A Ransom for all

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
1Ti 2:7  Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all.

Ransom definition-

Redemption, the price paid, means of deliverance, rescued from punishment, redeemed from captivity, to release-to restore upon receipt of payment.

PAYMENT- Christ Jesus' life was the price paid for US, for us, for ALL, for
bEVERYONE.

To take on His role as our MEDIATOR our Savior had to pay a price for us. 

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1Co 7:22  For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
1Co 7:23  Ye are bought with a price…

Bought with a price.

We tend to think that it was so easy for God to sacrifice His Son, that it was so easy for the Son to agree to be sacrificed. Christianity, being a follower of Christ is not something that should be taken for granted at all.  What our God did for us is so far beyond our true comprehension that the little glimpse we are allowed into the understanding boggles our minds. 

God CHOSE to create us. He did NOT have to create us. And yet we live as if we are greater than He is! We live thinking we are here by mere chance. We philosophize away the truth so that WE become our OWN creators. We take it ALL out of anyone else's hands and believe that we just happen to be what we are and to think anything else is foolishness. We believe our science can duplicate everything. We clone now and we believe that makes us creators, yet the material we are cloning from was not created by us. Rather than believe in a CREATOR we choose to believe we exist and there is little more to it.

God chose to create us, I believe this with ALL my heart! I have a GOD, I have a REDEEMER. My God before creating me agreed with my other God, who is God the Father and they agreed together that we should be created. They agreed on all the particulars of our Creation. They agreed on our being given the power to choose whether or not we would give honor, glory, and praise to them as our Creators. They agreed that they would reveal their love in all they created to us and they also agreed that to be given a choice we had to have something to choose between. 

Satan rebelled, a created angel being, made the choice to not return the pure love given to him by God even though there was NO physical, NO tangible choice for him to choose between. There was NO forbidden tree place before the angels. The angels were spirit beings just as God was and is a spirit being. Satan's own thoughts betrayed Him. He wanted to be like God, He wasn’t satisfied with His position. He had so much, He had everything except the power that makes God, God, and able to create as only He can.

We as created human being also made the choice when we were confronted with that forbidden tree and egged on by an outside force to disobey God.

I believe it's because we were enticed and did NOT solely act of our own accord that God deemed us worthy for the plan of redemption that had been drawn up before our creation.

People say, 'The devil made me do it.' And you know what? The devil tries to make us do it- but we CHOOSE whether or not to ultimately do it.  The devil does not force us to sin but he'll do everything he possibly can to make us desire to do so ourselves.

That plan of redemption wasn't just a silly little thing, it wasn't a minor plan, it was a plan of tremendous forethought and SACRIFICE. The enormity of the plan of redemption cannot truly hit home, at least I don't think it can not until we understand what was sacrificed. It wasn't one human sacrificing themselves for another, though we call that honorable and good.  It was so much more than the sacrifice of our temporary life.

Agreeing to take on human flesh, that is not even like us agreeing to become an insect, it is so incredibly much more.

Would you agree to become an insect- permanently? Would you agree to that? Of course not, an insect is more often than not considered a pest and pests are meant to be killed quite often.

Our Savior agreed to put aside His GODHOOD. One who had no way to die, to be killed, to be destroyed. One who was from everlasting to everlasting- CHOSE to put on flesh and solely rely on God the Father as we must do and NOT any power He might possess- this amazing God did it so that He could SAVE us vile creatures.

He PAID the price! We are BOUGHT with a price! The ransom for us was INCREDIBLY, mindblowingly HIGH!

The ransom has been paid.

However usually when a ransom is paid the person held against their will is set free, and we are still here, still living with sin only growing more and more powerful all around us.

Again we have to look to the SANCTUARY that we were given an example of. Remember the earthly sanctuary was patterned after the heavenly. We MUST look there because our REDEEMER became the ULTIMATE LAMB of GOD that was SACRIFICED.

When we look at the Sanctuary we know that on the Day of Atonement after the animals were sacrificed their blood was still in play. They didn't simply die and that was it, their blood had a purpose.

Our Savior's blood has a purpose and He went to the FATHER to prepare a place for us, He went to the Father to plead on our behalf revealing that He had indeed met the necessary conditions in order to redeem us. He is our HIGH PRIEST in the HEAVENLY SANCTUARY.  The work is ongoing, the application of the shed blood in play.

Our Savior isn't slack concerning His promise to us, but is LONGSUFFERING.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Our Savior doesn't want to lose a single person that chooses to be saved by Him, not one.

By the grace of God may we comprehend as much as we possibly can of the love of God towards us in the sacrifice made to redeem us, in the RANSOM paid, the PRICE we are bought with.

All through the LOVE of our God forever!

We are Blessed by this Gift- The Sabbath!

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Sacrifices.

Yesterday we were talking about the special GIFT of the seventh day Sabbath to mankind.

We discuss how that Sabbath was a special day of communing between God and Mankind. How even after the fall - even after Adam and Eve sinned and were banished from the garden of Eden- God still met with them.  When He met with them an OFFERING was necessary,  a SACRIFICAL OFFERING, the OFFERING of SACRIFICE. Why was an offering of sacrifice made? Because man had sinned- separating Himself from God.

By all accounts God could have -and some would argue- should have just annihilated mankind at that moment. But God, whose compassion and love we can scarcely begin to comprehend had already decided if He were going to go ahead with the creation of mankind that there had to be some plan in place if mankind chose the path of sin rather than the path of love. He knew when He made the plans that the possibility was there because He was creating mankind with the power to CHOOSE. He didn't want creatures to be like animals, like puppets, but rather like Him, in HIS image. He wanted them to be able to choose right over wrong, love over evil, to willingly do this.  Remember this--

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Joh 17:5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

The plan of salvation was in place before the world ever existed.  God did not create mankind willy nilly and then go 'OOPS!'  when they sinned. He didn't say a great big, 'UHOH!'  He had plans in place because of the LOVE He possesses that we can only comprehend the tiniest bit of.

So while some might argue that God would have been better off just making mankind disappear they'd be wrong. 

God did NOT do away with mankind, so why would He stop communicating with mankind? Why would He cut them off completely? Would that show them the plan of Salvation? Would that reveal the way to reunite with Him and be sinless? Would that destroy the evil of sin? It's ludicrous to believe that God would banish Adam and Eve and then never communicate with them again.  The facts are- God did communicate with them and taught them how they could repair the huge breech that sin had created between them.

An understanding of their WRONG must come first. Without the comprehension of their wrong, of their sin, what good would saving them be?

Did they know they did wrong?

Gen 3:7  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Gen 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
Gen 3:9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Gen 3:10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Gen 3:11  And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
Gen 3:12  And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Gen 3:13  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Fear.
No longer covered in the light of God's righteousness but naked.
Hiding.
Beguiled.
Admission of wrong doing.

