Romans
{13:11} And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we
believed.
{13:12} The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
{13:13} Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. {13:14} But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Knowing the time.
That now it is high time.
High time to awake out of sleep.
For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Salvation is close, always close, just hope away. No one can wait. No one is safe in waiting. If we wait for a certain time it could be too late. Thinking that salvation is nearer than when we believed. Thinking that the time is now, high time to wake up from our slumbers that keep us from salvation, is a bit frightening and a bit worrisome.
We're like children who are playing grown ups and getting all mixed up in our grownup things, we have momma's fun make up to wear, daddy's suit coat and we're prancing around playing our game not wanting our real momma or daddy to come home to spoil our fun. We watch the clock and we get a call that tells us that they'll be home soon but we still don't know exactly when. Are we wise? If we are wise we'd quickly put up those things we were playing with and prepare for their homecoming. If we're not wise we'll keep playing and take the risk of facing the wrath of our parents when they find us having toyed with their belongings.
We are told to prepare. We are told to accept. We are told today is the day of salvation and yet the devil fools us into believing that we have time to accept later because now is the time to play, have fun, not think of anything beyond our carnal existence and making it as pleasurable as we can.
Hope and faith grasp hold of the eternal, of the unseen, while the principalities and powers in high places keep us focused on now, and our immediate future, at most a few years, maybe several of them with the intention of keeping us earth bound, devil bound.
Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
If you're hearing the call to wake up out of sleep you need to obey it. You need to push aside the foul dreams that cloud your sleep and try to trap you there in your slumbering. Salvation is now. You may not have tomorrow. Salvation is now. Developing our spiritual life now is necessary if we are to live eternally. Spiritual things with spiritual things.
Romans
{13:12} The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
{13:13} Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. {13:14} But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
The night is far spent. The day is at hand.
Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness.
Let us put on the armour of light.
We are covered in the works of darkness aren't we? We cling to them. We use them as security, they're the familiar things we've lived with for so long. We can cast them off, we don't have to keep them upon us. In fact we need to cast them off and we need to put on the armour of light. Christ's armour, Christ's ways.
Let us walk honestly as in the day.
Not in rioting and drunkeness, not in chambering and wantoness, not in strife and enyving.
All that -- the rioting, drunkeness, chambering, wantoness, strife and envying are works of darkness.
We need to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for our flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof.
We need stop making provisions for our flesh. Stop making excuses to keep the dark ways in our lives.
We need to walk in Christ now and forever.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord, and of our Savior we can live, only by the mercy and grace of our Lord.
Let us determine to grow closer to Christ.
Now is the day of Salvation!
The hour is at hand, it is high time to wake out of our sleep.
Wake up! Wake up!
In Christ's love.
Amen.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
...The Sciptures Might Have Hope
Romans {15:4} For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Hope is something we need.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for.
Hope, we can get hope through the patience and comfort of the scriptures.
Things written aforetimes were written for our learning.
When this was said the writer was speaking of the Old Testament writings.
A lot of times people today tend to lean towards the New Testament. I can understand it. The Old Testament writings speak of the Messiah to come, the New Testament has the words of Jesus in them, the words of God's Son as a man on earth. There are whole groups that use only the New Testament doing away with the Old. Yet we are told that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.
Ps. {31:24} Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Ps. {33:22} Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
We need hope.
Heb. {11:6} But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith is hope.
Romans {15:4} For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
We get hope through the scriptures. We can't keep ourselves from the scriptures and expect to keep hopeful. Cut off the source of hope and what is left?
Once again it just hits home how many people have died for the Word of God.
We take if for granted, we so take if for granted. What people hide and sneak to read, what people risk their lives for just to hear, we have at our fingertips and neglect so. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves really. Deeply ashamed. We wonder why our hope slips away and our lives seem to have a hopeless to them, meaningless because of our inability to keep close to God, and yet we neglect the one thing that can give us hope and keep us close to God- His word.
May the Lord help us, may the Lord show us mercy! Mercy Lord. Forgive us our neglect. Help us, Lord. Help us.
By the mercy and grace of Our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Hope is something we need.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for.
Hope, we can get hope through the patience and comfort of the scriptures.
Things written aforetimes were written for our learning.
When this was said the writer was speaking of the Old Testament writings.
A lot of times people today tend to lean towards the New Testament. I can understand it. The Old Testament writings speak of the Messiah to come, the New Testament has the words of Jesus in them, the words of God's Son as a man on earth. There are whole groups that use only the New Testament doing away with the Old. Yet we are told that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.
Ps. {31:24} Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Ps. {33:22} Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
We need hope.
Heb. {11:6} But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith is hope.
Romans {15:4} For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
We get hope through the scriptures. We can't keep ourselves from the scriptures and expect to keep hopeful. Cut off the source of hope and what is left?
Once again it just hits home how many people have died for the Word of God.
We take if for granted, we so take if for granted. What people hide and sneak to read, what people risk their lives for just to hear, we have at our fingertips and neglect so. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves really. Deeply ashamed. We wonder why our hope slips away and our lives seem to have a hopeless to them, meaningless because of our inability to keep close to God, and yet we neglect the one thing that can give us hope and keep us close to God- His word.
May the Lord help us, may the Lord show us mercy! Mercy Lord. Forgive us our neglect. Help us, Lord. Help us.
By the mercy and grace of Our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Spiritual Birth
Romans
{11:33} O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
{11:34} For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
{11:35} Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
{11:36} For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
{12:1} I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
{12:2} 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.
Titus
{3:5} Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
{3:6} Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour
{3:7} That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
{3:8} [This is] a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Renewing of our minds.
Renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Washing of regeneration.
We are saved.
Made new.
Revived.
Reborn.
renew (rî-n¡´, -ny¡´) verb
renewed, renewing, renews verb, transitive
1. To make new or as if new again; restore: renewed the antique chair.
2. To take up again; resume: renew an old friendship; renewed the argument.
3. To repeat so as to reaffirm: renew a promise.
4. To regain or restore the physical or mental vigor of; revive: I renewed my spirits in the country air.
5. a. To arrange for the extension of: renew a contract; renew a magazine subscription. b. To arrange to extend the loan of: renewed the library books before they were overdue.
