Jeremiah {9:3} 'And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.'
Not valiant for the truth.
valiant (vàl´yent) adjective
1. Possessing valor; brave.
2. Marked by or done with valor.
valor (vàl´er) noun
Courage and boldness, as in battle; bravery.
'They are NOT valiant for the truth'
They are not brave for the truth. They don't stand up for the truth. They don't have courage for the truth.
The go from evil to evil and don't know the Lord.
If they knew the Lord they'd know truth, but they don't.
They'd rather believe lies.
How can we be valiant for the truth? Perhaps in every circumstance of our lives we are not ashamed to be witnesses for Christ? Knowing the Lord is knowing love, knowing love is being loving, being loving is revealing the great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Wanting the truth more than we want lies is a very important thing. Lies are soothing to our ears.
Isaiah {30:9} 'That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
{30:10} Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits'
People saying prophesy NOT unto us right things, speak unto us SMOOTH things.
2 Timothy {4:3} 'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
{4:4} And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.'
Not endure sound doctrine. Turning away their ears from truth. Listening to fables. Why do we like to listen to fables and stories rather than sound doctrine? The later bores you? Or is it more because to hear sound doctrine means being convicted of right over wrong and we don't want to be told right from wrong when we are caught up in wrong and want to continue in the wrong. We'd rather hear stories any day over sound doctrine when one convicts the conscience and the other leaves our conscience alone allowing us to feel good about our lives.
They'll heap to themselves teaches having itching ears- this after they will not endure sound doctrine. People want to listen to those who will tell them things they want to ear, not things they don't want to hear and if sound doctrine is too bothersome they'll find someone who is willing to teach lies so they can be soothed in their world of deceit.
Wouldn't we all much rather have compliments than criticism? We bask under the glow of accolades whether it's in a simple well cooked meal, a knitted shawl, a house well kept, a heart that gives. That last doesn't seem like it should be there does it? But it's true. If any one actions stem from wanting praise heaped upon them what's that saying? The glory is going towards them and not God. We can't allow our actions to stem from selfish expectations. If we fill joyful and pleased only when we receive praise we're not going to be open to the chastising of God. We're not going to want to hear the plain truth. We'll want to listen only to those willing to pat us on the back and tell us what a good job we're doing. Hearing the truth in all things isn't easy. The truth will cause convictions, it won't smooth over our wrongdoings just so we 'like' what we're hearing. The truth doesn't change. People try and change the truth and when they do, they turn it into a lie yet they believe they still have the truth.
'Will not endure sound doctrine...turn from the truth...turned unto fables'
1 Timothy {4:1} Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
{4:2} Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
{4:3} Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
{4:4} For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
{4:5} For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
{4:6} If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
{4:7} But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.
{4:8} For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come.
{4:9} This [is] a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
{4:10} For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
Departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.
Remember from above- 'Will not endure sound doctrine'.
There are those who heap laws and restrictions upon walking in the way of Christ that God never intended. They worry over food, drink, whether or not a people should marry, making sure that they are worldly right rather than Godly right.
God has His laws, His commandments and Jesus didn't do away with them. Jesus showed how the Pharisees took God's laws dealing with rituals and behavior and perverted them. The Pharisees believed they were the authority of God on earth to men, and men listened to them and followed all their rules and regulations, all their strictures and confining requirements. They were taught that the more pious and such they were the closer to God they were. They were taught that by their actions they could be saved, not through the love of God, but by their own works. Jesus told them where they'd gone wrong with things, they took the love of God out of things and placed righteousness in their own hands.
Jesus taught that those who follow Him, trust in Him, accept Him, those who go and live a life in Him are those that are saved. A life of love, and loving, of fearing God rather than man, loving and thinking of others more than focusing on self, this is what Jesus taught, this is the truth.
People get so caught up in rituals and such they forget the truth.
'Some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies and hypocrisy...'
'But refuse profane and old wives fables...'
'For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come.'
Does this mean we shouldn't exercise our bodies? No. It means we should focus on God first. When we focus on ourselves first there is nothing to gain. Godliness is trusting in God and our Savior, having faith and believing in Jesus, being willing to live life as He did putting God first in all things.
Jeremiah {9:3} 'And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.'
We want to be valiant for the truth don't we?
We don't want to get all caught up in lies, in seducing spirits, in fables, in smooth words easy on the ears, easy on the conscience. We want the truth!
We need the TRUTH!
How many can just hear Jack Nicoholson shouting from the witness stand in that courtroom from the scene in the movie, 'A Few Good Men.'?
"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"
We CAN! We have to! We have to seek the truth, we have to be valiant for the truth in God, if we're not we are lost, totally and utterly lost, giving over to the evil we want to hear rather than the truth that saves to the uttermost.
Hebrews {7:25} 'Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.'
Let us come to God through Jesus Christ, let us walk in the truth, walk in Jesus. Let us seek out the truth rather than things that will ease our conscience and kill us all the while we cling to the feeling of self-right-ness. Self-right-ness, feeling happy and content, at ease with everything around us, excusing the sin, pacifying ourselves in our sins. We don't need, and should shun that feeling, rather seek out the truth and not be afraid of the chastising of the Lord, not be afraid to root out the sin that separates us from God and plead for forgiveness clinging to the only source of salvation, Jesus Christ and determining to hold fast to the truth in Him to save and to guide us from day to day into the fullness of that salvation.
All praise and glory to God!
Give us the truth! We can handle the truth! We need the truth in Jesus, our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”- Romans 12:2
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Truth Seekers
Prophets
It is the job of the prophet to do what? Prophesize of course. In prophesizing they are foretelling a future, giving warnings, for what other reason is there for prophecy except to forewarn? They forewarn of something to come, something that will happen and sometimes they do so with the intent on hoping to change a course of action. By revealing the outcome if a certain course is kept they are also saying if another course is taken then the outcome may be different.
Prophets are messengers of God and some prophets foretold the future events many thousands of years ago and what they've spoken of had yet to come to pass while others have spoken and all they've said has come to pass.
Jesus even said this-
Luke {24:27} And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke {24:44} And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
John {6:43} Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
{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.
{6:45} It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
His disciples said this-
John {1:45} Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
**
Do you see? Jesus was prophesized about and He even talked to His disciples about it, showing them in the scriptures all about the prophecy of Himself being realized.
Prophecy is important make no mistake about that, were even warned against false prophets.
Matthew {7:15} Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
1 John {4:1} Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Peter {2:1} But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Where there is false there is true.
The reason I'm mentioning all this about prophets is because Jeremiah was a prophet of God and in talking about the truth here's a few verses on what he had to say- it's all prophetic and so true. God's chosen people the Israelites were given so many chances to become truly right with God and over and over they went their own way. As people today, God's spiritual Israelites we too are in danger of going our own way. We can only truly be God's people, God's chosen if we love Him and do as He says to do, it's out of that love we live and living in that love by the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is so important.
Jeremiah {5:1} Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be [any] that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
{5:2} And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
{5:3} O LORD, [are] not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, [but] they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
Truth seekers.