They knew, their eyes were opened to the realization they'd disobeyed their beloved Creator. They felt the incredible guilt instantly. The light of righteousness was GONE from around them. Do you honestly believe they were blind before sinning? NO. They were NOT blind, they were under LOVE'S protection, they were shielded by God's righteousness.  Is a child blind because a parent doesn't allow them to watch bloody horror shows on tv? No. But once that child disobeys and watches a bloody horror show on tv then they can no longer Un-watch it, it cannot be as if they hadn't seen it, the damage is done. They might even view a lot of things around them in a different light depending on what horror show they witnessed and the psychological aspect to it.  Adam and Eve were not blinded, they saw all the beauty of the garden, of the creatures that inhabited the garden, they met with God Himself and saw Him. They were not blind, but eating the fruit from the forbidden tree was an act that could not be undone.  They saw instantaneously that their disobedience had consequences. While God had clothed them in His righteousness they never felt naked. It wasn't that they loved traipsing around in the innocence of nudity, they were clothed in God's light, God's righteousness! When His righteousness was suddenly gone they could see that they HAD no righteousness of their own! Why do you suppose their nudity shocked them after sinning? It was because they hadn't been naked spiritually! If you open your eyes and discover you're naked, you had to have been clothed before, right? You had to know you'd been clothed before. They HAD been clothed, truly they had.

2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Co 5:2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
2Co 5:3  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
2Co 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

Isa 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Clothed with Christ's righteousness- no longer naked.
The garments of salvation- the robe of righteousness.

Before they sinned they were in a saved state, yes? They were in a PURE, SINLESS state. They had the ROBE of RIGHTEOUSNESS upon them! 

Their FLESH eyes were opened to the selfish things of the flesh, they could no longer view things in the light of God's pure righteousness, they'd given that up and they felt the weight of it instantly.

The very first thing they did was make something to cover themselves but it couldn't compare to the glory of God's righteousness.   How incredibly vulnerable they must have felt.  Have you ever been lost in your life- not figuratively but literally lost and vulnerable? It's a very, very frightening experience. To suddenly be separated from God's righteousness had to be incredibly frightening for Adam and Eve. They wanted their clothing back! They wanted that covering back on them. They weren't rejoicing in their sudden nudity, they were fearful of it, they did not like it! They wanted to be clothed once more. 

Fear.
No longer covered in the light of God's righteousness but naked.
Hiding.
Beguiled.
Admission of wrong doing.

They HID from God! You don't hide from someone out of fear unless you know you've done something wrong. How many children do this? They do something wrong and think if they hide from their parents it'll be better some how, or at least it will forestall immediate punishment.  It's not strange for a child to hide when they've done something wrong, in fact a lot of adults probably wish they could hide too when they do something wrong and have to face the person they've harmed.

Eve said she was beguiled, that's NOT a good thing. Eve didn't defend herself by saying she ate the fruit of her own accord, she KNEW this wrong act had been encouraged by the serpent. She was beguiled, she put herself in the situation to be beguiled. She believed the beguiler when he told her something contrary to what God had already said.  She listened to the voice of one speaking out against God, bad mouthing Him. She had NO reason to even minutely believe that her beloved Creator was keeping good from her, NONE, not a single reason! Yet she listened to the beguiler.

They KNEW they'd done wrong and that was and is the first step to comprehending our need to atone for that wrong.  God quickly made them realize that there would need to be a MEDIATOR, that they couldn't in and of themselves atone for what they'd done. 

The offering of a sacrifice, a DEATH was necessary, and not only was a death necessary it was the death of an INNOCENT.  Animals are innocent, they never consciously commit any evil. They might be trained to do evil, but even then they are victims of their trainers.  They might kill out of instinct but there is NO malicious intent, for that to happen there has to be reasoning and animals just do not have the higher thought of mankind. It wasn't generally wild animals brought to sacrifice but tame ones, very, very innocent of any wrong doing. Lambs led to the slaughter. Innocent lives that had never been meant to be killed. Man was to eat --

Gen 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

The animals hadn't been created to be killed and eaten, or killed as a sacrifice.

If you've ever loved an animal you know the mere idea of having to sacrifice that animal is completely heartbreaking.

God instituted the sacrificial offerings all pointing to Christ, and those sacrificial offerings ended when Christ Jesus became our ultimate sacrificial Lamb- the Lamb of God.

Joh 1:36  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

No longer did earthly sacrifices which were only examples of the Lamb of GOD sacrificing Himself, have to be given, they'd served their purpose. The ceremonial laws were nailed to the cross. In the earthly temple the veil was torn in two.

Mat 27:50  Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died.
Mat 27:51  At once the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart.
(CEV)

So how were those left to live? Those who had been raised to offer sacrifices? They'd still offer sacrifices but NOT imitating the LAMB of GOD sacrificed. He'd BEEN sacrificed! There was no longer a reason to look towards the Messiah, He'd come!

Now people had to look towards a RISEN CHRIST! They had to believe upon HIM and the SACRIFICE He'd made for them!  They had to be BORN again into a new SPIRITUAL birth! From then on their sacrifices would be SPIRITUAL sacrifices!

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise

Mar 12:32  And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mar 12:33  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mar 12:34  And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

We still and forever have the all important gift of God's to mankind at the beginning- the Sabbath day and we can STILL commune with God on this day! We can still bring our spiritual sacrifices to Him.  We can present our broken and contrite hearts-  hearts that realize the state of sinfulness they possess and their only hope is in Christ Jesus' righteousness, His forgiveness, His love.  We can LOVE God with all our heart- not just a sliver of it. We can love our neighbors, our fellow man as we would be loved. We can present our living bodies, our LIVES to HIM and through HIS mercies , by HIS grace He will make us holy as we can never make ourselves.

None of us can take a coal off the alter and touch it to our own lips.
None of us can take our filthy unrighteous off ourselves and replace it with righteousness.

We must present ourselves TO GOD, a will, living sacrifice ready for Him to do all He needs to do in us.

On the blessed, holy day of the Sabbath we have this unique period of time set aside to live solely for our God. 

Do away or change this wondrous GIFT given to us from Creation?! GOD FORBID!

Many might wish to ignore it and pretend it doesn't matter, but it does, it really, really does.

Every Sabbath we are called to remember our beginning, our fall, our redemption, our future in Christ!

Every Sabbath we are called to remember that there was a time when God and Man were in full communion with one another.

Every Sabbath we are called to remember the day is HOLY only because our God deemed it so!

Every Sabbath we are called to remember that even before the world was created a plan was made to save us should we fall.

Every Sabbath we must remember the greatest Sacrifice ever made all in order to save us!

Every Sabbath we must praise our God for HIS mercy, HIS love!

Every Sabbath we must seek God knowing He will speak to us through His HOLY Word!

We are BLESSED by this GIFT God made for US, and to reject this very special gift is to reject His love, His truth, it is to reject HIM.

ALL GLORY, HONOR, and PRAISE, ALL THANKFULNESS, ALL LOVE UNTO OUR GODS, the FATHER and the SON WHO AGREE IN ONE.  ALL THROUGH HIM, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT!

A Special Day, A Special Gift Just for Us!

Remember the Sabbath day.

Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Six days BELONG to us.
One day ESPECIALLY BELONGS to us.

Mar 2:27  And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath

Do you see? Do you comprehend?

The Sabbath was MADE for US.

The Sabbath was a GIFT to us. A GIFT, MADE for us.

Without the Sabbath every day would be the same.

How do you think we came about a Week and a Weekend?

'The present-day concept of the weekend first arose from the Dies Solis (Day of the Sun) decreed by Constantine and from Biblical Sabbath.'-- Pasted from

Sunday- Day of the Sun.
Saturday- Biblical Sabbath.

