Lord, Help Us Keep Our Treasures In Heaven.

 Job- I've heard his name more lately than I like. When we think of Job we think of the undeserved suffering he experienced as Satan did his worst against him. When things happen to us, not little things, not a few things, but a lot of big, awful things Job comes to mind. Job wasn't a sinless man, no human being is, but Job was complete in God. By complete I mean, Job was a man of God, he was upright, morally sound. We know Job sinned, he asks for forgiveness… 

Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 

You repent when you've sinned. Job was God's, Job lived for God. God could use Job as an example of a man who loved Him, and lived for Him. Satan believed the only reason Job could love God was because God had given him so many good things. God favored Job and Satan challenged that the only reason Job loved God so deeply was because of those things he received at God's hand. We know all about Job. We know that Satan was allowed to do his worst against him just shy of taking Job's life and still, Job held fast to God- but not perfectly, not sinlessly. 

When our lives are filled with horrors and we love God, we know that none of those horrors will take God's love from us. We aren't being punished by God, God doesn't hate us. Satan would have us believe that, but it's not true. Tested, refined, but not punished.

So maybe it's good to consider Job's life as the problems of our own accumulate and threaten us with despair. God loved Job, God loves us and nothing will stop that love as long as we love Him and put our faith wholly in Him, our God, our Savior, our Lord forever! We live for heaven's reward in Christ, not for any of this world's cherished treasures. We can only hope that no matter what our lives are or become that we hold fast to the love of Christ above it all. Some might say it's easy to say these things but much harder to believe them as life's problems crush us and they're right- it is easy to say them, harder to believe because Satan wants us to despair and come to hate God. Heaven is where our treasure is, our real treasure and Satan can never take that from us. In all the evil Satan can unleash upon us, He cannot take our Heavenly Treasure, not ever! Please, Lord, please, help us to keep our TREASURES in HEAVEN where they belong. Please, keep us from evil, keep us from despair. All in the name of our LORD, our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! Now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

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Job 40:1  Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 

Job 40:2  Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.  

Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 

Job 40:4  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 

Job 40:5  Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. 

Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 

Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 

Job 40:9  Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? 

Job 40:10  Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. 

Job 40:11  Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 

Job 40:12  Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. 

Job 40:13  Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. 

Job 40:14  Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. 

Job 40:15  Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. 

Job 40:16  Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. 

Job 40:17  He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. 

Job 40:18  His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. 

Job 40:19  He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. 

Job 40:20  Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. 

Job 40:21  He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. 

Job 40:22  The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. 

Job 40:23  Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. 

Job 40:24  He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares. 

Job 41:1  Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? 

Job 41:2  Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? 

Job 41:3  Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? 

Job 41:4  Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? 

Job 41:5  Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? 

Job 41:6  Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants? 

Job 41:7  Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears? 

Job 41:8  Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. 

Job 41:9  Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? 

Job 41:10  None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? 

Job 41:11  Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. 

Job 41:12  I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. 

Job 41:13  Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? 

Job 41:14  Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. 

Job 41:15  His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. 

Job 41:16  One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. 

Job 41:17  They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. 

Job 41:18  By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. 

Job 41:19  Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. 

Job 41:20  Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. 

Job 41:21  His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. 

Job 41:22  In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. 

Job 41:23  The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. 

Job 41:24  His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. 

Job 41:25  When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. 

Job 41:26  The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. 

Job 41:27  He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. 

Job 41:28  The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. 

Job 41:29  Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. 

Job 41:30  Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. 

Job 41:31  He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. 

Job 41:32  He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. 

Job 41:33  Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. 

Job 41:34  He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride. 

Job 42:1  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 

Job 42:2  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 

Job 42:3  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 

Job 42:4  Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 

Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 

Job 42:7  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 

Job 42:8  Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. 

Job 42:9  So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. 

Job 42:10  And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 

Job 42:11  Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. 

Job 42:12  So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. 

Job 42:13  He had also seven sons and three daughters. 

Job 42:14  And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. 

Job 42:15  And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 

Job 42:16  After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. 

Job 42:17  So Job died, being old and full of days. 

Your Heavenly Trial.

I hope you are not waiting for our Savior to return to be judged by Him. I hope you don't believe you will come face to face with God, with Jesus there as your advocate as if standing in a court of law, God the judge, Jesus your lawyer, you the accused. This isn't going to be how it happens and if you think it is you need to study the word of God right now so you're not caught unaware having been waiting for your court date which will never occur.

Is Jesus our Advocate? Yes. Are we going to be judged by God? Yes. Will you be in a court setting able to plead your case? No. 

We are accused. We need a lawyer/advocate. We will be tried. We will be judged. 

We are not only accused, we are guilty. Our advocate pleads on our behalf, but not pleading our worthiness in the slightest. In fact, our advocate admits outright that we are guilty, and then He asks the judge to let Him stand in our place. Our advocate points to the sacrifice of His own sinless life on our behalf. Our advocate shows where He paid for our personal sins, each and every one. The judge accepts the sacrifice and allows that our advocate took our sins upon Himself and paid their price for us.