God's eyes are upon the truth.
Are you a truth seeker?
We need to be truth seekers all of us. For God's eyes are upon the truth. God gives us the truth and we have to choose to walk in that truth. If we choose not to walk in that truth we are accountable for our actions. Is it easy to walk in the truth? No. Narrow is the way. It's a way that only a few will find in the grand scheme of thing and why is it so narrow and why will only a few find this path if Jesus' love is so amazing and so wonderful? If He is all forgiving and all loving then how will it be possible that only a few find the path to Him? It's because that path is a way of life not just an hour in the morning, not just an afternoon on a church bench, not just a couple hours in Bible study. The truth is a way of life. Jesus is that way. Does this mean that we all need to be monks in a matter of speaking? I say yes, but spiritual monks. Our day to day life no matter what we are doing has to be done in Christ, with Christ. We have to walk with him every moment of the day not set Him aside while we get on with life and pick Him up again at our convenience.
The truth.
Jesus is the truth. Living a life for Him, with Him is the truth.
We can't fool ourselves like God's chosen people of old did over and over and over, thinking that we can walk our own paths without God and expect to be His. We can't refuse to receive correction... we can't, not and expect to live with Him one day.
We have to seek the truth and when we find it, walk in it by the grace and mercy of Jesus.
The Third Epistle of John
3 John
{1:1} The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
{1:2} Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
{1:3} For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
{1:4} I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Amen
It is the job of the prophet to do what? Prophesize of course. In prophesizing they are foretelling a future, giving warnings, for what other reason is there for prophecy except to forewarn? They forewarn of something to come, something that will happen and sometimes they do so with the intent on hoping to change a course of action. By revealing the outcome if a certain course is kept they are also saying if another course is taken then the outcome may be different.
Prophets are messengers of God and some prophets foretold the future events many thousands of years ago and what they've spoken of had yet to come to pass while others have spoken and all they've said has come to pass.
Jesus even said this-
Luke {24:27} And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke {24:44} And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
John {6:43} Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
{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.
{6:45} It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
His disciples said this-
John {1:45} Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
**
Do you see? Jesus was prophesized about and He even talked to His disciples about it, showing them in the scriptures all about the prophecy of Himself being realized.
Prophecy is important make no mistake about that, were even warned against false prophets.
Matthew {7:15} Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
1 John {4:1} Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Peter {2:1} But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Where there is false there is true.
The reason I'm mentioning all this about prophets is because Jeremiah was a prophet of God and in talking about the truth here's a few verses on what he had to say- it's all prophetic and so true. God's chosen people the Israelites were given so many chances to become truly right with God and over and over they went their own way. As people today, God's spiritual Israelites we too are in danger of going our own way. We can only truly be God's people, God's chosen if we love Him and do as He says to do, it's out of that love we live and living in that love by the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is so important.
Jeremiah {5:1} Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be [any] that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
{5:2} And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
{5:3} O LORD, [are] not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, [but] they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
Truth seekers.
God's eyes are upon the truth.
Are you a truth seeker?
We need to be truth seekers all of us. For God's eyes are upon the truth. God gives us the truth and we have to choose to walk in that truth. If we choose not to walk in that truth we are accountable for our actions. Is it easy to walk in the truth? No. Narrow is the way. It's a way that only a few will find in the grand scheme of thing and why is it so narrow and why will only a few find this path if Jesus' love is so amazing and so wonderful? If He is all forgiving and all loving then how will it be possible that only a few find the path to Him? It's because that path is a way of life not just an hour in the morning, not just an afternoon on a church bench, not just a couple hours in Bible study. The truth is a way of life. Jesus is that way. Does this mean that we all need to be monks in a matter of speaking? I say yes, but spiritual monks. Our day to day life no matter what we are doing has to be done in Christ, with Christ. We have to walk with him every moment of the day not set Him aside while we get on with life and pick Him up again at our convenience.
The truth.
Jesus is the truth. Living a life for Him, with Him is the truth.
We can't fool ourselves like God's chosen people of old did over and over and over, thinking that we can walk our own paths without God and expect to be His. We can't refuse to receive correction... we can't, not and expect to live with Him one day.
We have to seek the truth and when we find it, walk in it by the grace and mercy of Jesus.
The Third Epistle of John
3 John
{1:1} The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
{1:2} Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
{1:3} For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
{1:4} I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Amen
Sunday, October 12, 2008
May we all choose truth
Jeremiah {4:2} And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
The Lord lives in...
Truth
Judgment
Righteousness
How beauitful that is. There is no guile, no laspe in judgment, no unrighteousness in God. As human beings we like when we find an honest person. That person who finds a wallet and returns it money intact. The person who sees you've over paid and gives you the extra back. The person who goes the extra mile to do a good, honest job. We all love finding that person especially if it's a car mechanic, a small appliance store worker, a cashier, it restores our faith in mankind when we witness or are part of an act of honesty.
God is forever honest, forever truthful.
Acts around us can be as sinful as they come, but God is truth.
We wouldn't want to follow a lying God, would we?
Many choose to follow a lying angel gone bad without any hesitation. They let Him lead their lives in all they do and don't think twice about it.
God is truth now and always and if you want truth in your life you need God, all else is lies.
If you don't have God you have lies no matter how pretty they are, no matter how relaxed and sweet your life is, no matter how together you think you have it, you don't it's all lies.
If your life isn't all sweet and nice, but drudgery putting in time at work, trying to get a little time in to relax, one day after the other all of them almost the same, it still matters.
God needs to be in our lives no matter the walk we are on, no matter the circumstances. Rich, poor, happy, sad, in pain, pain-free, confused, unconfused, none of that matters beyond the truth. God. In all walks of life we need the truth in God in our lives. It's not easy, not when we have so much temptation to sin and embrace the sins because they do bring us pleasure, they do ease some of what we think of as life's pain.
Life isn't easy, not living in a world of sin. Some think that because they were thrown into this mess, that they didn't ask to be born, that they didn't make things the way they are it gives them the right to embrace all the temptations, satisfy their base needs wherever they can, it's their right because they exist.
Just being alive gives each person the right to choose. Circumstances don't matter, they have the right to choose and it's our choices that determine whether we follow truth or lies, whether we follow the God of truth or the father of lies. Make no mistake- it's a choice we all make, even if we veil it thickly trying to disguise the fact we have to make it so we can lie to ourselves and try to believe we never had a choice so that makes us innocent.
Jeremiah {4:2} And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
The Lord liveth in truth, judgment, and righteousness.
May we all choose truth, by the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
“Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.”- Proverbs 19:20-21
The Lord lives in...
Truth
Judgment
Righteousness
How beauitful that is. There is no guile, no laspe in judgment, no unrighteousness in God. As human beings we like when we find an honest person. That person who finds a wallet and returns it money intact. The person who sees you've over paid and gives you the extra back. The person who goes the extra mile to do a good, honest job. We all love finding that person especially if it's a car mechanic, a small appliance store worker, a cashier, it restores our faith in mankind when we witness or are part of an act of honesty.