6. To replenish: renewed the water in the humidifier.
7. To bring into being again; reestablish.
verb, intransitive
1. To become new again.
2. To start over.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
regeneration (rî-jèn´e-râ´shen) noun
1. The act or process of regenerating or the state of being regenerated.
2. Spiritual or moral revival or rebirth.
3. Biology. Regrowth of lost or destroyed parts or organs.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Renewing of our minds.
Renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Washing of regeneration.
We are saved.
Made new.
Revived.
Reborn.
By the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we are reborn.
1 Peter
{1:23} Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
{1:24} For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away
{1:25} But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
{2:1} Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings
{2:2} As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
{2:3} If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Born again by the Word of God.
The Gospel preached.
John
{3:1} There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews
{3:2} The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these
miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
{3:3} Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {3:4} Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? {3:5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
{3:6} That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
{3:7} Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
{3:8} The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
{3:9} Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
{3:10} Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
{3:11} Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
{3:12} If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things?
{3:13} And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.
Born of water and of the Spirit.
That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
The wind bloweth where it listest...
...and thou hearest the sound thereof.
But canst not tell whence it cometh
and whither it goeth.
So is EVERYONE that is born of the Spirit.
We have no clue where the wind comes from. People can say all sorts of things about the wind--
Simply put, wind is the motion of air molecules. Two concepts are central to understanding what causes wind: air and air pressure.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=where-does-wind-come-from
Here scientists explain all about molecules and air pressure, they talk about this, that, and the old other thing as well. We can take it further and go on to asking what is air.
What is air made of?
The air is made up of atoms, mostly those of nitrogen and oxygen.
http://education.jlab.org/qa/air_01.html
So we know air is made up of atoms and an atom is?
What is an atom?
An atom a fundamental piece of matter. (Matter is anything that can be touched physically.) Everything in the universe (except energy) is made of matter, and, so, everything in the universe is made of atoms.
An atom itself is made up of three tiny kinds of particles called subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The protons and the neutrons make up the center of the atom called the nucleus and the electrons fly around above the nucleus in a small cloud. The electrons carry a negative charge and the protons carry a positive charge. In a normal (neutral) atom the number of protons and the number of electrons are equal. Often, but not always, the number of neutrons is the same, too.
http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/Propulsion/1-what-is-an-atom.html
Wow, right? Unless you're into all this science jargon it's not really what it's all about. What I mean is, we can take it down to the lowest form, the tiniest bit and still we come back to the word what is that. It's an never ending question, because where there is something there is the question what is the something and there will never be nothing because then there is no reason to ask the question- what is that?
Inevitably we are faced with the realization that what is has been created by something we have no clue about. Yes, you can go with your theories all you want about the cosmic recipe just banging together just right and poof we are here. But I can't believe that, because there would be constant poofing all over the place and we know that just doesn't happen.
So when we talk about wind and where it comes from and Jesus says we don't know where it comes from or where it's going, it's true. It exists, we can feel it- some days more than others - and we don't know really where it is coming from. Our weather men can tell us that it's coming from the north east due to a system of low pressure and such, but in reality where did it begin? Where will it end? These answers cannot be given to us. We don't know. But we know it is.
Being born of the Spirit is like that.
We don't know where the Spirit is, we can't see the Spirit, but we know the Spirit exists.
John
{3:8} The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Those born of the Spirit are born and we know they are born but we don't know how, we don't know the mysteries of the Spirit.
They are born of the Spirit. ~We~ are born of the Spirit. All those who are God's must be born again of the Spirit. We cannot walk after the flesh, we cannot hold to our carnal natures, there is something beyond the flesh, beyond the carnal and that is the Spirit. Flesh, blood, and Spirit.
If we are born again, our spirit is awakened to the Holy Spirit. Things of the Spirit become our concern, not things of the flesh.
Spiritual matters.
Spiritual awakenings.
Spiritual living.
Born in the Spirit.
The Spirit within us must be brought to life, it must be born. It lives within each of us, it exists and it must be born. We all have the capability of the Spirit within us living, all of us. Being born again brings the spiritual life in us to life, it wakes up the slumbering spirit within us.
To have the Spiritual side in us born means living in the Spirit, growing in the Spirit. Feeding our spirit, nurturing our spirit, so that it grows.
The word of God alone has this power.
Is it no wonder people die to read God's word? They know that within His word is eternal life through Jesus Christ their Savior.
We need to feed our spirit.
If the spirit born within us isn't fed, it will languish and possibly die.
If you don't know if you have the spirit, if you don't know how to get the spirit, you have to have faith and hope, you have to believe you are given the spirit when you accept the sacrifice of Jesus as your Savior. And in believing you must renew your minds with the Word of God. Don't stop feeding the Spirit no matter how you feel. Feelings don't matter they are temporal. We can know we are saved and the knowing comes through faith.
May God bless and keep us, forgiving us of our failings, or our sins. We need the Holy Spirit within us, we need the love of God in us. By the mercy and grace of Jesus, now and forever!
Amen.
{11:33} O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
{11:34} For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
{11:35} Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
{11:36} For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
{12:1} I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
{12:2} 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.
Titus
{3:5} Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
{3:6} Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour
{3:7} That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
{3:8} [This is] a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Renewing of our minds.
Renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Washing of regeneration.
We are saved.
Made new.
Revived.
Reborn.
renew (rî-n¡´, -ny¡´) verb
renewed, renewing, renews verb, transitive
1. To make new or as if new again; restore: renewed the antique chair.
2. To take up again; resume: renew an old friendship; renewed the argument.
3. To repeat so as to reaffirm: renew a promise.
4. To regain or restore the physical or mental vigor of; revive: I renewed my spirits in the country air.
5. a. To arrange for the extension of: renew a contract; renew a magazine subscription. b. To arrange to extend the loan of: renewed the library books before they were overdue.
