Hebrews
{11:7} By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
What faith! God warned Noah and Noah acted out of faith. Noah became an heir of RIGHTEOUSNESS by FAITH.
{11:8} By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. {11:9} By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: {11:10} For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.
Abraham looked for a city with a foundation whose builder and maker is God!
Do we look for such a city? By faith he lived with promises.
{11:11} Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
All physical fact made it IMPOSSIBLE for Sarah to conceive a child, Impossible, not just unlikely but Impossible! Faith gave Sara strength and she conceived and delivered a baby past the age of being able to do so. Faith.
{11:12} Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
The child born by faith was the continuation of a nation of people, a whole nation born by faith, a nation that wouldn't have existed without faith. How special is that?
{11:13} These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them,] and embraced [them,] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
If you were promised to be a father of a nation and only saw a few generations out from your own would you believe there could be a nation from those few generations? As a rule, no. Who foresees a whole nation from their own offspring? Yes, there is generation after generation after generation. I've gone back through my family tree on my father's side and yes, I can see how extensively it branches out to the point you almost feel as if you could be related to just about anyone. A nation. Yes, a nation for God. The promise given, the promise believed, the promise realized even when you don't live to see it.
{11:14} For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. {11:15} And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. {11:16} But now they desire a better [country,] that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Amazing! Desiring a better country, a heavenly home prepared by God. They knew this earth was just a temporary dwelling place that one day they would be heirs to the city made by God Himself, faith gives them and us the promise of the city.
Faith.
They didn't see the city yet they believed.By faith we live.Faith the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith gives us the hope we need to see that city made by God. Faith.
May our faith increase always. May our lack of faith be helped as we seek our Savior the only One that can help us.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Hebrews 11 B - Our faith follows us to eternity
Hebrews
{11:1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.{11:2} For by it the elders obtained a good report.
{11:3} Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Scientists try to explain everything away with their proofs. Their lack of faith leads them to many theories and few facts. They suppose things to be one way, or another way, but whatever way it is they often refuse to bring faith anywhere near their beliefs because they want only tangible proofs here and now. They can't believe in a higher power because that would mean a leap of faith. They only want the explicable.
Through faith we understand-that the worlds were framed by the word of God-so that things which are seen-were not made of things which do appear.
Yes, things will give the appearance of proofs, Scientist will tell us the explosions of the various cosmic bits some how created our planet, our solar system and here we are. Humans rising up out the primordial mud evolving from fish, into higher lifeforms, and eventually from apes. They'll explain it all and with their carbon dating systems they'll go on to show the various bits of the earth and such are millions, trillions of years old. They'll give the appearance of things being one way and it will leave out God altogether. No faith at all.
We who believe in God however, understand that the worlds were framed by His word. He is the Creator.
By faith we believe.
{11:4} By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Our actions follow us to eternity. Our faith follows us to eternity.
{11:5} By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
{11:6} But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him:] for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith enables us to believe that God is.
Faith enables us to believe that God has always been.
Faith enables us to believe that God will always be.
God will reward those that seek him.
Seeking God.
Numbers 15:39 '...ye seek not after your own heart and yourown eyes,...'
Duet. {4:29} But if from thence thoushalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find [him,] if thouseek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
1 Chron. {16:10} Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart ofthem rejoice that seek the LORD. {16:11} Seek the LORDand his strength, seek his face continually.
1 Chron. {22:19} Now set your heart and your soulto seek the LORD your God
1 Chron. 28:8 '...keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD yourGod...'
1 Chron. {28:9} And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God ofthy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with awilling mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, andunderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thouseek him, he will be found of thee
2 Chron. 15:2 '...The LORD [is] with you, while ye be with him; and if yeseek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, hewill forsake you.'
2 Chron. {15:12} And they entered into acovenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with alltheir heart and with all their soul
2 Chron. {19:3} Nevertheless there are goodthings found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the grovesout of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
2 Chron. {20:3} And Jehoshaphat feared,and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fastthroughout all Judah. {20:4} And Judah gatheredthemselves together, to ask [help] of the LORD: even out ofall the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
2 Chron. 30:18 '...The good LORD pardon every one {30:19} [That]prepareth his heart to seek God,...'
2 Chron. {31:20} And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, andwrought [that which was] good and right and truth beforethe LORD his God. {31:21} And in every work that hebegan in the service of the house of God, and in the law,and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did [it] withall his heart, and prospered.
Job {5:8} I would seek unto God, and unto Godwould I commit my cause
Luke {11:9} And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall begiven you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall beopened unto you.
Luke {12:31} But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and allthese things shall be added unto you
John {8:49} Jesusanswered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and yedo dishonour me. {8:50} And I seek not mine own glory
Col. {3:1} If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those thingswhich are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand ofGod. {3:2} Set your affection on things above, not on thingson the earth.
Let us seek the Lord with all our hearts!
By His mercy and grace, by faith.
Amen
{11:1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.{11:2} For by it the elders obtained a good report.
{11:3} Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Scientists try to explain everything away with their proofs. Their lack of faith leads them to many theories and few facts. They suppose things to be one way, or another way, but whatever way it is they often refuse to bring faith anywhere near their beliefs because they want only tangible proofs here and now. They can't believe in a higher power because that would mean a leap of faith. They only want the explicable.
Through faith we understand-that the worlds were framed by the word of God-so that things which are seen-were not made of things which do appear.
Yes, things will give the appearance of proofs, Scientist will tell us the explosions of the various cosmic bits some how created our planet, our solar system and here we are. Humans rising up out the primordial mud evolving from fish, into higher lifeforms, and eventually from apes. They'll explain it all and with their carbon dating systems they'll go on to show the various bits of the earth and such are millions, trillions of years old. They'll give the appearance of things being one way and it will leave out God altogether. No faith at all.
We who believe in God however, understand that the worlds were framed by His word. He is the Creator.
By faith we believe.
{11:4} By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Our actions follow us to eternity. Our faith follows us to eternity.
{11:5} By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
{11:6} But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him:] for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith enables us to believe that God is.
Faith enables us to believe that God has always been.
Faith enables us to believe that God will always be.
God will reward those that seek him.
Seeking God.
Numbers 15:39 '...ye seek not after your own heart and yourown eyes,...'
Duet. {4:29} But if from thence thoushalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find [him,] if thouseek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
1 Chron. {16:10} Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart ofthem rejoice that seek the LORD. {16:11} Seek the LORDand his strength, seek his face continually.
1 Chron. {22:19} Now set your heart and your soulto seek the LORD your God
1 Chron. 28:8 '...keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD yourGod...'
1 Chron. {28:9} And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God ofthy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with awilling mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, andunderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thouseek him, he will be found of thee
2 Chron. 15:2 '...The LORD [is] with you, while ye be with him; and if yeseek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, hewill forsake you.'
2 Chron. {15:12} And they entered into acovenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with alltheir heart and with all their soul
2 Chron. {19:3} Nevertheless there are goodthings found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the grovesout of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
2 Chron. {20:3} And Jehoshaphat feared,and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fastthroughout all Judah. {20:4} And Judah gatheredthemselves together, to ask [help] of the LORD: even out ofall the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
2 Chron. 30:18 '...The good LORD pardon every one {30:19} [That]prepareth his heart to seek God,...'
2 Chron. {31:20} And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, andwrought [that which was] good and right and truth beforethe LORD his God. {31:21} And in every work that hebegan in the service of the house of God, and in the law,and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did [it] withall his heart, and prospered.
Job {5:8} I would seek unto God, and unto Godwould I commit my cause
Luke {11:9} And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall begiven you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall beopened unto you.
Luke {12:31} But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and allthese things shall be added unto you
John {8:49} Jesusanswered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and yedo dishonour me. {8:50} And I seek not mine own glory
Col. {3:1} If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those thingswhich are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand ofGod. {3:2} Set your affection on things above, not on thingson the earth.
Let us seek the Lord with all our hearts!
By His mercy and grace, by faith.
Amen
Friday, February 6, 2009
Our Temporal Existence Hebrews 11:1
Hebrews
{11:1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Believing without tangible evidence.Hoping.
We tell people we have faith in them. When we say we have faith in someone we are telling them that we believe in them. What do we believe about them? We believe in the goodness of them. We believe that what they say is true. People can even have faith in bad people that they'll come through with their *bad* acts. They believe they'll come through, they have faith. They hope.
People lose faith when those they're believing in fail to prove trustworthy.
The thing with God is the big picture. The overall plan is always in affect. We can't separate God from His plan. We can't pick apart life and put it into our own level, our own life span. God is eternal, we are temporal with the potential for eternity.
People lose faith in God when they bring Him down to our temporal lives and pull Him from eternity. We say God has failed to prove trustworthy when our temporal existence ends up being horrific, painful, seemingly impossible to bear. God doesn't offer us in our temporal lives peace and ease, health, wealth, happiness. We bring Him down to our level and we accuse him of being unfaithful, untrustworthy, of going back on His promises when it is all untrue. He promises us eternity through faith, not eternity based on what we perceive as acts proving Him worthy of our faith here and not in our temporal existence.
We try to bring God down to our level because we stop thinking about eternity. We limit ourselves to today, tomorrow, a week, month,year, several years, our lifetime and it's average span. We compartmentalize our lives into phases. From about ten years on we are focused on the future we have- what will we do with our lives? Graduate High School, go to college, get a job, find a partner, start a family, plan for the family, plan for many years of existing and then plan for our death. Our lives have a beginning and an end and we have no control when either happens. Suddenly we just are and we know nothing before our own existence except through history, through what we are told. We exist and we don't know when our existence will end. We hope to have a long existence but in truth, we live under the shadow of death always. We will die, we just don't know when.
When we believe in God we are saying we believe in a life more meaningful than the one we are offered here and now. No matter how full the life is, or how empty, God offers us a life beyond that here and now. He offers us hope. When we grasp that hope we use faith to make it real to us and incorporate it into our lives.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things not seen.
We can't bring God down to our level, we have to raise our hopes to Him. He has eternity and He offers it to us. Faith goes beyond our lives it has to or else 'this is as good as it gets'. We get glimpses of eternity but in the end-- we have to have faith to grasp it all.
Hebrews {11:1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
{11:1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Believing without tangible evidence.Hoping.
We tell people we have faith in them. When we say we have faith in someone we are telling them that we believe in them. What do we believe about them? We believe in the goodness of them. We believe that what they say is true. People can even have faith in bad people that they'll come through with their *bad* acts. They believe they'll come through, they have faith. They hope.
People lose faith when those they're believing in fail to prove trustworthy.
The thing with God is the big picture. The overall plan is always in affect. We can't separate God from His plan. We can't pick apart life and put it into our own level, our own life span. God is eternal, we are temporal with the potential for eternity.
People lose faith in God when they bring Him down to our temporal lives and pull Him from eternity. We say God has failed to prove trustworthy when our temporal existence ends up being horrific, painful, seemingly impossible to bear. God doesn't offer us in our temporal lives peace and ease, health, wealth, happiness. We bring Him down to our level and we accuse him of being unfaithful, untrustworthy, of going back on His promises when it is all untrue. He promises us eternity through faith, not eternity based on what we perceive as acts proving Him worthy of our faith here and not in our temporal existence.
We try to bring God down to our level because we stop thinking about eternity. We limit ourselves to today, tomorrow, a week, month,year, several years, our lifetime and it's average span. We compartmentalize our lives into phases. From about ten years on we are focused on the future we have- what will we do with our lives? Graduate High School, go to college, get a job, find a partner, start a family, plan for the family, plan for many years of existing and then plan for our death. Our lives have a beginning and an end and we have no control when either happens. Suddenly we just are and we know nothing before our own existence except through history, through what we are told. We exist and we don't know when our existence will end. We hope to have a long existence but in truth, we live under the shadow of death always. We will die, we just don't know when.
When we believe in God we are saying we believe in a life more meaningful than the one we are offered here and now. No matter how full the life is, or how empty, God offers us a life beyond that here and now. He offers us hope. When we grasp that hope we use faith to make it real to us and incorporate it into our lives.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things not seen.
We can't bring God down to our level, we have to raise our hopes to Him. He has eternity and He offers it to us. Faith goes beyond our lives it has to or else 'this is as good as it gets'. We get glimpses of eternity but in the end-- we have to have faith to grasp it all.
Hebrews {11:1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
A mere stepping stone to eternity Hebrews 10 C
Hebrews {10:30} For we know him that hath said, Vengeance[belongeth] unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. Andagain, The Lord shall judge his people. {10:31} [It is] afearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.{10:32} But call to remembrance the former days, in which,after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight ofafflictions{10:33} Partly, whilst ye were made agazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly,whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.{10:34} For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, andtook joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing inyourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduringsubstance. {10:35} Cast not away therefore yourconfidence, which hath great recompence of reward.{10:36} For ye have need of patience, that, after ye havedone the will of God, ye might receive the promise. {10:37}For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, andwill not tarry. {10:38} Now the just shall live by faith: but if[any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure inhim. {10:39} But we are not of them who draw back untoperdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
*Not just back in the day of Jesus, not just back in the day of the apostles, not just back in the day of the reformation, not just back in your great grandparents day, not just back in your grandparents day, not just back in your parents day... you get the idea, it's not just for others this was written, it's a timeless message.
We can't cast away our confidence. We have need of patience. We need to do the will of God. Jesus will come in the fullness of time, he will.
We have to live by faith.
We can't draw back...we can't return to a former life, to a former covenant, to things the way they were. Once we are enlightened we can't become unenlightened. The tempter will tempt us to give up, to lose patience, to lose faith. Satan will do all in his power to try and get us away from God. He'll fight for you because he hates to lose even one person to God's love.
We won't draw back! We won't give up! We will hold fast to Jesus! Our lives may be pure living hell here and now, but we have to cling to Jesus for our future life with Him, the life that really matters, the life everlasting. All things here are temporary, all things here will pass, the good, the bad...all of it is temporary and fleeting in the grand scheme of things. What we call a lifetime is a mere stepping stone to eternity and it's for eternity we must keep our faith, that we must hold fast and not draw back.
May the Lord bless and keep us now and forever in Him, by His amazing grace and love, His mercy and forgiveness.
Amen.
*Not just back in the day of Jesus, not just back in the day of the apostles, not just back in the day of the reformation, not just back in your great grandparents day, not just back in your grandparents day, not just back in your parents day... you get the idea, it's not just for others this was written, it's a timeless message.