God is forever honest, forever truthful.
Acts around us can be as sinful as they come, but God is truth.
We wouldn't want to follow a lying God, would we?
Many choose to follow a lying angel gone bad without any hesitation. They let Him lead their lives in all they do and don't think twice about it.
God is truth now and always and if you want truth in your life you need God, all else is lies.
If you don't have God you have lies no matter how pretty they are, no matter how relaxed and sweet your life is, no matter how together you think you have it, you don't it's all lies.
If your life isn't all sweet and nice, but drudgery putting in time at work, trying to get a little time in to relax, one day after the other all of them almost the same, it still matters.
God needs to be in our lives no matter the walk we are on, no matter the circumstances. Rich, poor, happy, sad, in pain, pain-free, confused, unconfused, none of that matters beyond the truth. God. In all walks of life we need the truth in God in our lives. It's not easy, not when we have so much temptation to sin and embrace the sins because they do bring us pleasure, they do ease some of what we think of as life's pain.
Life isn't easy, not living in a world of sin. Some think that because they were thrown into this mess, that they didn't ask to be born, that they didn't make things the way they are it gives them the right to embrace all the temptations, satisfy their base needs wherever they can, it's their right because they exist.
Just being alive gives each person the right to choose. Circumstances don't matter, they have the right to choose and it's our choices that determine whether we follow truth or lies, whether we follow the God of truth or the father of lies. Make no mistake- it's a choice we all make, even if we veil it thickly trying to disguise the fact we have to make it so we can lie to ourselves and try to believe we never had a choice so that makes us innocent.
Jeremiah {4:2} And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
The Lord liveth in truth, judgment, and righteousness.
May we all choose truth, by the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
“Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.”- Proverbs 19:20-21
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Directed In Truth
Isaiah{59:18} According to [their] deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. {59:19} So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.{59:20} And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.{59:21} As for me, this [is] my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that [is] upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
How mighty is the Lord, how amazingly mighty. He would have us know that this isn't some silly game, that life isn't something without consequence. There is a battlefield and we all play upon it every single one of us. The Lord shows forth His majesty, His power, His love, because in truth, we know even in our day that good and evil exist and while evil often seems to have the upper hand it will be good that wins out in the end. Sounds like a silly fairy tale, or one of those sappy love stories? Let it, there is a reason why those stories exist, why people created them and why they were and are so popular. People have hope and often when they don't find it in their own lives they're willing to try and find it even in stories because it does exist.
The enemies will be vanquished ultimately. All will fear and reverence the name of the Lord. While the enemy is seemingly overwhelming, the Lord alone is mighty enough to destroy them.
In our individual lives we fight the same battle on a daily basis and we have a Redeemer if we turn from sin.
Yes, I said it.
Yes, I meant it.
Jesus is our Redeemer, without Him there is no hope at all, none. Yet sin separates us from God. As He forgives us our sins and we are redeemed it's out of sin we are redeemed, not in it. The breech that separates us is gone. Jesus forgives us and we repent and turn from our sins. We go to Jesus all caught up in our sins and He forgives us as we ask for forgiveness. In asking for forgiveness we recognize our sins, we recognize our unworthiness and cling to Jesus' grace and mercy to forgive- knowing that we have much to be forgiven for. To know we've done wrong is to recognize the wrong. To know you're a sinner is to recognize the sin you commit. Once awareness exists and we plead for forgiveness we are telling God that we know this sin we've committed has separated us from Him and we don't want to be separated from Him we want to be with Him. Jesus forgives us. He understands. A true repentant heart is something He is very familiar with. The repentant heart knows that the sin is wrong and is something to be turned from. Will turning from sin save us? Never. Only Jesus can save us. Out of love we don't want to sin, we don't want to keep doing the things that will separate us from God. Yes, sin offers all the pleasures you can imagine. Sin is addictive. Sin is insidious not wanting to ever let us go. If even a single sin is cherished it's enough to separate us from God. We have to lay our hearts open to God and accept the forgiveness He offers and choose to let the Holy Spirit work within us, listening to the Holy Spirit as our conscience reveals the sins in our lives and offers us a choice.
None of this is easy, none of it, but God will prevail easy or not, in the end ALL sin will be done away with. Every sinner that has not gone to Christ and embraced His gift of salvation with a true repentant heart, will be destroyed. There isn't going to be any last second reprieves, no surprise ending where everything turns our happily ever after for those choosing to sin. 'According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay...' We have hope in Jesus, He is our only hope. Clinging to Him through faith is the hope we have. The deed of seeking forgiveness will be repaid accordingly, as well as the deed of embracing sin and having no hope, no faith.
Thousands and thousands of years ago those words were written- 'and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.' And guess what? It's true. Today the words are still being spoken.
Isaiah{60:1} Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. {60:2} For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. {60:3} And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. {60:4} Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.{60:5} Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. {60:6} The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. {60:7} All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. {60:8} Who [are] these [that] fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?{60:9} Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. {60:10} And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. {60:11} Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that [men] may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and [that] their kings [may be] brought.{60:12} For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, [those] nations shall be utterly wasted. {60:13} The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. {60:14} The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles ofthy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.{60:15} Whereas thou hastbeen forsaken and hated, so that no man went through [thee,] I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. {60:16} Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD [am] thy Saviour and thy Redeemer,the mighty One of Jacob. {60:17} For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, andthine exactors righteousness. {60:18} Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. {60:19} The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. {60:20} Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thymourning shall be ended. {60:21} Thy people also [shall be] all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may beglorified. {60:22} A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.{61:1} The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound;
Remember-
Luke {4:18} The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, {4:19} To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. {4:20} And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. {4:21} And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
The prophet Isaiah foretold of so much and he did so in words that could be understood. The glorious coming of a Redeemer, a life where God is worshipped as He should be by a people that love Him. The glory of it alone is so overwhelmingly amazing. It sounds to good to be true and we try and try to imagine it and we can when we realize that it's not promised as long as sin reigns. For as long as sin reigns mourning will exist and these are days when all mourning has ended and that won't be until Christ comes again and then after that the earth is made new and there is no more sin, the enemies are gone once and for all.
Isaiah{61:2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; {61:3} To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.{61:4} And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. {61:5} And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien [shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers.{61:6} But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: [men] shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.{61:7} For your shame [ye shall have] double; and [for] confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. {61:8} For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in TRUTH, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.{61:9} And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they [are] the seed [which] the LORD hath blessed. {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 coveredme with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels. {61:11} For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.{62:1} For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth. {62:2} And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shallname. {62:3} Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. {62:4} Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.{62:5} For [as] a young man marrieth a virgin, [so] shall thy sons marry thee: and [as] the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, [so] shall thy God rejoice over thee. {62:6} I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, {62:7} And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.{62:8} The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn [to be] meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: {62:9} But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.{62:10} Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highways; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.{62:11} Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward [is] with him, and his work before him.{62:12} And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
Right now those who are God's are His favored. Those who are not with God are those not favored. When Jesus comes He will come for those that are His and all those that aren't will see and understand. Those that choose not to be God's will know the error of their ways, they will understand the choices they made we're wrong, they will see the opportunities they had and how they squandered them. They will also know and see those who are Christ's and will have no choice but to realize that God's way truly was the way of the righteous.