Pagan.
Biblical.

*
Day of the Sun (Sunday) -

'Constantine decreed (March 7, 321) dies Solis—day of the sun, "Sunday"—as the Roman day of rest [CJ3.12.2]:
        On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country however persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits because it often happens that another day is not suitable for grain-sowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.[33]
       
Constantine's triumphal arch was carefully positioned to align with the colossal statue of Sol by the Colosseum, so that Sol formed the dominant backdrop when seen from the direction of the main approach towards the arch.[34]'

Pasted from


*

Sabbath-

'The Biblical Sabbath is a weekly day of rest or time of worship. It is observed differently in Judaism and Christianity and informs a similar occasion in several other faiths. Though many viewpoints and definitions have arisen over the millennia, most originate in the same textual tradition.

Sabbath is first mentioned in the Genesis creation narrative, where the seventh day is set aside as a day of rest and made holy by God. Observation and remembrance of Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments (the fourth in the original Jewish, the Eastern Orthodox, and most Protestant traditions, the third in Roman Catholic and Lutheran traditions). Most people who observe Biblical Sabbath regard it as having been instituted as a "perpetual covenant [for] the people of Israel" and proselytes (Exodus 31:13-17, Exodus 23:12, Deuteronomy 5:13-14), a sign in respect for the day during which God rested after having completed Creation in six days (Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:8-11).'

Pasted from

*

These two days of worship came from two sources-  Man and God.

Who do you worship? Man or God?

Contrary to the belief of most of Christianity, the BIBLE does NOT authorize a change of the Sabbath day. Jesus did NOT authorize a change of the Sabbath, He KEPT the Sabbath- even in the GRAVE.

God ceased from all HIS work on the seventh day.  Have you ever ask yourself why?

Did God need to rest? Had He worn Himself out? Is that even possible? No, no, and no.

God included the REST day along with the WORK days as an EXAMPLE TO US, as a GIFT TO US.

Told to REMEMBER that day He set aside so long ago, the people of God were given GUIDELINES to follow so they'd be able to understand what the day really meant. 

Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Following these guidelines would mean we recognize the GIFT day from GOD. The DAY GOD RESTED! GOD RESTED! The  blessing of that REST is something we tend to overlook.  GOD RESTED! I know I keep saying that, but the importance of it is astounding.

Let's say hypothetically that a revered leader, a wonderfully kind, fair, loving man worked alongside the people who followed him day in and day out. This man never missed a day and expected his followers to live after his example.  Day after day they all worked together in harmony, no ire, no bickering, no upset, no overtiring, just pleasant days of working.   Then one day the leader decided to rest and not work and he told his followers that they too were to rest on that day WITH HIM. Of course there was no objection, why would there be? The followers were only too happy to obey and spend a day of rest with their leader and it became a day they looked forward to because on that day of rest they had a more intimate encounter with their leader without any work activities to interfere. 

What a nice situation to imagine, right?

God created man and He created Him in His image- man would work even as God worked.

Gen 2:15  And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 

Man was to dress and keep the garden- work.

Man wasn't made to be idle, to seek selfish flesh pleasure. There was JOY, true, selfless joy in that GARDEN, in LIFE, in LIVING.

Work for the most part has come to mean doing some menial task over and over and getting paid for it, whether it's enjoyable or not. 

The Israelis weren't doing that at all when they were being led out of Egypt to the promised land. There was no monetary system set up. Yet God set up a covenant with them and gave Him His MORAL LAWS. In those MORAL LAWS was the reminder of CREATION! A reminder of God's WORK and REST. 

God, even before man sinned, wanted mankind to follow His example of work and rest. And that didn't mean taking a day off work to go selfishly indulge yourself! The REST God took was TIME HE took to SPEND WITH MAN!  The TIME the CREATOR of ALL, the GREAT I AM, the EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, took to BOND with MANKIND, to allow HIMSELF and man to ENJOY BEING WITH EACH OTHER without any distractions. 

Man and God TIME!

After creating the earth and all therein and taking that day to rest, God would continue to work, He didn't stop working. To think He simply stopped everything and made earth His total focus would be very vain of us, wouldn't? Thinking we were made to be worshipped by God! NEVER! God would continue being God, creating from everlasting to everlasting and yet HE RESTED for US and created a special rest period of time for us based on His creation plan.  

Imagine Adam in the garden tending it and every seventh day God met with Him so they could be together - Creator and Creature.  Just imagine the perfection of it all.

After man sinned He separated Himself from God. He was banished from the Garden, everything changed.  And yet God did NOT give up on mankind. A way had been made for God and Man to be restored to that special communion with each other, a MEDIATOR had been ordained and the salvation plan instantly underway.  God wanted His communion with mankind to be restored, the perfect ideal Creation He designed, He wanted that back.  Man wanted that too.

Remember this:

Gen 4:3  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering

Offerings to the LORD.  They were still acknowledging GOD as their  CREATOR. Just imagine it…

After the fall Adam and Eve were living outside of the garden in a much harsher place but they were still living on the planet God created. They weren't allowed access to the Tree of Life, and that is why they were banished from the lush Garden they'd been tending. They had changed everything by their actions  and their environment was changed, but not so that they were in a totally alien atmosphere. There was still greenery, animals, still the earth the LORD had created.  They could probably see where the garden they'd been banished from was at, surely as they were leaving it they noted the changes from lush to less so.  They weren't flown off the planet, they weren't put to sleep and woken up somewhere else. They knew they'd done wrong and they knew they were being punished, but the knowledge of their previous  life hadn't disappeared, their memories most assuredly were NOT erased!

They KNEW what they'd done! They felt keenly that separation from their CREATOR! Do you HONESTLY think they forgot about the rest they took with their God, their Creator every seventh day? NO! Every seventh day as it came along had to bring with it a renewed sense of that loss and yet they were still giving OFFERINGS to God and HE was STILL communing with them through those OFFERINGS.

The LORD had RESPECT unto Abel and his offering.

This is a form of communing, isn't it?  Abel knew God was pleased, just as Cain knew God was not pleased with his offering.

Gen 4:5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

And the LORD SPOKE WITH HIM!

Gen 4:6  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door…

The LORD SAID unto Cain.

The Lord spoke to them! They'd been separated from God and the close communion they had with Him in the garden had ended, but they were still talking with HIM!

Imagine it… come on, try and imagine it.  Every seventh day man rested and God would commune with man in the garden- Creator and Creature. Then the Creature turned on His Creator and the Creator was betrayed. This betrayal could not go unpunished and life became exceedingly harder for mankind, death was even introduced- death in the beloved animals, and a slow decay to death even of the Creatures themselves. Yet, not abandoning the Creatures, the Creator would still commune with them. That communing would begin with the Creature making an offering to the Creator. The Creature sacrificed something which would make the offering a token of their desire to have the breech they'd created repaired. By the Creature giving up a part of their own selfishness in that sacrifice, by the Creature realizing the gravity of the sin they'd committed towards their Creator they were acknowledging their sinfulness and their Creator's sinlessness all through their Creator's love.

