Woe

Woe, now there's a word you don't hear all that often. Woe.

Woe- 1)a serious affliction or misfortune

2)grief or distress resulting from a serious affliction or misfortune

Woe unto them.

Serious affliction and misfortune to them.

If I tell you that you are going to suffer a serious affliction, and have serious misfortune that's not a very good thing, right? No one wants to suffer affliction, no one. And when misfortune befalls us we are not very happy, not ever. When we do suffer afflictions and misfortune overcomes us we usually are very distressed with good reason. If we tell a friend about our afflictions we'd gain sympathy from them. Bottom line- WE DO NOT WANT serious afflictions NOT EVER and WE DO NOT WANT misfortunes in our lives NOT EVER. They'll happen, but we do all we can to prevent them, don't we? We never willingly invite serious afflictions and misfortunes into our lives. In fact we try to prevent serious afflictions and misfortunes. We take precautions to prevent hardships. I personally do not know a single person who invites serious afflictions and seeks out misfortune, quite the opposite.

When God's word tells us- WOE UNTO THEM….  Pronouncing serious affliction and misfortune on people we'd better pay attention.

Isa_5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

If you call evil…good, then woe unto you!

If you call good…evil, then woe unto you!

If you put darkness for light, then woe unto you!

If you put light for darkness, then woe unto you!

If you put bitter for sweet, then woe unto you!

If you put sweet for bitter, then woe unto you!

Contrariness is what is at play here in these verses.  You are living a life contrary to God's design. Make no mistake there are going to be a lot more people living contrary to God's plan than those who live for it. This is why we know the world right now seems to have come unglued and is clearly falling apart morally. Yes, morally. 

What is evil? You can name some things can't you? Just name a few evil things that exist. Murder is evil, yes? Stealing is evil, yes? Torture is evil, right? Can you dispute these statements? Some will say they can and give various situations where such things may be justified, but without any sort of justification whatsoever- they are evil. As soon as we admit to evil existing there has to be the opposite of evil. Not murdering is morally sound, not stealing, not torturing anything is morally good. God has moral standards for His creatures, all of us. We usually comprehend right from wrong early on in our lives. There is something in us that knows when we do wrong and a sense of guilt results from the wrong we do.

There exists right and wrong and for reasons that we can understand, and some we cannot understand. When we can't understand we need to trust it is for our good. WE DON'T have to understand to accept and believe, we trust, we have faith without full comprehension.  In our everyday lives we are often called to trust others. If you love anyone and are dating or married to them- you have to develop a trust in that love because otherwise you will live in a constant unending state of fear and suspicion which would warp any love that exists. Yes, very often trust and faith is broken, and when it is we are understandably very hurt. But it isn't always broken, not everyone breaks the trust and faith others put in them.

We must have faith in the morals that God has revealed in His word to us, words that are untwisted and unaltered. 

We have to have faith in God's goodness, His light, and the things He calls sweet.

When we choose to take what God has revealed as good, light and sweet, and change it to evil, darkness and bitterness- we can only expect misfortune and affliction of the eternal kind.

When we choose to take what God has revealed as evil, dark, and bitter and change it to good, light and sweet - again we must only ever expect woe to befall us.

The trouble arises when we take this so far that we no longer care to know the difference between good and evil, light and dark, sweet and bitter. When we as a society begin to teach our children contrary to God's moral standards we have created a future society that like Sodom and Gomorrah, a society such as the one which existed before Noah and the flood-  it is so corrupted with evil there is nothing left to do but destroy all but the very few who have kept the faith of God.

Pro 17:15  He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

This is truth!

We live in a world that justifies the wicked, and condemns the just all too often. We are not to raise up any arms and fight against this tide of evil overcoming the world, we are to continue on in the love of God. We are to pray, we are to render only God's love to every single enemy of God and therefore, us. God's moral laws were created out of love, and it is in that love we are to live in His moral laws.  God please help us, and protect us from the vile evil that has filled our world at every turn. Protect us from the evil that seems to demand we give into it or else suffer under the condemnation of the vast majority of the world. Let us live solely in YOUR LOVE as JESUS revealed to us and as the HOLY SPIRIT keeps us in always.