Here and now we have so much pain and heartache, fleeting joys surrounded by lingering agonies and yet we try to cling to the hope it'll work out but don't seek the only source of hope.
We need Jesus. We need His mercy. We need the Holy Spirit of truth in our lives.
'For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in TRUTH,'
The Lord loves judgment why? Because it is righteousness, it is the ultimate truth without deception, it is the perfect standard without any guile. Unlike our court system today where judges often get things wrong, there will be no wrong judgments from God, not one, they will all be perfect and just. Sacrifices are --
Psalms {51:17} The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
False sacrifices, actions stemming not from a contrite heart, aren't acceptable to God.
Truth is the mercy and love of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
The prophets of old knew this and all this would be passed down from generation to generation.
Jesus spoke of the prophets, used the scriptures and never said they were of no value and to be discarded.
You'll get people today who will try and set up *new* ways and call it God's way, Jesus' way, but in truth, the way was set from the beginning and we can see throughout the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, that the love and truth of God is there, all of it.
We want our work directed in truth, God's truth. May God do that- may He direct our work in truth through the mercy and grace of His Son, may our work be in Him now and forever, in truth.
Amen.
How mighty is the Lord, how amazingly mighty. He would have us know that this isn't some silly game, that life isn't something without consequence. There is a battlefield and we all play upon it every single one of us. The Lord shows forth His majesty, His power, His love, because in truth, we know even in our day that good and evil exist and while evil often seems to have the upper hand it will be good that wins out in the end. Sounds like a silly fairy tale, or one of those sappy love stories? Let it, there is a reason why those stories exist, why people created them and why they were and are so popular. People have hope and often when they don't find it in their own lives they're willing to try and find it even in stories because it does exist.
The enemies will be vanquished ultimately. All will fear and reverence the name of the Lord. While the enemy is seemingly overwhelming, the Lord alone is mighty enough to destroy them.
In our individual lives we fight the same battle on a daily basis and we have a Redeemer if we turn from sin.
Yes, I said it.
Yes, I meant it.
Jesus is our Redeemer, without Him there is no hope at all, none. Yet sin separates us from God. As He forgives us our sins and we are redeemed it's out of sin we are redeemed, not in it. The breech that separates us is gone. Jesus forgives us and we repent and turn from our sins. We go to Jesus all caught up in our sins and He forgives us as we ask for forgiveness. In asking for forgiveness we recognize our sins, we recognize our unworthiness and cling to Jesus' grace and mercy to forgive- knowing that we have much to be forgiven for. To know we've done wrong is to recognize the wrong. To know you're a sinner is to recognize the sin you commit. Once awareness exists and we plead for forgiveness we are telling God that we know this sin we've committed has separated us from Him and we don't want to be separated from Him we want to be with Him. Jesus forgives us. He understands. A true repentant heart is something He is very familiar with. The repentant heart knows that the sin is wrong and is something to be turned from. Will turning from sin save us? Never. Only Jesus can save us. Out of love we don't want to sin, we don't want to keep doing the things that will separate us from God. Yes, sin offers all the pleasures you can imagine. Sin is addictive. Sin is insidious not wanting to ever let us go. If even a single sin is cherished it's enough to separate us from God. We have to lay our hearts open to God and accept the forgiveness He offers and choose to let the Holy Spirit work within us, listening to the Holy Spirit as our conscience reveals the sins in our lives and offers us a choice.
None of this is easy, none of it, but God will prevail easy or not, in the end ALL sin will be done away with. Every sinner that has not gone to Christ and embraced His gift of salvation with a true repentant heart, will be destroyed. There isn't going to be any last second reprieves, no surprise ending where everything turns our happily ever after for those choosing to sin. 'According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay...' We have hope in Jesus, He is our only hope. Clinging to Him through faith is the hope we have. The deed of seeking forgiveness will be repaid accordingly, as well as the deed of embracing sin and having no hope, no faith.
Thousands and thousands of years ago those words were written- 'and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.' And guess what? It's true. Today the words are still being spoken.
Isaiah{60:1} Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. {60:2} For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. {60:3} And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. {60:4} Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.{60:5} Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. {60:6} The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. {60:7} All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. {60:8} Who [are] these [that] fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?{60:9} Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. {60:10} And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. {60:11} Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that [men] may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and [that] their kings [may be] brought.{60:12} For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, [those] nations shall be utterly wasted. {60:13} The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. {60:14} The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles ofthy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.{60:15} Whereas thou hastbeen forsaken and hated, so that no man went through [thee,] I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. {60:16} Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD [am] thy Saviour and thy Redeemer,the mighty One of Jacob. {60:17} For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, andthine exactors righteousness. {60:18} Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. {60:19} The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. {60:20} Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thymourning shall be ended. {60:21} Thy people also [shall be] all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may beglorified. {60:22} A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.{61:1} The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound;
Remember-
Luke {4:18} The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, {4:19} To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. {4:20} And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. {4:21} And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
The prophet Isaiah foretold of so much and he did so in words that could be understood. The glorious coming of a Redeemer, a life where God is worshipped as He should be by a people that love Him. The glory of it alone is so overwhelmingly amazing. It sounds to good to be true and we try and try to imagine it and we can when we realize that it's not promised as long as sin reigns. For as long as sin reigns mourning will exist and these are days when all mourning has ended and that won't be until Christ comes again and then after that the earth is made new and there is no more sin, the enemies are gone once and for all.
Isaiah{61:2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; {61:3} To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.{61:4} And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. {61:5} And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien [shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers.{61:6} But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: [men] shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.{61:7} For your shame [ye shall have] double; and [for] confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. {61:8} For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in TRUTH, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.{61:9} And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they [are] the seed [which] the LORD hath blessed. {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 coveredme with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels. {61:11} For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.{62:1} For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth. {62:2} And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shallname. {62:3} Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. {62:4} Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.{62:5} For [as] a young man marrieth a virgin, [so] shall thy sons marry thee: and [as] the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, [so] shall thy God rejoice over thee. {62:6} I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, {62:7} And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.{62:8} The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn [to be] meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: {62:9} But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.{62:10} Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highways; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.{62:11} Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward [is] with him, and his work before him.{62:12} And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
Right now those who are God's are His favored. Those who are not with God are those not favored. When Jesus comes He will come for those that are His and all those that aren't will see and understand. Those that choose not to be God's will know the error of their ways, they will understand the choices they made we're wrong, they will see the opportunities they had and how they squandered them. They will also know and see those who are Christ's and will have no choice but to realize that God's way truly was the way of the righteous.