We can't cast away our confidence. We have need of patience. We need to do the will of God. Jesus will come in the fullness of time, he will.
We have to live by faith.
We can't draw back...we can't return to a former life, to a former covenant, to things the way they were. Once we are enlightened we can't become unenlightened. The tempter will tempt us to give up, to lose patience, to lose faith. Satan will do all in his power to try and get us away from God. He'll fight for you because he hates to lose even one person to God's love.
We won't draw back! We won't give up! We will hold fast to Jesus! Our lives may be pure living hell here and now, but we have to cling to Jesus for our future life with Him, the life that really matters, the life everlasting. All things here are temporary, all things here will pass, the good, the bad...all of it is temporary and fleeting in the grand scheme of things. What we call a lifetime is a mere stepping stone to eternity and it's for eternity we must keep our faith, that we must hold fast and not draw back.
May the Lord bless and keep us now and forever in Him, by His amazing grace and love, His mercy and forgiveness.
Amen.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Hebrews 10 B
Hebrews {10:15}[Whereof] the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for afterthat he had said before, {10:16} This [is] the covenant that Iwill make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I willput my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I writethem; {10:17} And their sins and iniquities will I rememberno more. {10:18} Now where remission of these [is, thereis] no more offering for sin.
*The Holy Ghost is witness to us.
This is the covenant that I will make with them...
I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them.
If something is in your heart and mind then it's safe to say it's in your very life, your day to day life. When we don't have anything on our mind we certainly aren't thinking about anything. When we don't have something in our hearts it's not our passion. When we do have something on our mind we are thinking of it and if it's in our heart it's our great passion. Having something put into your heart and mind encompasses all of your cognitive, emotional being. From our thoughts we have our actions, our way of life. If I'm passionate about my family then my actions will show that, won't they? If I'm absorbed in my job likewise my actions will reveal that. If I'm totally selfish and completely obsessed with seeking out pleasure and good times wherever I can find them, you know that the way I act will reveal such a thing.
1 Chron. {29:17} I know also, my God, thatthou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As forme, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offeredall these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people,which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. {29:18}O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers,keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of theheart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee
*David's prayer. 'Keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, prepare their heart unto thee.'
Proverbs {3:1} My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keepmy commandments: {3:2} For length of days, and long life,and peace, shall they add to thee. {3:3} Let not mercy andtruth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write themupon the table of thine heart: {3:4} So shalt thou find favourand good understanding in the sight of God and man.
*write them on the table of thine heart
Psalms {119:80} Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
Psalms {51:10} Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spiritwithin me.
{57:7} My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing andgive praise.
*We need God's laws in our hearts, in our minds, our lives. The laws need to be real to us as we live our day to day lives.
{10:17} And their sins and iniquities will I rememberno more. {10:18} Now where remission of these [is, thereis] no more offering for sin.
*Through Jesus and only Jesus can we be given a heart and mind filled with all that He is, a heart that doesn't need burnt offerings, that doesn't need animal sacrifices to seek the forgiveness we need. One day all our sins will be forgotten, covered by the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ our Savior. He is the only offering for sin and His death is sufficient for all.
{10:19} Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter intothe holiest by the blood of Jesus, {10:20} By a new andliving way, which he hath consecrated for us, through theveil, that is to say, his flesh; {10:21} And [having] an highpriest over the house of God; {10:22} Let us draw near witha true heart in full assurance of faith, having our heartssprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washedwith pure water. {10:23} Let us hold fast the profession of[our] faith without wavering; (for he is faithful thatpromised;) {10:24} And let us consider one another toprovoke unto love and to good works: {10:25} Notforsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as themanner of some [is;] but exhorting [one another:] and somuch the more, as ye see the day approaching. {10:26} Forif we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledgeof the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,{10:27} But a certain fearful looking for of judgment andfiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.{10:28} He that despised Moses’ law died without mercyunder two or three witnesses: {10:29} Of how much sorerpunishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, whohath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath countedthe blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, anunholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
*Hold fast. Believe. Provoke each other to good works. Without faith we cannot be saved.
Heb. {11:6} Butwithout faith [it is] impossible to please [him:] for he thatcometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is arewarder of them that diligently seek him.
*We have to believe that we will be saved by Christ. We can't turn our backs on the Holy Spirit, we can't turn our backs on the truth that is found in Christ, that He and He alone is able to save us from our sins. We have to keep looking to Him always. If we look to ourselves we will never be saved.
Under the old covenant men were taken and killed when they defied the laws of God. Under the new covenant men will suffer eternal death if they do not accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for them. Despising the Holy Spirit which is full of grace and mercy, believing the blood shed by God's only Son meaningless and of no importance, no good, unholy... only eternal death waits for those.
May the Lord God bless and keep us now and forever by the grace and mercy of His Son Jesus Christ our Savior, through the power of the Holy Spirit may we through faith in Jesus live in His truth, with His laws written on our hearts and minds.
Amen.
*The Holy Ghost is witness to us.
This is the covenant that I will make with them...
I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them.
If something is in your heart and mind then it's safe to say it's in your very life, your day to day life. When we don't have anything on our mind we certainly aren't thinking about anything. When we don't have something in our hearts it's not our passion. When we do have something on our mind we are thinking of it and if it's in our heart it's our great passion. Having something put into your heart and mind encompasses all of your cognitive, emotional being. From our thoughts we have our actions, our way of life. If I'm passionate about my family then my actions will show that, won't they? If I'm absorbed in my job likewise my actions will reveal that. If I'm totally selfish and completely obsessed with seeking out pleasure and good times wherever I can find them, you know that the way I act will reveal such a thing.
1 Chron. {29:17} I know also, my God, thatthou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As forme, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offeredall these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people,which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. {29:18}O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers,keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of theheart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee
*David's prayer. 'Keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, prepare their heart unto thee.'
Proverbs {3:1} My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keepmy commandments: {3:2} For length of days, and long life,and peace, shall they add to thee. {3:3} Let not mercy andtruth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write themupon the table of thine heart: {3:4} So shalt thou find favourand good understanding in the sight of God and man.
*write them on the table of thine heart
Psalms {119:80} Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
Psalms {51:10} Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spiritwithin me.
{57:7} My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing andgive praise.
*We need God's laws in our hearts, in our minds, our lives. The laws need to be real to us as we live our day to day lives.
{10:17} And their sins and iniquities will I rememberno more. {10:18} Now where remission of these [is, thereis] no more offering for sin.
*Through Jesus and only Jesus can we be given a heart and mind filled with all that He is, a heart that doesn't need burnt offerings, that doesn't need animal sacrifices to seek the forgiveness we need. One day all our sins will be forgotten, covered by the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ our Savior. He is the only offering for sin and His death is sufficient for all.
{10:19} Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter intothe holiest by the blood of Jesus, {10:20} By a new andliving way, which he hath consecrated for us, through theveil, that is to say, his flesh; {10:21} And [having] an highpriest over the house of God; {10:22} Let us draw near witha true heart in full assurance of faith, having our heartssprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washedwith pure water. {10:23} Let us hold fast the profession of[our] faith without wavering; (for he is faithful thatpromised;) {10:24} And let us consider one another toprovoke unto love and to good works: {10:25} Notforsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as themanner of some [is;] but exhorting [one another:] and somuch the more, as ye see the day approaching. {10:26} Forif we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledgeof the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,{10:27} But a certain fearful looking for of judgment andfiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.{10:28} He that despised Moses’ law died without mercyunder two or three witnesses: {10:29} Of how much sorerpunishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, whohath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath countedthe blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, anunholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
*Hold fast. Believe. Provoke each other to good works. Without faith we cannot be saved.
Heb. {11:6} Butwithout faith [it is] impossible to please [him:] for he thatcometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is arewarder of them that diligently seek him.
*We have to believe that we will be saved by Christ. We can't turn our backs on the Holy Spirit, we can't turn our backs on the truth that is found in Christ, that He and He alone is able to save us from our sins. We have to keep looking to Him always. If we look to ourselves we will never be saved.
Under the old covenant men were taken and killed when they defied the laws of God. Under the new covenant men will suffer eternal death if they do not accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for them. Despising the Holy Spirit which is full of grace and mercy, believing the blood shed by God's only Son meaningless and of no importance, no good, unholy... only eternal death waits for those.
May the Lord God bless and keep us now and forever by the grace and mercy of His Son Jesus Christ our Savior, through the power of the Holy Spirit may we through faith in Jesus live in His truth, with His laws written on our hearts and minds.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Hebrews 10 A
{10:1} For the law having a shadow of good things tocome, [and] not the very image of the things, can never withthose sacrifices which they offered year by year continuallymake the comers thereunto perfect.
*It's true. Year after year people had to afflict their souls while their sins were once more cleansed from the Sanctuary they'd been placed upon. Even then, that very night, that very hour, that very minute after the cleansing sin was there again. Some impure thought worthy of being called sin was committed because sin still existed and was not done away with. The sacrifical system was once more in need. The sanctuary service was the law and it was a shadow of the reality. Sin being cleansed forever. Men and God be reconciled forever. People could never be fully reconciled to God as long as the sacrificial sanctuary service- the shadow of things to come was in play. For being reconciled to God completely is perfection.
{10:2} For then wouldthey not have ceased to be offered? because that theworshippers once purged should have had no moreconscience of sins. {10:3} But in those [sacrifices there is] aremembrance again [made] of sins every year. {10:4} For[it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goatsshould take away sins.
*The blood of animals could never pay the price for reconciliation with God. The only blood needed was that of the greatest sacrifice of all, Jesus, God's only son. The blood of reconciliation is innocent, is pure, is human not animal. The pure sinless blood of a human. Animals in their innocent state could step in temporarily until the fulness of time, but they were not and would never be able to atone for the people fully.
{10:5} Wherefore when he comethinto the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thouwouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: {10:6} Inburnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast had nopleasure. {10:7} Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume ofthe book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. {10:8}Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burntofferings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neitherhadst pleasure [therein;] which are offered by the law;{10:9} Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. Hetaketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
*The first covenant was done away with. The sanctuary service offering animal blood and using imperfect man as intercessor was over and done with. The first had to be done away with so the second could be fully in effect. Jesus revealed the corruption of the very men prefiguring the work of God. He lay bare their evil and in doing so He revealed His own goodness, His own perfection. They couldn't have perfection in their midst it only made them appear truly evil. Sometimes when you have something real and something fake side by side there are glaring inconsistencies, there are obvious differences between the real and the fake. Jesus couldn't help but show His true love for mankind which made the false love of the priests obvious. The priests had to silence Him, they had to kill that which would reveal their false natures. Jesus came and by His life and death He did away with the old way of doing things.
{10:10} By the which will we are sanctified through theoffering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all. ]{10:11}And every priest standeth daily ministering and offeringoftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take awaysins: {10:12} But this man, after he had offered onesacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand ofGod; {10:13} From henceforth expecting till his enemies bemade his footstool. {10:14} For by one offering he hathperfected for ever them that are sanctified.
*One offering. The greatest offering and Jesus' role as the greatest and the perfect Sacrifice was complete. Never again would He need to be slain. There is only one Son of God. There is only one sacrifice needed, such a perfect, acceptable Sacrifice and it was made so all men through that Sacrifice could live. The blood of the Sacrifice was for all to use, to claim, to use to cover the multitude of sins in our lives. The blood needed for covering, for cleansing was shed once and sufficent forever.
There are some things that aren't consumed and gone after being used, but are used over and over and only one of them is necessary. A cast iron pan given at a wedding reception can stay in the family indefinitely being passed down from one generation to another and still be as useful as the first day it was given. It's a gift that will never stop giving, a gift that will out live generation after generation and forever be used- given once, used forever, or for as long as it's necessary. Not so many people use cast iron skillets anymore, not when we have non-stick skillets that are much easier, much lighter to use.
Christ's blood was shed once and it will be used until all of God's people are cleansed of sin. As long as there is sin that can be forgiven the blood of Christ will be needed and used.
'For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.'
...for them that are made holy.
To be sinless, to have all our sins taken away is to sanctify us and make us holy and acceptable to God, the reconcilation is complete.
Christ came to reconcile us to God. Christ came to die for mankind so we could be with God again. One amazing, perfect offering is able to perfect those who are being made holy.
By the will and grace, by the mercy of our Lord and Savior may we be sanctified for Him now and forever, may we be made one with our Father, reconciled and no longer estranged by sin. Cling to Jesus, cling to Him and never let Him go.
Amen.
*It's true. Year after year people had to afflict their souls while their sins were once more cleansed from the Sanctuary they'd been placed upon. Even then, that very night, that very hour, that very minute after the cleansing sin was there again. Some impure thought worthy of being called sin was committed because sin still existed and was not done away with. The sacrifical system was once more in need. The sanctuary service was the law and it was a shadow of the reality. Sin being cleansed forever. Men and God be reconciled forever. People could never be fully reconciled to God as long as the sacrificial sanctuary service- the shadow of things to come was in play. For being reconciled to God completely is perfection.
{10:2} For then wouldthey not have ceased to be offered? because that theworshippers once purged should have had no moreconscience of sins. {10:3} But in those [sacrifices there is] aremembrance again [made] of sins every year. {10:4} For[it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goatsshould take away sins.
*The blood of animals could never pay the price for reconciliation with God. The only blood needed was that of the greatest sacrifice of all, Jesus, God's only son. The blood of reconciliation is innocent, is pure, is human not animal. The pure sinless blood of a human. Animals in their innocent state could step in temporarily until the fulness of time, but they were not and would never be able to atone for the people fully.
{10:5} Wherefore when he comethinto the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thouwouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: {10:6} Inburnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast had nopleasure. {10:7} Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume ofthe book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. {10:8}Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burntofferings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neitherhadst pleasure [therein;] which are offered by the law;{10:9} Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. Hetaketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
*The first covenant was done away with. The sanctuary service offering animal blood and using imperfect man as intercessor was over and done with. The first had to be done away with so the second could be fully in effect. Jesus revealed the corruption of the very men prefiguring the work of God. He lay bare their evil and in doing so He revealed His own goodness, His own perfection. They couldn't have perfection in their midst it only made them appear truly evil. Sometimes when you have something real and something fake side by side there are glaring inconsistencies, there are obvious differences between the real and the fake. Jesus couldn't help but show His true love for mankind which made the false love of the priests obvious. The priests had to silence Him, they had to kill that which would reveal their false natures. Jesus came and by His life and death He did away with the old way of doing things.
