for a purpose, to make him a minister, a witness of the things he'd just seen, and things which will be shown to him by Jesus in the future.

Paul, a minister of Jesus?! A minister for the very one he'd wanted dead and his memory wiped from every mind?!

Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 

Paul listened as Jesus continued speaking, telling him that He would deliver Him from others- from Gentiles who he would be sent to.

Gentiles?! But he was a pharisee, a perfect man of God! He couldn't associate with Gentiles?! How could He do that?!

Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

And Jesus continued talking. He would send Paul to the Gentiles in order to open their eyes, (just as his eyes were now being opened), to turn them from the dark to the light, from the power of Satan unto God, so they could receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance all with those who are made holy through faith in Him, Jesus.

Jesus was really all He'd said He was, He was everything all His followers declared! Jesus was from God, the very God that he, Paul, lived for! Jesus wanted HIM to bring to others this very enlightenment he was receiving.  He'd only always ever wanted the truth of God and He was getting that. God knew His heart and in his heart was a yearning for truth, for light, for forgiveness, for sanctification! He wanted to be used by God and God had chosen Him for this very special undertaking. It was all so much to take in!

He was going to open the eyes of the Gentiles to God, to truth! They were in the dark, so far in the dark, so far from God. Those Gentiles didn't know God, couldn’t know the true God, they were not chosen by God, and yet now they would be given truth, given light, their understanding would be open. The undeserving wretches by the very fact of their birth into the Gentiles would be deserving. They would be offered life eternal with God! How? Why?

And darkness descended upon Paul.

Act 9:8  And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 

Act 9:9  And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 

Blinded.  Told he would be giving light to those in darkness, he, himself was thrust into darkness, his sight taken from him.

More on this tomorrow, by the will of our LORD.

All through Jesus Christ our Savior, with all thanksgiving, now and forever!!!!!!!

Not Entitled to Full Disclosure.

In the interest of full disclosure… these words invoke the truth laid bare, nothing hidden, nothing secret, everything exposed. Full disclosure, don’t hold back even the smallest detail.

Tell me something, do we know everything about each other? Do you know every last detail of your spouse, your child, your best friend, your brother, your mother, your sister, your father? A person that is closest to you, do you really know everything there is to know about them? Absolutely…not!

Ask a husband why he loves his wife and he may list a whole slew of her finest attributes, do the same for the wife about her husband and the result will be the same. Yet the finest attributes we possess are not the whole of us. In fact in some cases those finest attributes could be things from dating years, or early marriage, things that have since faded away under the pressure of life. Why do we choose who we choose to love? We aren't unique puzzle pieces fitting only to a single other unique puzzle piece, we have to make the choice to love someone and once we make that choice even then it doesn’t have to be a permanent one, unfortunately. We don’t have to make our bed and lie in it, we discard the bed we made and find a new one because those choices we made to love that person are no longer important enough for us to stay with them. People change, and we don't always like the changes. We change and we no longer like our own changes along with the person we chose.  Today there have cropped up so many different scenarios of love relationships, scenarios to fit anyone's passing fancy. If you don’t like current choices of relationships it doesn't seem to matter, make up your own and no one will fault you because we live in a world of self-gratification, self-indulgence and if we aren't gratified or indulged, then there is a problem somewhere because that's what life seems to be for.  This isn't really a new concept, there have been situations like this since the beginning.  We make choices. We answer to ourselves and higher powers.

Remember how this started out- in the interest of full disclosure? Ultimately we do NOT know ANYONE fully, not  single person, it is impossible!  So, tell me this, if we can't truly know another human being, someone made with the same fleshy form as we are, the same species, the same basic mold, then why do we even imagine on any level whatsoever that we can KNOW God and ALL HIS secrets?

We ask questions such as why God did this, or why God didn’t do that, and we struggle with comprehending the whys and wherefores as if somehow if we knew the whys and wherefores we could accept God, believe God, choose God. If we had full disclosure from God, every explanation to every question we could possibly ask, why then, we'd be able to make a truly informed choice.  We want that from God, yet we don’t and can't get that from each other!