The Creatures didn't want the special communing with their Creator to end! They were blessed by His continued desire to have them be HIS beloved Creatures! He allowed them to begin the process of understanding what it would take to ultimately heal the breech between Creator and Creature.  In a lesser form, in example  form they were being taught that a GREATER sacrifice would be required for them to once more become  AT ONE with GOD. They were being taught that they, in and of themselves, were UNABLE to save themselves- an INTERCESSOR, a MEDIATOR was going to be needed. Every single sacrifice offered by them to God recognized this ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. 

God continued to meet with His creatures every seventh day! That day had been BLESSED. That day had been SANCTIFIED. That day was HOLY from the moment it was created during Creation Week. It didn't lose the blessing, the sanctification, the holiness when mankind sinned.  The day still existed as assuredly as our seven day week has been perpetually carried on down through all time even when mankind has tried to alter it time and time again. 

Reaffirmed by God through the Moral Law of Ten Commandments- God's people were told that they were to not work but to rest as GOD rested, and in that rest of God and Man, of Creator and Creature they could commune with one another renewing their bond. And the sacrifice WE bring since our Savior came and fulfilled the place as our Ultimate Sacrifice is…

Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise

Mar 12:32  And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mar 12:33  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mar 12:34  And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Heb 13:16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Sacrifices.

All by the GRACE of GOD - more tomorrow!

 In HIS LOVE!

ONLY One Mediator

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN.

So why do we try to put others besides the ONE and ONLY MEDIATOR, between us and God? Seriously, why? Why do we put teachers, preachers, and charismatic others as a go between? We do it and WE cannot deny it!

Why do we pray to any other than GOD? We shouldn't! Jesus didn't teach us to pray to any other, He taught us to pray to OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN!

We is it people have actually chosen to call men FATHER who are NOT their father's but religious teachers, religious guides, NOT anything like our FATHER IN HEAVEN. No MAN is a substitute for OUR FATHER in HEAVEN! No MAN could EVER be a substitute for our FATHER IN HEAVEN. There is NOT a single human being on earth- dead or alive that cab ever take our HEAVENLY FATHER'S place in ANYTHING!

We are to worship NO OTHER!

We have a MEDIATOR between us and God and that is ONLY ONE being the God-Man Christ Jesus,

We cannot put into the place of our ONE MEDIATOR anyone else so STOP TRYING RIGHT NOW! You might think saint so and so will mediate for you, but they won't! Every saint so and so is DEAD and buried, in the ground right now, sleeping the sleep of death. They are NOT in heaven, they are NOT talking to God on your behalf!

I read this earlier today and it only served to remind me of the TRUTH-

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

All die and all shall be made alive.

Every man in his OWN order.

Christ, the firstfruits- FIRST.

AFTERWARD-

They that ARE CHRIST'S at HIS COMING!

You read it, you read the TRUTH! We are MADE ALIVE at CHRIST'S COMING and NOT BEFORE!

So there isn't a single man alive who is in heaven listening to you here on earth and they are most certainly not in their graves listening to you. They are sleeping death's sleep peacefully- all people- good and evil.  Yes, even the evil dead are given the peace of death's sleep.

Strange? NO.

When you fall asleep at night what is the next thing you know? Seriously?

Waking up. You don't know all those hours of sleeping that you are sleeping. You don't know what's going on around you. People have had their entire houses robbed while they've been sleeping. People sneak out of the house while others are sleeping and they are none the wiser. You are put under a medically induced sleep to have yourself operated on- cut opened, and you wake up with the surgery all done. Sleep, an UNCONSCIOUS state.  So if the evil dead are allowed the peaceful sleep of death it's NOT as if they even KNOW what's going on. They are NOT enjoying the peaceful sleep! They know NOTHING.

There is ONLY ONE MEDIATOR between GOD and MAN! CHRIST JESUS is our MEDIATOR and HE alone can SAVE US! NO OTHER!

Please, please stop asking others to intervene for you and ask OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN yourself, all in the name of the LORD, our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!  He taught us to pray and it was to HIS FATHER, no other!


All by the grace and mercy of our one and only mediator, Christ JESUS!

Amen!

One God AND One Mediator

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

One God AND One Mediator BETWEEN God and Men.

God the Father- there is ONLY ONE God the Father. Jesus recognized God the Father-

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Father which is in heaven.
Children of your Father which is in heaven.
Our Father which art in heaven.

Jesus' words.

Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one.

I can say- I and my mother are one and it'd be true if we were one in agreement, right? But saying-  I and my mother are one doesn't make me her or her me.  It is the same with God the Father and God the Son, yet so many people want to make them ONE in a sense other than in agreement as one.

There is ONE God the Father and ONE Mediator between God and mankind.  Christ Jesus is the man/God  who stands between God the Father and us.

There is a separation, a very REAL separation between God and Jesus and there always has been.  This here…

Zec 6:13  Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

Between them both.

People love to shout about monotheism- ONE God belief, and yet, all Christians believe in God the Father and God the Son, to say otherwise is a lie and NOT the truth! They believe in two Gods and yet they'll deny it over and over just to stand by their belief in monotheism.

More tomorrow   by the grace of God!

All prayers... for all men.

1Ti 2:1  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.


All supplications...
All prayers...
All intercessions...
All giving of thanks…

…for ALL men.

Kings.
All in authority… PRAY for them.

God would have ALL men to be saved.
God would have ALL men come to the knowledge of the truth.

We are to pray for others that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Isn't this what we are to desire? Seriously.  To lead a QUIET and PEACEABLE life- in all GODLINESS and HONESTY.

Some might abhor the thought of leading a quiet life preferring to lead unpredictable and loud lives. We all know how teenagers are viewed, how young people are looked upon as those who generally have wild oats to sow, a recklessness to get out of their systems.  Yet more and more people want this wildness in their lives, they've become addicted to things that excite the senses. Do they want peace? Often times they make it a habit to create a bit of havoc just to feel that strange excitement they have come to crave- knowingly, unknowingly, peace and quiet is something they have come to shun.

Yet, we need quiet and peace as much as we need godliness and honesty.  The closer we come to God the more peace we feel. The closer we come to God, honesty becomes more of a reality in all parts of our lives.

All supplications...
All prayers...
All intercessions...
All giving of thanks…

…for ALL men.

Kings.
All in authority… PRAY for them.


We  need to pray for ALL men, not be prejudice in our prayers.  We cannot pick and choose who we think we should pray for and who we shouldn't. If GOD would have all SAVED, how can we think differently?

By His grace may we pray as HE would have us pray, may we find HIS peace, HIS quiet, HIS honesty.

Please LORD, be our all in all. IN YOUR LOVE!

War a Good Warfare

1Ti 1:18  This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck

War a good warfare.

Holding faith.
A good conscience.

Remember this--

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

To war a good warfare means being prepared, fully armored, ready for battle.
This SPIRITUAL battle we are all in is REAL.
Shake your head, scoff if you like, but it is real. You can spend your whole life ignorant to the Spiritual war going on, but you live it none the less.
Young children growing up in the middle of warfare do not know what's taking place around them. The blind cannot see what is taking place during a war. The feeble are unable to participate in a war but that doesn't mean they are all excluded. When a city comes under siege do you think those warring stop their battling and make an announcement for all those who are prepared to leave? People are victims in battle all the time, a lot of them never even knowing what the war is all about. People who do not become soldiers and yet they are killed are call casualties, civilian casualties, collateral damage. This Spiritual battle is unique because everyone is a part of it and there will be millions and millions of casualties who actually have chosen to be casualties rather than fight the Spiritual battle.  These are people who have access to the armor they need, in fact they have access to all the implements of warfare they need and yet they choose to simply not fight.