We do not know when our trial is because it takes place as we live. When we die, our probation period is over- we've no more opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as our Advocate.  We accepted Him before our death, or we did not. While we live we must accept Jesus as our Savior, our Advocate, only then will we be sure when our trial takes place we are covered by His sacrifice, guilty, yet forgiven! 

When will your trial happen? When will mine? For all we know in the blink of an eye right before Jesus stands up and His work as our advocate is over, before He takes on the crown of King, our trial will occur. We don't know. Just as we don't know if we will die before then. We live our lives without this knowledge for a reason.

Just imagine if you knew when you would be judged for your eternal life. How many people would live their lives very differently. How many would live dangerously until their trial date drew close? How many would live dangerously after their trial? Do you see the preposterous nature of us knowing? There would be no genuine truth, no life lived for love, but constantly for self first. We don't know. We must choose to live in love, to live in Christ and His love4reytg. Our lives now are being molded for heaven. How we live now, how we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit now, is how we will be later. Our spirit with the Holy Spirit, this is our hope. 

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

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CHAPTER XIV. THE HOUR OF JUDGMENT

In his sermon at Athens, the apostle Paul said that God "hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained." Acts 17:31. 

According to this, there was a time appointed for the judgment,--a definite day when it would come. 

In Rev. 14:6, 7, the hour of judgment is announced by an angel, of whom the prophet thus speaks:--

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

In regard to this, we notice:--

1. The importance of the message. It is called the everlasting gospel. Being a part of the gospel, whenever it is given it must be heeded. But it has been asked, How can a proclamation of the judgment be any part of the gospel? 

To this we offer two answers: 

1. Every dispensation of God is gracious toward his people. But that which is gracious to the righteous may be everlasting ruin to the wicked. The Scripture says that when Noah and his family went into the ark, "the Lord shut him in." Gen. 7:16. This assured the perfect safety of Noah; but when the Lord shut him in, by the same act he shut all the others out. The psalmist praised him who "overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea; for his mercy endureth forever." Ps. 136:15. It was no mercy to Pharaoh and his host; they had forfeited the mercy of God. But it was mercy to the Lord's people; it was necessary to rescue them, if their enemies were destroyed. And so, without the judgment, God's people would never receive their reward. 

2. The question is more fully answered by showing the order and nature of the judgment. It is in truth a part of the gospel--necessary to the perfect fulfillment of the purposes and promises of God. The gospel is revealed in Isa. 61:1, 2. These verses read as follows:--  The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn." In Luke 4:16-21, we read that Jesus came to Nazareth, "and as his custom

was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and stood up for to read." Opening the book of Isaiah, he began to read chapter 61, as quoted above, and read as far as to this sentence, "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," and there abruptly stopped. Had he read the next sentence,--"and the day of vengeance of our God,"--he could not have said, as he did in verse 21, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears," because the time had not yet come to proclaim the judgment. But by this we learn that the proclamation of the judgment is a part of the gospel--but a part that was not yet fulfilled in the time of our Saviour's preaching. The apostles of the Lord took up the proclamation just as he gave it at Nazareth. Paul said, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. 6:2. But to Felix he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come--not is come. Acts 24:25. The preaching of the hour of judgment is come, was necessarily reserved to the last days, when the coming of Christ is near. It has been seen, by the prophecy of the beast with two horns (Rev. 13:11-18), that we are in the last days, and that the last message, given just before Christ comes to reap the harvest of the earth, is based on the facts that are now transpiring. 

The question then naturally arises, Has the first message, of Rev. 14:6, 7, been given? Has a proclamation been made to the world of the nature of this judgment-hour cry. It surely has; a message in this very language was proclaimed to all the world between the years 1836 and 1844. It was very extensively preached in Europe and America, and also in Asia. Publications were sent to every missionary station on the globe. Those who preached it fully believed that it was a precursor of the coming of the Lord, as it really was. Yet they did not understand the nature of the messages connected with it, and immediately following it. This message of Rev. 14:6, 7 is a message of time. It was preached as a message of time by those who proclaimed it. It is true, they overlooked the

connection, and were therefore mistaken in the events that should succeed their work. But that mistake was altogether owing to the fact that they had wrong views of the nature of the judgment itself--the very same views that are even now held by the great majority of Bible readers. It is generally believed that the judgment does not take place until the Lord comes. But a reading of this chapter must convince everyone that that idea is not correct. 

Four events are presented in this chapter, which stand in this order: 

1. The declaration that the judgment is come.

2. The cry that Babylon is fallen. 

3. The warning against the worship of the beast and his image, called the Third Angel's Message. 

4. The coming of the Lord to reap the harvest of the earth. 

This shows that the judgment comes while men are yet here on probation, and that the proclamation of its coming must be made before time closes, that men may prepare for the time when Jesus shall close his priestly work of intercession. The common view that the judgment cannot begin until after Christ comes is certainly incorrect. 