{10:10} By the which will we are sanctified through theoffering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all. ]{10:11}And every priest standeth daily ministering and offeringoftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take awaysins: {10:12} But this man, after he had offered onesacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand ofGod; {10:13} From henceforth expecting till his enemies bemade his footstool. {10:14} For by one offering he hathperfected for ever them that are sanctified.
*One offering. The greatest offering and Jesus' role as the greatest and the perfect Sacrifice was complete. Never again would He need to be slain. There is only one Son of God. There is only one sacrifice needed, such a perfect, acceptable Sacrifice and it was made so all men through that Sacrifice could live. The blood of the Sacrifice was for all to use, to claim, to use to cover the multitude of sins in our lives. The blood needed for covering, for cleansing was shed once and sufficent forever.
There are some things that aren't consumed and gone after being used, but are used over and over and only one of them is necessary. A cast iron pan given at a wedding reception can stay in the family indefinitely being passed down from one generation to another and still be as useful as the first day it was given. It's a gift that will never stop giving, a gift that will out live generation after generation and forever be used- given once, used forever, or for as long as it's necessary. Not so many people use cast iron skillets anymore, not when we have non-stick skillets that are much easier, much lighter to use.
Christ's blood was shed once and it will be used until all of God's people are cleansed of sin. As long as there is sin that can be forgiven the blood of Christ will be needed and used.
'For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.'
...for them that are made holy.
To be sinless, to have all our sins taken away is to sanctify us and make us holy and acceptable to God, the reconcilation is complete.
Christ came to reconcile us to God. Christ came to die for mankind so we could be with God again. One amazing, perfect offering is able to perfect those who are being made holy.
By the will and grace, by the mercy of our Lord and Savior may we be sanctified for Him now and forever, may we be made one with our Father, reconciled and no longer estranged by sin. Cling to Jesus, cling to Him and never let Him go.
Amen.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Hebrews 9
Hebrews{9:1} Then verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.{9:2} For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein [was] the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. {9:3} And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all{9:4} Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein [was] the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant{9:5} And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.{9:6} Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service [of God. ]{9:7} But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people{9:8} The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:{9:9} Which [was] a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience{9:10} [Which stood] only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation.{9:11} But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; {9:12} Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [forus. ]{9:13} For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh{9:14} How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? {9:15} And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. {9:16} For where a testament [is,] there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. {9:17} For a testament [is] of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. {9:18} Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood. {9:19} For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, {9:20} Saying, This [is] the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. {9:21} Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. {9:22} And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. {9:23} [It was] therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. {9:24} For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in thepresence of God for us: {9:25} Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others{9:26} For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. {9:27} And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:{9:28} So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
One Sacrifice, the greatest Sacrifice, Jesus.
We can't sacrifice any thing to reconcile us to God, not a thing. We are completely dependent upon the Sacrifice of Jesus.
We'd like to think there are things we can do to ensure us of salvation, things other than the complete dependence upon Jesus. We like to imagine a little tally board by our side where we can tally up the good things we do and the bad and we hope the good out number the bad which will mean we win! It doesn't work that way. You could be by the world's standards, even by seemingly Biblical standards, the sweetest, kindest, most humble person in all the world and as long as you believe that it's the sweetness, the kindness, the humblness within you that is saving you then you will not be saved at all. Christ will say 'get away from me, I never knew you.'
'So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.'
Christ will bear the sins of many... He will bear the sins of those who look for him... He will appears on earth a second time and there will be no more sin only salvation.
When Christ came into the world the first time He had to suffer, He had to die to save us, He had to leave us here with sin still overcoming so many- all that didn't look to him for Salvation.When Christ comes into the world the second time He will come to take us all out of sin forever saving us.
The priests on earth worked to save God's people, they had services they performed, sacrifices to make, this was the law and they followed the law. The law pointed to Christ's ultimate sacrifice. Without the sacrifice of Christ sin would never be overcome, never. Men could perform the services of the Sanctuary forever and they'd be pointless if they didn't depict one day a full reconcilation with God, without sin in our lives. The hope that lives inside a man is that hope of full reconcilation. The hope of living joined to God forever without sin that separates man and God.
We have to look for Jesus.
We have to watch for Jesus.
We have to be waiting for our Lord and Savior to return.
Look, watch, wait.
Knowing something will happen isn't the same as waiting for it to happen.
I can know that the New Year will start on 12 midnight Dec. 31 and just sleep right through it. The knowing didn't have me waiting for it. However if I'm going to celebrate the New Year then I'm waiting for it, watching for it, looking. We can know that Jesus is returning but not wait for him, not look for Him. People pat themselves on the back because they believe and know that Jesus is coming again. People feel safe and secure just because they know and believe that Jesus will one day come and rescue them from the evil of sin. People think that they have a golden ticket to heaven with Jesus just because they believe. But are they looking for Jesus? Are they watching for Him? Are they really waiting for Him to return? Does their waiting consist of just knowing that Jesus will come again? We have to be looking for Him. We have to be activily looking, anticipating Christ's return.
Even in the sanctuary service, the forerunner of Christ's sacrifice, people had to wait. On the day of atonement they had to afflict their souls, they had to set the day aside as a Sabbath, holy. We have to look for Christ, to afflict our souls, to know that our Holy Savior alone can save us and NO work we could possible do would save us, only believing in Christ.
May God help us as we look for Jesus, as we watch for Him, wait for His return.
May we not put off being ready by waiting, by watching for the only One who can save us.
Come Lord Jesus, Come.
By Your Mercy and Grace now and forever.
Amen.
One Sacrifice, the greatest Sacrifice, Jesus.
We can't sacrifice any thing to reconcile us to God, not a thing. We are completely dependent upon the Sacrifice of Jesus.
We'd like to think there are things we can do to ensure us of salvation, things other than the complete dependence upon Jesus. We like to imagine a little tally board by our side where we can tally up the good things we do and the bad and we hope the good out number the bad which will mean we win! It doesn't work that way. You could be by the world's standards, even by seemingly Biblical standards, the sweetest, kindest, most humble person in all the world and as long as you believe that it's the sweetness, the kindness, the humblness within you that is saving you then you will not be saved at all. Christ will say 'get away from me, I never knew you.'
'So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.'
Christ will bear the sins of many... He will bear the sins of those who look for him... He will appears on earth a second time and there will be no more sin only salvation.
When Christ came into the world the first time He had to suffer, He had to die to save us, He had to leave us here with sin still overcoming so many- all that didn't look to him for Salvation.When Christ comes into the world the second time He will come to take us all out of sin forever saving us.
The priests on earth worked to save God's people, they had services they performed, sacrifices to make, this was the law and they followed the law. The law pointed to Christ's ultimate sacrifice. Without the sacrifice of Christ sin would never be overcome, never. Men could perform the services of the Sanctuary forever and they'd be pointless if they didn't depict one day a full reconcilation with God, without sin in our lives. The hope that lives inside a man is that hope of full reconcilation. The hope of living joined to God forever without sin that separates man and God.
We have to look for Jesus.
We have to watch for Jesus.
We have to be waiting for our Lord and Savior to return.
Look, watch, wait.
Knowing something will happen isn't the same as waiting for it to happen.
I can know that the New Year will start on 12 midnight Dec. 31 and just sleep right through it. The knowing didn't have me waiting for it. However if I'm going to celebrate the New Year then I'm waiting for it, watching for it, looking. We can know that Jesus is returning but not wait for him, not look for Him. People pat themselves on the back because they believe and know that Jesus is coming again. People feel safe and secure just because they know and believe that Jesus will one day come and rescue them from the evil of sin. People think that they have a golden ticket to heaven with Jesus just because they believe. But are they looking for Jesus? Are they watching for Him? Are they really waiting for Him to return? Does their waiting consist of just knowing that Jesus will come again? We have to be looking for Him. We have to be activily looking, anticipating Christ's return.
Even in the sanctuary service, the forerunner of Christ's sacrifice, people had to wait. On the day of atonement they had to afflict their souls, they had to set the day aside as a Sabbath, holy. We have to look for Christ, to afflict our souls, to know that our Holy Savior alone can save us and NO work we could possible do would save us, only believing in Christ.
May God help us as we look for Jesus, as we watch for Him, wait for His return.
May we not put off being ready by waiting, by watching for the only One who can save us.
Come Lord Jesus, Come.
By Your Mercy and Grace now and forever.
Amen.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Hebrews 8
Hebrews
{8:1} Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens{8:2} A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
*We have an high priest in heaven.We have a minister of the sanctuary.We have a minister of the true tabernacle.We have a minister of the sanctuary and true tabernacle that the LORD pitched- not man.
Think about it for a moment. God show Moses a pattern in the mount that he was to follow in creating the earthly tabernacle.
There is a heavenly tabernacle.
Now why would heaven NEED a tabernacle if in heaven there is no sin?
Heaven needed(s) a tabernacle because angels sinned, because man sinned. Because sin came into existence and sin to be blotted out of existence has to be destroyed where it began. Sin isn't unique to earth, people like to think that it is, but it orginated in heaven. The way of escape had to be created in Heaven. The plan of salvation was made in heaven. Were animals sacrifices made in heaven, did angels come and offer sin offerings, no.
When Lucifer sinned and caused 1/3 of the angels to sin with him they weren't given a second, third, fourth, fifth...endless chances to sin and repent, sin and repent, they weren't to be forgiven seventy times seven times. Lucifer's sinning, his rebellion against God in God's realm inciting open rebellion among all angels was something that needed figuring out right away. They weren't instantly destroyed though that was an option. God is a God of love. Love suffers long. Love gives of itself. Love would rather save than destroy. Lucifer wanted to prove God wasn't who He said He was. He wanted to prove that God plays favorites, that God was evil himself. That God's love was greater towards His Son than the angels. By definition love is fairness because fairness is good and love is all things good. For some unknown reason Lucifer began to envy God. The created wanted to be the creator. Lucifer as all angels have been given certain powers, an Lucifer thought that He, as an angel with his own ability to perform, could take God's place an be like God.
Wrongly Lucifer had this desire and nurtured it, helped it to grow and not only had the wicked desire in himself but wanted to share it with others inciting one third of the angels to believe that they too should be like their creator and deserved the worship of the Creator. Weren't they spectacular beings? Weren't they powerful? Didn't they have their own special miracle working abilities? Weren't they Spirit like God Himself? Why did they need to worship their creator if they were just as good as their creator? They knew the love of God would save them from instant extinction. They counted on His amazing love to keep them alive. They were after all most like Him. If He wielded the power to wipe the dissenters out of existence wouldn't that prove that in reality God is not love as He claims but rather a megalomaniac of the worst sort using His devineness as evil. Lucifer set it up, or so he thought, in such a way that God would lose no matter what He did. God would lose if He destroyed them and God would lose if He let them live.
A plan was needed, a way was needed to reveal the true love of God to all and to destroy the evil that had reared up into existence.
First all the angels had to make a choice. God or Lucifer, which did they want to follow? God wasn't forcing them to choose Him, they and they alone could make that decision.
In the end 1/3 of the angels chose to follow Lucifer.
Once that was established a plan was needed to save any that would fall into the trap of Lucifer and his hoard. Lucifer boasted that God's creations could not live sinless, that they too, like the evil angels would not follow Him, that they'd realize that God was just as evil as Lucifer claimed He was, not to be trusted, not to be believed.
God believed humans- made a little lower than the angels- would not succumb to the same impulse as Satan. However God knew that the humans would have temptor, something Lucifer didn't have. Lucifer of his own accord filled his heart with himself. Knowing the humans would have a temptor God had to have a divine plan in place to prove once and for all the evilness of sin and the righteousness of Himself, the love He was. Sin couldn't be allowed to exist forever, sin is an enmity against God, sin destroys love.
What could prove God's love as triumphant over sin? What could prove God's love completely so that none could question His love as he wipes sin out of existence and all that embodies sin?
The plan of Salvation.
The Heavenly Sanctuary.
The plan of Salvation was created in Heaven, the way shown in Heaven. The only sacrifice acceptable in the heavenly tabernacle not made with hands is Jesus. God's only Son. The way was made. Thy way o' God is in the sanctuary. Psalms {77:13} 'Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a Godas our God?'
So here when we read -
{8:1} Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens{8:2} A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
- We know that the plan of salvation, the way of salvation was created in Heaven. Just as in the earthly sanctuary- a type of the heavenly- we know that a sacrifice was needed to forgive sin, to cleanse sin, to destroy sin once and for all.
Jesus came and lived among us as one of us and then sacrifice His sinless self for us and then He went to heaven after certain days and there He is carrying out the ultimate plan to rid the entire existence of all from sin. A plan that was given to us on earth so we'd know that all would be judged- the corporate, the individual, and only once a year would the Sanctuary be cleansed. Once the Heavenly Sanctuary is cleanse it will never be defiled again, never. The cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary is once for all, just as Christ's sacrifice was- once for all. When the cleansing is over and the cup is filled so that it can be filled no more, when all has been decided, Christ will return for His chosen- those who chose Him- and sin will ultimately be wiped from existence completely.
{8:3} For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore [it is] of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.{8:4} For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law {8:5} Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, [that] thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. {8:6} But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon betterpromises. {8:7} For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. {8:8} For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: {8:9} Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.{8:10} For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people{8:11} And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. {8:12} For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. {8:13} In that he saith, A new [covenant,] he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away.
Isn't this beautiful-
{8:11} And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
*They shall NOT teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother.
NOT teach.
We are so hung up on teaching and yet we know that there will be a day- this day-
Saying Know the Lord, for ALL shall know me from the least to the greatest.
Before Christ returns, before it is finished and the fate of all decided, all will KNOW the Lord. The laws will be put into our minds and will be written on our hearts, God will be our God and we will be His people.
Praise be to God, all glory and all honor! All power and majesty unto our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever!
By His grace and mercy!
Amen.
{8:1} Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens{8:2} A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
*We have an high priest in heaven.We have a minister of the sanctuary.We have a minister of the true tabernacle.We have a minister of the sanctuary and true tabernacle that the LORD pitched- not man.
Think about it for a moment. God show Moses a pattern in the mount that he was to follow in creating the earthly tabernacle.
There is a heavenly tabernacle.
Now why would heaven NEED a tabernacle if in heaven there is no sin?