6. To replenish: renewed the water in the humidifier.
7. To bring into being again; reestablish.
verb, intransitive
1. To become new again.
2. To start over.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
regeneration (rî-jèn´e-râ´shen) noun
1. The act or process of regenerating or the state of being regenerated.
2. Spiritual or moral revival or rebirth.
3. Biology. Regrowth of lost or destroyed parts or organs.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Renewing of our minds.
Renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Washing of regeneration.
We are saved.
Made new.
Revived.
Reborn.
By the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we are reborn.
1 Peter
{1:23} Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
{1:24} For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away
{1:25} But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
{2:1} Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings
{2:2} As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
{2:3} If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Born again by the Word of God.
The Gospel preached.
John
{3:1} There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews
{3:2} The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these
miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
{3:3} Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {3:4} Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? {3:5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
{3:6} That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
{3:7} Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
{3:8} The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
{3:9} Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
{3:10} Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
{3:11} Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
{3:12} If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things?
{3:13} And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.
Born of water and of the Spirit.
That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
The wind bloweth where it listest...
...and thou hearest the sound thereof.
But canst not tell whence it cometh
and whither it goeth.
So is EVERYONE that is born of the Spirit.
We have no clue where the wind comes from. People can say all sorts of things about the wind--
Simply put, wind is the motion of air molecules. Two concepts are central to understanding what causes wind: air and air pressure.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=where-does-wind-come-from
Here scientists explain all about molecules and air pressure, they talk about this, that, and the old other thing as well. We can take it further and go on to asking what is air.
What is air made of?
The air is made up of atoms, mostly those of nitrogen and oxygen.
http://education.jlab.org/qa/air_01.html
So we know air is made up of atoms and an atom is?
What is an atom?
An atom a fundamental piece of matter. (Matter is anything that can be touched physically.) Everything in the universe (except energy) is made of matter, and, so, everything in the universe is made of atoms.
An atom itself is made up of three tiny kinds of particles called subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The protons and the neutrons make up the center of the atom called the nucleus and the electrons fly around above the nucleus in a small cloud. The electrons carry a negative charge and the protons carry a positive charge. In a normal (neutral) atom the number of protons and the number of electrons are equal. Often, but not always, the number of neutrons is the same, too.
http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/Propulsion/1-what-is-an-atom.html
Wow, right? Unless you're into all this science jargon it's not really what it's all about. What I mean is, we can take it down to the lowest form, the tiniest bit and still we come back to the word what is that. It's an never ending question, because where there is something there is the question what is the something and there will never be nothing because then there is no reason to ask the question- what is that?
Inevitably we are faced with the realization that what is has been created by something we have no clue about. Yes, you can go with your theories all you want about the cosmic recipe just banging together just right and poof we are here. But I can't believe that, because there would be constant poofing all over the place and we know that just doesn't happen.
So when we talk about wind and where it comes from and Jesus says we don't know where it comes from or where it's going, it's true. It exists, we can feel it- some days more than others - and we don't know really where it is coming from. Our weather men can tell us that it's coming from the north east due to a system of low pressure and such, but in reality where did it begin? Where will it end? These answers cannot be given to us. We don't know. But we know it is.
Being born of the Spirit is like that.
We don't know where the Spirit is, we can't see the Spirit, but we know the Spirit exists.
John
{3:8} The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Those born of the Spirit are born and we know they are born but we don't know how, we don't know the mysteries of the Spirit.
They are born of the Spirit. ~We~ are born of the Spirit. All those who are God's must be born again of the Spirit. We cannot walk after the flesh, we cannot hold to our carnal natures, there is something beyond the flesh, beyond the carnal and that is the Spirit. Flesh, blood, and Spirit.
If we are born again, our spirit is awakened to the Holy Spirit. Things of the Spirit become our concern, not things of the flesh.
Spiritual matters.
Spiritual awakenings.
Spiritual living.
Born in the Spirit.
The Spirit within us must be brought to life, it must be born. It lives within each of us, it exists and it must be born. We all have the capability of the Spirit within us living, all of us. Being born again brings the spiritual life in us to life, it wakes up the slumbering spirit within us.
To have the Spiritual side in us born means living in the Spirit, growing in the Spirit. Feeding our spirit, nurturing our spirit, so that it grows.
The word of God alone has this power.
Is it no wonder people die to read God's word? They know that within His word is eternal life through Jesus Christ their Savior.
We need to feed our spirit.
If the spirit born within us isn't fed, it will languish and possibly die.
If you don't know if you have the spirit, if you don't know how to get the spirit, you have to have faith and hope, you have to believe you are given the spirit when you accept the sacrifice of Jesus as your Savior. And in believing you must renew your minds with the Word of God. Don't stop feeding the Spirit no matter how you feel. Feelings don't matter they are temporal. We can know we are saved and the knowing comes through faith.
May God bless and keep us, forgiving us of our failings, or our sins. We need the Holy Spirit within us, we need the love of God in us. By the mercy and grace of Jesus, now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Have mercy upon all.
Romans
{11:25} For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
{11:26} And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob
{11:27} For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
{11:28} As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
{11:29} For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance.
{11:30} For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief
{11:31} Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
{11:32} For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
***
We know the times of the Gentiles was fulfilled in 1980 when Jerusalem became the captial of Israel. This says-- 'that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.'
Israel was to be blinded in part from the time of Jesus until 1980, a long, long time. What was it all about? God gave His chosen many, many chances to be His people fully. They rejected Him over and over. Their ultimate rejection of God happened when Christ came and they rejected the Son of God. From then on the Word was given over to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were given a chance to come to God. God would not have any lost to Him. All that would come to Him He wants them to come.
He doesn't want the Gentiles thinking that He has forsaken Israel, His chosen. He hasn't forsaken them. Their eyes were allowed to see once more after 1980 when the Times of the Gentiles was fulfilled.