In 1 Cor. 15:42-54, it is shown that the righteous are immortalized in the resurrection. They are raised incorruptible, glorified. In the very event of the resurrection, at the sounding of the trump of God, the change from mortal to immortal takes place, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. This refers to the righteous, for they alone have part in the first resurrection. Rev. 20:4-6 says the blessed and holy have part in the first resurrection; but the rest of the dead will not live again for the space of a thousand years. Now, inasmuch as the gift of God through Christ is eternal life, and Jesus brought immortality to light through the gospel, it is absurd to suppose that these blessings will be conferred before the judgment. It is surely absurd to suppose that the great boon of immortality and eternal life would be conferred on the saints of God, and that afterward they should stand to be judged. Again, Christ is specially the advocate of his people, and it is unreasonable to suppose that he would cease his work as an advocate, an intercessor, a priest, before the decision of the judgment was rendered, and leave them to pass through the ordeal of that awful event without a priest, without an advocate. Revelation 14 proves clearly that the judgment precedes the coming of Christ and the resurrection; and the resurrection of the righteous to glory and immortality is proof that the judgment has been fully decided in their favor, while the fact that the rest of the dead remain in their graves during the one thousand years, the fact that they are not raised when the righteous are, is sufficient proof that their cases have been decided against them. They have already been counted unworthy of eternal life, and will be raised to the resurrection of damnation to suffer the second death.

This again is strongly confirmed by Rev. 22:11, 12. At a certain time the Saviour will proclaim:--

"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."

This gives the same order; every case is decided and fixed before the Lord Jesus comes to reward everyone according to his work. As far as the righteous are concerned, the judgment is fully completed before the Lord comes. But not so with the wicked; they are rejected as being unworthy of eternal life; but what shall be the measure of the punishment of each individual--whether with few or many stripes--will be decided by Christ and the saints, during the thousand years in which the unrighteous remain in the graves.  Compare Rev. 20:2-6; 1 Cor. 4:5; 6:1-3. 

Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 

Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 

1Co 4:5  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 

1Co 6:1  Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

To be continued…

The Dead Are Dust.

 We all know people who have died. '… for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.' Gen. 3:19 (GOD SAYS THE DEAD ARE DUST because man was made from dust to begin with.) 'And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground…' Gen. 2:7 The Bible also tells us the following about those sleeping in the dust of the earth (the dead) -'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. 12:2 Everlasting life or everlasting contempt.

Obviously those who are sleeping in the dust are dead people, those who have returned to the dust they were created from. They sleep in the dust, sleep until they are awakened once more.  If you sleep, you wake from sleeping having only known the time before you fell asleep, not what has occurred while you were sleeping. Many people have woken up to amazing news of things that have happened while they slept. Good things and bad things occur while we sleep, but while we are sleeping we don't know they are occurring. 

When all our dead loved ones wake from their sleep in the dust they are waking up to the reality of eternal life or eternal death. They will have one or the other. This is truth. Until that moment they are woken up they know nothing. Thousands of years could have passed from the moment of one's death and they won't have known that, and it won't have mattered. It won't be as if they are waking up to live in our modern world -they are waking up to rise to meet their LORD in the air! They are rising to go to their heavenly home!  Some might think they rise to their heavenly home upon their death - a lie perpetrated by Satan to deceive. The truth is they are rising some of them thousands, some hundreds of years after they died.  The Bible tells us this- Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:  Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.   

They without us are not made perfect and this is talking even of Abraham! Abraham will rise on the same day as anyone else who has died in the Lord. They will rise together, they will be made perfect together, they will receive their heavenly home together! There will be no mourning not having gone to heaven right upon their death some thousand, hundred, ten, a single year ago, because to them they have… they fell into death's sleep and then woke to heaven's reward, unaware of all the time in between the two facts! They've had NO concept of time passing, none! What a wondrous mystery this all is. The revelation of what death is can bring us such comfort! Comfort knowing our loved ones are truly at peace! They aren't up in heaven looking down on us as we suffer their passing. How terrible that would be. A mother in heaven having to watch her children suffer emotional agony when she dies. Maybe having to watch them be separated and placed into foster care and not good foster homes- we know there are many horror stories of terrible foster homes. Yet, people want to imagine everyone just going on to heaven upon their death, able to witness all the agonies of life below on earth. That is monstrous! That is sadistic That is such a horrific imagining, not the comforting that people have lulled themselves into believing, as Satan has spun his death's lullaby to seduce millions and millions into believing lies not truth. So many say they are comforted knowing their loved one is in heaven, a better place, a peace, not suffering, and they are there with full knowledge of the loved ones below missing them, longing for them, still loving them. How could we ever wish that upon our loved ones?! How cruel are we to want them to know of our agonies here on earth living through all the many ups and downs life throws our way. How cruel to believe our loved ones watch every single moment of our lives below, that is NOT anyone's idea of heaven or rather is should not be anyone's idea of heaven. The sad truth is, that is millions of peoples idea of heaven. God please, open the hearts and minds to truth, Your amazing truth! Please! We want only Your truth to live by!

All through the name of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST now and forever!!!!!!! Amen! 

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Resurrection of the Just and Unjust

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(EXCERPT)

The unjust will be resurrected, some object to this truth. The article we've been studying is vindicating the truth of the resurrection of the unjust- scripturally, logically. Pray for enlightenment through our Savior, by the Holy Spirit.