Heaven needed(s) a tabernacle because angels sinned, because man sinned. Because sin came into existence and sin to be blotted out of existence has to be destroyed where it began. Sin isn't unique to earth, people like to think that it is, but it orginated in heaven. The way of escape had to be created in Heaven. The plan of salvation was made in heaven. Were animals sacrifices made in heaven, did angels come and offer sin offerings, no.
When Lucifer sinned and caused 1/3 of the angels to sin with him they weren't given a second, third, fourth, fifth...endless chances to sin and repent, sin and repent, they weren't to be forgiven seventy times seven times. Lucifer's sinning, his rebellion against God in God's realm inciting open rebellion among all angels was something that needed figuring out right away. They weren't instantly destroyed though that was an option. God is a God of love. Love suffers long. Love gives of itself. Love would rather save than destroy. Lucifer wanted to prove God wasn't who He said He was. He wanted to prove that God plays favorites, that God was evil himself. That God's love was greater towards His Son than the angels. By definition love is fairness because fairness is good and love is all things good. For some unknown reason Lucifer began to envy God. The created wanted to be the creator. Lucifer as all angels have been given certain powers, an Lucifer thought that He, as an angel with his own ability to perform, could take God's place an be like God.
Wrongly Lucifer had this desire and nurtured it, helped it to grow and not only had the wicked desire in himself but wanted to share it with others inciting one third of the angels to believe that they too should be like their creator and deserved the worship of the Creator. Weren't they spectacular beings? Weren't they powerful? Didn't they have their own special miracle working abilities? Weren't they Spirit like God Himself? Why did they need to worship their creator if they were just as good as their creator? They knew the love of God would save them from instant extinction. They counted on His amazing love to keep them alive. They were after all most like Him. If He wielded the power to wipe the dissenters out of existence wouldn't that prove that in reality God is not love as He claims but rather a megalomaniac of the worst sort using His devineness as evil. Lucifer set it up, or so he thought, in such a way that God would lose no matter what He did. God would lose if He destroyed them and God would lose if He let them live.
A plan was needed, a way was needed to reveal the true love of God to all and to destroy the evil that had reared up into existence.
First all the angels had to make a choice. God or Lucifer, which did they want to follow? God wasn't forcing them to choose Him, they and they alone could make that decision.
In the end 1/3 of the angels chose to follow Lucifer.
Once that was established a plan was needed to save any that would fall into the trap of Lucifer and his hoard. Lucifer boasted that God's creations could not live sinless, that they too, like the evil angels would not follow Him, that they'd realize that God was just as evil as Lucifer claimed He was, not to be trusted, not to be believed.
God believed humans- made a little lower than the angels- would not succumb to the same impulse as Satan. However God knew that the humans would have temptor, something Lucifer didn't have. Lucifer of his own accord filled his heart with himself. Knowing the humans would have a temptor God had to have a divine plan in place to prove once and for all the evilness of sin and the righteousness of Himself, the love He was. Sin couldn't be allowed to exist forever, sin is an enmity against God, sin destroys love.
What could prove God's love as triumphant over sin? What could prove God's love completely so that none could question His love as he wipes sin out of existence and all that embodies sin?
The plan of Salvation.
The Heavenly Sanctuary.
The plan of Salvation was created in Heaven, the way shown in Heaven. The only sacrifice acceptable in the heavenly tabernacle not made with hands is Jesus. God's only Son. The way was made. Thy way o' God is in the sanctuary. Psalms {77:13} 'Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a Godas our God?'
So here when we read -
{8:1} Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens{8:2} A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
- We know that the plan of salvation, the way of salvation was created in Heaven. Just as in the earthly sanctuary- a type of the heavenly- we know that a sacrifice was needed to forgive sin, to cleanse sin, to destroy sin once and for all.
Jesus came and lived among us as one of us and then sacrifice His sinless self for us and then He went to heaven after certain days and there He is carrying out the ultimate plan to rid the entire existence of all from sin. A plan that was given to us on earth so we'd know that all would be judged- the corporate, the individual, and only once a year would the Sanctuary be cleansed. Once the Heavenly Sanctuary is cleanse it will never be defiled again, never. The cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary is once for all, just as Christ's sacrifice was- once for all. When the cleansing is over and the cup is filled so that it can be filled no more, when all has been decided, Christ will return for His chosen- those who chose Him- and sin will ultimately be wiped from existence completely.
{8:3} For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore [it is] of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.{8:4} For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law {8:5} Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, [that] thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. {8:6} But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon betterpromises. {8:7} For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. {8:8} For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: {8:9} Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.{8:10} For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people{8:11} And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. {8:12} For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. {8:13} In that he saith, A new [covenant,] he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away.
Isn't this beautiful-
{8:11} And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
*They shall NOT teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother.
NOT teach.
We are so hung up on teaching and yet we know that there will be a day- this day-
Saying Know the Lord, for ALL shall know me from the least to the greatest.
Before Christ returns, before it is finished and the fate of all decided, all will KNOW the Lord. The laws will be put into our minds and will be written on our hearts, God will be our God and we will be His people.
Praise be to God, all glory and all honor! All power and majesty unto our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever!
By His grace and mercy!
Amen.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Hebrews 7
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, our great and wonderful High Priest.
Jesus was not a descendant of Aaron. Jesus was not a son of the tribe of Levi, those who inherited the priesthood through Moses, who received word from God.
Jesus became a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Melchizedek a priest of God.
And Melchizedek...he was the priest of the most high God.
Who ordained him a priest? God.
God ordained Jesus to be our High Priest.
Melchizedek was a priest not involved in the laws of Moses, he lived long before Moses lived, before the written laws were passed down, before the sacrificial ceremony enacted to teach every man of God that their sins have penalties and only through sacrifice to God could they escape the punish of sin- death everlasting.
Melchizedek and Jesus, both Priest not of the sacrificial system in place. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for us. Once the ultimate sacrifice was made no longer were animal sacrifices needed because the Great Redeemer, the Greatest Sacrifice of all was made. There could be no greater sacrifice, none. Once Jesus gave his life, making the typified the actual sacrifice needed to reconcile man with God, the actual and last sacrifice needed, animal sacrifices were hollow, no longer in effect, no longer had the power they once had.
The Great Sacrifice is also our Great High Priest. Reconciling God and man.
Is it no wonder we need to daily confess and repent of our sins, accepting the great sacrifice made for us by our Lord and Savior? He is our only hope, our only hope at reconcilation with our Heavenly Father. Sons and daughters that we are, the need to be reunited with our Heavenly Father is a desperate need. Reconcilation between a Father and His wayward children made possible through the sacrifice of His innocent Son.
Hebrews
{7:1} For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him{7:2} To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace{7:3} Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. {7:4} Now consider how great this man [was,] unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. {7:5} And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham{7:6} But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.{7:7} And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.{7:8} And here men that die receive tithes; but there he [receiveth them,] of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. {7:9} And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. {7:10} For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. {7:11} If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? {7:12} For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. {7:13} For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. {7:14} For [it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. {7:15} And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, {7:16} Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. {7:17} For he testifieth, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Genesis {14:17} And the king of Sodom went out to meet himafter his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and ofthe kings that [were] with him, at the valley of Shaveh,which [is] the king’s dale. {14:18} And Melchizedek kingof Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] thepriest of the most high God. {14:19} And he blessed him,and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God,possessor of heaven and earth: {14:20} And blessed be themost high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thyhand. And he gave him tithes of all. {14:21} And the kingof Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and takethe goods to thyself. {14:22} And Abram said to the king ofSodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the mosthigh God, the possessor of heaven and earth, {14:23} That Iwill not [take] from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that Iwill not take any thing that [is] thine, lest thou shouldestsay, I have made Abram rich: {14:24} Save only that whichthe young men have eaten, and the portion of the men whichwent with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take theirportion.
Psalm 110A Psalm of David.{110:1} The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until Imake thine enemies thy footstool.{110:2} The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rulethou in the midst of thine enemies.{110:3} Thy people [shall be] willing in the day of thy power, in thebeauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast thedew of thy youth.{110:4} The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] a priestfor ever after the order of Melchizedek.{110:5} The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in theday of his wrath.{110:6} He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill [the places]with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over manycountries.{110:7} He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he liftup the head.
Hebrews{7:18} For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. {7:19} For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope [did;] by the which we draw nigh unto God. {7:20} And inasmuch as not without an oath [he was made priest: ]{7:21} (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) {7:22} By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. {7:23} And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: {7:24} But this [man,] because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. {7:25} Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. {7:26} For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled,separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; {7:27} Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. {7:28} For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, [maketh] the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
*
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, our great and wonderful High Priest.
Jesus was not a descendant of Aaron. Jesus was not a son of the tribe of Levi, those who inherited the priesthood.
Numbers {3:5} And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying {3:6}Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaronthe priest, that they may minister unto him. {3:7} And theyshall keep his charge, and the charge of the wholecongregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, todo the service of the tabernacle. {3:8} And they shall keepall the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation,and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service ofthe tabernacle. {3:9} And thou shalt give the Levites untoAaron and to his sons: they [are] wholly given unto him outof the children of Israel. {3:10} And thou shalt appointAaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’soffice: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put todeath. {3:11} And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,{3:12} And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from amongthe children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeththe matrix among the children of Israel: therefore theLevites shall be mine; {3:13} Because all the firstborn [are]mine; [for] on the day that I smote all the firstborn in theland of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel,both man and beast: mine shall they be: I [am] the LORD.
Numbers {4:1} And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,saying, {4:2} Take the sum of the sons of Kohath fromamong the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house oftheir fathers, {4:3} From thirty years old and upward evenuntil fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do thework in the tabernacle of the congregation. {4:4} This [shallbe] the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of thecongregation, [about] the most holy things
Jesus was not a descendant of Aaron. Jesus was not a son of the tribe of Levi, those who inherited the priesthood through Moses, who received word from God.
Jesus became a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Melchizedek a priest of God.
And Melchizedek...he was the priest of the most high God.
Who ordained him a priest? God.
God ordained Jesus to be our High Priest.
Melchizedek was a priest not involved in the laws of Moses, he lived long before Moses lived, before the written laws were passed down, before the sacrificial ceremony enacted to teach every man of God that their sins have penalties and only through sacrifice to God could they escape the punish of sin- death everlasting.
Melchizedek and Jesus, both Priest not of the sacrificial system in place. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for us. Once the ultimate sacrifice was made no longer were animal sacrifices needed because the Great Redeemer, the Greatest Sacrifice of all was made. There could be no greater sacrifice, none. Once Jesus gave his life, making the typified the actual sacrifice needed to reconcile man with God, the actual and last sacrifice needed, animal sacrifices were hollow, no longer in effect, no longer had the power they once had.
The Great Sacrifice is also our Great High Priest. Reconciling God and man.
Is it no wonder we need to daily confess and repent of our sins, accepting the great sacrifice made for us by our Lord and Savior? He is our only hope, our only hope at reconcilation with our Heavenly Father. Sons and daughters that we are, the need to be reunited with our Heavenly Father is a desperate need. Reconcilation between a Father and His wayward children made possible through the sacrifice of His innocent Son.
Hebrews
{7:1} For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him{7:2} To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace{7:3} Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. {7:4} Now consider how great this man [was,] unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. {7:5} And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham{7:6} But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.{7:7} And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.{7:8} And here men that die receive tithes; but there he [receiveth them,] of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. {7:9} And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. {7:10} For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. {7:11} If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? {7:12} For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. {7:13} For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. {7:14} For [it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. {7:15} And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, {7:16} Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. {7:17} For he testifieth, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Genesis {14:17} And the king of Sodom went out to meet himafter his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and ofthe kings that [were] with him, at the valley of Shaveh,which [is] the king’s dale. {14:18} And Melchizedek kingof Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] thepriest of the most high God. {14:19} And he blessed him,and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God,possessor of heaven and earth: {14:20} And blessed be themost high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thyhand. And he gave him tithes of all. {14:21} And the kingof Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and takethe goods to thyself. {14:22} And Abram said to the king ofSodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the mosthigh God, the possessor of heaven and earth, {14:23} That Iwill not [take] from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that Iwill not take any thing that [is] thine, lest thou shouldestsay, I have made Abram rich: {14:24} Save only that whichthe young men have eaten, and the portion of the men whichwent with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take theirportion.
Psalm 110A Psalm of David.{110:1} The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until Imake thine enemies thy footstool.{110:2} The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rulethou in the midst of thine enemies.{110:3} Thy people [shall be] willing in the day of thy power, in thebeauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast thedew of thy youth.{110:4} The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] a priestfor ever after the order of Melchizedek.{110:5} The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in theday of his wrath.{110:6} He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill [the places]with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over manycountries.{110:7} He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he liftup the head.
Hebrews{7:18} For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. {7:19} For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope [did;] by the which we draw nigh unto God. {7:20} And inasmuch as not without an oath [he was made priest: ]{7:21} (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) {7:22} By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. {7:23} And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: {7:24} But this [man,] because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. {7:25} Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. {7:26} For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled,separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; {7:27} Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. {7:28} For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, [maketh] the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
*
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, our great and wonderful High Priest.
Jesus was not a descendant of Aaron. Jesus was not a son of the tribe of Levi, those who inherited the priesthood.
Numbers {3:5} And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying {3:6}Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaronthe priest, that they may minister unto him. {3:7} And theyshall keep his charge, and the charge of the wholecongregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, todo the service of the tabernacle. {3:8} And they shall keepall the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation,and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service ofthe tabernacle. {3:9} And thou shalt give the Levites untoAaron and to his sons: they [are] wholly given unto him outof the children of Israel. {3:10} And thou shalt appointAaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’soffice: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put todeath. {3:11} And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,{3:12} And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from amongthe children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeththe matrix among the children of Israel: therefore theLevites shall be mine; {3:13} Because all the firstborn [are]mine; [for] on the day that I smote all the firstborn in theland of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel,both man and beast: mine shall they be: I [am] the LORD.