Here and now we have so much pain and heartache, fleeting joys surrounded by lingering agonies and yet we try to cling to the hope it'll work out but don't seek the only source of hope.
We need Jesus. We need His mercy. We need the Holy Spirit of truth in our lives.
'For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in TRUTH,'
The Lord loves judgment why? Because it is righteousness, it is the ultimate truth without deception, it is the perfect standard without any guile. Unlike our court system today where judges often get things wrong, there will be no wrong judgments from God, not one, they will all be perfect and just. Sacrifices are --
Psalms {51:17} The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
False sacrifices, actions stemming not from a contrite heart, aren't acceptable to God.
Truth is the mercy and love of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
The prophets of old knew this and all this would be passed down from generation to generation.
Jesus spoke of the prophets, used the scriptures and never said they were of no value and to be discarded.
You'll get people today who will try and set up *new* ways and call it God's way, Jesus' way, but in truth, the way was set from the beginning and we can see throughout the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, that the love and truth of God is there, all of it.
We want our work directed in truth, God's truth. May God do that- may He direct our work in truth through the mercy and grace of His Son, may our work be in Him now and forever, in truth.
Amen.
Friday, October 10, 2008
We Can't Let Truth Fail
Sometimes you just have a lot to say and to condense it steals the magnitude of what's being said.
I know that some people scoff at the Old Testament and want to hear on things from the New Testament as if the Old were done away, replaced by the new, which in truth is a conception that we old to with many day to day things. The old becomes obsolete. It's not truth always. Sometimes you need the old to build a platform to the new. Sometimes the older things are the more valuable they become. Sometimes a merger of the two both old and new are needed to reap the most benefits.
It's a shame that more reverence isn't given the Old Testament because that's the only scripture Jesus had when He walked the earth as man to use when He spoke from the scriptures.
Jesus didn't come shouting for all to do away with the Old Testament. He didn't say it was obsolete. He said this...
John {5:39} 'Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. {5:40} And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. {5:41} I receive not honour from men. {5:42} But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. {5:43} I am come in my
Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. {5:44} How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that [cometh] from God only? {5:45} Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] that accuseth you, [even] Moses, in whom ye trust. {5:46} For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. {5:47} But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?'
Search the scriptures- what we know as the Old Testament.
For had you believed Moses you would have believed me for he wrote of me.
But if you don't believe his writings, how shall you believe my words.
Do you see? This is Jesus speaking of the Old Testament. Clearly He is not saying that He has a New Testament that will replace the old stuffy Old Testament which He's making obsolete. He speaks of Moses who wrote of Him. Those who don't believe Moses, how can they believe in Him?
God's love is reveal in the Old and New Testaments.
We might scoff at the Old Testament and say much of it is irrelevant, done away with, replaced, made new, but Jesus never said that. Jesus shed light upon the teachings of the Old Testament, He brought it to life in a way it was meant to be brought to life, He came to fulfil the prophecies spoken of about Him, He came to right the twisted and perverted truths, to be the embodiment of the love God has for us. He showed perfect love for God His Father and perfect love for His fellow mankind.
I've been studying the word truth lately and it lead me to this lengthy bit in the Old Testament- I could just pick up the single verse with the word 'truth' in it but I feel compelled to bring all of this as a we study. When you read it please try to remember that Isaiah was a prophet, he too spoke of Jesus and you'll see it here.
Isaiah
{58:1} Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
** We need our sins revealed so that we may repent of them. As long as they are hidden from us we cannot forsake them.
Isaiah
{58:2} Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
**Imagine that? Seeking God daily, delighting to know His ways, wanting to know justice, delighting to approach God. How wonderful!
Isaiah
{58:3} Wherefore have we fasted, [say they,] and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
{58:4} Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
{58:5} Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth
and ashes [under him?] wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
{58:6} [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
{58:7} [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou
cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
**
Remember--
Luke
{3:10} And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
{3:11} He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
God would not have men fast and pat themselves on the back for doing so, calling it righteousness. God would rather we love one another with brotherly love- seeing to one another's needs before He would ask us to fast and call that duty to God over helping one another.
Isaiah
{58:8} Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.
{58:9} Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am.] If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
{58:10} And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday:
{58:11} And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
{58:12} And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
**Think about it, when you've helped another doesn't that feed your own soul? Seriously, helping another person makes us feel good, being able to help. We grumble and gripe when asked to do something, when our help is needed in various ways that would interfere with our own plans, and yet helping others is so important. If only we could keep forever in our minds that helping others is truly loving as we want ourselves to be loved. We ask for help and when it is given lovingly we are pleased. We ask for help and when it's given begrudgingly it stirs up things inside us- resentment, ire. Loving one another is such a huge focus of the Bible. We reap so much benefit from helping others lovingly and being able to help is a reward in itself without getting a thing for helping.
Isaiah
{58:13} If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words:
{58:14} Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it.]
**Delight thyself in the Lord. Taking our eyes off ourselves and delighting in the Lord, a weekly reminder of our God, of our loving heavenly Father, delighting solely in Him is so special and yet some make it burdensome, others make it obsolete, is it no wonder the world seems to be so completely engulfed in sin?
Isaiah
{59:1} Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
{59:2} But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.
**Sin separates us from God. Our mediator, our healer of the breach is Jesus.
Isaiah
{59:3} For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
{59:4} None calleth for justice, nor [any] pleadeth for TRUTH: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
**None call for justice, none plead for truth... how incredibly sad. Trusting in vanity, speaking lies, when the focus is on self, and the belief that you and you alone control things, there is little truth, little justice, and people fool themselves that their idea of truth and justice is good when it is vain and wrong, so wrong. Real justice, real truth, these call for looking away from ourselves and to God where it is found.
Isaiah
{59:5} They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. {59:6} Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works [are] works of iniquity, and the act of violence [is] in their hands.
{59:7} Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts [are] thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction [are] in their paths.
{59:8} The way of peace they know not; and [there is] no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
{59:9} Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, [but] we walk in darkness.
{59:10} We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if [we had] no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; [we are] in desolate places as dead [men.]
{59:11} We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but [there is] none; for salvation, [but] it is far off from us.
{59:12} For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions [are] with us; and [as for] our iniquities, we know them;
{59:13} In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the
heart words of falsehood.
{59:14} And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for TRUTH is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
{59:15} Yea, TRUTH faileth; and he [that] departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw [it,] and it displeased him that [there was] no judgment.
{59:16} And he saw that [there was] no man, and wondered that [there was] no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
**Truth is fallen, Truth fails, people don't want the truth, they want things soothing to their ears so that they may believe in the falseness that their sins are acceptable. Those that do depart from evil are like a small animal caught in the sights of huge, hungry lion, as the world looks upon them wanting them to die rather than live as a reminder to them of their own evil state. God sent salvation for all those who would turn from evil. Those who set themselves up as prey are given heavenly armor to protect them, maybe not here on earth for this life but the protection is heavenly and will hold true until Jesus comes and takes us to heaven with him.