This fight has NO physical casualties, you are NEVER called to kill a single person, not ONE. There can be NO objection to this war on the basis of objecting to taking a life. The Spiritual battle is a battle against the flesh DESIRES, against the wickedness that would have us give in to selfishness at every turn. The Spiritual battle is one you wage against the invisible evil that would have you yield to every temptation presented to you.  It is a REAL evil, a REAL force that encourages us to evil all the time! If only it were fiction, if only it were a fable.

We have to war a good warfare and to do this we must have FAITH, a shield of FAITH that quenches ALL the fiery darts of the wicked. When we give up our faith, when our faith is perverted, when we look to ourselves and not to faith in our Redeemer, we will be lost in this warfare.  You might not feel the spiritual bullet that pierces your heart- taking your spiritual life. You might not even feel the first prick from an evil dart, but that is only because you desire to be blind, deaf, and dumb to the truth, you make the choice willingly to numb your spiritual senses to the reality of the war you are in.

1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck
1Ti 1:20  Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Some have put away their FAITH and their GOOD CONSCIENCE, and when we put those away we have no armor, we are unprotected, we are still in the war but we are subjecting ourselves to being overtaken, we are endangering ourselves, our eternal life, our Salvation.

When we read that Hymenaeus and Alexander are delivered to Satan in order to learn not to shun God, it sounds really strange. Read more...

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

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

Delivered to Satan doesn't mean some Satanic cult takes you and tears you apart, it doesn't even mean you are being given to him for destruction of anything but that which would keep you from God.

How often have we suffered because of our OWN backsliding?  How often are we the victims of our own  lack of faith, of our own selfishness? Truly we are giving OURSELVES to Satan ALL the time when we give in to the evil he tempts us with.  If others leave us to our sinning, by NOT condoning it, by NOT keeping us among them, then we are left to Satan, left to our own devices. We are delivered to Satan aren't we? Yet, others will NOT stop praying for us, Christ does NOT stop loving us, there is HOPE for us.  This part-- 'THAT THEY MAY LEARN' means there is HOPE!

When we reveal by our actions that we desire evil over good, then others can't be expected to desire us to be around them, others who are fighting the Spiritual battle. It's hard enough to fight the Spiritual battle, the invisible battle, let alone fight those who are flesh. If we are not in a situation that demands us to be around those who are not fighting the Spiritual war all around us, that's one thing, but to CHOOSE to have people around us that will only be used to weaken our faith is wrong.

We need to PRAY for all! No one is beyond our PRAYERS, not a single person!

By the grace of God may we keep our faith strong, our conscience good all through HIS LOVE!

Please LORD, please keep us fighting the Spiritual battle fully armored by YOU. Help us Lord, Save us!

In YOUR love!

The King Eternal

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

King eternal.
King immortal.
King invisible.
The ONLY wise God.
Honor, glory forever and ever!

Deu 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge…

Rom 1:20  ... his eternal power …

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Eph 3:11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God…

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus…

Eternal in existence.
Eternal in results.

When we think of eternal life we think of living forever, yet we don't like to think about  the fact eternal death is not existing forever.

Our King eternal is our King who is the beginning and the end - Rev 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

Psa 90:2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

He is from everlasting to everlasting.

There was NEVER a time when God was not.

God has always existed, He truly is the great I AM.

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Our Kind is ETERNAL, IMMORTAL- unable to die! Our Savior became flesh and was subject to death. He was PUT to death and He was truly DEAD. He KNEW nothing in death! He could NOT bring HIMSELF back to life! He was truly, honestly dead and in that death sleep HE KNEW NOTHING! He did NOT become an instant spirit form and slip off to heaven, NO ONE DOES THAT! I do NOT understand why people believe this happens, I just don't. Yes, our minds can do amazing things as we are subjected to near death, but near death is NOT permanent death, it's NOT death's sleep.  Lazarus was in death's sleep when our Savior restored HIM to life. Lazarus did NOT come back telling stories about how he'd seen a white light and walked into it and all his former friends and families that had died before him were there waiting and welcoming.  There were NOT fantastic stories about how wonderful everything in heaven is and don't you think there would have been if people when they die went straight to heaven? Seriously! This is logic. Lazarus was woken up from death's sleep. He was woken from the permanent state of sleep that lasts for all of us until our Savior returns and we wake to life everlasting or death everlasting.  So yes, our Savior was dead, permanently dead without any GUARANTEE He'd rise from the dead. He couldn't raise Himself only GOD the FATHER could raise Him from death's sleep just as He'd raised Lazarus. Only Lazarus was raised to be mortal again, given an extended life, our SAVIOR was given life eternal and transformed (once He ascended to His Father) remember- He didn't want anyone touching Him until He'd ascended. Once He ascended He was given the permanent state of eternal life once more. I say once more because He had eternal life until He chose to give it up in order to become human flesh. 

Our King Jesus is ETERNAL, our King Jesus is IMMORTAL, our King Jesus is invisible - He is SPIRIT as God is a SPIRIT, HE is WISE!  He is to be HONORED and given GLORY FOREVER AND EVER! AMEN!

This is our GOD! This is who we have faith in! This is our LORD who has the power to give to US eternal life, we must be IN HIM ALWAYS! He is our SALVATION!

ALL power, all glory, all honor forever to HIM!

PRAISE GOD!
THANK YOU LORD!

FOR YOUR LOVE!

For a pattern to them which should hereafter believe

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

A pattern, an example, something to look at and follow, yes? Paul, the chief of sinners, Paul the murderer of Christ's followers. Is it safe to say do you think that Paul was right there when all the accusations against Jesus, Himself, were taking place? He was high ranking among the Pharisees, right?

Act 23:6  But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

He was a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee.

This is what Jesus had to say about the Pharisee.

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Pharisee were men who exalted themselves, and unjustified in their prayers. While they prayed thanking God that they weren't like others- they were just as bad in their self-righteousness.

Luk 11:39  And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Luk 11:40  Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
Luk 11:41  But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
Luk 11:42  But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luk 11:43  Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Luk 11:44  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

Inwardly they were full of ravening and wickedness, they were fools. They tithed all their possessions but passed over judgment and LOVE of God. They loved their self importance, and they were hypocrites for such a departure from the true Love of God.

Jesus had nothing good to say about Pharisees and yet PAUL was a Pharisee and a son of a Pharisee.

Joh 11:46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Joh 11:47  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Joh 11:48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
Joh 11:49  And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
Joh 11:50  Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
Joh 11:51  And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
Joh 11:52  And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Joh 11:53  Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

The Pharisee counseled together  to put Jesus to death!

Mat 27:62  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Mat 27:63  Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Mat 27:64  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Mat 27:65  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

They called Jesus a deceiver, they wanted his sepulchre guarded against those that would steal Jesus' body and pretend He'd risen from the dead.

The Pharisee- of whom Paul was one and a zealous one. He was a murderer because he consented unto the death of Stephen, a devout disciple of the Lord.