A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Unjust

By J.H. Waggoner 

CONTINUING STUDY….

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.

Rev. 1:7 says, "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they which pierced him." I do not know of any construction of this text which  makes its fulfillment possible without a resurrection of them that pierced him. 

Other scriptures which speak of "all" in such relation are evaded with the declaration that they only refer to all then living. But this text clearly points to his crucifiers, who shall see him at a future time, and of course must have a resurrection. 

Another positive testimony on the resurrection of the unjust is found in Rev. 20; not in a single verse only, but in the harmony of the entire chapter. The first evidence is found in verse 5. After stating that they who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, lived and reigned, it says: "But the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand years were finished." This is equivalent to a direct statement that they shall live again after the thousand years are finished.

Again, it is said of the re-living of the righteous: "This is the first resurrection." This implies that there will be a second resurrection; and, taken in connection with the previous statement and others in the chapter, it amounts to a certain affirmation that there will be a second resurrection. Again, it not only speaks of a first resurrection, and of the rest of the dead who do not live again until after a certain period, but also of "the second death" that has no power over those who are raised in the first resurrection; therefore, there will be a second death which will have power on them who have their part in the second resurrection. And this is confirmed by verses 14 and 15: "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." This is declared to be the second death. And also by chap. 2:11: "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." Three points are proved by this text. 1. There will be a second death. 2. Some will be subject to its power. 3. They will be hurt of it. And thus it appears that if we set aside Rev. 20, on the

subject of the second death, we must set aside chap. 2, also. 

And again, "death and hades delivered up the dead which were in them;" "and whosoever"-of whom? Of them that were delivered up of death and hades-"was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." This is the second death. But it is objected, if death delivered up all the dead, there was then no dead. This has only a degree of technical plausibility; in fact, there is no reason in it. Death is not destroyed while there is a sinner in existence; for the wages of sin is death, and while a sinner exists, death is ever ready to claim its own. But, on the other hand, it is a fact that when death delivers up the dead which are in it, they are not thenceforth dead until death receives them again. Death cannot deliver them up and they still remain dead. But when death receives them again in the lake of fire, which is to them the second death, then it is said that death and hades are also cast therein. For, from that time onward, even to eternity, there are no more subjects for death to prey upon. The work of death ends with the utter destruction of the wicked in the lake of fire. Now in regard to the objection that this is the only scripture that speaks of the second death, I remark that one plain declaration of Scripture is sufficient for those that "tremble at the word;" and this is in perfect harmony with the general tenor of the Scriptures, which largely bring to view a future judgment of "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, to every soul of man that doeth evil;" also there are numerous texts which plainly speak of the same things revealed in Rev. 20. A few I will notice.

John the Baptist compared the wicked to chaff, and said they should be burned up with unquenchable fire. Rev. 20 confirms this statement, and gives the time and order of the event. Mal. 4:1, 3, also speaks of the same day, when "all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up." There is nothing in Rev. 20 that is not taught here, either directly or indirectly. Directly, in that it says all the wicked shall be burned up in the day that cometh, that is in the coming or future judgment day. Indirectly, in that if all that do wickedly are burned up in that day they must have a resurrection to meet that fate. Many other declarations in the prophecies and Psalms are similar to this.  2 Pet. 3; 7-10 says the heavens and earth which are now are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men; and in that day the fire shall melt the elements and the earth. This is not figurative language. It agrees with Malachi, and embraces all that is found in Rev. 20. The earth is melted-becomes a lake of fire; it is in "the day of judgment" unto which the unjust are "reserved;" it is the day of perdition of the ungodly, because in that day, and in that lake of fire, they shall be burned up, root and branch-devoured. This destruction in the lake of fire is the second death: the only death to which their probation related; and to fulfill all and any of these scriptures a resurrection of the unjust is necessary. Paul identifies this day of judgment as "the day of wrath," in which "every soul of man that doeth evil" shall suffer "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish." Rom. 2:5-9. And Job, using the same language that Peter afterward used on the same subject, said, "The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction," and also, "they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath." Job 21:30. Language could not more forcibly express the doctrine of Rev. 20. 2 Thess. 1:9 says the wicked "shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." Not, as it has been often quoted, "banished" from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, the possibility of which I cannot conceive; but punished with everlasting destruction, which destruction comes from the presence of the Lord. This destruction is by fire, as scores of texts clearly prove. Rev. 20:9, says the same thing. "Fire"-the agent of this destruction-"came down from God out of heaven and devoured them;" destroyed them; burned them up, root and branch. David says they shall consume away into smoke as the fat of lambs. Ps. 37:20. And thus from the glorious presence of the Lord their destruction comes down. And in regard to that class embraced in "the rest of the dead," Rev. 20:5, in distinction from the blessed and holy, verse 6, and on whom the second death is said to have power, the Saviour said of them, as evil-doers, they shall come forth from the graves to the resurrection of damnation. Paul said of them, there shall be a resurrection of the unjust; and the angel spoke to Daniel of them who sleep in the dust of the earth who shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt.

To Be Continued…

I'm Not Going to Heaven...

 

Heaven's Offer.