You know those vows - in sickness in health, for better or worse?  Do you comprehend the full weight behind them? What a person is vowing in their wedding ceremony is to NEVER leave their spouse NO MATTER WHAT.  Do we hear that vow though? Do we hear the words, do you promise to never, ever leave your husband or wife no matter what they do, or don't do? Of course we don't hear those words. And even if we did say those words they wouldn't mean a thing in light of some atrocities that come to pass in marriages, right?  Do you suppose the words-  Why didn't you tell me that BEFORE we were married?- ever come up in fights between husbands and wives? Or, I didn't know you were really like that. Or, how could you be this way, you weren't like this before, you've changed.

The point I think I'm trying to make here, is that in husband and wife relationships, and really in any relationship we have with another person, we will NEVER know each other fully.  Not all undisclosed attributes are bad either, sometimes we exceed the expectations of others, and they exceed ours. The things that aren't revealed are wonderful things, not horrid. Still, they were unmentioned, unknown, and the only difference between the pleasant unknown and the bad unknown, is it's a lot easier to accept the pleasant. 

To continue with the point I'm trying to make, comprehending we can't know each other fully we must realize that we are far beyond being able to know all there is to know about our Creator. 

Logic tells us that we have a Creator- logic to anyone willing to delve into the hard cold facts of life that many learned man/woman have had to conclude. Still, we are ultimately led to make a choice in whatever we do choose to believe.

Once we've conclude we've been created, then we need to determine if we want to be involved with our Creator in a loving relationship. You can choose to live your whole life not even acknowledging you were created. You can make ups lies that you will call truths, and live in a world full of things that are coincidental, no miracles but rather blind luck and happenstance. You can also accept that you don't comprehend the whys and wherefores, but you certainly are too smart to get caught up in the fantasy world of believing in a Creator. Your belief is yours and yours alone to choose for whatever reasons you may have, just as I am given the same choice, we all are.

To need full disclosure, every single fact there is out there, before you choose to believe in God- is unrealistic, every bit as unrealistic it is to believe you know anyone other than yourself, fully. And hey, often we really don’t even know ourselves, right? Yet, we have the audacity to believe God owes us full disclosure from the very first question- Why did He really create us if He knew we'd sin? Why did He allow sin in the first place? And so many more questions just like these two. We want to know the whys and wherefores and we call it natural curiosity, and perhaps it is to a point. Or perhaps Satan wants us to dwell on our unanswered questions just as he used curiosity to capture Eve's attention.

Gen 3:4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 

Gen 3:5  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 

Your eyes shall be opened, and he promised that Eve would know all gods know-  good and evil.  She didn't care about the evil part, did she? She only care that she would KNOW as a god.

So when we ask our questions, those questions we aren't given answers to, and we let those questions overrule our faith, aren't we, like Eve, saying we want to know as a god knows? We want all the knowledge of good and evil. 

Do we choose to be a creature, or like Satan, really want to be like the Most High?

Father in Heaven, please, please we would be creatures! We don't want to be as gods, we don't want to presume to ever get to know everything, as if knowing You  isn't enough. You are enough! You are everything! Through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, your only begotten, declared Son, we seek forgiveness and newness of life to do Your will! We would be YOURS. Please, keep us from evil, keep us IN YOU and YOUR LOVE ALWAYS!!!!  Thank you, Father! Thank you! In the name of Jesus Christ, now and forever!!!!!!!

*******

Deu 29:29  The SECRET THINGS BELONG UNTO THE LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. 

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Job 11:7  Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 

Job 28:28  And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. 

Psa 25:14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. 

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. 

Mat 13:34  All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 

Mat 13:35  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. 

Act 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 

Act 1:7  And he said unto them, IT IS NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 

Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 

Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

Ecc 3:11  He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that NO MAN can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end

Ecc 8:17  Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man CANNOT find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it. 

Job 11:7  Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 

Job 11:8  It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? 

Job 11:9  The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. 

Job 37:23  Touching the Almighty, we CANNOT find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. 

Our High Priest's Blood.