Perhaps that is where Messianic Judaism comes into true opportunity for God's chosen.
That passage reads- 'And so Israel shall be saved, as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.'
When the blind are made to see the truth enters in and has saving power to those that will hear it, seeking understanding of the truth.
No, God wasn't willing that any should be lost but all have a way to come to Him. Jews, Gentiles, none are forsaken a way has been made for all.
Yes, time is growing shorter and shorter and soon it will be-
Rev. {22:11} He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. {22:12} And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be
Even so, come Lord Jesus, by Your mercy and grace come and find us Yours.
Amen.Romans
{11:25} For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
{11:26} And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob
{11:27} For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
{11:28} As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
{11:29} For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance.
{11:30} For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief
{11:31} Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
{11:32} For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
***
We know the times of the Gentiles was fulfilled in 1980 when Jerusalem became the captial of Israel. This says-- 'that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.'
Israel was to be blinded in part from the time of Jesus until 1980, a long, long time. What was it all about? God gave His chosen many, many chances to be His people fully. They rejected Him over and over. Their ultimate rejection of God happened when Christ came and they rejected the Son of God. From then on the Word was given over to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were given a chance to come to God. God would not have any lost to Him. All that would come to Him He wants them to come.
He doesn't want the Gentiles thinking that He has forsaken Israel, His chosen. He hasn't forsaken them. Their eyes were allowed to see once more after 1980 when the Times of the Gentiles was fulfilled.
Perhaps that is where Messianic Judaism comes into true opportunity for God's chosen.
That passage reads- 'And so Israel shall be saved, as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.'
When the blind are made to see the truth enters in and has saving power to those that will hear it, seeking understanding of the truth.
No, God wasn't willing that any should be lost but all have a way to come to Him. Jews, Gentiles, none are forsaken a way has been made for all.
Yes, time is growing shorter and shorter and soon it will be-
Rev. {22:11} He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. {22:12} And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be
Even so, come Lord Jesus, by Your mercy and grace come and find us Yours.
Amen.
{11:25} For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
{11:26} And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob
{11:27} For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
{11:28} As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
{11:29} For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance.
{11:30} For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief
{11:31} Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
{11:32} For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
***
We know the times of the Gentiles was fulfilled in 1980 when Jerusalem became the captial of Israel. This says-- 'that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.'
Israel was to be blinded in part from the time of Jesus until 1980, a long, long time. What was it all about? God gave His chosen many, many chances to be His people fully. They rejected Him over and over. Their ultimate rejection of God happened when Christ came and they rejected the Son of God. From then on the Word was given over to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were given a chance to come to God. God would not have any lost to Him. All that would come to Him He wants them to come.
He doesn't want the Gentiles thinking that He has forsaken Israel, His chosen. He hasn't forsaken them. Their eyes were allowed to see once more after 1980 when the Times of the Gentiles was fulfilled.
Perhaps that is where Messianic Judaism comes into true opportunity for God's chosen.
That passage reads- 'And so Israel shall be saved, as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.'
When the blind are made to see the truth enters in and has saving power to those that will hear it, seeking understanding of the truth.
No, God wasn't willing that any should be lost but all have a way to come to Him. Jews, Gentiles, none are forsaken a way has been made for all.
Yes, time is growing shorter and shorter and soon it will be-
Rev. {22:11} He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. {22:12} And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be
Even so, come Lord Jesus, by Your mercy and grace come and find us Yours.
Amen.Romans
{11:25} For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
{11:26} And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob
{11:27} For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
{11:28} As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
{11:29} For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance.
{11:30} For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief
{11:31} Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
{11:32} For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
***
We know the times of the Gentiles was fulfilled in 1980 when Jerusalem became the captial of Israel. This says-- 'that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.'
Israel was to be blinded in part from the time of Jesus until 1980, a long, long time. What was it all about? God gave His chosen many, many chances to be His people fully. They rejected Him over and over. Their ultimate rejection of God happened when Christ came and they rejected the Son of God. From then on the Word was given over to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were given a chance to come to God. God would not have any lost to Him. All that would come to Him He wants them to come.
He doesn't want the Gentiles thinking that He has forsaken Israel, His chosen. He hasn't forsaken them. Their eyes were allowed to see once more after 1980 when the Times of the Gentiles was fulfilled.
Perhaps that is where Messianic Judaism comes into true opportunity for God's chosen.
That passage reads- 'And so Israel shall be saved, as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.'
When the blind are made to see the truth enters in and has saving power to those that will hear it, seeking understanding of the truth.
No, God wasn't willing that any should be lost but all have a way to come to Him. Jews, Gentiles, none are forsaken a way has been made for all.
Yes, time is growing shorter and shorter and soon it will be-
Rev. {22:11} He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. {22:12} And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be
Even so, come Lord Jesus, by Your mercy and grace come and find us Yours.
Amen.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Opposing the World
Romans
{12:1} I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
{12:2} 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.
The will of God is good.
The will of God is acceptable.
The will of God is perfect.
Proving what the will of God is, is allowing our minds to be renewed and as our minds are renewed we are transformed. We are told not to be conformed to this world. We are told to present our bodies as a living sacrifice- holy, acceptable to God. We are encouranged by the mercy of God to do this, and it's all reasonable.
Alone we can't present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. Only by the mercy of God can we do so. Only through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior.
We are told not to be conformed to the world.
What does it mean to be conformed to the world?
Dictionary Definition:
Conform -
1. To correspond in form or character; be similar.
2. To act or be in accord or agreement; comply. See synonyms at agree.
3. To act in accordance with current customs or modes. See synonyms at adapt.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
When we conform to the world we are similar to all those in the world. We act in accord, in agreement with the world, complying to the world's ways. We act in accordance with current customs or modes.
Do we do this? Do we conform to the world?
Are you different than those who conform? Are you a stranger to them? Do you stand out as opposed to worldly ways?