 

Heaven's Offer…

The chance to be what we were intended to be and no longer be what we are- extremely flawed. Wanting to do good and doing it not, over and over again. 

I present to you a wondrous creature alight in the glorious brilliance of its Creator. A creature beautiful, perfect, and unique. A creature created to exist with a forever bond to its Creator- receiving only love from the Creator. A creature - not forced into bondage with its Creator. A creature not worked as a puppet. A creature allowed to choose to love and in that love remain connected to the source of love. A creature told of dire results should the Creator/creature connection be severed.  A creature unable to justify its decision by claiming ignorance. Forewarned in a way no doubt was left to the consequence of breaking the bond, they still made the decision to cut themselves off from their Creator. 

We are the descendants of the dire results. We live the lives of those severed from the Creator. We live the lives of creatures with broken bodies and minds from the moment we are born. We live with all the confusion, heartaches, pains, agonies of life because of the severed bond. 

Wonders of all inexplicable wonders- the Creator gives us a chance to be reconnected to Him! 

We are given hope!

We are given assurance right now!

We can be bonded with the Creator right now!

We can live bonded with the Creator right now!

Once reconnected we are promised an eventual ending to all the many millions of tragedies this current existence has for us.  

The future inheritance is promised right now!

One day all the creatures who decide to remain unbonded will be gone, while those who have chosen to re-bond will be given all that the very first creatures were given - the perfect existence - the perfect connection with our Creator. 

As re-bonded creatures we continue to live in a world spoiled by the severed relationship of Creator-creature, but we live now with a promised inheritance- something we cannot have without a bond with our Creator. We bond now, right now! We let our Creator know that we desire to be reconnected with Him, as one of His creatures. We tell Him we know that His plan for our reconnection was given in such a way that no one in existence can dispute the justice of salvation.

Our Creator sent the Co-Creator, the declared only begotten Son of the Creator, to live among us as one of us in a body (not mind) totally severed from any connection to Him. In that weak body the Son of the Creator lived a life filled with temptation to choose to act without love. The Son of the Creator faced every single temptation with the love of the Creator, letting the power of that love defeat all the Creator-severing acts ever possible. Living this powerful life, the Son of the Creator now had the right to redeem us, to take our loveless, Creator-severing acts upon Himself and destroy them on the cross.  We are told we need to accept the Son of the Creator's self-less act of redemption, we need to choose to love in spite of our tendencies to act in loveless ways. We need to give our lives to the Son of the Creator and repent of our loveless lives. We need to believe that He will and has forgiven us and renewed the bond between us and our Creator once more. We need to live every day with this choice acknowledged and renewed. We have a SAVIOR! We have a promise of once more being the creatures we were created to be! We have hope! 

Praise God!

Praise Jesus!

Praise the Holy Spirit!

We Are to WATCH Now!

Jesus didn't just say this--

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

I often repeat this because of the importance it has for me. Many are going to think they are Christ's, that Christ knows them, but they aren't Christ's and He  doesn't know them and they won't find out until it's too late. I DESPERATELY do not want to be numbered with those NOT knowing Jesus!

This next parable on the Kingdom of Heaven is another take on this very thing once again--

Mat 25:1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 

Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 

Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 

Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 

Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 

Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 

Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 

Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 

Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 

Mat 25:13  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 

But he answered…  verily, I say unto you, I KNOW YOU NOT.

No! I don't want to hear those words!

We are warned! This is a warning to us all.

Ten virgins were all set to go and meet the bridegroom, all ten of them were ready they all had oil in their lamps. The only difference between them was five had extra oil while the other five did not.

In fact, they all fell asleep all ten of them had to be woken up. When they all woke up five realized they didn't have enough oil in their lamps and they wanted those who had extra to give it to them, but the ones who had the extra couldn't give it to them or they'd run out. The ones with the extra told those with burned out lamps to go find someone to sell them oil.  However after they left to go find a seller the bridegroom came and the five with oil in their lamps went with him to the marriage and the door was shut.

Too late the five who did not have extra oil came back to the marriage and banged on the door wanting to be let in but it was too late and he says to them from the other side of the door…Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Now, logic tells us that the bridegroom could have known all ten virgins, they'd all been told about the marriage and all were ready to begin with. Had all ten taken extra oil they'd all gone into the marriage. That extra oil made all the difference between the bridegroom knowing and not knowing the ten virgins. That extra oil allowed five of the virgins to enter into the marriage feast. Even when the other five returned with their oil it wasn't good enough, it was too late. The window of opportunity had closed.

OUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SALVATION WILL CLOSE.

WE MUST BE PREPARED NOW!

We are told-  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 

WATCH!

The Kingdom of Heaven is available to everyone, but not everyone wants the Kingdom of Heaven, not really. Maybe in some abstract way they want it, but the reality of it isn't there.

Truthfully this is going to be a horrific reality for many-

Luk 17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 

Luk 17:27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 

Luk 17:29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:30  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 

Eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, building… life was going on as normal when sudden destruction came for those in Noah's day and in Lot's day. It will be NO different when our Savior returns.