Christ Jesus our Savior- enters the holy place in the heavenly sanctuary, not bearing the blood of goats and calves. Christ our High Priest isn't bringing the blood of animals into the heavenly sanctuary. The heavenly sanctuary needs special blood, blood worthy of the heavenly sanctuary, where the heavenly Father dwells on His throne. The special blood is the innocent blood shed, the sinless blood given to redeem mankind, to make the atonement that would cleanse and restore mankind to an AT ONE MENT with the Heavenly Father. Eternal redemption is found in the spilled blood of our Savior.

Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 

The blood of animals- bulls and goats- served the earthly sanctuary, the ashes of the animal sacrifice sprinkled on the sinful, the unclean would serve to cleanse them. This animal blood through the ministrations of the earthly sanctuary's priests/high priest in their God appointed duty would in essence sanctify the flesh.  IF this is truth, and it is, then HOW much more will the BLOOD OF THE SINLESS SAVIOR cleanse us?  The powerful blood of our Savior will PURGE OUR CONSCIENCE FROM DEAD WORKS TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD.

Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

Our Savior, our Heavenly High Priest, our Mediator of the NEW TESTAMENT-

The first testament- the sacrificial system initiated in the days of Moses- could NOT cleanse the Heavenly Sanctuary.   Only the BLOOD OF CHRIST has that power the blood of the new testament, the sacrificial system with only ONE sacrifice.

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 

Heb 9:17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 

Heb 9:18  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. 

Heb 9:19  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 

Heb 9:20  Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 

Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 

Christ did NOT take His blood into the sanctuary on earth, He took His blood into the heavenly sanctuary - into the presence of the Heavenly Father.

Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 

Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 

Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

Sin will be no more after the blood of the Savior has finished the work of the atonement.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation

Men die, and the next thing they'll know is their place in the judgment- have they accepted Christ Jesus their Sacrifice or failed to do so?

Christ Jesus will bear the sins of MANY, but not all, because not all want Him to bear their sins. Those who LOOK for Him will see Him when He returns SIN defeated, the sacrifice applied fully, the judging of all completed. Those who see Him will witness the results of their salvation!

Now, right now, right this moment, our Savior is in the Heavenly Sanctuary - when His work as our High Priest is over He will come to take those who are His back to heaven with Him.
 

Dan 12:1  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 

Dan 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 

May we witness the return of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST as we are DELIVERED by HIM!

All glory, praise and honor, all thanksgiving unto our GOD, now and forever!!!!!!!

Jesus- High Priest of the Heavenly Sanctuary.

Heb 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building

Our Savior became a high priest. 

Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 

Our Savior is a merciful and faithful high priest.

Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus

The High Priest of our profession, our Savior, Christ Jesus.

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Our Savior, a high priest touched with the feelings of OUR infirmities.

Our Savior, a high priest, tempted like we are.

Our Savior, our high priest, sinless!

Heb 5:5  So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 

Heb 5:6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 

The Heavenly Father- after agreeing to this with God who became the Son-  was TOLD - Thou art my Son, TODAY have I begotten thee.

The Heavenly Father- TOLD our Savior, Thou art a priest.

Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 

Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 

Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 

Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law

Our Savior- our high priest.

Our High Priest- on the right hand of the Heavenly Father's throne in the heavens of heavens.

Our High Priest- a MINISTER of the SANCTUARY

Our High Priest- a MINISTER of the TRUE TABERNACLE- the LORD pitched NOT man.

Our Savior- our High Priest- Sacrificed HIMSELF- OFFERED HIMSELF.

Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. 

Moses was an example- a shadow of heavenly things.

Moses was told to make sure he made the tabernacle according to the pattern showed to Him.

Heb 8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 

Our Savior- our High Priest of a MORE excellent ministry.

Our Savior- our High Priest- THE mediator of a BETTER covenant.

Heb 8:7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 

Our Savior - our High Priest- MINISTER of the faultless covenant.

Heb 8:8  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 

Heb 8:9  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 

Heb 8:10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 

Heb 8:11  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 

Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 

Heb 8:13  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. 