Numbers {4:1} And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,saying, {4:2} Take the sum of the sons of Kohath fromamong the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house oftheir fathers, {4:3} From thirty years old and upward evenuntil fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do thework in the tabernacle of the congregation. {4:4} This [shallbe] the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of thecongregation, [about] the most holy things
Friday, January 30, 2009
Hebrews 6
Hebrews
{6:1} Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God
*The principle doctrines are repentance from dead works and faith towards God. When you start out on a principle you never lose that principle you keep it and build upon it. Baptisms, laying on of hands for healing, resurrection of the dead when Christ returns, eternal judgment, all of this is part and parcel of the foundation and growth upon that foundation. An extension of your beliefs is made, a growing process commenced. Growth in everything is necessary stagnation accomplishes nothing. If God wills we must grow in our Christian walk.
{6:2} Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
{6:3} And this will we do, if God permit.
{6:4} For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost
{6:5} And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come
{6:6} If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame.
*When you fall away - when you deny the truth once you've been enlightened - when you believe Christ never died for you- this is makes it impossible for you to be renewed. You've denied the truth. When you deny the truth you reject the truth. Truth rejected makes it impossible for truth to live in you.
Throughout our Christian walk we will have good times and bad times. We will question our walk with God. We might even question God. We might blame God, we might do a lot of things that reveal just how intensely Satan is struggling to get the victory over us. We might be lulled to sleep and into a life that denies the power of God. The struggle is a real one. The fight is a real one. We lose sight of it all when we deny that we are in a war and our eternal life is at stake. How much simpler would it be if we were in a real physical warfare, a weapon in your hands, a weapon in your enemies hands and the strategy is to stay alive by ducking incoming fire, by returning fire- this is real and men and women around the world in various wars are facing that sort of warfare. Unfortunately they are also battling the unseen enemy. We all battle the unseen enemy and yet our propensity to blame the devil for things is 99% less likely to happen than blaming God. We recognize God but deny Satan. When we accept Christ as our Savior we've declared open warfare on Satan, we've chosen the side we want to fight for and we become targets. The bullets, the daggers, all the bombs and other weaponry used against us comes in so many forms we can't even imagine. It's easy to be beset by the enemy. 'Hebrews {12:1} Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.' See that? Lay aside every weight an the sin which easily besets us! EASILY besets us. Until Christ returns or until we sleep in the grave we will be tempted towards the sins that EASILY beset us. Sometimes we give into that sin and we need to repent and be forgiven. What we can't do is deny the Christ is the Son of God, that Christ died for us and lives again for us. While we might stumble, and heck, while we might dive bomb into despair, we can't deny that Christ is who He says He is. If we deny Christ we can't be renew to repent, because there is none to repent to. If we strip the power of salvation away there is no hope left, there is no salvation, it is impossible to be renewed.
{6:7} For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God
*We need to drink deep of the Holy Spirit sent to us by God, our lives need to bear fruit of the Spirit.
{6:8} But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned.
*If the fruit we bear isn't edible or useful but rather thorns that only hurt and nothing more then the fruit isn't of the Spirit.
{6:9} But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
{6:10} For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
{6:11} And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
{6:12} That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
*Labors of love, ministering to one another, hoping to the end, these are all good things, right things, things of the Spirit.
{6:13} For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself
{6:14} Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
{6:15} And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
*Patiently endured! The promises of God to Abraham were not immediate. Abraham had to wait many, many years before he obtained the promise. We have an example in Abraham. Patiently endure, the promises are true.
{6:16} For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation [is] to them an end of all strife.
{6:17} Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath
{6:18} That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay holdupon the hope set before us
{6:19} Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil
{6:20} Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
*Anchor of the soul!Anchor of the soul!
Who among us doesn't want an anchor upon us holding us stedfast? Who doesn't want assurance of safety with an anchor on our souls? Christ is that anchor! Christ is our hope! Christ Jesus entered within the veil, Jesus our high priest. We have an anchor, we have a surety, we have a hope in our High Priest, our Savior Jesus.
What good is an anchor if it's not attached to that which needs anchoring? We need Christ attached to our lives, we need to live in the Spirit He sends to us, keeping close to our Lord and Savior now and always the anchor of our souls.
Amen.
{6:1} Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God
*The principle doctrines are repentance from dead works and faith towards God. When you start out on a principle you never lose that principle you keep it and build upon it. Baptisms, laying on of hands for healing, resurrection of the dead when Christ returns, eternal judgment, all of this is part and parcel of the foundation and growth upon that foundation. An extension of your beliefs is made, a growing process commenced. Growth in everything is necessary stagnation accomplishes nothing. If God wills we must grow in our Christian walk.
{6:2} Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
{6:3} And this will we do, if God permit.
{6:4} For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost
{6:5} And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come
{6:6} If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame.
*When you fall away - when you deny the truth once you've been enlightened - when you believe Christ never died for you- this is makes it impossible for you to be renewed. You've denied the truth. When you deny the truth you reject the truth. Truth rejected makes it impossible for truth to live in you.
Throughout our Christian walk we will have good times and bad times. We will question our walk with God. We might even question God. We might blame God, we might do a lot of things that reveal just how intensely Satan is struggling to get the victory over us. We might be lulled to sleep and into a life that denies the power of God. The struggle is a real one. The fight is a real one. We lose sight of it all when we deny that we are in a war and our eternal life is at stake. How much simpler would it be if we were in a real physical warfare, a weapon in your hands, a weapon in your enemies hands and the strategy is to stay alive by ducking incoming fire, by returning fire- this is real and men and women around the world in various wars are facing that sort of warfare. Unfortunately they are also battling the unseen enemy. We all battle the unseen enemy and yet our propensity to blame the devil for things is 99% less likely to happen than blaming God. We recognize God but deny Satan. When we accept Christ as our Savior we've declared open warfare on Satan, we've chosen the side we want to fight for and we become targets. The bullets, the daggers, all the bombs and other weaponry used against us comes in so many forms we can't even imagine. It's easy to be beset by the enemy. 'Hebrews {12:1} Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.' See that? Lay aside every weight an the sin which easily besets us! EASILY besets us. Until Christ returns or until we sleep in the grave we will be tempted towards the sins that EASILY beset us. Sometimes we give into that sin and we need to repent and be forgiven. What we can't do is deny the Christ is the Son of God, that Christ died for us and lives again for us. While we might stumble, and heck, while we might dive bomb into despair, we can't deny that Christ is who He says He is. If we deny Christ we can't be renew to repent, because there is none to repent to. If we strip the power of salvation away there is no hope left, there is no salvation, it is impossible to be renewed.
{6:7} For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God
*We need to drink deep of the Holy Spirit sent to us by God, our lives need to bear fruit of the Spirit.
{6:8} But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned.
*If the fruit we bear isn't edible or useful but rather thorns that only hurt and nothing more then the fruit isn't of the Spirit.
{6:9} But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
{6:10} For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
{6:11} And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
{6:12} That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
*Labors of love, ministering to one another, hoping to the end, these are all good things, right things, things of the Spirit.
{6:13} For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself
{6:14} Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
{6:15} And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
*Patiently endured! The promises of God to Abraham were not immediate. Abraham had to wait many, many years before he obtained the promise. We have an example in Abraham. Patiently endure, the promises are true.
{6:16} For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation [is] to them an end of all strife.
{6:17} Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath
{6:18} That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay holdupon the hope set before us
{6:19} Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil
{6:20} Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
*Anchor of the soul!Anchor of the soul!
Who among us doesn't want an anchor upon us holding us stedfast? Who doesn't want assurance of safety with an anchor on our souls? Christ is that anchor! Christ is our hope! Christ Jesus entered within the veil, Jesus our high priest. We have an anchor, we have a surety, we have a hope in our High Priest, our Savior Jesus.
What good is an anchor if it's not attached to that which needs anchoring? We need Christ attached to our lives, we need to live in the Spirit He sends to us, keeping close to our Lord and Savior now and always the anchor of our souls.
Amen.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Hebrews 5
Hebrews
{5:1} For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things [pertaining] to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: {5:2} Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.{5:3} And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. {5:4} And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron. {5:5} So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. {5:6} As he saith also in another [place,] Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. {5:7} Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; {5:8} Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; {5:9} And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;{5:10} Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.{5:11} Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.{5:12} For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. {5:13} For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.{5:14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
*
Ordained for men in things pertaining to God.
Offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He that is called of God.
We know throughtout the Bible God called various men and woman to His work in a special way. These weren't the only ones called- those written about. There are many called of God in fact we are all called by God to come to Him, to fellowship with Him, to follow Him.
In the Old Testament prior to Christ's birth, life, and death, there are kings, prophets, and priests God used, speaking though many of them. In the New Testament we are given Jesus the great High Priest, Son of God, King of Kings, prophesying of the world to come.
Jesus who was given the infirmaties of being lowered into human form taking on our likeness and our inherited propensity to sin is the Greatest High Priest ever called by God. He sacrificed His glory and took on flesh, He sacrficed life eternal to take on a body of death, a body of daily decay. Outwardly He had the appearance of an ordinary man He lowered Himself to that level, to our level.
Any who doubt Jesus wasn't touched by our infirmities needs to explain how He could cry, how he could cry heartbrokenly. If He weren't moved by our plight, if he didn't have our human flesh encompassing Him, He wouldn't have cried and Jesus cried more than once from the depths of His heart He cried. He cried until blood fell from his forehead to the ground. He cried for all humanity. His grief was for us, for our pain, for what we endure.
We suffer the chastisment of the Lord over and over as He teaches us, guides us, reminds us of humanity and the love we must have for all. Christ suffered and learned in human form the obedience to His Father.
Obeying His Father perfectly, Christ was able to offer us eternal salvation if we obey Him.
All too often people harden their hearts and refuse to hear. All too often the very men of God, those claiming to be called of Him need to be as babes to truly understand Christ's message for them. When we think so many should be able to have the strong meat of the gospel, in truth many are babes needing to be treated as babes to regain the first principles of the message of our Lord and Savior.
Strong meat given by the Lord to those who have already drank the milk and are now ready for more... ready to have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
We need to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord.
2 Pet. {3:18} But grow in grace, and [in] theknowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him[be] glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
{5:1} For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things [pertaining] to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: {5:2} Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.{5:3} And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. {5:4} And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron. {5:5} So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. {5:6} As he saith also in another [place,] Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. {5:7} Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; {5:8} Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; {5:9} And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;{5:10} Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.{5:11} Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.{5:12} For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. {5:13} For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.{5:14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
*
Ordained for men in things pertaining to God.
Offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He that is called of God.
We know throughtout the Bible God called various men and woman to His work in a special way. These weren't the only ones called- those written about. There are many called of God in fact we are all called by God to come to Him, to fellowship with Him, to follow Him.
In the Old Testament prior to Christ's birth, life, and death, there are kings, prophets, and priests God used, speaking though many of them. In the New Testament we are given Jesus the great High Priest, Son of God, King of Kings, prophesying of the world to come.
Jesus who was given the infirmaties of being lowered into human form taking on our likeness and our inherited propensity to sin is the Greatest High Priest ever called by God. He sacrificed His glory and took on flesh, He sacrficed life eternal to take on a body of death, a body of daily decay. Outwardly He had the appearance of an ordinary man He lowered Himself to that level, to our level.
Any who doubt Jesus wasn't touched by our infirmities needs to explain how He could cry, how he could cry heartbrokenly. If He weren't moved by our plight, if he didn't have our human flesh encompassing Him, He wouldn't have cried and Jesus cried more than once from the depths of His heart He cried. He cried until blood fell from his forehead to the ground. He cried for all humanity. His grief was for us, for our pain, for what we endure.
We suffer the chastisment of the Lord over and over as He teaches us, guides us, reminds us of humanity and the love we must have for all. Christ suffered and learned in human form the obedience to His Father.
Obeying His Father perfectly, Christ was able to offer us eternal salvation if we obey Him.
All too often people harden their hearts and refuse to hear. All too often the very men of God, those claiming to be called of Him need to be as babes to truly understand Christ's message for them. When we think so many should be able to have the strong meat of the gospel, in truth many are babes needing to be treated as babes to regain the first principles of the message of our Lord and Savior.
Strong meat given by the Lord to those who have already drank the milk and are now ready for more... ready to have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
We need to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord.
2 Pet. {3:18} But grow in grace, and [in] theknowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him[be] glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Hebrews 4
Hebrews
{4:1} Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
*We need to be concerned. A promise was left to us. The promise of eternal life for that is truly 'his rest'. We need to be concerned that we might come short of obtaining that promise. It's possible to come short we know it is. Time and again I've mentioned that particular Bible verse that states there will be a people at the end when Christ comes and He says to them, 'get away from me, I never knew you'. Those people REALLY THINK they're doing God's work, they really believe they know Christ and Christ knows them. It is possible to come short of the promise. We don't like to think that it is, who wants to believe that a 'loving God' would keep us from obtaining the promise. Well, a 'loving God' won't keep us from obtaining the promise only WE keep ourselves from doing so. How can we be sure we won't come short of entering into Christ's rest? We need FAITH.
{4:2} For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it.
*Two types of people heard the same message.
A glass of water is held up and a person says- Is this glass half full or half empty.
People see things differently. They say if you see the glass as half full then you are an optimist, if you see if half empty you're a pessemist.
A group of people all hear the same message of the gospel preached to them, for some the word profited them and for others it didn't. What was the one thing those who profited from the message had the others didn't? FAITH.
{4:3} For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
The faithful will enter into Christ's rest. From the beginning of the world all that was created was finished on the sixth day and God rested the seventh. It was finished. FINISHED. Finished to the point God rested. Think about that. When you finish a task if it is something monumental what do you do next? You usually celebrate. God's rest is an amazing celebration of all that was created in six days. The work was finished. The wonder of it all, the majesty of creation was now to be enjoyed and a day of rest was created so that forever and ever no one would ever forgot the wonder of God's creation. Each seven days a reminder of the glorious creation would be made. God rested and that in itself is remarkable because if ever a person didn't have to rest it would be God. Yet he rested in honor of all that had been made it was that amazingly spectacular. That rest that mankind shared in, being part of the creation that God wrought was something so totally blissful and amazing its nearly incomprehensible.
{4:4} For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
{4:5} And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest.
*If they shall enter into my rest. By entering into God's rest by faith is believing in Him as our Creator, our redeemer. We can claim eternal life in Christ Jesus by His grace and mercy. We can enter into God's rest if we believe, only if we believe. There will not be a single person entering God's rest that does so without faith, without believing- it's impossible.
{4:6} Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief
*Unbelief will keep anyone out. There are commands we have been given by God from the foundation of the world one of the was to rest. It's because we believe in our Creator, the Father and the Son, that we enter into the rest of Jesus. We enter into it now through faith. We musn't harden our hearts but believe.