Those who are expecting an email, text, or an emergency broadcast warning to flash across their phones, computers, televisons and such to tell them that Christ is on His way and to get ready, are going to found wanting because there isn't going to be any such thing. The warnings are all around us, we need to be ready ALWAYS not make some special pact with ourselves to get ready when we believe Christ's return is imminent- it does NOT work that way for anyone!

If you are happily and readily waiting for a guest you don't wait until they are at your door to make preparations for them.

We know Christ is going to return, we know this for a fact and we are to be ready for Him always.

It's SUCH an amazing blessing that we can't know when, it truly is! Because not knowing has given the blessing of being prepare to many generations of people that they wouldn't have really had if they believed it wouldn't be for thousands of years and most certainly not in their lifetime so just wait until it's closer to be prepared. How many would have been lost having had that mindset and lost their lives before they truly committed their lives to Christ?

The not knowing is truly a blessing enabling us to be ready ALWAYS. And if we don't want to be ready always do we truly even want to ever be Christ's or is it some mind game we play with ourselves?

We need to WATCH now, right NOW.

Please, Lord, let us WATCH NOW.

Is Heaven Shut to You?

Heaven can be shut.

Shutting Heaven, now there is a concept I believe many would be horrified to contemplate. Already anyone who has read this is probably thinking there is no way heaven can be shut to anyone, but it's true, and they are not my words, but the words of God.

Mat_23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

You shut up the kingdom of Heaven.

You don't go in yourself.

You don't let anyone else go in.

How could the scribes and Pharisees do such a thing?! We comprehend how people can choose of their own accord not to go to heaven, but to stop others, those who are entering to go in?! About now you're thinking thank goodness we don't have scribes and Pharisees any more. Truthfully though, there are a lot of people who through deceit and spiritual treachery have shut heaven to many people. The door is shut and a lot of people don't even realize it and when they do, it will be too late. They are positive in their minds that when the Lord returns and heaven is to finally be the home of all who are asleep in Christ or alive in Christ when He returns, that they are going to be among them.

The Kingdom of Heaven as we've learned is promised to those who choose God, who choose salvation, who live for God in truth, in sincerity. David, a beloved of God still sleeps in His grave unaware of the passing of time waiting for the return of Christ to earth to call him to be with Him and make heaven his home. The Bible tells us this.

Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens

And not only is David still sleeping death's sleep but so are the following-

Heb 11:4 By faith Abel …

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah…

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham…

Heb 11:20 By faith Isaac…

Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob…

Heb 11:22 By faith Joseph…

Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab…

Heb 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

THEY RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE.

But they WILL receive the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first

The kingdom of heaven will be open to all who belong to Christ, but to those who do not… it will be shut.

Jesus' words…

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Heaven will be shut.

The scribes and Pharisees are deceivers. And today there are MANY who follow in their footsteps- seemingly pillars of the community, leaders of the church. They are those who shut the kingdom of heaven - teaching and guiding others with lies! Deceiving those who listen to them into believing they have truth when they have none. Teaching them that truth does not matter, tradition mean more than truth- LIES!

Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mar 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Mar 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

How many traditions of man have been passed down through the years that have caused the word of God to have no effect on a person's heart? How many traditions are followed right now today, in place of following the truth in the Word of God. How many are going to lose out on the Kingdom of Heaven preached by our Savior because they would rather hold fast traditions just like the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day?

Yes, the way to heaven can be shut and will be shut to many people because their hearts are not truly with God and His will, but with the traditions of man and their own will.

According to our world today and popular opinion almost all people go to heaven immediately upon dying. And I have to shout that out because almost ALL people have loved ones -even the worst of people have those who believe they are in heaven. These are lies based on the traditions of man and find no solid exegetical basis in the Word of God. Yet the Word of God tells us FEW are going to find the narrow way. The Word of God tells us that MANY are going to think they are God's but they aren't. With these truths we would do well to open the Word of God and study like we've never studied before. Pray like never before, and seek truth like never before. We need to have the eye salve given to us by Christ so that the truth may penetrate through the scales of man's traditions blinding us. Please, LORD, please! Open our eyes! Give us the truth! We would be YOURS, we want You to KNOW US! Please Lord, in the day of Your return we want to be called to meet You in the air! We do NOT want to hear the words to get away from You!! Please, Lord, please! Open the Kingdom of Heaven to us! Please! Your will be DONE now and forever!

Kingdom Longing.

A king, a wedding for a Son, invited guests. These are all things we can relate to and this is why Jesus was using a parable to expound yet again on the message He came to give to people- the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus' ministry is all about the Kingdom of Heaven and His preparing a way for people to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus revealed the way to the kingdom through Himself.  If we are to only live for this awful world we are born into then we would have no hope. Living for the Kingdom of Heaven is our hope for life as we know we were intended to live. You know and I know that the miseries of life far outweigh the joys. We know that the pains of living seem to last much longer than the joys of living. We comprehend especially as we grow older and older that our joyful, truly misspent youth is fleeting while our aging selves linger on and on feeling the heavy weight of this sinful world. So much time and effort, so much money is spent trying to recapture youth to drag our youth with us into our aging. The saying goes you're only as old as you think, or when you stop doing childish things you grow old, there are many such sayings that tout youth over aging because most of us felt better in our younger years.  Some even skip the young adult longing and go right to the child's longing where there are little to no responsibilities to take on. Longing for the days of youth and we do this because we are seeking a time in our lives that is more bearable than the time we exist in now and foresee we will be existing in the future. We want better! And we want this instinctively! We want this because we know there has to be a better way than what exists for us now.