Our Savior- our High Priest- Minister of the faultless, new covenant doing away with the old sacrificial system.

Our Savior- our High Priest- Minister of the faultless, new covenant - PUTS HIS LAWS in our MINDS, WRITES the LAW on our HEARTS.

Our Savior- our High Priest- instructs us to TEACH others to KNOW the LORD.

Our Savior- our High Priest- MERCIFUL to our unrighteousness.

Our Savior- our High Priest- FORGIVES us our sin, our iniquities.

The old covenant, sacrificial system ruled the way of life of the chosen people of God. They lived and breathed the rituals handed down from generation to generation. The rituals were no longer done from the heart, out of love to God. The rituals were perverted time and time again through Israel's history they strayed from the heart of the covenant until it was so far from the reality of what God intended, it was no longer effective. 

A new and better covenant was necessary, and that was through Our Savior, Jesus Christ, Our High Priest.

More on this tomorrow by the grace, the will of our Lord, now and forever!!!!!!! All glory, praise, and thanksgiving unto our Father in Heaven!

There is a Temple in Heaven Right Now.

The Holy Temple- was a way of life for so many.  The Holy Temple was built according to heavenly plans.  No human architect designed the Temple. In fact before there was a stone structure there was a traveling Temple that moved from place to place with God's chosen people. The Holy Temple on earth was designed according the Heavenly Temple. Yes, there is a Temple in heaven.  The Temple on earth was to be used for God's chosen to interact with God. The design was-- in the most basic of examples- the outer court/altar- the Holy Place- the Most Holy Place.    The Heavenly Temple- the same design. Yet, the Heavenly Temple was not built for the same daily/yearly services that the earthly Temple was built for, the Heavenly Temple exists for the most Heavenly of purposes- the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ Our Lord!

Why do so many not even care about a Heavenly Temple when we know this--

Rev_3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

And this--

Heb 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 

Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 

Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 

Heb 9:17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 

Heb 9:18  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. 

Heb 9:19  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 

Heb 9:20  Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 

Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 

Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 

Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 

Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

The Heavenly Temple is a reality, a very important reality.   More on this tomorrow by the will of God.

May we learn what we need to know so we may ever be living for our Lord and Savior, ambassadors  for Christ!

2Co_5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

All through our Lord, our Savior, now and forever!!!!!! Through the Heavenly Father and His amazing LOVE!

Arming Ourselves Like Minded With Christ

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

1Pe 4:3  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 

1Pe 4:4  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 

1Pe 4:5  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 

Arm yourself…  when we hear these words we most likely think of arming ourselves with weapons, right? In a spiritual war our weapons are not guns, knives and the like. Arming ourselves with spiritual weapons to fight this spiritual war, we are told here in 1 Peter 4:1 that we are to arm ourselves with the same mind as Christ. Christ's mind - Christ suffered for us in the flesh, and we are told that we have to arm ourselves with the same mind of a suffering Christ.  If we suffer in the flesh we cease from sin. How can this be so?

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

Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

Ceasing from our own works, ceasing from sin, living for Christ, armed with the mind of Christ, willing to suffer in our flesh as Christ did.

Christ suffered in a way we can't truly comprehend. We think we suffer as we live in a world filled with heartache, and we do suffer. Christ suffered as a Creator able to witness the sin suffering creatures He created. Christ took on flesh and in the flesh He experienced everything- every emotion we can experience. We know our Savior wept, we know the anguish of what was to come before He was taken cause blood to drip from his forehead. He suffered. Long before our Savior's agonizing walk to the cross, He suffered.

If we are to arm our mind with the suffering mind of our Savior, if our flesh is to suffer so we cease from sin, we then we need to suffer.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

1Pe 4:3  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 

1Pe 4:4  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 

1Pe 4:5  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 

When we suffer in the flesh we no longer live the rest of our lives to our lusts but to the will of God.

The will of God- Joh_6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Not living to satisfy our lusts, this is something we don’t think about enough. What are our lusts? We tend to consider lusts merely sexual in nature, but our lusts can be any selfish desire we possess. When we are self focused we consider our own desires quite often. The more we are able to possess, the more we are tempted to lust. You can lust after things we think are simple and in no way lusts of sin. Yet they are. Just because we've regulated our lusts to acceptable behaviors and actions, doesn’t mean they are. 