We are taught from a young age to conform to the world we live in. It doesn't matter what country you're from. Each country has it's own customs, it's own ways and they are worldy ways. There isn't a single country that isn't worldly unto itself. The world's ways dominate. Godly ways are the miniority making those who follow them strangers to the world.
We want to conform though, it's just easier, it's just right to us to fit in and not stand out.
Do you conform?
We need to ask ourselves this question. How much like the world are we? How much to we keep of the world and shun of God? Where does God fit in our lives. We cry out we have to conform to live and yet deep down inside do we believe that?
We are in the world, but we aren't to be of the world.
Jesus prayed to His Father, to God-
John
{17:15} I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
{17:16} They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
We aren't to be taken out of the world.
We are to be kept from evil.
We aren't to be of the world.
Even as Christ wasn't of the world.
Be not conformed to this world.
By the Grace and Mercy of Christ we need to be His. We need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Him, through the Holy Spirit.
Is it easy? No. Is it possible? Only in Christ. When we try to conform on our own, when we attempt the renewing of our own minds, we fight a battle that is impossible and the weight of it overwhelms us completely bringing on despair. We need to grow ever closer to Christ. We need to grasp hold of His love, His mercy, ever laying hold of His mercy, seeking always to be closer to Him and his love.
We can't allow ourselves to forget that Jesus is our Savior, if we take our eyes off Jesus there is no hope.
When it might seem impossible to walk in the way of Christ we have to just remember He died for us! He lives for us and He will return for us, these are truths, these are facts and not fancy.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, we need to cry out to Jesus, cry out we believe, help our unbelief! We believe we would be His by His mercy and grace through the Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us Lord! Mercy.
Amen.
{12:1} I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
{12:2} 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.
The will of God is good.
The will of God is acceptable.
The will of God is perfect.
Proving what the will of God is, is allowing our minds to be renewed and as our minds are renewed we are transformed. We are told not to be conformed to this world. We are told to present our bodies as a living sacrifice- holy, acceptable to God. We are encouranged by the mercy of God to do this, and it's all reasonable.
Alone we can't present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. Only by the mercy of God can we do so. Only through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior.
We are told not to be conformed to the world.
What does it mean to be conformed to the world?
Dictionary Definition:
Conform -
1. To correspond in form or character; be similar.
2. To act or be in accord or agreement; comply. See synonyms at agree.
3. To act in accordance with current customs or modes. See synonyms at adapt.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
When we conform to the world we are similar to all those in the world. We act in accord, in agreement with the world, complying to the world's ways. We act in accordance with current customs or modes.
Do we do this? Do we conform to the world?
Are you different than those who conform? Are you a stranger to them? Do you stand out as opposed to worldly ways?
We are taught from a young age to conform to the world we live in. It doesn't matter what country you're from. Each country has it's own customs, it's own ways and they are worldy ways. There isn't a single country that isn't worldly unto itself. The world's ways dominate. Godly ways are the miniority making those who follow them strangers to the world.
We want to conform though, it's just easier, it's just right to us to fit in and not stand out.
Do you conform?
We need to ask ourselves this question. How much like the world are we? How much to we keep of the world and shun of God? Where does God fit in our lives. We cry out we have to conform to live and yet deep down inside do we believe that?
We are in the world, but we aren't to be of the world.
Jesus prayed to His Father, to God-
John
{17:15} I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
{17:16} They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
We aren't to be taken out of the world.
We are to be kept from evil.
We aren't to be of the world.
Even as Christ wasn't of the world.
Be not conformed to this world.
By the Grace and Mercy of Christ we need to be His. We need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Him, through the Holy Spirit.
Is it easy? No. Is it possible? Only in Christ. When we try to conform on our own, when we attempt the renewing of our own minds, we fight a battle that is impossible and the weight of it overwhelms us completely bringing on despair. We need to grow ever closer to Christ. We need to grasp hold of His love, His mercy, ever laying hold of His mercy, seeking always to be closer to Him and his love.
We can't allow ourselves to forget that Jesus is our Savior, if we take our eyes off Jesus there is no hope.
When it might seem impossible to walk in the way of Christ we have to just remember He died for us! He lives for us and He will return for us, these are truths, these are facts and not fancy.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, we need to cry out to Jesus, cry out we believe, help our unbelief! We believe we would be His by His mercy and grace through the Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us Lord! Mercy.
Amen.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Nothing Can Separate Us From God's Love
Romans
{8:38} For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come
{8:39} Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Neither death.
Nor life.
Nor angels.
Nor principalities.
Nor powers.
Nor things present.
Nor things to come.
Nor height.
Nor depth.
Nor any other creature.
Not death.
Not life.
Not angels.
Not principalities.
Not powers.
Not things present.
Not things to come.
Not height.
Not depth.
Not any other creature.
Nothing! Not a single thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Not a single thing except- our choice.
We can separate ourselves but nothing ouside of us can, nothing.
We tend to think it's very easy to get rid of God's love. That God will desert us in our greatest time of need, that He's made everything so hard that it's near impossible to be with Him. We want to believe that so we can somehow absolve ourselves of responsibility and place it all on God. He's the bad guy, we're innocent, we can't help that we are sinners we were born this way. The trouble with all that is it's not true. Our warped perceptions come because it's easier for us to blame someone else, much easier than feeling the weight of sin on ourselves.
God's love transcends death. We may die but He will raise us again immortal one day because of His love.
God's love transcends life. We may live our lives day to day struggling to get by and in all our lives- in our happiness, our disappointments, our heartaches, and our joys God's love is there. God's love doesn't disappear it lives.
God's love transcends angels. Angels can't take God's love from us, of course only evil angels would try.
God's love transcends principalities. There is no authority at all that can stop God's love.
God's love transcends powers. Not a single power can usurp God's love.
God's love transcends things present. God's love goes beyond the now.
God's love transcends things to come. Nothing can take God'd love from us, nothing at all.
God's love transcends all heights, all depths, all creatures!
God's love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This amazing love is a spiritual love and our carnal selves cannot understand such a thing. We have to let the part in us that is spiritual connect to the Spirit of God.