Act 8:1  And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Act 8:2  And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
Act 8:3  As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Act 9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Act 9:10  And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
Act 9:11  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
Act 9:12  And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Act 9:13  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Act 9:14  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Act 9:17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Act 9:19  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
Act 9:20  And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Act 9:21  But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
Act 9:22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
Act 9:23  And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
Act 9:24  But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
Act 9:25  Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

Act 13:9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

Amazing! This persecutor of Christ's followers, this despiser of all things to do with Jesus Christ was FORGIVEN, this CHIEF of sinners was forgiven!  And he is an EXAMPLE to us, a pattern to all of us! We too can be forgiven though we are chief among sinners!

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

We cannot forget this, we can't!

Unfortunately, many will say that sure, if they had the experience Paul had- seeing the vision of Jesus, hearing Him, becoming blind, receiving his sight again, etc, then they too would believe, but we must live by FAITH and trust in the WORD of God given to us through the HOLY SPIRIT. The Word tells us that Paul's life is a pattern for us. We can trust in this pattern and know that our God wants us to repent and be converted, and be baptized unto Him, just as Paul was.

We are a long, long way from the time of the Apostles, yet we miraculously have the Word of God preserved throughout time for us to study, to learn from. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all understanding as we need it and we must belief this, we must have faith in our Savior.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

We can come unto the LORD, He says--

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was lifted up from the earth and HE draws ALL men unto Him!  Our God, our FATHER in heaven would have all of us believe in His Son who revealed His love in the greatest sacrifice of all- giving His innocent life for our sinfilled ones.

Yes, we can all probably agree we feel as if we are - like Paul - the chief of sinners. If Paul, chief of sinners could be drawn unto Christ, we too can be drawn unto Him. We too can be forgiven much all by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD!

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS-

Of whom I am chief.

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Rom 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

All have sinned.
All come short of the glory of God.

Remember this…

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Become as little children.

Little children hold a certain innocence in their humble existence.

They aren't aware of doing good and doing evil, we grow into that awareness.

Jas 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Sin is the transgression of the moral law of God.

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law

Even those who grow up without knowledge of God and the Bible, without knowledge of His ten moral laws, understand that there are  unspoken truths.  They understand there are good things and bad things they can do. As they grow up they learn from those around them the things that are acceptable and those things that are not acceptable. They also learn that there are consequences for the choices they make to do the unacceptable things.

That knowledge, that learning right from wrong, is something that takes place as they age, they aren't born with the knowledge.  We have to know there is a wrong and commit that wrong knowingly to do wrong.

I could grow up picking all the flowers around my house and never be told picking flowers is wrong because it isn't wrong in and of itself. Then I could go to a relative's house and begin to pick all their flowers and I'd get scolded. Was I wrong? No, not unless I was told that it is wrong to pick other peoples flowers. In my unknowing I was innocent of the wrong, as children are innocent until they learn right from wrong.  From the moment that knowledge is theirs and they choose to do wrong knowingly they become guilty of that wrong.

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS.

And except we are converted- believing in our Savior's ability to save us, to forgive us and offer us salvation, repenting of our sins- and become as little children humble, trusting in our Savior, sinless knowing we are completely forgiven and our Savior's righteousness saves us- then we won't be saved.

Jesus did not come into the world to save the faithless.

Heb 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.

He came to OFFER salvation to sinners.

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

He came to offer the new birth- the spirit birth to sinners.

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Salvation!

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE sinners!

This is the purpose of Christ Jesus' appearance in our world. 

Christ Jesus would NOT have come into the world other than to save sinners.

The chief of sinners can be saved by Christ Jesus.

The tendency to think we are too awful to save is Satan inspired. 

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus was first a murderer of Christ's followers. He went from being instrumental in the misery and murder of Christ's followers to being forgiven by Christ and used of Him mightily.

Christ Jesus came into our world to SAVE SINNERS.

If we ever get to a place where we are being silently encouraged to believe we are just too sinful, too awful, too bad to be saved, let us fall to our knees before our God and beg for forgiveness knowing that Christ came into the world to SAVE SINNERS, to SAVE US!  He came for that purpose.

Yes, we are sinners- but we can either be saved and covered under the sinlessness of Christ, or we can remain sinners- our choice.

We choose.

Praise God for HIS amazing love!
Our God, our Creator, chose to take on flesh in order to save us sinners, estranged from Him.

LOVE.

He gave up so much, suffered so much, all to save us.

All glory, all honor, all praise to HIM, always!

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

AMEN!

The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love

1Ti 1:11  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

A blasphemer- one who speaks out against God.
A persecutor- one who harms others without regard to the love of God we are to have towards one another.
Injurious- one who is dangerous.

And this man obtained MERCY because He did NOT know the real love of God. He didn't have a heart conviction towards the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

It was the grace of our LORD- the grace that is EXCEEDING and ABUNDANT with FAITH and LOVE which is all found in JESUS CHRIST!

We cannot ignore this because we too often find ourselves ignorant of the great love of God. We get all confused and imagine the love of God means having things go easy in our lives. This ignorance coupled with our natural inclination towards flesh lusts can cause great confusion.

The love of our SAVIOR is all we truly need, but we bewail and moan our lives of hardship believing we need so much more when the truth is we need less of the things we are longing for and more of the love of our SAVIOR. 

We commit a lot of sin ignorantly and have obtained mercy for those sins. When we realize our sin and continue in sin we need to repent, to truly repent and forsake the sin, not indulge it. All through the GRACE of our God, our LORD, our SAVIOR!

God will reveal His love to us through His Son, but we have to be willing to believe in His love, to have faith in His love.

Our lives as Christ followers will NOT be easy, we aren't promised ease, we aren't promised problem free lives. We are NOT even promised semi-easy lives. Our lives could be filled with misery of the likes we don't want to imagine and Christ will still be LOVE and we can still find LOVE in Him, outside of ourselves and our existence.

God isn't punishing us when things go wrong, not even when they go horrifically wrong, it's not our punishment.  The love of God works in ways we can scarcely comprehend. We are called to have FAITH in the love of God, faith without wavering.

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering- for he is faithful that promised

No where are we promised ease and we HAVE to remember this!  When things are at their absolute worst we have to remember we aren't promised an easy life, and it's not God removing His love when things go wrong. God never stopped loving Job all the while Job suffered, so why do we believe He is punishing us and not loving us when we suffer?  This is something Satan wants of us, to believe God is inherent bad and unfair.  The moment we believe God is unfair we are treading on Satan's ground and it's a ground that will open up and swallow us whole if we let it.

By the grace of God may we NOT let that happen.


All in HIS LOVE!

Some having swerved... from love out of a pure heart

1Ti 1:6  From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Swerving from--

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

Swerving from--

Love.

Swerving from love-- some have turned aside unto vain jangling. They want to hear themselves speak. Their vanity forces them to speak words that are not edifying, not loving from a pure heart. This means they can speak as if they do love, but it's not real, it's not from a good conscience, it's not from faith unfeigned.

These people-
1Ti 1:7  Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

They desire  to teach the law- but they aren't teaching it from the love of God as it was given.

1Ti 1:8  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully

The law does what? It reveals sin.  Without the law there is no sin, right?

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

If you are committing no sin, you are not transgressing any law and if you are not transgressing the law you are not using it, are you?  The LAW was made for the lawless.

1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.