More on this tomorrow by the will and grace, the mercy of our LORD and SAVIOR!!!!!!!

Reconciled.

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 

2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

The Ministry of Reconciliation.

God was in Christ.

God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself.

God did not impute our trespasses to us.

God committed to us the word of reconciliation.

To be reconciled to God, could we ask for anything else more important in this life? Seriously. To remain unreconciled to God is to keep ourselves from our CREATOR, a CREATOR who CREATE us not to torture us, but to love us! 

Our Creator did not want us turn away from Him but He wouldn’t force us to be His and He still won't force us to be His.

If people want a God who forces their will then they don’t understand God at all.

With the ability to choose the choice was made. Leave God, turn our backs on God. And God could have ended it all there, but He didn’t. The LOVE of God was to show us mercy, to offer us reconciliation. God would take us back again, but ONLY if we want that, not everyone wants that, not everyone believes.

The Bible offers proof in its pages-- prophecies coming to pass with unerring accuracies. We are in a unique position today to be able to look back and see so much prophecy unfold into histories truths. However, while we are in this unique position we are also living in the most dangerous time in history. The closer to the Lord's return and our full reconciliation realized, the more the enemy deceives and tempts trying His best so that He will- as predicted- deceive ALL but the very elect. Who are the very elect? Those who seek the narrow way in a world of broad paths. The narrow way- the love of our SAVIOR, accepting His sacrifice, living for Him and His will, His way.

Please Father, please we would be reconciled to You, through our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord! Please.

Thank you!!!!!!!

Be Merciful to Me A Sinner!

Luk 18:9  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 

Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 

Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 

Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 

Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 

Luk 16:15  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. 

Pro 30:12  There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 

Rom 10:2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 

Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 

Rom 10:4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 

*******

The parable our Lord gave revealed the truth of people who boast of their own goodness, their upstanding position, their righteousness, their good works, the belief that they are in a good place. Truthfully, our righteousness are filthy rags. All the good works we do mean nothing if they are not to the glory of God. We need the mercy of God always! If we start to believe we are good in and of ourselves without the glory of God, then we are believing in our ability to have our own righteousness. If we believe we can have our own righteousness then our comprehension of the truth, that our goodness is completely dependent upon our God, is lost. Do we WANT to be good outside of God? Do we want to have righteousness of our own? If we do, then why? What would we do with our own righteousness independent of our God? Doesn't the belief in our own righteousness lead to pride? And pride leads to our downfall.  We need to give God all the glory for all goodness, and we need to thank the Lord for all things, because we need to trust that HE will work all things together for our good.

We need to be as the sinner because we are the sinner and we need to ask for mercy, not boast of the good we believe we've done.

Let all our righteousness belong to God, because it is God's righteousness that matters. If our righteousness belongs to us, it is filthy, corrupted by our vanity, our pride, our sin.

Please Father, please bless us, keep us in YOU and YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS all through the mercy of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!

God With God.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 

Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds

God the Father spoke in times past to people by the prophets. God used prophets- giving them the words to speak that He wanted them to hear.  However, while still using prophets, God also spoke to the people by HIS SON in the recent history of Paul. God appointed His Son HEIR of ALL things, for it was the appointed heir who made the worlds with Him.

Think about this for a few moments- God- before Jesus became flesh and was called the Son of God, was with Him at the very beginning making the worlds! Jesus in the flesh was appointed heir of all things- He would inherit everything. The God who was with God - both in spirit - creating the worlds, would become God in the flesh- declared the Son of God, heir of all things.

Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 

Jesus- embodied the BRIGHTNESS of the glory of God the Father.

Jesus- was the express IMAGE of His God the Father's person.

Jesus- upheld all things by the Word of the Father God's Power.

Jesus- by himself purge our sins. Jesus could do nothing without the Father God, and the Father God gave consent to the plan of salvation- however the Father God did not, and could not die in the flesh upon the cross- only the declared Son of God could.