We have to be persuaded that there is NOTHING that can separated from God. NOTHING, because it's true.
God's love is amazing. It goes beyond feelings which are temporal. It's factual, it's real, it is the Great I Am.
We have to believe, we have to have hope that goes beyond everything, every thought we have has to be tempered with the truth of God's everlasting love in Jesus.
May God have mercy on us, may His grace fill us now and forever!
Amen
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”- 2 Corinthians 5:21
{8:38} For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come
{8:39} Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Neither death.
Nor life.
Nor angels.
Nor principalities.
Nor powers.
Nor things present.
Nor things to come.
Nor height.
Nor depth.
Nor any other creature.
Not death.
Not life.
Not angels.
Not principalities.
Not powers.
Not things present.
Not things to come.
Not height.
Not depth.
Not any other creature.
Nothing! Not a single thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Not a single thing except- our choice.
We can separate ourselves but nothing ouside of us can, nothing.
We tend to think it's very easy to get rid of God's love. That God will desert us in our greatest time of need, that He's made everything so hard that it's near impossible to be with Him. We want to believe that so we can somehow absolve ourselves of responsibility and place it all on God. He's the bad guy, we're innocent, we can't help that we are sinners we were born this way. The trouble with all that is it's not true. Our warped perceptions come because it's easier for us to blame someone else, much easier than feeling the weight of sin on ourselves.
God's love transcends death. We may die but He will raise us again immortal one day because of His love.
God's love transcends life. We may live our lives day to day struggling to get by and in all our lives- in our happiness, our disappointments, our heartaches, and our joys God's love is there. God's love doesn't disappear it lives.
God's love transcends angels. Angels can't take God's love from us, of course only evil angels would try.
God's love transcends principalities. There is no authority at all that can stop God's love.
God's love transcends powers. Not a single power can usurp God's love.
God's love transcends things present. God's love goes beyond the now.
God's love transcends things to come. Nothing can take God'd love from us, nothing at all.
God's love transcends all heights, all depths, all creatures!
God's love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This amazing love is a spiritual love and our carnal selves cannot understand such a thing. We have to let the part in us that is spiritual connect to the Spirit of God.
We have to be persuaded that there is NOTHING that can separated from God. NOTHING, because it's true.
God's love is amazing. It goes beyond feelings which are temporal. It's factual, it's real, it is the Great I Am.
We have to believe, we have to have hope that goes beyond everything, every thought we have has to be tempered with the truth of God's everlasting love in Jesus.
May God have mercy on us, may His grace fill us now and forever!
Amen
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”- 2 Corinthians 5:21
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sin Shifting
Sin Shifter - Are You a Sin Shifter?
Pushing sins around- sweeping some under the rug, others into a corner, others still into a dustpan where they're dumped into a trash can.
Dirt pushed under a rug can work its way to the outer edges of the rug until it's visible once more. The rug could be turned over sending dirt flying everywhere. A little bit of a wind can take the dirt out of a corner spreading it every which way. Sin shifting is like trying to hide dirt rather than getting rid of it entirely, it's something people do to ease their conscience. Hide a bit of sin for awhile maybe turning the focus onto another sin for awhile. Of course shifting things around whether it's dirt or sin does nothing at all to get rid of them does it? You can shift dirt all around a floor and it's not going to make the dirt disppear. You could even spread the dirt so eveningly about it seems like hardly nothing spread out, rather than a big pile when all pushed together. Shift it anyway you like. Divide it into halves, quarters, eights, sixteenths go on, divide it into hundredths and you're still going to have just as much dirt as before. Sin is like that too. We can shuffle our sin about, shift it this way and that. We can let it dominate or be submissive but it's still there, still in our lives.
Sin no more.
What words! What amazing words!
Who said them? Jesus said them.
John {5:14} '...sin no more...'
John {8:11} '...go, and sin no more.'
Does it often feel like our very existence is sin itself? That we wake up in the morning and as we climb from our beds we are already sinning?
Sin we know is the transgression of the law. 1 John {3:4} Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
The law is-
Deut. {5:6} I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
{5:7} Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
{5:8} Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
{5:9} Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me
{5:10} And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
{5:11} Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. {5:12} Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
{5:13} Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work
{5:14} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
{5:15} And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
{5:16} Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
{5:17} Thou shalt not kill.
{5:18} Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
{5:19} Neither shalt thou steal.
{5:20} Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
{5:21} Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
{5:22} These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
The law is-
Mark {12:28} And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
{12:29} And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
{12:30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
{12:31} And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
{12:32} And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: {12:33} And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Perhaps we feel the weight of sin weighing upon us so heavily because God isn't first in our lives. We aren't loving God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, all our strength. Maybe we love Him just a little bit, not entirely. Maybe we've giving most of our heart, our soul, our understanding, our strength to loving ourselves, putting ourselves first.
1 John {5:1} Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
{5:2} By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
{5:3} For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
{5:4} For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
{5:5} Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John {4:7} Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
{4:8} He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
{4:9} In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
{4:10} Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
{4:11} Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
{4:12} No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
{4:13} Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
{4:14} And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
{4:15} Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
{4:16} And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
{4:17} Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. {4:18} There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
{4:19} We love him, because he first loved us.
{4:20} If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
{4:21} And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
I say again- perhaps we feel the weight of sin weighing upon us so heavily because God isn't first in our lives. We aren't loving God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, all our strength.
Shifting sin around will not get rid of sin.
Being told to go and 'sin no more' seems in impossible feat.
Are we alone in this belief? That it's impossible not to sin?
No.