{4:7} Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
{4:8} For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
{4:9} There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
{4:10} For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.
{4:11} Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
*Labour to enter into rest.
Is that contradictory? Work to enter into rest. Not to people who work five days a week to get two days off. The concept is understandable. Our labour to enter into God's rest is a labour of faith. We have to cease believing that we can work to our own salvation, we have to trust wholly in Christ, entering His rest, believing fully in His ability to save us. Our work is our faith. And our faith is what will allow us to enter into the rest of Christ.
{4:12} For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
{4:13} Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
*We can hide nothing from God, nothing! God is quick, God is powerful, God is sharper than a twoedged sword. God can divide the soul from the spirit, the joint from the marrow, God is the discerner of our very thoughts and knows the intents of our hearts!
{4:14} Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession.
Jesus Christ is our great high priest!
Jesus as our high priest has entered into heaven!
Jesus as our high priest the Son of God!
We have to hold fast to our belief in Jesus, we have to cling to Jesus.
{4:15} For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.
*Jesus understands us! Jesus became man and He knows intimately how our infirmaties feel. Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, He understands the power of temptation yet Jesus chose NOT to fall into sin, He was able to keep the temptation from causing Him to sin. He knows the agony of temptation, he knows.
{4:16} Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
*We have to by faith and faith alone go boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
May God help us all, may we find mercy and grace, may we labour to enter into the rest promised, may our faith grow and grow. We believe Lord! We believe! Help us our unbelief!
Praise and glory to God now and always through the grace and mercy of his Son now and foreer.
Amen.
{4:1} Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
*We need to be concerned. A promise was left to us. The promise of eternal life for that is truly 'his rest'. We need to be concerned that we might come short of obtaining that promise. It's possible to come short we know it is. Time and again I've mentioned that particular Bible verse that states there will be a people at the end when Christ comes and He says to them, 'get away from me, I never knew you'. Those people REALLY THINK they're doing God's work, they really believe they know Christ and Christ knows them. It is possible to come short of the promise. We don't like to think that it is, who wants to believe that a 'loving God' would keep us from obtaining the promise. Well, a 'loving God' won't keep us from obtaining the promise only WE keep ourselves from doing so. How can we be sure we won't come short of entering into Christ's rest? We need FAITH.
{4:2} For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it.
*Two types of people heard the same message.
A glass of water is held up and a person says- Is this glass half full or half empty.
People see things differently. They say if you see the glass as half full then you are an optimist, if you see if half empty you're a pessemist.
A group of people all hear the same message of the gospel preached to them, for some the word profited them and for others it didn't. What was the one thing those who profited from the message had the others didn't? FAITH.
{4:3} For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
The faithful will enter into Christ's rest. From the beginning of the world all that was created was finished on the sixth day and God rested the seventh. It was finished. FINISHED. Finished to the point God rested. Think about that. When you finish a task if it is something monumental what do you do next? You usually celebrate. God's rest is an amazing celebration of all that was created in six days. The work was finished. The wonder of it all, the majesty of creation was now to be enjoyed and a day of rest was created so that forever and ever no one would ever forgot the wonder of God's creation. Each seven days a reminder of the glorious creation would be made. God rested and that in itself is remarkable because if ever a person didn't have to rest it would be God. Yet he rested in honor of all that had been made it was that amazingly spectacular. That rest that mankind shared in, being part of the creation that God wrought was something so totally blissful and amazing its nearly incomprehensible.
{4:4} For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
{4:5} And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest.
*If they shall enter into my rest. By entering into God's rest by faith is believing in Him as our Creator, our redeemer. We can claim eternal life in Christ Jesus by His grace and mercy. We can enter into God's rest if we believe, only if we believe. There will not be a single person entering God's rest that does so without faith, without believing- it's impossible.
{4:6} Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief
*Unbelief will keep anyone out. There are commands we have been given by God from the foundation of the world one of the was to rest. It's because we believe in our Creator, the Father and the Son, that we enter into the rest of Jesus. We enter into it now through faith. We musn't harden our hearts but believe.
{4:7} Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
{4:8} For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
{4:9} There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
{4:10} For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.
{4:11} Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
*Labour to enter into rest.
Is that contradictory? Work to enter into rest. Not to people who work five days a week to get two days off. The concept is understandable. Our labour to enter into God's rest is a labour of faith. We have to cease believing that we can work to our own salvation, we have to trust wholly in Christ, entering His rest, believing fully in His ability to save us. Our work is our faith. And our faith is what will allow us to enter into the rest of Christ.
{4:12} For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
{4:13} Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
*We can hide nothing from God, nothing! God is quick, God is powerful, God is sharper than a twoedged sword. God can divide the soul from the spirit, the joint from the marrow, God is the discerner of our very thoughts and knows the intents of our hearts!
{4:14} Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession.
Jesus Christ is our great high priest!
Jesus as our high priest has entered into heaven!
Jesus as our high priest the Son of God!
We have to hold fast to our belief in Jesus, we have to cling to Jesus.
{4:15} For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.
*Jesus understands us! Jesus became man and He knows intimately how our infirmaties feel. Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, He understands the power of temptation yet Jesus chose NOT to fall into sin, He was able to keep the temptation from causing Him to sin. He knows the agony of temptation, he knows.
{4:16} Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
*We have to by faith and faith alone go boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
May God help us all, may we find mercy and grace, may we labour to enter into the rest promised, may our faith grow and grow. We believe Lord! We believe! Help us our unbelief!
Praise and glory to God now and always through the grace and mercy of his Son now and foreer.
Amen.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Hebrews 3
{3:1} Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus
Partakers of the heavenly calling. Doesn't that sound amazing.
Partakers.
partake (pär-tâk´) verbpartook (-t¢k´) partaken (-tâ´ken) partaking, patakes verb, intransitive1. To take or have a part or share; participate.2. To take or be given part or portion: The guests partook of a delicious dinner.3. To have part of the quality, nature, or character of something.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
To take part in, to share, to participate, to take a given portion, to have the quality, character of...the heavenly calling.
The heavenly calling.
We are ALL able to be partakers of the heavenly calling right? Jesus died to save all that would be saved, He died so we could all be partakers of the heavenly calling.
We need to consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.
consider (ken-sîd´er) verbconsidered, considering, considers verb, transitive1. To think carefully about.2. To think or deem to be; regard as. See Usage Note at as1.3. To form an opinion about; judge: considers waste to be criminal.4. To take into account; bear in mind: Her success is not surprising if you consider her excellent training.5. To show consideration for: failed to consider the feelings of others.6. To esteem; regard.7. To look at thoughtfully.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Consider, to think carefully about Jesus, our High Priest.Consider, to esteem Jesus, our High Priest.Consider, to take into account, our High Priest, Jesus.
Jesus isn't supposed to be thought of lightly, He is our High Priest, our Savior and Lord deserving of our consideration.
{3:2} Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses [was faithful] in all his house.
Jesus was faithful to His Father who appointed Him.Moses was faithful in all his house.
Moses was a revered man, highly esteemed, considered very thoughtfully, a Godly man, a man whose teachings were held very important and none would doubt Moses' faithfulness. Jesus was faithful as well. Jesus deserving of consideration, Jesus our High Priest was faithful to His calling.
{3:3} For this [man] was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. {3:4} For every house is builded by some [man;] but he that built all things [is] God.
Jesus worthy of more glory than the highly esteemed and revered Moses. Jesus the builder of all things.Moses was a creation of the Creator.The Creator is more worthy for His ability to create.
{3:5} And Moses verily [was] faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after{3:6} But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Moses was a faithful creation, a servant to the Creator. Moses faithful to God.Christ a son over His own creation, His own house.We are Christ's house- IF we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.We have to believe, we have to have faith, we have to rejoice, we have to have our hope firm to the end...to...the...end.
{3:7} Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice{3:8} Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness{3:9} When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.{3:10} Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in [their] heart; and they have not known my ways. {3:11} So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
History reveals that people can harden their hearts against God, people tempt God, people try to prove God. People see the miracles of the Lord their God and they still question Him. The faith is gone, it's lacking, they find that taking the stance that God has to prove to them His worth makes them somehow savvy and smart, some how on top of things so they're not duped and yet their lack of faith- their consistent lack of faith - is what roused God's ire. God knew that in their hearts they refused to know Him for what He was and so they were not allowed into God's rest. We can't harden our hearts like they have. It's possible, don't think it's not. We can't try God, we can't tempt Him, we need to trust, to have faith. We don't have to understand God's ways to believe in God. There are many, many things that we don't understand and yet we believe. God deserves that faith and trust more than any other thing in all the world.
{3:12} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Evil hearts of unbelief.Unbelief is evil because it doesn't allow for the faith needed to belief in God. The hope needed. Someone who is always skeptical finds little happiness in life, they are too busy picking it apart to pieces having no faith in anything. People says they won't be duped, they want hard, cold facts not flights of fancy and yet when they cut out the faith and those flights of fancy they limit their imaginations, their belief that the unbelievable is believable and the impossible is possible. Without faith, without hope if THIS is all there is to life it truly is a sad state of affairs. We have to have hearts filled with hope, filled with belief in God allowing that we cannot understand everything, we just can't. {3:13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Daily we are to help each other in our lives, keeping our faith strong. Deceit is something sly and insidious it will slip in and harden our hearts to God and we can't let that happen- we can't! We have to believe and help others look beyond the trap that is spread all around us trying to snare us daily in its grasp to get us to lose hope and belief. Satan will spare nothing to encourage unbelief, to encourage our lack of faith, to harden our hearts to God. Satan will do everything within his power to decieve us, if he can get us to harden our hearts to God he's won another to his side. It's so real, all of this is so real and we need to help each other as much as we can.
{3:14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end{3:15} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. {3:16} For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.{3:17} But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? {3:18} And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? {3:19} So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief
We want to enter into God's rest. We want to enter the land promised to us. Not all will, but only those who believe. Without faith it is impossible to please God. We have to believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Heb. {11:6} Butwithout faith [it is] impossible to please [him:] for he thatcometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is arewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith we need faith, Lord I believe! Help thou my unbelief!
Amen!
Partakers of the heavenly calling. Doesn't that sound amazing.
Partakers.
partake (pär-tâk´) verbpartook (-t¢k´) partaken (-tâ´ken) partaking, patakes verb, intransitive1. To take or have a part or share; participate.2. To take or be given part or portion: The guests partook of a delicious dinner.3. To have part of the quality, nature, or character of something.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
To take part in, to share, to participate, to take a given portion, to have the quality, character of...the heavenly calling.
The heavenly calling.
We are ALL able to be partakers of the heavenly calling right? Jesus died to save all that would be saved, He died so we could all be partakers of the heavenly calling.
We need to consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.
consider (ken-sîd´er) verbconsidered, considering, considers verb, transitive1. To think carefully about.2. To think or deem to be; regard as. See Usage Note at as1.3. To form an opinion about; judge: considers waste to be criminal.4. To take into account; bear in mind: Her success is not surprising if you consider her excellent training.5. To show consideration for: failed to consider the feelings of others.6. To esteem; regard.7. To look at thoughtfully.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Consider, to think carefully about Jesus, our High Priest.Consider, to esteem Jesus, our High Priest.Consider, to take into account, our High Priest, Jesus.
Jesus isn't supposed to be thought of lightly, He is our High Priest, our Savior and Lord deserving of our consideration.
{3:2} Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses [was faithful] in all his house.
Jesus was faithful to His Father who appointed Him.Moses was faithful in all his house.
Moses was a revered man, highly esteemed, considered very thoughtfully, a Godly man, a man whose teachings were held very important and none would doubt Moses' faithfulness. Jesus was faithful as well. Jesus deserving of consideration, Jesus our High Priest was faithful to His calling.
{3:3} For this [man] was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. {3:4} For every house is builded by some [man;] but he that built all things [is] God.
Jesus worthy of more glory than the highly esteemed and revered Moses. Jesus the builder of all things.Moses was a creation of the Creator.The Creator is more worthy for His ability to create.
{3:5} And Moses verily [was] faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after{3:6} But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Moses was a faithful creation, a servant to the Creator. Moses faithful to God.Christ a son over His own creation, His own house.We are Christ's house- IF we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.We have to believe, we have to have faith, we have to rejoice, we have to have our hope firm to the end...to...the...end.
{3:7} Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice{3:8} Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness{3:9} When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.{3:10} Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in [their] heart; and they have not known my ways. {3:11} So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
History reveals that people can harden their hearts against God, people tempt God, people try to prove God. People see the miracles of the Lord their God and they still question Him. The faith is gone, it's lacking, they find that taking the stance that God has to prove to them His worth makes them somehow savvy and smart, some how on top of things so they're not duped and yet their lack of faith- their consistent lack of faith - is what roused God's ire. God knew that in their hearts they refused to know Him for what He was and so they were not allowed into God's rest. We can't harden our hearts like they have. It's possible, don't think it's not. We can't try God, we can't tempt Him, we need to trust, to have faith. We don't have to understand God's ways to believe in God. There are many, many things that we don't understand and yet we believe. God deserves that faith and trust more than any other thing in all the world.
{3:12} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Evil hearts of unbelief.Unbelief is evil because it doesn't allow for the faith needed to belief in God. The hope needed. Someone who is always skeptical finds little happiness in life, they are too busy picking it apart to pieces having no faith in anything. People says they won't be duped, they want hard, cold facts not flights of fancy and yet when they cut out the faith and those flights of fancy they limit their imaginations, their belief that the unbelievable is believable and the impossible is possible. Without faith, without hope if THIS is all there is to life it truly is a sad state of affairs. We have to have hearts filled with hope, filled with belief in God allowing that we cannot understand everything, we just can't. {3:13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Daily we are to help each other in our lives, keeping our faith strong. Deceit is something sly and insidious it will slip in and harden our hearts to God and we can't let that happen- we can't! We have to believe and help others look beyond the trap that is spread all around us trying to snare us daily in its grasp to get us to lose hope and belief. Satan will spare nothing to encourage unbelief, to encourage our lack of faith, to harden our hearts to God. Satan will do everything within his power to decieve us, if he can get us to harden our hearts to God he's won another to his side. It's so real, all of this is so real and we need to help each other as much as we can.