Isaiah
{59:17} For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
**Remember-
Eph.{6:13} 'Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. {6:14} Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; {6:15} And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; {6:16} Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. {6:17} And take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints'
There is so much more to this and I know it's going to be very lengthy, that it already is, so I'll break it into two parts.
Truth.
We don't want truth to fail us. We don't want truth to be fallen. We need to hold the truth up high and let it live within us everyday.
The truth of God.
The truth of His love and the beautiful truth of His salvation found in His only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever! All mercy, all grace in Him.
Amen.
I know that some people scoff at the Old Testament and want to hear on things from the New Testament as if the Old were done away, replaced by the new, which in truth is a conception that we old to with many day to day things. The old becomes obsolete. It's not truth always. Sometimes you need the old to build a platform to the new. Sometimes the older things are the more valuable they become. Sometimes a merger of the two both old and new are needed to reap the most benefits.
It's a shame that more reverence isn't given the Old Testament because that's the only scripture Jesus had when He walked the earth as man to use when He spoke from the scriptures.
Jesus didn't come shouting for all to do away with the Old Testament. He didn't say it was obsolete. He said this...
John {5:39} 'Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. {5:40} And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. {5:41} I receive not honour from men. {5:42} But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. {5:43} I am come in my
Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. {5:44} How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that [cometh] from God only? {5:45} Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] that accuseth you, [even] Moses, in whom ye trust. {5:46} For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. {5:47} But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?'
Search the scriptures- what we know as the Old Testament.
For had you believed Moses you would have believed me for he wrote of me.
But if you don't believe his writings, how shall you believe my words.
Do you see? This is Jesus speaking of the Old Testament. Clearly He is not saying that He has a New Testament that will replace the old stuffy Old Testament which He's making obsolete. He speaks of Moses who wrote of Him. Those who don't believe Moses, how can they believe in Him?
God's love is reveal in the Old and New Testaments.
We might scoff at the Old Testament and say much of it is irrelevant, done away with, replaced, made new, but Jesus never said that. Jesus shed light upon the teachings of the Old Testament, He brought it to life in a way it was meant to be brought to life, He came to fulfil the prophecies spoken of about Him, He came to right the twisted and perverted truths, to be the embodiment of the love God has for us. He showed perfect love for God His Father and perfect love for His fellow mankind.
I've been studying the word truth lately and it lead me to this lengthy bit in the Old Testament- I could just pick up the single verse with the word 'truth' in it but I feel compelled to bring all of this as a we study. When you read it please try to remember that Isaiah was a prophet, he too spoke of Jesus and you'll see it here.
Isaiah
{58:1} Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
** We need our sins revealed so that we may repent of them. As long as they are hidden from us we cannot forsake them.
Isaiah
{58:2} Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
**Imagine that? Seeking God daily, delighting to know His ways, wanting to know justice, delighting to approach God. How wonderful!
Isaiah
{58:3} Wherefore have we fasted, [say they,] and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
{58:4} Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
{58:5} Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth
and ashes [under him?] wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
{58:6} [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
{58:7} [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou
cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
**
Remember--
Luke
{3:10} And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
{3:11} He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
God would not have men fast and pat themselves on the back for doing so, calling it righteousness. God would rather we love one another with brotherly love- seeing to one another's needs before He would ask us to fast and call that duty to God over helping one another.
Isaiah
{58:8} Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.
{58:9} Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am.] If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
{58:10} And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday:
{58:11} And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
{58:12} And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
**Think about it, when you've helped another doesn't that feed your own soul? Seriously, helping another person makes us feel good, being able to help. We grumble and gripe when asked to do something, when our help is needed in various ways that would interfere with our own plans, and yet helping others is so important. If only we could keep forever in our minds that helping others is truly loving as we want ourselves to be loved. We ask for help and when it is given lovingly we are pleased. We ask for help and when it's given begrudgingly it stirs up things inside us- resentment, ire. Loving one another is such a huge focus of the Bible. We reap so much benefit from helping others lovingly and being able to help is a reward in itself without getting a thing for helping.
Isaiah
{58:13} If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words:
{58:14} Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it.]
**Delight thyself in the Lord. Taking our eyes off ourselves and delighting in the Lord, a weekly reminder of our God, of our loving heavenly Father, delighting solely in Him is so special and yet some make it burdensome, others make it obsolete, is it no wonder the world seems to be so completely engulfed in sin?
Isaiah
{59:1} Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
{59:2} But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.
**Sin separates us from God. Our mediator, our healer of the breach is Jesus.
Isaiah
{59:3} For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
{59:4} None calleth for justice, nor [any] pleadeth for TRUTH: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
**None call for justice, none plead for truth... how incredibly sad. Trusting in vanity, speaking lies, when the focus is on self, and the belief that you and you alone control things, there is little truth, little justice, and people fool themselves that their idea of truth and justice is good when it is vain and wrong, so wrong. Real justice, real truth, these call for looking away from ourselves and to God where it is found.
Isaiah
{59:5} They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. {59:6} Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works [are] works of iniquity, and the act of violence [is] in their hands.
{59:7} Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts [are] thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction [are] in their paths.
{59:8} The way of peace they know not; and [there is] no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
{59:9} Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, [but] we walk in darkness.
{59:10} We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if [we had] no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; [we are] in desolate places as dead [men.]
{59:11} We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but [there is] none; for salvation, [but] it is far off from us.
{59:12} For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions [are] with us; and [as for] our iniquities, we know them;
{59:13} In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the
heart words of falsehood.
{59:14} And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for TRUTH is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
{59:15} Yea, TRUTH faileth; and he [that] departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw [it,] and it displeased him that [there was] no judgment.
{59:16} And he saw that [there was] no man, and wondered that [there was] no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
**Truth is fallen, Truth fails, people don't want the truth, they want things soothing to their ears so that they may believe in the falseness that their sins are acceptable. Those that do depart from evil are like a small animal caught in the sights of huge, hungry lion, as the world looks upon them wanting them to die rather than live as a reminder to them of their own evil state. God sent salvation for all those who would turn from evil. Those who set themselves up as prey are given heavenly armor to protect them, maybe not here on earth for this life but the protection is heavenly and will hold true until Jesus comes and takes us to heaven with him.
Isaiah
{59:17} For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
**Remember-
Eph.{6:13} 'Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. {6:14} Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; {6:15} And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; {6:16} Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. {6:17} And take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints'
There is so much more to this and I know it's going to be very lengthy, that it already is, so I'll break it into two parts.
Truth.
We don't want truth to fail us. We don't want truth to be fallen. We need to hold the truth up high and let it live within us everyday.
The truth of God.
The truth of His love and the beautiful truth of His salvation found in His only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever! All mercy, all grace in Him.
Amen.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Seek His Truth While It Can Be Found
Isaiah
{38:18} For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee
they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
{38:19} The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day
the father to the children shall make known thy truth
The grave cannot praise thee.
Death cannot celebrate thee.