Romans {7:7} What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
{7:8} But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
{7:9} For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
{7:10} And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
{7:11} For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
{7:12} Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
{7:13} Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
{7:14} For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
{7:15} For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
{7:16} If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
{7:17} Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
{7:18} For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
{7:19} For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
{7:20} Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
{7:21} I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
{7:22} For I delight in the law of God after the inward man
{7:23} But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
{7:24} O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
{7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
{8:1} There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
{8:2} For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
{8:3} For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh
{8:4} That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
{8:5} For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. {8:6} For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
{8:7} Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
{8:8} So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
{8:9} But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
{8:10} And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
{8:11} But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
{8:12} Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
{8:13} For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify* the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
{8:14} For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
{8:15} For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
{8:16} The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God
{8:17} And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
*mortify (môr´te-fì´) verb
mortified, mortifying, mortifies verb, transitive
1. To cause to experience shame, humiliation, or wounded pride; humiliate.
2. To discipline (one's body and physical appetites) by self-denial or self-inflicted privation.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
If we rise up out of bed determined to live carnally we are taking on sin and all its evil.
If we rise up out of bed and determined to live after the Spirit we are trusting in Christ to forgive our sins.
We aren't just shifting our sins about putting on a light sin one day and a heavier, warmer sin the next day. We aren't shifting sin under the bed or the dresser, we are bringing our sins boldly into the light and that light is Jesus! The Light of the World, the forgiver of sin!
No, it's not at all simple or easy to choose to live Spiritually rather than carnally, but we must. Until we determine to walk a Spiritual walk we will forever be doomed to walk carnally. Our flesh is weak and if we look to our flesh for sinlessness we'll never find it there. We must look to the Spirit of Christ and walk after the Spirit, looking to Jesus.
Mortifying the deeds of the body-
Dictionary definition states that mortifying means to discipline one's body and physical appetites by self-denial or self-inflicted privation.
How many of us understand this mortifying business?
We are used to gratifying our desires, our wants, our lust, our appetites. We are not used mortifying anything, it's an alien concept to us. We live in a world that tells us gratifying our desires is our life-long goal. Having enough money, enough time, enough energy to gratify our desires is paramount or what the heck is life worth living for? If we can't satisfy our desires, our seemingly harmless desires then what's the point to it all? Really, what is the point of being alive if we can't get pleasure from living. If we can't push aside everything and do what we want to do, is there a point? We work hard so we deserve to give ourselves a break, right? We work hard to afford all that we want out of life. We work hard to get the nice car, that nice dress, those nice shoes, that nice expensive fish, new furniture, the big tv, the amazing laptop, the newest video game, the list is endless. We live without sacrifice, we live without knowing mortifying- and this isn't a temporary mortification demanded by circumstances. This mortification is that which you do when you don't have to do it, but rather choose to do it because you know, you realize that gratifying all your senses and desires is selfish and draws your mind back to yourself and only to yourself and away from God. We live carnally, and in living carnally how do we ever supposed to live spiritually? When circumstances demand that we no longer have the means to live carnally and we are forced to live spiritually it'll be too late then because we will be too busy mourning the carnal things we've had taken from us to care about anything spiritual. We'll look upon our losses as deprivations forced upon us against our wills and woe to us. Like Lot's wife we will turn back and long for that which has been taken from us, we'll have no choice but to do so because we have no real spiritual connection and things spiritual will seem wrong some how and be the enemy of us because they've taken our carnal desires away. When we're stripped of things carnal we will mourn, not celebrate. Mortifying- self-denial, self-inflicted privation. It's a choice to deny yourself.
Romans {8:12} Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
{8:13} For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify* the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
If we live after our flesh we will die.
But if we THROUGH the SPIRIT deny ourselves, inflict privations upon ourselves, those deeds of the body the carnal desires we shall live!
Romans {8:5} For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. {8:6} For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
We have to ask ourselves which we are... are we carnally minded? Or are we spiritually minded?
People claim Jesus came and died for us, forgiving us and giving us eternal life and asked nothing of us. He asked a lot of us, He asked the hardest thing of all from us, the one thing that most will find impossible to do. Give up self.
He didn't ask us to do it on our own but through the Holy Spirit. By drawing ever closer to God it will be possible. But to think that you don't have to suffer a thing, that you don't have to deny yourself is a falsehood that will trap many. People have labeled self-sacrifice as works, saying we're working to get ourselves to heaven, we're trying to work out our own salvation. It's a perfect scheme of Satan and it works on many, many people. As long as people believe they don't have to mortify the deeds of the body, they're safe from a true Spiritual life. As long as we believe we are saved no matter what we do, Satan has us. He'll let us believe our strong delusions. He'll dance a little jig of happiness as we go about our lives satisfying our desires, our wants without once thinking that maybe, just maybe we really do need to deny ourselves something.
Yes, you could give up everything and live a life full of self-denial and it won't get you salvation.
You have to give up things and live a life full of self-denial in the SPIRIT, not seeking salvation by the acts, but seeking a closer connection to Christ. Choosing God first, not self.
You can deny yourself and still do it selfishly and that is what is meant by trying to work your way to salvation.
Ultimately it's the reason behind your actions that matters.
Jesus needs to matter most.
Not I, but Christ.
There is song called just that-
Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted;
Not I, but Christ, be seen be known, be heard;
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.
Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow,
Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear;
Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden,
Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.
Christ, only Christ! no idle words e’er falling,
Christ, only Christ; no needless bustling sound;
Christ, only Christ; no self important bearing;
Christ, only Christ; no trace of “I” be found.
Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying,
Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be;
Not I, but Christ, for body, soul, and spirit,
Christ, only Christ, here and eternally.
By the Grace and Mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May we come to Him and ask for forgiveness of our sins. May we stop shifting about our sins and lay them at the foot of the cross. May the light shine in the darkness of our lives revealing the sins we try to hide or ignore. May the grace of God shine on us, the mercy of Christ fill us, the blood of the Lamb cleanse us from all unrighteousness, now and forever.
Amen.
Pushing sins around- sweeping some under the rug, others into a corner, others still into a dustpan where they're dumped into a trash can.