That sure does describe the lawless, doesn't it?

People who desire to teach the law must know what is at the heart of the law.  Love.

Some may only see the letter of the law without any love at all.  Many use it without love.  In fact it is probably safe to say that many teachers, preachers, students, hearers, of the law would say love has NO place in the law, because love is emotion and you have to be impartial, not swayed by emotion but the law. Do you see the conundrum?  They've strip the law of love.  They've stripped God's law, and man's law of all love, preferring to hear themselves speak, to judge on their own without any thought of God.

Love is EVERYTHING, but GOD is LOVE.

Caring for everyone, caring for them in a way that goes well beyond the superficial. Caring for them in the way our Savior cared.

He knew the laws of God, He was part of those laws, His hand was in those laws of love. He knew why He wrote them - the moral laws that will never be forsaken, and yet He forgave the adulteress and told those around her who didn't want to forgive but wanted her blood to be spilled as their law outlined- he told them to only kill her if they had no sin.  Did that do away with the law?! NO! It brought the LAW to life! The LOVE was reintroduced to the law. The men were forced to acknowledge their own sins worthy of stoning, worthy of death and yet they lived in no danger of being called to task for their own sins. They realized that while they were in no danger from each other, God knew their hearts and all their sins, they couldn't hide their sins from Him. They could NOT kill that adulteress without admitting they desired to be killed themselves.

Does this mean sins shouldn't be punished when they are found out? No. But it means compassion should be the rule, not the exception to the rule.

They judges that sit upon the benches all across America they have their own sins, and occasionally they are found out. The juries, the lawyers, everyone has their own sins they have to answer for, sins they need to repent of if they seek the forgiveness of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Do they need to prosecute those that commit the blatant sins? Yes, it is a necessity, but they can do it from a place of love if they have God in their hearts.  All too often they forsake God rather than love Him, and those they are prosecuting are judged without any love at all whatsoever.

This world is messed up we know that and it's not fixable, not this world. We live for the world to come, not this one.

As we go through our lives maybe not judges, or lawyers, or anything at all to do with our civil law, we do go through our lives needing to be in obedience to the moral law of God. We need to live righteously through CHRIST, and we need to LOVE others in that LOVE of Christ's, not our faulty, sinfilled, love, but HIS sinLESS love!

All by HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY, HIS LOVE!

Love

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

The end of the commandment-  the summary of the commandment - is LOVE.
Love out of a pure heart.
Love out of a good conscience.
Love out of faith unfeigned.

LOVE.

Love is God.

1Jn 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

God is love.

God created us, not to pain, not to torture, not to agony, not to hopelessness, not to despair, not to hatred, not to sadness, God created us with LOVE in mind, not evil.

God created us with the ability to love, with the ability to choose.

We know a little bit of what this means, don't we? We make the choice to love others don't we? Some call it falling in love but the truth is, we make the choice to love others. We are choosing to get to know that person, we aren't forced to get to know them. The fact of the matter is we CHOOSE love, it's not an accident that just happens to us. We even choose to love our own family, it's not automatic. Some people might think it is automatic but it isn't. We choose to love. Society tells us we have an obligation to our family and we do often feel that obligation, but mostly I believe we choose to love our family because we live with their daily caring for us and showing us that caring in the things they do for us- even if it's just a kind word, or a listening ear, they care for us and we love them, and we care for them and they love us. We grow up with our family and that familiarity means a lot as well- they know us, they have shared memories with us that others will never have.

Love. People say it can't be defined but I say it is a choice to care and in choosing to care we reveal that caring in our actions.

God gave us that choice when He created us, the choice to care, the choice to obey- yes, to obey, to believe in the love offered to us, the caring offered to us by God. 

Eve doubted God's love.

People might not believe that but it's true. Satan put that thought into her mind- he was instrumental in her downfall. Satan put doubt about God into Eve's mind, and Eve made the choice to listen and believe in that doubt. That doubt called into question God's love of Adam and Eve, because Satan was telling Eve that God wasn't giving them all He could give them, that He was withholding that ONE tree from them because it was special and would make them special too.  The doubt of God's love was planted and that seed grew quickly because Eve allowed it to grow. She had the ability to make a choice, it was hers to make, no one could make it for her. She was given that choice because that is part and parcel of love, a choice, not force. 

You can live with someone and not love them. You can't be forced to love them. You can love those who never want to be with you or love you back, because you are making that choice to love them. 

Love is a choice to believe in someone, to hope they'll return that love and care for you and allow you to care for them.

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

The end of the commandment-  the summary of the commandment - is LOVE.
Love out of a pure heart.
Love out of a good conscience.
Love out of faith unfeigned.

We are commanded to love- to choose to care for others.

Care for others out of a pure heart- not one that desires selfish gain from giving that love.
Care for others out of a good conscience- not because you feel guilt, or obligation, or again not because you desire something in return selfishly.
Care for others out of faith without any pretense.

God is love.
God is caring.

Some may doubt this but it's true. God did NOT turn from us, we turned from God. The good news it we still have the opportunity to turn BACK to God, our Savior made it possible for us to do that, to turn back to God- to accept His caring, His love for us. We can choose to obey God knowing that even if we do NOT comprehend, we can trust Him, this is faith. We believe in God's love though Satan will do all he can to make us believe only that God hates us, deprives us, keeps good from us. Satan twists it all around and he'll never stop, only grow more and more active the closer it is to our Savior's return.

Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Please LORD, help us to LOVE from a pure heart- the heart only YOU can give us. Please LORD, help us to love out of a good conscience as ONLY the HOLY SPIRIT can give us, please LORD, help us to have FAITH UNFEIGNED, the real faith that we can have ONLY THROUGH YOU and YOUR LOVE!

Godly edifying which is in faith

1Ti 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
1Ti 1:2  Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Ti 1:3  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
1Ti 1:4  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Teach no other doctrine.
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies.

We all know how quickly the truth can be altered, all it takes is a few misplaced words, a few different ideas.  We've all played the game before, or most of us have- where you write down a little story and then whisper it into someone's ear, they in turn whisper it into another's ear and so on until the whole room has heard the little story. Then the last person reveals the story out loud then they compare it to the story written down only to realize they are only slightly similar!  How is it that the story became so convoluted? People embellish, people hear things differently and then relate it the way they interpret it and it suddenly it's all changed.  That's one way a story can change over time unless it is written down, and another is people like the idea of proving upon another person's original concepts- making them their own.

Being told to teach no other doctrine, these new followers of Christ were being warned that there were OTHER doctrines out there being taught.  A whole new world of ideas were suddenly being noised about all of them based off the truth, but far enough from the truth to distort things and people ended up believing a lie rather than the truth. When you believe a lie no matter how good it sounds it is deadly. Teaching NO OTHER DOCTRINE.  We aren't to change things to suit our own ideas, we aren't to embellish even a bit, we aren't to alter God's Word, God's TRUTH!

And, we aren't to listen to FABLES.

So many call the gospel a fable, so many call God's word- the Bible- a fable. Very few people back in the time of the Apostles call the scriptures fables, but they had a lot of new stories running about after the ministry of Christ, after His death and resurrection, after all the miracles, tons of fables- easy to believe if you don't want to hold fast to the truth. 