They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Tell me why is that people hope for life immediately after death. Why is they hope that death is nothing at all really, just a transition. Studies on life after death take place all the time. Out of body experiences convince people that there is life after death because they don't want to believe that their mind can have conscious thought after death for a short time and then nothingness. Their proof is in those first few moments when they see themselves out of their bodies, believing their conscience spirit is now moving on and yet...
They don't ultimately die do they? Those who have out of body experiences don't die, they miraculously live. They wake up from their unconscious state and live to tell about dying. They give hope to many with their words of rising out of their bodies. People believe that death isn't a place where there is nothingness, where there is no praising, no celebrating, no truth. They want an existence right after this one where they can rise up and look upon all those near their body, an existence where they can go to a 'light' walking there, moving there some how to where there is all goodness and even loved ones that have passed on before. Death is a transition, not an ending. Death isn't so bad really. Death frees us from our mortal bodies and allows us to live on in a spirit form.
How can any of that be true?
If death is all that, why is it something bad?
Why is death a punishment?
Why is death something to be overcome?
Why did Jesus come to sacrifice Himself, to conquer death?
What significance is there in Jesus rising again?
Why did Jesus lay in the grave and not transition out of His body upon death like so many believe happens? If that is death and he suffered the ultimate death? If he died and overcame death, what was he really conquering if death isn't a bad thing?
If we have another existence as spiritual forms that live on, why do we need to ever revert back to anything else?
Death.
Isaiah
{38:18} For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee
they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
{38:19} The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day
the father to the children shall make known thy truth
If we cannot praise and celebrate God upon death, in our transitional form that slips out of the fleshy one, what exactly CAN we do when we die?
The grave cannot praise thee.
Death cannot celebrate thee.
They that go down to the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Those in a grave pit can't even hope for truth.
There is no praising, no celebrating, no truth in death and yet many would have us believe that it's a wonderful thing- life after death. Tell me how it can be wonderful if we cannot have the truth? If God's truth isn't found in life after death it's pointless to believe we do go on with conscious thought after death.
The living...
The living shall praise God.
The fathers to their children will make known the truth.
Truth exists and is taught during life. You don't find it after death. You need to grasp it before death.
In reality, the out of body experiences can be a transition, they can. The transition however is much the same as one falling asleep. Do you lay your head down and immediately stop thinking? Very seldom to people just lay down and are instantly asleep. There is a thought process still occurring. Sometimes that thought process lulls us to sleep, other times we lay there and it is so bothersome we end up getting up for a bit and trying to get back to sleep again later. How often have you heard someone say, I couldn't get to sleep last night, I just kept thinking and thinking?
When we die it is quite possible that as we enter that sleep of death, that we are still thinking. That there is a consciousness about us that remains briefly as we go from life to death's sleep.
Honestly, I would hate to believe that I consciously go on living even in a spiritual floaty form if I can't praise and celebrate God in that state. If I can't have the truth of God after death, I really hope and pray that the mystery of death turns out to be a deep sleep and I know nothing again until Jesus rises me up from the grave upon His return to earth. Yes, I hope the spiritual part of me that brought me to life, that breath of life in me that goes back to God is kept by Him as I sleep waiting for that day I can praise and celebrate Him in all truth again.
God's truth, we need to learn it now, not think we can learn it later. No one knows when they'll die, and in death there is no hope of truth.
May God help us all to seek His truth while it can be found and not delay.
In the name of His all merciful, all powerful, all wonderful Son, by the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
{38:18} For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee
they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
{38:19} The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day
the father to the children shall make known thy truth
The grave cannot praise thee.
Death cannot celebrate thee.
They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Tell me why is that people hope for life immediately after death. Why is they hope that death is nothing at all really, just a transition. Studies on life after death take place all the time. Out of body experiences convince people that there is life after death because they don't want to believe that their mind can have conscious thought after death for a short time and then nothingness. Their proof is in those first few moments when they see themselves out of their bodies, believing their conscience spirit is now moving on and yet...
They don't ultimately die do they? Those who have out of body experiences don't die, they miraculously live. They wake up from their unconscious state and live to tell about dying. They give hope to many with their words of rising out of their bodies. People believe that death isn't a place where there is nothingness, where there is no praising, no celebrating, no truth. They want an existence right after this one where they can rise up and look upon all those near their body, an existence where they can go to a 'light' walking there, moving there some how to where there is all goodness and even loved ones that have passed on before. Death is a transition, not an ending. Death isn't so bad really. Death frees us from our mortal bodies and allows us to live on in a spirit form.
How can any of that be true?
If death is all that, why is it something bad?
Why is death a punishment?
Why is death something to be overcome?
Why did Jesus come to sacrifice Himself, to conquer death?
What significance is there in Jesus rising again?
Why did Jesus lay in the grave and not transition out of His body upon death like so many believe happens? If that is death and he suffered the ultimate death? If he died and overcame death, what was he really conquering if death isn't a bad thing?
If we have another existence as spiritual forms that live on, why do we need to ever revert back to anything else?
Death.
Isaiah
{38:18} For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee
they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
{38:19} The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day
the father to the children shall make known thy truth
If we cannot praise and celebrate God upon death, in our transitional form that slips out of the fleshy one, what exactly CAN we do when we die?
The grave cannot praise thee.
Death cannot celebrate thee.
They that go down to the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Those in a grave pit can't even hope for truth.
There is no praising, no celebrating, no truth in death and yet many would have us believe that it's a wonderful thing- life after death. Tell me how it can be wonderful if we cannot have the truth? If God's truth isn't found in life after death it's pointless to believe we do go on with conscious thought after death.
The living...
The living shall praise God.
The fathers to their children will make known the truth.
Truth exists and is taught during life. You don't find it after death. You need to grasp it before death.
In reality, the out of body experiences can be a transition, they can. The transition however is much the same as one falling asleep. Do you lay your head down and immediately stop thinking? Very seldom to people just lay down and are instantly asleep. There is a thought process still occurring. Sometimes that thought process lulls us to sleep, other times we lay there and it is so bothersome we end up getting up for a bit and trying to get back to sleep again later. How often have you heard someone say, I couldn't get to sleep last night, I just kept thinking and thinking?
When we die it is quite possible that as we enter that sleep of death, that we are still thinking. That there is a consciousness about us that remains briefly as we go from life to death's sleep.
Honestly, I would hate to believe that I consciously go on living even in a spiritual floaty form if I can't praise and celebrate God in that state. If I can't have the truth of God after death, I really hope and pray that the mystery of death turns out to be a deep sleep and I know nothing again until Jesus rises me up from the grave upon His return to earth. Yes, I hope the spiritual part of me that brought me to life, that breath of life in me that goes back to God is kept by Him as I sleep waiting for that day I can praise and celebrate Him in all truth again.
God's truth, we need to learn it now, not think we can learn it later. No one knows when they'll die, and in death there is no hope of truth.
May God help us all to seek His truth while it can be found and not delay.
In the name of His all merciful, all powerful, all wonderful Son, by the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Keepers of the Truth
Isaiah
{26:1} In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
{26:2} Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
{26:3} Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.