{3:14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end{3:15} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. {3:16} For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.{3:17} But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? {3:18} And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? {3:19} So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief
We want to enter into God's rest. We want to enter the land promised to us. Not all will, but only those who believe. Without faith it is impossible to please God. We have to believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Heb. {11:6} Butwithout faith [it is] impossible to please [him:] for he thatcometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is arewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith we need faith, Lord I believe! Help thou my unbelief!
Amen!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Hebrews 2
Hebrews
{2:1} Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
*We have to listen. We have to give MORE earnest heed to the things we know so we don't forget them.
{2:2} For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward.
*God's angels speak true, God's angels can't lie. Every single sin, every disobedience is accounted for. As soon as we sin there is a record of that sin and an accounting will be made unless our sins are covered in the blood of the Lamb and He claims us as His and our names are written in the book of life.
{2:3} How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.
*Salvation is in Christ and only in Christ. We can neglect salvation. We can. Salvation isn't ours automatically we have to accept it. We can neglect is and there is no escape if we do, none.
{2:4} God also bearing [them] witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
*God used signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost. There can be no mistaking the fact that God made manifest all these things that weren't typical, special, amazing gifts that could only come from Him. Healing, delivering people possessed of evil spirits, juice into wine, fish where there were no fish, bread where there was no bread. Miracles that didn't promote selfish gain in any way but rather turned the minds, the thoughts to God to eternal life, to Jesus our Lord and Savior, to salvation.
{2:5} For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
{2:6} But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
{2:7} Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands
{2:8} Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing [that is] not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Psalms {8:4} What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man,that thou visitest him?{8:5} For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hastcrowned him with glory and honour.{8:6} Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands;thou hast put all [things] under his feet:
{2:9} But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
*Jesus became man.Jesus became a little lower than the angels.God's own son lowered himself to our level so that he could suffer death. That his death would leave him crowned with glory and honor. His death allows us to have His grace and mercy. Jesus died for all of us, every single person that will accept His great sacrifice.
{2:10} For it became him, for whom [are] all things, and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
{2:11} For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified [are] all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren
{2:12} Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
{2:13} And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
{2:14} Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he mightdestroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil
{2:15} And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
{2:16} For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham.
{2:17} Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
{2:18} For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
*That is so incredibly beautiful.
We tend to admire people we classify as high and lofty, superstars in movie, theater, sports, financial savvy, those who deign to lower themselves to get down and work with ordinary people. We call them humanitarians when they travel to foreign countries and lend their status to a cause to bring awareness and help to that cause. Our admiration isn't completely misplaced, they don't *have* to lower themselves that way, many don't. We don't know if their lowering of themselves is done with genuine goodness or self-serving but that isn't for us to judge. We do know that Christ, God's very Son, His ONLY Son lowered Himself and He did it for one reason and one reason only- for us. We know beyond a doubt that He suffered for us, each of us. That He lowered Himself to something lower than the angels. Angels are below God in status, but Jesus didn't lower Himself to be an Angel, He lowered Himself even further down to become human so He could redeem us. If we want an example of pure love, there it is we don't have to look any further. Total selflessness.
He became us, was tempted like us, and He over came for us, giving us hope, hope eternal now and forever.
He is our merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God- to make reconcilation for the sins of the people.
Worth noting, in the typical Day of Atonement right before all the sins of the forgiven were to be placed upon the scapegoat (Satan) and he is led out to the wilderness- it says of the High Priest - Lev. {16:20} And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy [place,] and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat
Jesus our faithful High Priest is making a reconcilation for the sins of the people just as the High Priest on the Day of Atonement cleansed the Sanctuary. Our world will not be cleansed fully of sin, our lives will not be cleansed until that Day of Atonement is fully complete.
May God help and keep us as we humble ourselves before Him and entreat His mercy for us, clinging to the cross and the grace offered through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, our great High Priest who is reconciling us to God now and soon to be forever.
Amen.
{2:1} Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
*We have to listen. We have to give MORE earnest heed to the things we know so we don't forget them.
{2:2} For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward.
*God's angels speak true, God's angels can't lie. Every single sin, every disobedience is accounted for. As soon as we sin there is a record of that sin and an accounting will be made unless our sins are covered in the blood of the Lamb and He claims us as His and our names are written in the book of life.
{2:3} How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.
*Salvation is in Christ and only in Christ. We can neglect salvation. We can. Salvation isn't ours automatically we have to accept it. We can neglect is and there is no escape if we do, none.
{2:4} God also bearing [them] witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
*God used signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost. There can be no mistaking the fact that God made manifest all these things that weren't typical, special, amazing gifts that could only come from Him. Healing, delivering people possessed of evil spirits, juice into wine, fish where there were no fish, bread where there was no bread. Miracles that didn't promote selfish gain in any way but rather turned the minds, the thoughts to God to eternal life, to Jesus our Lord and Savior, to salvation.
{2:5} For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
{2:6} But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
{2:7} Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands
{2:8} Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing [that is] not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Psalms {8:4} What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man,that thou visitest him?{8:5} For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hastcrowned him with glory and honour.{8:6} Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands;thou hast put all [things] under his feet:
{2:9} But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
*Jesus became man.Jesus became a little lower than the angels.God's own son lowered himself to our level so that he could suffer death. That his death would leave him crowned with glory and honor. His death allows us to have His grace and mercy. Jesus died for all of us, every single person that will accept His great sacrifice.
{2:10} For it became him, for whom [are] all things, and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
{2:11} For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified [are] all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren
{2:12} Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
{2:13} And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
{2:14} Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he mightdestroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil
{2:15} And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
{2:16} For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham.
{2:17} Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
{2:18} For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
*That is so incredibly beautiful.
We tend to admire people we classify as high and lofty, superstars in movie, theater, sports, financial savvy, those who deign to lower themselves to get down and work with ordinary people. We call them humanitarians when they travel to foreign countries and lend their status to a cause to bring awareness and help to that cause. Our admiration isn't completely misplaced, they don't *have* to lower themselves that way, many don't. We don't know if their lowering of themselves is done with genuine goodness or self-serving but that isn't for us to judge. We do know that Christ, God's very Son, His ONLY Son lowered Himself and He did it for one reason and one reason only- for us. We know beyond a doubt that He suffered for us, each of us. That He lowered Himself to something lower than the angels. Angels are below God in status, but Jesus didn't lower Himself to be an Angel, He lowered Himself even further down to become human so He could redeem us. If we want an example of pure love, there it is we don't have to look any further. Total selflessness.
He became us, was tempted like us, and He over came for us, giving us hope, hope eternal now and forever.
He is our merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God- to make reconcilation for the sins of the people.
Worth noting, in the typical Day of Atonement right before all the sins of the forgiven were to be placed upon the scapegoat (Satan) and he is led out to the wilderness- it says of the High Priest - Lev. {16:20} And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy [place,] and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat
Jesus our faithful High Priest is making a reconcilation for the sins of the people just as the High Priest on the Day of Atonement cleansed the Sanctuary. Our world will not be cleansed fully of sin, our lives will not be cleansed until that Day of Atonement is fully complete.
May God help and keep us as we humble ourselves before Him and entreat His mercy for us, clinging to the cross and the grace offered through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, our great High Priest who is reconciling us to God now and soon to be forever.
Amen.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Hebrews 1
Hebrews {1:1} God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets
God at various times- God in different ways-
-spoke in the past to the fathers by the prophets.
{1:2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son,
God recently has spoken to us by Jesus
{1:2}...whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Jesus who God made heir of all things.Jesus who God made the worlds with.
{1:3} Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,
Jesus the brightness of God's glory.Jesus the very image of His Father.
{1:3} ...and upholding all things by the word of his power,
All things are kept in place by God's Power, by Jesus' Power.
{1:3} ...when he had by himself purged our sins
Jesus purged our sins by himself. It is ONLY by Jesus and His sacrifice that our sins can be purged.
{1:3} ...sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Jesus at the right hand of God.
{1:4} Being made so much better than the angels,
Jesus better than the angels.
{1:4} ...as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Jesus by His inheritance from God has a better name than angels.
{1:5} For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?
To what angels has God told they are His Son, that He has begotten them?
{1:5}...And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
To what angels has God said He will be a Father, and they His Sons?
{1:6} And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
All the angels of God worship Jesus- the firstbegotton of the Father. {1:7} And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Angels are spirits, angels are ministers, angels flames of fire.
{1:8} But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:
Jesus' throne is forever.
{1:8}...a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Jesus' righteousness is the power of His kingdom.
{1:9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Jesus loves righteousness, hates sin- and God has made Him better than all else.
{1:10} And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
Jesus in the beginning created the earth and heavens.
{1:11} They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
The earth and the heavens will be destroyed, bue Jesus will remain. The earth and heavens will get old as a garment wears away over time.
{1:12} And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
As folded clothes the earth will be changed, but Jesus will forever and ever be the same.
{1:13} But to which of the angels said he at any times, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
To what angels did God ever say sit at my right hand until I make thine enemies beneath thee? None.
{1:14} Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
All the angels are ministering spirits.
All the angels are sent to minister to those who will inherit salvation.
*******
Jesus was with God in the beginning. By Jesus all things were made, by Jesus all things are saved, by God's angels we are ministered, and those angels are not God's only begotten Son, those angels are willingly in subjection to God and help us who will inherit salvation through Jesus.
May we all seek to know Jesus more fully, to be known of him more fully and find Salvation in Jesus realizing that we are not in this battle on our own. We do receive help in Christ's ministering angels.
May God bless and keep us forever His.
Amen.
God at various times- God in different ways-
-spoke in the past to the fathers by the prophets.
{1:2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son,
God recently has spoken to us by Jesus
{1:2}...whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Jesus who God made heir of all things.Jesus who God made the worlds with.
{1:3} Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,
Jesus the brightness of God's glory.Jesus the very image of His Father.
{1:3} ...and upholding all things by the word of his power,
All things are kept in place by God's Power, by Jesus' Power.
{1:3} ...when he had by himself purged our sins
Jesus purged our sins by himself. It is ONLY by Jesus and His sacrifice that our sins can be purged.
{1:3} ...sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Jesus at the right hand of God.
{1:4} Being made so much better than the angels,
Jesus better than the angels.
{1:4} ...as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Jesus by His inheritance from God has a better name than angels.
{1:5} For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?
To what angels has God told they are His Son, that He has begotten them?
{1:5}...And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
To what angels has God said He will be a Father, and they His Sons?
{1:6} And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
All the angels of God worship Jesus- the firstbegotton of the Father. {1:7} And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Angels are spirits, angels are ministers, angels flames of fire.
{1:8} But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:
Jesus' throne is forever.
{1:8}...a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Jesus' righteousness is the power of His kingdom.
{1:9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Jesus loves righteousness, hates sin- and God has made Him better than all else.
{1:10} And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
Jesus in the beginning created the earth and heavens.
{1:11} They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
The earth and the heavens will be destroyed, bue Jesus will remain. The earth and heavens will get old as a garment wears away over time.
{1:12} And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
As folded clothes the earth will be changed, but Jesus will forever and ever be the same.
{1:13} But to which of the angels said he at any times, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
To what angels did God ever say sit at my right hand until I make thine enemies beneath thee? None.
{1:14} Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
All the angels are ministering spirits.
All the angels are sent to minister to those who will inherit salvation.
*******
Jesus was with God in the beginning. By Jesus all things were made, by Jesus all things are saved, by God's angels we are ministered, and those angels are not God's only begotten Son, those angels are willingly in subjection to God and help us who will inherit salvation through Jesus.
May we all seek to know Jesus more fully, to be known of him more fully and find Salvation in Jesus realizing that we are not in this battle on our own. We do receive help in Christ's ministering angels.
May God bless and keep us forever His.
Amen.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
And when he hath made an end of reconciling
{16:1} And the LORD spake unto Moses after the deathof the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before theLORD, and died;
{16:2} And the LORD said unto Moses,Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all timesinto the holy [place] within the vail before the mercy seat,which [is] upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear inthe cloud upon the mercy seat.
{16:3} Thus shall Aaroncome into the holy [place:] with a young bullock for a sinoffering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
{16:4} He shall puton the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breechesupon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, andwith the linen mitre shall he be attired: these [are] holygarments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and[so] put them on.
{16:5} And he shall take of thecongregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goatsfor a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
Year - 1844 ******* (Then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed) The cleansing of the Sanctuary took place one day a year- the Day of Atonement. Sacrifices were made every day- a morning and evening sacrifice but one day a year on the Day of Atonement the Sanctuary would be cleansed.
Recap- The High Priest when He goes into the Most Holy Place (within veil) won't do so often but when He does He has to prepare.
He has to be clothed in pure holy garments (Christ's Righteousness) after he bathes (Washed in the Blood of the Lamb made pure).
{16:6}And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which[is] for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and forhis house.
Recap- The High Priest offers the bull for a sin offering for himself and for his house. (Altar - Cross)
{16:7} And he shall take the two goats, andpresent them before the LORD [at] the door of thetabernacle of the congregation.
Recap- the two goat will be presented before the Lord to the Holy Place. (The sin problem good (Lord's) and evil (Satan's) standing before God)
{16:8} And Aaron shall castlots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the otherlot for the scapegoat. {16:9} And Aaron shall bring the goatupon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him [for] a sinoffering.
Recap- The goat of the Lord is offered as a sin offering (Jesus died for us sinners)
{16:10} But the goat, on which the lot fell to bethe scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, tomake an atonement with him, [and] to let him go for ascapegoat into the wilderness.
Recap- The goat of Satan was kept alive and would be sent into the wilderness. (Satan will bear the sins of all, getting back all that he evil caused)
{16:11} And Aaron shallbring the bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself,and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house,and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which [is] forhimself:
Recap- The High Priest kills the bull making an atonement for himself and his people. (Jesus died to save us. Without that Sacrifice we could never have been saved- never. Jesus made Himself an acceptable Sacrifice.)
{16:12} And he shall take a censer full of burningcoals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and hishands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring [it]within the vail:
Recap- After the sacrifice the High Priest will take a censer full of burning coals (purifying from sin) from the altar in the Holy Place and He will take incense (prayers) and He goes into the Most Holy Place. The purifying begins as the prayers are offered.
{16:13} And he shall put the incense uponthe fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense maycover the mercy seat that [is] upon the testimony, that he dienot:
Recap- The prayers (incense) will go upon the purifying fire (burning coals) before the Mercy Seat bringing that which is acceptable to God because He is worthy. Only with by the mercy and grace of the Lord, only through His sacrifice are the prayers and purfying possible.