We aren't to listen to endless genealogies-  ENDLESS genealogies- genealogy while having its place isn't what the gospel of our Lord and Savior is all about. We all know about people bragging on their important relatives, and that saying, it is all about WHO you know, but the truth is that it isn't about any other people. It's not about relatives, it's not about friends, it's not about any of that stuff- it is about our LORD and SAVIOR, it's about JESUS CHRIST and HIS dying for us, and rising, His pleading on our behalf before the throne, His making a place for us in Heaven, His ultimate return for US.

The gospel of the kingdom of heaven, this is WHY our Savior came to us, to SAVE US. 

When we forget this and make up our own whys and wherefores about life then we are in grave danger of losing the eternal life He offers to us.

We can't listen to fables, we can't get caught up in endless genealogies, we can't teach any other doctrine than what was taught by OUR SAVIOR!

Please LORD, help us to only listen to YOUR truth and NOTHING ELSE, no matter how pleasant it appears, no matter how soothing to our ears.

IN HIS LOVE!

Be not weary in well doing

2Th 3:6  Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
2Th 3:7  For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
2Th 3:8  Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2Th 3:9  Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2Th 3:11  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
2Th 3:12  Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
2Th 3:13  But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
2Th 3:14  And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2Th 3:15  Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

The example- HARD WORK, not being a busy body, lazy, interfering. 

The Apostles knew they would be cared for simply for the miracles they could perform. People would flock to them, be healed by them- spiritually, physically, and then they'd be extremely grateful for the miracles performed on their behalf. The power was there for the Apostles to be for the most part tended to- fed, clothed, etc. Yet the Apostles did NOT take advantage of their ability given to them by the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. They didn't sit back and rest on their laurels. They worked and worked HARD. Why did they do this? As an example to us!  We aren't to believe that being a Christ follower means having an easy, work free life. We are all called to work hard and provide for others and ourselves not depend upon others to do for us what we can do ourselves. 

We are ALL called to different paths in life. Every single one of us is called in a unique way. We have to answer to God for either fulfilling or neglecting the calling we are given. Did we do our best in hard work in what we were called to do? Did we slack and expect others to do for us what we could have done ourselves? Did we rather gossip than work? Were we weary in well-doing? Did we get fed up with doing the work we have been called to do?

If we are caught up with those who encourage laziness and gossiping, if we take part in their wrong behavior then we are guilty of it. If we can keep out of it then we are obligated to do so.  If we are called to face those we are shunning we must let them know why we are keeping ourselves from them and by the GRACE of God they will feel the shame of their behavior.

All too often living in our modern world of office work, corporate work, the work hierarchy so incredibly different then so long ago, we feel these same things do not apply and yet they do.  We are to do our work whatever it is- honorably, quietly, and NOT call our gossiping and laziness our work- that is never our job.

We aren't to call our co-workers who are caught up in wrong doing- our enemies- they are our misguided brothers and as such where God guides us we must obey and admonish where He wills.  I'm not saying that we should take on a superior attitude, a self-righteous, holier-than-thou position, NOT AT ALL! You can admonish others humbly when the Holy Spirit is leading you.

We need to pray, pray that we do NOT grow weary in well-doing, that we do NOT become a part of the crowd, the norm, who encourage gossiping and busybody behavior. By the grace of God alone can we keep ourselves IN HIM as HE would have us be, and only by HIS GRACE.

We live in Godless times. We live in times of powerful deceptions. We live in a time where right is said to be wrong and wrong is said to be right. We need to grow ever closer to God, ever closer to our Savior who alone can save us, who can keep us in HIM.  We need to cling to Christ and HIS word, HIS love!

All by HIS GRACE!

The patient waiting for Christ

2Th 3:4  And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
2Th 3:5  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

The LORD direct our hearts into the LOVE of GOD.
The LORD direct our hearts into the PATIENT waiting for CHRIST.

Think about this for a moment. The Apostles were all Jewish. The Apostles had a religion that was four thousand years old. The Apostles knew from their Scriptures  that a Messiah WOULD come, a Messiah was promised to them, a Deliverer from God. Already in their history they'd witnessed the delivering from a four hundred year captivity by the Egyptians. Their history was filled with their backsliding and renewals, their prophets, their kings, their patriarchs. They had a very, very rich history filled with promises from God. They believed in their heritage because time and time again the prophecies of God to them came to pass as foretold. Over and over they witnessed the hand of God in their lives. These Apostles KNEW what it meant to wait for the Messiah promised to them by one of their greatest kings - David. They understood patience. In fact many- rather than believe in all the proof Jesus Christ offered chose to stick to their patient waiting and are still waiting today, two thousand years later.

The Apostles knew what it meant to wait, but then also knew what it meant to realize the reward of patience. They were in a very unique situation. They lived in a time of prophecy being fulfilled. They welcomed the long awaited Messiah. Can you even begin to imagine how that must have been for them? Waiting, and waiting, a heritage of waiting, taught to wait from their youth in their synagogues. They had read the scriptures, listened to the scriptures every single Sabbath and they knew intimately the promise of a Messiah. And to have Him appear in their TIME! How amazing! How utterly almost unimaginably amazing to live in a time of realized prophecy. They had to want EVERYONE to comprehend the truth they were witness to. They wanted the leaders of their religion to understand that they too were living in realized prophecy, but that didn't happen. They REJECTED Jesus, they REJECTED the Messiah.  The Apostles were probably unable to comprehend their darkened understanding.  Then as their own understanding was tested as instead of coming as a conquering king to set up a kingdom right there and right then on earth, Jesus allowed Himself to be sacrificed, they were rocked to their very core. Then Jesus, Himself resurrected, came to them and expounded on all the scriptures concerning Himself.

Luk 24:23  And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
Luk 24:24  And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Luk 24:25  Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luk 24:28  And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
Luk 24:29  But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

They understood that what happened had to happen and that now they had a new prophecy- the prophecy of Jesus' return!

Act 1:7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Once more they were called to PATIENCE in WAITING.

They and their forefathers had waited for so long and now they were to wait again. They knew what it meant to wait and now we read this…

2Th 3:5  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

We are CALLED to the patient waiting for Christ in the love of God.

People may call us fools, it's been 2000 years of waiting, and yet the Apostles and all the others of Jewish ancestry had waited 4000 years before the Messiah came the first time. From generation to generation the hope has been alive and passed on and by the grace of God it will continue to be passed down until the return of our Savior for His people- all His people - the dead in Him will rise and the living will be transformed and rise to meet Him in the air! Praise the LORD!

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

This WILL COME TO PASS! Doubt if you must, but by the grace and mercy of God may you stop doubting before it's too late. 

The Bible is so rich in prophecy that has come to pass and been made our history, nothing will stop the rest of Biblical prophecy from coming to pass, not one single thing. Not a single person's doubt will hinder the return of Jesus Christ for His people. He will find a people alive when He comes, not many but they will exist, those who love Him and are known by Him. Those who have His testimony and keep His commandments, are His. 

We must be patient in waiting. The Lord is NOT SLACK concerning His promise--

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

He will not return until the very last person that will repent and be His, has done so! All glory to HIM for his MERCY! All praise, all thanksgiving to our God of mercy, of grace, of love unlike anything we can truly comprehend!

May our hearts be directed into the LOVE OF GOD and into the PATIENT WAITING FOR CHRIST!