{26:4} Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Which keepeth truth.
Truth. Lest we make the mistake of thinking it doesn't matter what truth is, we really need to think again.
I've heard it said that everyone has their own truth to follow and yet truth by its very definition can not be of a personal interpretation.
truth
1. Conformity to fact or actuality.
2. A statement proven to be or accepted as true.
3. Sincerity; integrity.
4. Fidelity to an original or a standard.
5. Reality; actuality.
Fact. Actuality. Proven, accepted as true. Sincere. Original standard. Reality, actuality.
Actuality.
actuality
1. The state or fact of being actual; reality.
Actual.
Reality.
People have different perceptions of reality, but in truth (and that's what this is about), in truth if everyone had a different reality the world would be pure chaos on such a level it couldn't function in any cohesive manner at all.
Rule and regulations couldn't exist in a world where one person's reality differed from another's entirely.
We all exist in our own little worlds of emotions and things in our world, our reality of existence might effect us differently, but it's the same reality of existence just the effect and how we deal with it can change even minutely from person to person.
We all go to a local football game and watch the same game, was the experience the same for everyone? No. Why? Because our thoughts and emotions are different from person to person. I may be rooting for a player who has an off game and fumbles the ball and it saddens me. You might be rooting for the player who recovers the fumble and scores a touchdown and you're thrilled. All in all it's the same game we're watching but we have a different emotional investment in the game. I may see close up another player tripped up, you may have looked off to the refreshment hawker at that time and didn't see what I saw, same game, different perspective.
All in all there are fundamental truths regardless of perception.
Even our own Declaration of Independence states... 'We hold these truths to be self-evident'
Certain truths to be self-evident.
Fundamental truths.
While some are busy debating God's existence, and still others are caught up in picking apart everything they can in order to refute every instance of God so that faith can't exist with them, the truth of the entire matter is - God is truth.
'Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in'
There will always be those who keep the truth and those who do not, until Jesus comes again and everything changes.
Keeping the truth is keeping God.
Remember-- Eccl. {12:13} 'Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.'
God is the Truth.
John {14:6} 'Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.'
God is the Truth.
Jesus came to live as a man among us with all truth and all mercy.
It's through Jesus' merciful grace that we can go to God. It's through Jesus that we have a chance where before their was none. From the moment sin entered human kind there was the way to be forgiven- the looking for the way, the example of things to come, the reality of the example being made flesh- all ways to be with God. Jesus' sacrifice enables us to come to the Father, and Jesus' way is the truth. God is truth, His ways are truth.
So while the world may be filled with many different perceptions of a situation based on individual emotions and such, just like that football game there are fundamental truths. There was a game. There was a winner and a loser. No one can dispute those truths no matter what they saw during the game.
In life there is only one truth- God. We all have different lives that lead us down many rocky emotional roads, my perception of life will be different from yours, but the fundamental truth is God loves us, God is love, God is the truth we all have in common whether we want to believe in Him or not.
Just because I don't go to that football game doesn't mean it didn't exist.
God exists and not all will follow Him, not all will be keepers of the truth, not all will accept His love, or accept Jesus' sacrifice.
May God help us all as we search for truth in Him. The world will have it's own brand of truth and there will be many trying to confound the truth into obscurity so that it won't matter at all whether it's kept. Regardless of how people individually view the truth, the truth exists. Help us Heavenly Father, help us to recognize the truth in You so that we many enter in as keepers of the truth. Through the mercy and grace of Your Holy, all Merciful Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
{26:1} In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
{26:2} Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
{26:3} Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.
{26:4} Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Which keepeth truth.
Truth. Lest we make the mistake of thinking it doesn't matter what truth is, we really need to think again.
I've heard it said that everyone has their own truth to follow and yet truth by its very definition can not be of a personal interpretation.
truth
1. Conformity to fact or actuality.
2. A statement proven to be or accepted as true.
3. Sincerity; integrity.
4. Fidelity to an original or a standard.
5. Reality; actuality.
Fact. Actuality. Proven, accepted as true. Sincere. Original standard. Reality, actuality.
Actuality.
actuality
1. The state or fact of being actual; reality.
Actual.
Reality.
People have different perceptions of reality, but in truth (and that's what this is about), in truth if everyone had a different reality the world would be pure chaos on such a level it couldn't function in any cohesive manner at all.
Rule and regulations couldn't exist in a world where one person's reality differed from another's entirely.
We all exist in our own little worlds of emotions and things in our world, our reality of existence might effect us differently, but it's the same reality of existence just the effect and how we deal with it can change even minutely from person to person.
We all go to a local football game and watch the same game, was the experience the same for everyone? No. Why? Because our thoughts and emotions are different from person to person. I may be rooting for a player who has an off game and fumbles the ball and it saddens me. You might be rooting for the player who recovers the fumble and scores a touchdown and you're thrilled. All in all it's the same game we're watching but we have a different emotional investment in the game. I may see close up another player tripped up, you may have looked off to the refreshment hawker at that time and didn't see what I saw, same game, different perspective.
All in all there are fundamental truths regardless of perception.
Even our own Declaration of Independence states... 'We hold these truths to be self-evident'
Certain truths to be self-evident.
Fundamental truths.
While some are busy debating God's existence, and still others are caught up in picking apart everything they can in order to refute every instance of God so that faith can't exist with them, the truth of the entire matter is - God is truth.
'Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in'
There will always be those who keep the truth and those who do not, until Jesus comes again and everything changes.
Keeping the truth is keeping God.
Remember-- Eccl. {12:13} 'Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.'
God is the Truth.
John {14:6} 'Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.'
God is the Truth.
Jesus came to live as a man among us with all truth and all mercy.
It's through Jesus' merciful grace that we can go to God. It's through Jesus that we have a chance where before their was none. From the moment sin entered human kind there was the way to be forgiven- the looking for the way, the example of things to come, the reality of the example being made flesh- all ways to be with God. Jesus' sacrifice enables us to come to the Father, and Jesus' way is the truth. God is truth, His ways are truth.
So while the world may be filled with many different perceptions of a situation based on individual emotions and such, just like that football game there are fundamental truths. There was a game. There was a winner and a loser. No one can dispute those truths no matter what they saw during the game.
In life there is only one truth- God. We all have different lives that lead us down many rocky emotional roads, my perception of life will be different from yours, but the fundamental truth is God loves us, God is love, God is the truth we all have in common whether we want to believe in Him or not.
Just because I don't go to that football game doesn't mean it didn't exist.
God exists and not all will follow Him, not all will be keepers of the truth, not all will accept His love, or accept Jesus' sacrifice.
May God help us all as we search for truth in Him. The world will have it's own brand of truth and there will be many trying to confound the truth into obscurity so that it won't matter at all whether it's kept. Regardless of how people individually view the truth, the truth exists. Help us Heavenly Father, help us to recognize the truth in You so that we many enter in as keepers of the truth. Through the mercy and grace of Your Holy, all Merciful Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
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