The Kingdom of Heaven exists for us in promise, a believable promise made comprehensible as reality through prophetic means. God has given us all the proof any of us would ever need to comprehend the reality of His coming kingdom. And there is no wonder at all why He tells us to set our affections there in heaven and not here on earth.

More study on the following parable tomorrow- by the grace and will of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!

Mat 22:1  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 

Mat 22:2  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 

Mat 22:3  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 

Mat 22:4  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 

Mat 22:5  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 

Mat 22:6  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 

Mat 22:7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 

Mat 22:8  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 

Mat 22:9  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 

Mat 22:10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 

Mat 22:11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 

Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 

Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen. 

Err On the Side of Forgiveness.

Mat 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 

Mat 18:24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 

Mat 18:25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 

Mat 18:26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 

Mat 18:27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 

Mat 18:28  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 

Mat 18:29  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 

Mat 18:30  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 

Mat 18:31  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 

Mat 18:32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 

Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 

Mat 18:34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 

Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. 

The Kingdom of Heaven- Forgiveness.

We repent.

We recognize our wrong doing. We comprehend that the wrong doing hurts God, and causes a separation between us and Him. We don't want that separation between us so we ask to be forgiven for that wrong. We want the One who has the power to give us forgiveness to forgive us and take the separation away. God forgives. We are no longer separated by that sin, that wrong against God.

The parable above talks about a man forgiving his servant a great debt owed to him.

Then the forgiven man seeks out another man and chooses not to forgive him for a wrong done to him.

The man who forgave his servant finds out that the one he forgave is not forgiving in return and this makes him angry and punishes the unforgiving man.

God forgive us our great debt.

We MUST forgive others their debts.

The incredible kindness that cannot be repaid that was done to us, we need to do for others to whatever degree we can.

This goes hand in hand with the following-

Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

We are forgiven as we forgive.

This isn't an easy thing to learn, to realize, to make a part of our lives. So many people hurt other people all the time- intentionally and unintentionally. People just like us hurting God through our sins. We don't want to hurt God through our sins, yet we find it so incredibly hard to keep from sinning. Those who hurt us by their wrongdoings most likely a lot of the time are in the same position of not wanting to hurt us, but their actions that hurt us are too compelling to stop. Do we forgive once? Yes. Do we forgive twice? Yes. Do we forgive seven times? Yes. Do we forgive endlessly? Yes.  Yes, we do. We forgive and we keep forgiving because we know we too need endless forgiveness.

Is endless forgiveness an excuse to willfully sin, to embrace the desire to sin without reservation, to take the sin and make it a part of our lives until it no longer is even recognized as sin? No. Forgiveness comes from repentance, a desire to no longer sin. If others aren't seeking forgiveness for their sins against us- we can still forgive them. We can't make others recognize their sins against us as being such. We can't stop others from doing things that hurt us. We can't control anyone else and we mustn't think we should be able to. God does not force us to obey Him, not ever.

We forgive because we need forgiveness and not from the one we are forgiving, but from the One who can forgive us perfectly. His compassion must be answered by our compassion. The forgiveness He gives us shows us how to forgive. He doesn't make us earn forgiveness. He knows how fallible we are and hasn't put a limit on the number of times He'll forgive us. Each case is individually based, He knows the heart. While we can't know the heart of another, only what they reveal to us in word and actions, we must err on the side of forgiveness, always.

By His Grace.

Humble, Teachable, Without Malice.

Mat_18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat_18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Mar 10:13  And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 

Mar 10:14  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 

Mar 10:15  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 

Mar 10:16  And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. 

1Co 14:20  Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 

A little child. I have had occasion recently to be around little children and I'm going to consider at what age a child is no longer humble. From birth to a year old a child is without the ability to reason, right? They are developing personalities but their ability to make informed choices doesn't exist. They are being taught though, even at that age. A six month old child picks up a bit of food off the high chair tray and throws it on the floor. The one feeding the child might gently scold them, telling them not to do that. Of course they'll most like use baby language- their tone of voice will change and they'll look at the child wide eyed and perhaps overly exaggerating their stern expression and say, "No, no, we don't throw food."  Will the child understand right away? No. But as the months go by and the reprimanding continues they will learn. Once a child is at the age of knowing that it is wrong to throw food and the comprehension of that fact is known, after that the child still must be taught and grow into the knowledge of the importance of listening to its parents commands. It's a process. You don't expect one year old's to behave like two year old's. and you don't expect two year old's to behave like three year old's and so on. Each year you expect more comprehension and with that you expect obedience to evolve from the comprehension.  They say children will test boundaries and it's true. They will test them to learn what a parent is truly going to enforce and what they won't enforce, or are lax on enforcing. Can they get away with food throwing when their parent is overly tired? Can they get away with food throwing when their parent is preoccupied and even once the parent realizes what was done, the scolding is much lighter than had they witness the tossing of food. These are things that are subtlety learned and mostly not with much real thought- NOT until the child is older and begins to think in terms of being able to get away with bad behavior. A one year old might not quite be at that stage, but you know they are learning. A two year old - well they call it terrible twos, why? Because the child is learning quickly and testing boundaries to continue to learn.