Jesus- sat down at the right hand of God the Father in heaven- after He allowed Himself to be crucified in order to save mankind. They were reunited in Heaven, the Father God with God in the flesh, the two at the beginning, the two in creation, the two throughout all - from everlasting to everlasting.

Heb 1:4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 

Jesus- was made better than the angels.

Jesus- inherited a more excellent name than the angels.

Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 

God never said to the angels- thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son. God with God -  Psa 110:1  A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 

Mat 22:42  Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 

Mat 22:43  He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 

Mat 22:44  The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 

Mat 22:45  If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 

God declared the Son, LORD said to Lord.

Psa_2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

A decree was made.

Just an off the wall thought- if I have a son, I have no need to declare a decree that he is my son- he IS my son. If I adopt-  take one that isn't my son- I would have to declare a decree that he is my son, right? It's more understandable isn't it? I'm not saying God adopted Jesus, not in the sense we know it, but God with God and one declares the decree that one is their Son, the Son is now begotten.  In adoption though- one does become a son by that decree, yes? Before adoption that child is another couple's son.  Before the declared decree -God was with God. It truly is a lot to think about, or leave to the mysteries of God that we are not able to yet comprehend, the secret things that belong to Him.

Jesus

1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Jesus- a God.

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 …The mighty God…

His name shall be called… the mighty God.

Mat 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 

Emmanuel…God with us.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 

The Word was God. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 

Feed the church of God- which HE hath purchased with HIS OWN BLOOD.

Justified in the Spirit-

Mat 3:16  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him

Joh 1:32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 

Joh 1:33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

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

Act 2:32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 

Act 2:33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 

Act 2:34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 

Act 2:35  Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 

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. 

Rom 1:3  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 

Rom 1:4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 

1Jn 5:6  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 

1Jn 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 

1Jn 5:8  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 

Seen of angels-

Mat 4:11  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. 

Luk 2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 

Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 

Luk 2:12  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 

Luk 2:13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 

Luk 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 

Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 

Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

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. 

Preached unto the Gentiles--

Luk 2:32  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 

Act 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons

Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 

Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 

Act 13:48  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 

Rom 10:12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 

Rom 10:18  But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 

Gal 2:8  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 

Eph 3:5  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 

Eph 3:6  That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 

Eph 3:7  Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 

Eph 3:8  Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

Believed on in the world--

Act 14:27  And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. 

Col 1:6  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth

Col 1:23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands

Received up into glory--

Mar 16:19  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Luk 24:51  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 

Joh 6:62  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 

Joh 13:3  Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God

Joh 16:28  I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

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.

Act 1:1  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 

Act 1:2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 

Act 1:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 

Act 1:4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 

Act 1:5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 

The Ascension

Act 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 

Act 1:7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 

Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 

Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high

Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1Pe 3:22  Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. 

To Love Is To Forgive.

Mat 6:14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 

Mat 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Why won't God, our heavenly Father forgive us our sins if we don't forgive others their sins?

Because forgiveness is unconditional love, and if we don't have love we have nothing.

1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.  KJV

1Co 13:13  But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.  RV

1Co 13:2  And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  RV

We need faith, hope, and love and the greatest is LOVE.

We can have the gift of prophecy, we can know all mysteries, we can have all knowledge, we can have fait to remove mountains-  but without LOVE we are NOTHING.

Our faith must be in the LOVE of our Savior- Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ the living definition of forgiveness.

We need to believe in Jesus Christ and that means having faith in our Savior and ALL He is. If our faith is simply in Jesus saving us we are lost, because it's so much more than that. We need to have faith in Jesus saving ALL who are lost, forgiving ALL who come to Him seeking forgiveness!  Jesus did not refuse forgiveness to any seeking forgiveness.

Why won't we be forgiven if we don't forgive? Because forgiving is love, forgiving is having faith in our Savior, a true faith that accepts forgiveness offered not only to us but to all. If we cannot love others, we cannot love our Savior.

Let us forgive, let us love, let us believe, all through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever!!!!!!!