Please Lord, help us to forever discern between good and evil, light and darkness, sweet and bitter, and let us follow only in the good, the light and the sweet - all through Your mercy, Your grace, Your love now and forever!!!!

Amen!

STRIVE to Enter In At the Strait Gate

Forever before us is the gospel. The good news, and that good news is one of salvation. What is salvation? It is being saved from the life of hopelessness. It is a realization that something went terribly wrong in this world. It's the knowledge that things are not how they are supposed to be. It is recognizing that a flaw exists and because the flaw exists there must be a correction, a fixing of the flaw, a doing away with the flawed so the fixed can take its place. We need to recognize the need to be saved before we can be saved.

There are many people in the world that are resigned to their existence and the existence of others around them, and the existence of those to yet be born, and they believe this is just how it is and can be no different. 

History to them has proven time and time again a striving by mankind to improve how things are and they believe it will forever be a striving until hopefully one day, somehow things will fall into place and everyone will find a peaceful existence.

I personally recognize that this world as a whole is extremely messed up. There are not too many people (at least among the sane and logical) that would say this world is a perfect place, that all is right in our world.

From the gravest of grand scale tragedies, to the tiniest private heartbreak- there is no possible way that all is as it should be in our world.

Salvation offers the hope of that perfect existence, one which we can all share in should we choose.

I lay before you the Word of God and found in the Word of God is the knowledge of the truth, the hope of Salvation from this evil existence.

The way that is right must be the way offered by God to us all, and we must take heed to His way given to us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

An entire way of life is outlined in the Word of God, and should we pick out only the bits and pieces that sound good to us we are in danger of being caught up in deception.  Too many claim the title of Christian and fall far short of recognizing what a true Christian life is. To be a Christ follower is to do just that, follow Christ and Christ's way. To follow Christ's way you have to know Christ's way, and once you know Christ's way if you veer from following His way, you can no longer truly lay claim to the title Christian. Daily sacrifice, daily recognition of our need of salvation, of repentant, of forgiveness, daily putting God first, others second and ourselves last. A Christian has a daily walk following Christ's way, not a weekly way, not a monthly way, not a yearly way- but a daily forever walk, a striving to enter the narrow way all through Christ.

Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 

Luk 13:24  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

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

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

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

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 

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

Lam 3:40  Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. 

Eze 18:27  Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 

Eze 18:28  Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 

1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 

1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 

Rev 3:2  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 

Wretched, Miserable, Poor, Blind and Naked- Repent.

Today please read all the following Bible verses after praying for the Holy Spirit to lead you to truth, and only truth as it is found in Christ Jesus. Pray for your eyes to be opened,  and your spiritual sight to be enlightened. This is my prayer.  By the grace of God we will study more on these verse tomorrow, but for not, may the Holy Spirit use the Word of the LORD to fill us with the meat of the Word, opening our understanding to discern between good and evil and to follow that which is good.

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Luk 11:35  Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  

Isa_5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Pro 17:15  He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. 

Mal 2:17  Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? 

Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 

Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 

Joh 9:40  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 

Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. 

Mat 23:16  Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 

Mat 23:17  Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 

Mat 23:18  And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 

Mat 23:19  Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? 

Mat 23:20  Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 

Mat 23:21  And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 

Mat 23:22  And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 

Mat 23:23  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 

Mat 23:24  Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 

Mat 23:25  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 

Mat 23:26  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 

Mat 23:28  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 

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. 

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2Pe 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 

2Pe 2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 

2Pe 2:3  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 

2Pe 2:4  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 

2Pe 2:5  And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 

2Pe 2:6  And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 

2Pe 2:7  And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 

2Pe 2:8  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 

2Pe 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 

2Pe 2:11  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 

2Pe 2:13  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 

2Pe 2:14  Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 

2Pe 2:15  Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 

2Pe 2:16  But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 

2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 

2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 

2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 

2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 

2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 

1Co 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 

1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 

1Co 3:20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 

1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 

1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. 

Jas 3:13  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 

Jas 3:14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 

Jas 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 

Jas 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 

Jas 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 

Jas 3:18  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. 

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 

2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 

2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 

2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 

2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 

2Pe 1:11  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.