The other night I was around a three year old and they are a handful. However, they are clearly teachable. They might not comprehend fully that their actions might harm them, as they use the blind enthusiasm to play and interact with others- but they are learning. Are they humble?  I have to say to a degree they are. The outright bold defiance is taking shape, but there is still an openness to being taught readily.

I suppose my bottom line here is the humble child is a very young child, unless they are of a certain temperament that people might call shy and quiet. A young five year old child of a humble temperament will be nothing like the young five year old child of a high-spirited temperament.

To be like a child, and to know that in semi-parable state the Kingdom of Heaven is made up of the humble child-like, is to realize the humble child is one who is teachable. The humble child is one who learns right from wrong and chooses right. The humble child is one who is eager to recognize the love of their parent.

Little children were forbidden by the disciples to go to Jesus but Jesus corrected them quickly.

Mat_18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat_18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

1Co 14:20  Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 

Converted into being AS little children-humble, without malice.

Our adult understanding remains, but the malice in us is as a child's before they learn true intention towards evil.

Encarta Dictionary Definition-

Malice

1. Wish to do harm- the intention or desire to cause harm or pain to somebody
2. Intent to do harm- law the intention to commit an unlawful and unjustifiable act that will result in harm to another

Little children, and I'm emphasizing the 'little', for the most part those who aren't perhaps functioning with mental, emotional deficits- do not wish to harm or to cause others any pain. You might hear of the occasional and what used to be rare child who will begin to harm others with the intent to do so, but we usually don't recognize that in a very young child.

We are to be as the child who is without malice, humble, teachable, and yet we are to be as adults in comprehension.

To be this way we truly need a constant conversion experience into the new life of being born again daily- as we die to self daily. We have to comprehend all the malice in us, all the things that rise in us that are clearly not of that child-like humbleness need to be surrendered over and over to the will of God. We understand the wrongness in our selfish, self-centered, self-focused, self-pleasing state of being and strive to be otherwise by the power of God through the Holy Spirit.

God, please, help us to be as the humble child, children in malice and not one who lacks humbleness and has allowed malice to rise up in themselves. Help us to love as You love, give as You gave, live as You lived, we cannot do this on our own. We have an enemy that knows down to the tiniest detail the things it takes to get the malice to rise up in us, to take us from the state of humbleness into the haughtiness that keeps us from full surrender. Please, Father in Heaven, please, keep us from evil in every way. We know You can't take us out of this awful world where evil surrounds us, but You can keep us from partaking in that evil, it is in Your power- Jesus prayed to You for this very thing and we pray for it too. Keep us from Evil, deliver us from Evil- all Evil.

Kingdom Treasure.

Mat 13:44  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 

Sell all that you have.

If we sell all that we have to buy something else, that something else must be worth a lot to us, right? I most certainly would not sell all my possessions on a gamble, but I might for a sure thing. Notice how I said, might. This is how awful possessions can be in our lives. I know you possibly will shake your head and say, "Only crazy people taken over by cults or delusion would sell all their possessions and be left with nothing."  And you know what? You're right. We are never being asked to sell all that we have in exchange for nothing. The parable above tells of a man finding a treasure, a hidden treasure that no one knows about. He discovers this treasure in a field that is for sale. Quickly he hides the fact he found a treasure in that field. Obviously it isn't a treasure he can simply dig up and take away to hide among his other possessions. This treasure has to be too big to cart away undetected, or even detected. I know if I found a small treasure in a field it would be very easy for me to just take that small treasure with me when I left the field, I would not need to buy the whole field.

This man hides the treasure he finds, most likely by reburying it and making things look as normal as possible so no one else can get to the treasure. He hides it from everyone. Then he goes and takes everything he owns worth anything and begins to sell it all. Once he's done selling everything he owns he takes that money and buys the field. He buys that field knowing there is a treasure there greater than all his former possessions.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hid in a field. 

The worth of the Kingdom of Heaven is so great we should do all we can- sell all the obstacles in our way in order to obtain that treasure.  When the man bought the field, he bought the hidden treasure with the field. We need to seek first…

Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness

Seeking the Kingdom of Heaven because it is the greatest treasure in existence worth more than everything we could ever own - more than the richest person in the entire world could ever own - this is how precious the Kingdom of Heaven is.

The Kingdom of Heaven- found in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Lord please help me to understand this parable so that I may cherish the Kingdom of Heaven and comprehend its worth. Please, open my heart and mind which are so clouded with my inane worries. Please, don't let Satan have his way in my life as he seeks to devour me to keep me from You. Help me to trust in You for all things. Please, Lord, save me! Please, Lord, I long for the Kingdom of Heaven-  Your righteousness! You!