{16:14} And he shall take of the blood of the bullock,and sprinkle [it] with his finger upon the mercy seateastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of theblood with his finger seven times.
Recap- Taking the blood of the sacrfice for Himself and His family it is sprinkled on the mercy seat. His sacrifice is acceptable.
{16:15} Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that[is] for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, anddo with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock,and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercyseat: {16:16} And he shall make an atonement for the holy[place,] because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel,and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and soshall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, thatremaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
Recap- The goat chosen to be the Lord's goat will be killed and the blood taken into the Most Holy Place and the blood like the blood for the sacrifice for Himself and His family is sprinkled on the mercy seat- this blood is for those not in the High Priest's immediate family but for those who are God's children nonetheless.
Also He will use the blood for the Holy Place, getting rid of the sin throughout the Sanctuary, that which makes up the House of God.
{16:17} And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of thecongregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in theholy [place,] until he come out, and have made anatonement for himself, and for his household, and for all thecongregation of Israel.
Recap- Alone He offers up these sacrifices to God.
Year 1980******* (Times of the Gentiles Fulfilled- corporately the children of God have been cleansed those who are God's truly are now being called out of the corporate guilt so that they won't be found wanting with those who turned their back on God's truth, just as the Jews did in Jesus' day. The truth left them and went to the Gentiles, and now that the times of the Gentiles is fulfilled all that is left is the 'reconciling of all that has been done' and those who are found guilty will be guilty still, and those who have been found just will be just still.
{16:18} And he shall go out unto thealtar that [is] before the LORD, and make an atonement forit; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of theblood of the goat, and put [it] upon the horns of the altarround about.
Recap- He shall finally go out to the altar in the court before the Holy place and offer the blood there.
{16:19} And he shall sprinkle of the bloodupon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, andhallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
{16:20} And when he hath made an end of reconciling theholy [place,] and the tabernacle of the congregation, and thealtar, he shall bring the live goat:
Recap- WHEN (SOON) He makes an end of reconciling the Most Holy place, the Holy place and the Court...only then will the live goat be brought into play.
{16:21} And Aaron shalllay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, andconfess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel,and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting themupon the head of the goat, and shall send [him] away by thehand of a fit man into the wilderness: {16:22} And the goatshall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land notinhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Recap- Satan recieves ALL the sins taken from the forgiven and then is taken out of power for 1000 years to wander about the earth with no one to deceive a wilderness far, far removed from the children of God, until the 1000 years is over and the rest of the dead (those not dead in Christ who have been taken to heaven) will live again and he's loosed from his prison of circumstances to deceive them one last time.
Rev. {20:1} And I saw an angel come down from heaven,having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in hishand. {20:2} And he laid hold on the dragon, that oldserpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him athousand years, {20:3} And cast him into the bottomless pit,and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he shoulddeceive the nations no more, till the thousand years shouldbe fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev. {20:6} Blessed and holy [is] hethat hath part in the first resurrection: on such the seconddeath hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and ofChrist, and shall reign with him a thousand years
Rev. {20:7}And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall beloosed out of his prison, {20:8} And shall go out to deceivethe nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gogand Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number ofwhom [is] as the sand of the sea. {20:9} And they went upon the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of thesaints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down fromGod out of heaven, and devoured them.
{16:2} And the LORD said unto Moses,Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all timesinto the holy [place] within the vail before the mercy seat,which [is] upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear inthe cloud upon the mercy seat.
{16:3} Thus shall Aaroncome into the holy [place:] with a young bullock for a sinoffering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
{16:4} He shall puton the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breechesupon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, andwith the linen mitre shall he be attired: these [are] holygarments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and[so] put them on.
{16:5} And he shall take of thecongregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goatsfor a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
Year - 1844 ******* (Then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed) The cleansing of the Sanctuary took place one day a year- the Day of Atonement. Sacrifices were made every day- a morning and evening sacrifice but one day a year on the Day of Atonement the Sanctuary would be cleansed.
Recap- The High Priest when He goes into the Most Holy Place (within veil) won't do so often but when He does He has to prepare.
He has to be clothed in pure holy garments (Christ's Righteousness) after he bathes (Washed in the Blood of the Lamb made pure).
{16:6}And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which[is] for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and forhis house.
Recap- The High Priest offers the bull for a sin offering for himself and for his house. (Altar - Cross)
{16:7} And he shall take the two goats, andpresent them before the LORD [at] the door of thetabernacle of the congregation.
Recap- the two goat will be presented before the Lord to the Holy Place. (The sin problem good (Lord's) and evil (Satan's) standing before God)
{16:8} And Aaron shall castlots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the otherlot for the scapegoat. {16:9} And Aaron shall bring the goatupon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him [for] a sinoffering.
Recap- The goat of the Lord is offered as a sin offering (Jesus died for us sinners)
{16:10} But the goat, on which the lot fell to bethe scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, tomake an atonement with him, [and] to let him go for ascapegoat into the wilderness.
Recap- The goat of Satan was kept alive and would be sent into the wilderness. (Satan will bear the sins of all, getting back all that he evil caused)
{16:11} And Aaron shallbring the bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself,and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house,and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which [is] forhimself:
Recap- The High Priest kills the bull making an atonement for himself and his people. (Jesus died to save us. Without that Sacrifice we could never have been saved- never. Jesus made Himself an acceptable Sacrifice.)
{16:12} And he shall take a censer full of burningcoals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and hishands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring [it]within the vail:
Recap- After the sacrifice the High Priest will take a censer full of burning coals (purifying from sin) from the altar in the Holy Place and He will take incense (prayers) and He goes into the Most Holy Place. The purifying begins as the prayers are offered.
{16:13} And he shall put the incense uponthe fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense maycover the mercy seat that [is] upon the testimony, that he dienot:
Recap- The prayers (incense) will go upon the purifying fire (burning coals) before the Mercy Seat bringing that which is acceptable to God because He is worthy. Only with by the mercy and grace of the Lord, only through His sacrifice are the prayers and purfying possible.
{16:14} And he shall take of the blood of the bullock,and sprinkle [it] with his finger upon the mercy seateastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of theblood with his finger seven times.
Recap- Taking the blood of the sacrfice for Himself and His family it is sprinkled on the mercy seat. His sacrifice is acceptable.
{16:15} Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that[is] for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, anddo with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock,and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercyseat: {16:16} And he shall make an atonement for the holy[place,] because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel,and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and soshall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, thatremaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
Recap- The goat chosen to be the Lord's goat will be killed and the blood taken into the Most Holy Place and the blood like the blood for the sacrifice for Himself and His family is sprinkled on the mercy seat- this blood is for those not in the High Priest's immediate family but for those who are God's children nonetheless.
Also He will use the blood for the Holy Place, getting rid of the sin throughout the Sanctuary, that which makes up the House of God.
{16:17} And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of thecongregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in theholy [place,] until he come out, and have made anatonement for himself, and for his household, and for all thecongregation of Israel.
Recap- Alone He offers up these sacrifices to God.
Year 1980******* (Times of the Gentiles Fulfilled- corporately the children of God have been cleansed those who are God's truly are now being called out of the corporate guilt so that they won't be found wanting with those who turned their back on God's truth, just as the Jews did in Jesus' day. The truth left them and went to the Gentiles, and now that the times of the Gentiles is fulfilled all that is left is the 'reconciling of all that has been done' and those who are found guilty will be guilty still, and those who have been found just will be just still.
{16:18} And he shall go out unto thealtar that [is] before the LORD, and make an atonement forit; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of theblood of the goat, and put [it] upon the horns of the altarround about.
Recap- He shall finally go out to the altar in the court before the Holy place and offer the blood there.
{16:19} And he shall sprinkle of the bloodupon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, andhallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
{16:20} And when he hath made an end of reconciling theholy [place,] and the tabernacle of the congregation, and thealtar, he shall bring the live goat:
Recap- WHEN (SOON) He makes an end of reconciling the Most Holy place, the Holy place and the Court...only then will the live goat be brought into play.
{16:21} And Aaron shalllay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, andconfess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel,and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting themupon the head of the goat, and shall send [him] away by thehand of a fit man into the wilderness: {16:22} And the goatshall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land notinhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Recap- Satan recieves ALL the sins taken from the forgiven and then is taken out of power for 1000 years to wander about the earth with no one to deceive a wilderness far, far removed from the children of God, until the 1000 years is over and the rest of the dead (those not dead in Christ who have been taken to heaven) will live again and he's loosed from his prison of circumstances to deceive them one last time.
Rev. {20:1} And I saw an angel come down from heaven,having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in hishand. {20:2} And he laid hold on the dragon, that oldserpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him athousand years, {20:3} And cast him into the bottomless pit,and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he shoulddeceive the nations no more, till the thousand years shouldbe fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev. {20:6} Blessed and holy [is] hethat hath part in the first resurrection: on such the seconddeath hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and ofChrist, and shall reign with him a thousand years
Rev. {20:7}And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall beloosed out of his prison, {20:8} And shall go out to deceivethe nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gogand Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number ofwhom [is] as the sand of the sea. {20:9} And they went upon the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of thesaints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down fromGod out of heaven, and devoured them.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Melody in your heart to the Lord
Eph.
{5:19} Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
{5:20} Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
{5:21} Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
When was the last time you spoke to anyone in a psalm, or a hymn, or a spiritual song? When was the last time you made a melody in your heart to the Lord?
That last question is fairly easy to answer right? We sing all the time, or some of us do. I know I do, I love the various Christian songs out there and almost everytime I'm in the car I have the radio on and I sing along. My heart is making melody to the Lord and often- but do we speak in psalms and hymns, spiritual songs?
Would we even know how to speak in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs? It's a question I think that bears considering.
No, I'm not saying we start going around singing at each other, but there is an element in what is being encouraged that needs to be incorporated into our lives. Uplifting one another is important and all too often we're more about what is depressing and makes our lives anxious not what uplifts. We'll more often than not have unhappy things to speak about and it does give us something to talk about, in fact some peoples lives are most active when they're engaging in discussing things that aren't so pleasant.
Spiritual songs, singing, making melody in our hearts to the Lord.
Giving thanks always....
How often?
Always.
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Giving thanks for all things.
We can't understand all things, we just can't. But we can trust that our lack of understanding won't change God's love for us. We want to believe that God stops loving us when horrible things happen to us. Satan wants us to think that, it's his way of maligning God and gaining more and more to Him. But wait, we don't like to think like that. We don't like to believe that there are only two sides. We want to believe there are many sides and if we linger on those sides close to God then we are going to be Gods. Unfortunately, that's not true it's something we've made up so we can soothe our conscience and make excuses for our bad behavior.
Whenever we are upset by life's hardships- and there are tons of them- we have to cry out to God but not in such a way that put doubts to His love for us.
Giving thanks always even when we don't understand.
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Do we do that? It would make us subservient right? Who wants to be subservient? We grow up being taught to stand up for ourselves, to be those who have others *working* for us, not us working for them. Rich means having housekeepers, having servants. Yet Christ wants us to be servants to all. The greatest is the one who is servant to all. The greatest is the least. It's no wonder that Satan has us mostly believing that the least is the worst. The servant is the lowest. That submitting ourselves ont to another, not for our own glory, but in the fear of God. Out of reference for God. We do it because it is God's will that we serve and submit that we are those who give and aren't those who just take. Love is giving. Love is graciously accepting.
Love is God and if we are to be God's we need to be loving knowing that sin isn't something God enjoys, that He never intended things to be how they are and yet rather than give up on us and wipe us out of existence he's allowed us to live and made a way for redemption in Him through the greatest sacrifice of all - His Son.
May God bless and keep us, may we learn to make melodies in our hearts to the Lord and give thanks always, and to submit ourselves to one another. By the will and grace of our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
{5:19} Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
{5:20} Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
{5:21} Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
When was the last time you spoke to anyone in a psalm, or a hymn, or a spiritual song? When was the last time you made a melody in your heart to the Lord?
That last question is fairly easy to answer right? We sing all the time, or some of us do. I know I do, I love the various Christian songs out there and almost everytime I'm in the car I have the radio on and I sing along. My heart is making melody to the Lord and often- but do we speak in psalms and hymns, spiritual songs?
Would we even know how to speak in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs? It's a question I think that bears considering.
No, I'm not saying we start going around singing at each other, but there is an element in what is being encouraged that needs to be incorporated into our lives. Uplifting one another is important and all too often we're more about what is depressing and makes our lives anxious not what uplifts. We'll more often than not have unhappy things to speak about and it does give us something to talk about, in fact some peoples lives are most active when they're engaging in discussing things that aren't so pleasant.
Spiritual songs, singing, making melody in our hearts to the Lord.
Giving thanks always....
How often?
Always.
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Giving thanks for all things.
We can't understand all things, we just can't. But we can trust that our lack of understanding won't change God's love for us. We want to believe that God stops loving us when horrible things happen to us. Satan wants us to think that, it's his way of maligning God and gaining more and more to Him. But wait, we don't like to think like that. We don't like to believe that there are only two sides. We want to believe there are many sides and if we linger on those sides close to God then we are going to be Gods. Unfortunately, that's not true it's something we've made up so we can soothe our conscience and make excuses for our bad behavior.
Whenever we are upset by life's hardships- and there are tons of them- we have to cry out to God but not in such a way that put doubts to His love for us.
Giving thanks always even when we don't understand.
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Do we do that? It would make us subservient right? Who wants to be subservient? We grow up being taught to stand up for ourselves, to be those who have others *working* for us, not us working for them. Rich means having housekeepers, having servants. Yet Christ wants us to be servants to all. The greatest is the one who is servant to all. The greatest is the least. It's no wonder that Satan has us mostly believing that the least is the worst. The servant is the lowest. That submitting ourselves ont to another, not for our own glory, but in the fear of God. Out of reference for God. We do it because it is God's will that we serve and submit that we are those who give and aren't those who just take. Love is giving. Love is graciously accepting.
Love is God and if we are to be God's we need to be loving knowing that sin isn't something God enjoys, that He never intended things to be how they are and yet rather than give up on us and wipe us out of existence he's allowed us to live and made a way for redemption in Him through the greatest sacrifice of all - His Son.
May God bless and keep us, may we learn to make melodies in our hearts to the Lord and give thanks always, and to submit ourselves to one another. By the will and grace of our Lord now and forever.
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)