Dirt pushed under a rug can work its way to the outer edges of the rug until it's visible once more. The rug could be turned over sending dirt flying everywhere. A little bit of a wind can take the dirt out of a corner spreading it every which way. Sin shifting is like trying to hide dirt rather than getting rid of it entirely, it's something people do to ease their conscience. Hide a bit of sin for awhile maybe turning the focus onto another sin for awhile. Of course shifting things around whether it's dirt or sin does nothing at all to get rid of them does it? You can shift dirt all around a floor and it's not going to make the dirt disppear. You could even spread the dirt so eveningly about it seems like hardly nothing spread out, rather than a big pile when all pushed together. Shift it anyway you like. Divide it into halves, quarters, eights, sixteenths go on, divide it into hundredths and you're still going to have just as much dirt as before. Sin is like that too. We can shuffle our sin about, shift it this way and that. We can let it dominate or be submissive but it's still there, still in our lives.
Sin no more.
What words! What amazing words!
Who said them? Jesus said them.
John {5:14} '...sin no more...'
John {8:11} '...go, and sin no more.'
Does it often feel like our very existence is sin itself? That we wake up in the morning and as we climb from our beds we are already sinning?
Sin we know is the transgression of the law. 1 John {3:4} Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
The law is-
Deut. {5:6} I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
{5:7} Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
{5:8} Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
{5:9} Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me
{5:10} And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
{5:11} Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. {5:12} Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
{5:13} Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work
{5:14} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
{5:15} And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
{5:16} Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
{5:17} Thou shalt not kill.
{5:18} Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
{5:19} Neither shalt thou steal.
{5:20} Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
{5:21} Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
{5:22} These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
The law is-
Mark {12:28} And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
{12:29} And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
{12:30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
{12:31} And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
{12:32} And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: {12:33} And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Perhaps we feel the weight of sin weighing upon us so heavily because God isn't first in our lives. We aren't loving God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, all our strength. Maybe we love Him just a little bit, not entirely. Maybe we've giving most of our heart, our soul, our understanding, our strength to loving ourselves, putting ourselves first.
1 John {5:1} Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
{5:2} By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
{5:3} For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
{5:4} For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
{5:5} Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John {4:7} Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
{4:8} He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
{4:9} In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
{4:10} Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
{4:11} Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
{4:12} No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
{4:13} Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
{4:14} And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
{4:15} Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
{4:16} And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
{4:17} Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. {4:18} There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
{4:19} We love him, because he first loved us.
{4:20} If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
{4:21} And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
I say again- perhaps we feel the weight of sin weighing upon us so heavily because God isn't first in our lives. We aren't loving God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, all our strength.
Shifting sin around will not get rid of sin.
Being told to go and 'sin no more' seems in impossible feat.
Are we alone in this belief? That it's impossible not to sin?
No.
Romans {7:7} What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
{7:8} But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
{7:9} For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
{7:10} And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
{7:11} For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
{7:12} Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
{7:13} Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
{7:14} For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
{7:15} For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
{7:16} If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
{7:17} Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
{7:18} For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
{7:19} For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
{7:20} Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
{7:21} I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
{7:22} For I delight in the law of God after the inward man
{7:23} But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
{7:24} O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
{7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
{8:1} There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
{8:2} For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
{8:3} For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh
{8:4} That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
{8:5} For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. {8:6} For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
{8:7} Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
{8:8} So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
{8:9} But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
{8:10} And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
{8:11} But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
{8:12} Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
{8:13} For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify* the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
{8:14} For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
{8:15} For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
{8:16} The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God
{8:17} And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
*mortify (môr´te-fì´) verb
mortified, mortifying, mortifies verb, transitive
1. To cause to experience shame, humiliation, or wounded pride; humiliate.
2. To discipline (one's body and physical appetites) by self-denial or self-inflicted privation.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
If we rise up out of bed determined to live carnally we are taking on sin and all its evil.
If we rise up out of bed and determined to live after the Spirit we are trusting in Christ to forgive our sins.
We aren't just shifting our sins about putting on a light sin one day and a heavier, warmer sin the next day. We aren't shifting sin under the bed or the dresser, we are bringing our sins boldly into the light and that light is Jesus! The Light of the World, the forgiver of sin!
No, it's not at all simple or easy to choose to live Spiritually rather than carnally, but we must. Until we determine to walk a Spiritual walk we will forever be doomed to walk carnally. Our flesh is weak and if we look to our flesh for sinlessness we'll never find it there. We must look to the Spirit of Christ and walk after the Spirit, looking to Jesus.
Mortifying the deeds of the body-
Dictionary definition states that mortifying means to discipline one's body and physical appetites by self-denial or self-inflicted privation.
How many of us understand this mortifying business?
We are used to gratifying our desires, our wants, our lust, our appetites. We are not used mortifying anything, it's an alien concept to us. We live in a world that tells us gratifying our desires is our life-long goal. Having enough money, enough time, enough energy to gratify our desires is paramount or what the heck is life worth living for? If we can't satisfy our desires, our seemingly harmless desires then what's the point to it all? Really, what is the point of being alive if we can't get pleasure from living. If we can't push aside everything and do what we want to do, is there a point? We work hard so we deserve to give ourselves a break, right? We work hard to afford all that we want out of life. We work hard to get the nice car, that nice dress, those nice shoes, that nice expensive fish, new furniture, the big tv, the amazing laptop, the newest video game, the list is endless. We live without sacrifice, we live without knowing mortifying- and this isn't a temporary mortification demanded by circumstances. This mortification is that which you do when you don't have to do it, but rather choose to do it because you know, you realize that gratifying all your senses and desires is selfish and draws your mind back to yourself and only to yourself and away from God. We live carnally, and in living carnally how do we ever supposed to live spiritually? When circumstances demand that we no longer have the means to live carnally and we are forced to live spiritually it'll be too late then because we will be too busy mourning the carnal things we've had taken from us to care about anything spiritual. We'll look upon our losses as deprivations forced upon us against our wills and woe to us. Like Lot's wife we will turn back and long for that which has been taken from us, we'll have no choice but to do so because we have no real spiritual connection and things spiritual will seem wrong some how and be the enemy of us because they've taken our carnal desires away. When we're stripped of things carnal we will mourn, not celebrate. Mortifying- self-denial, self-inflicted privation. It's a choice to deny yourself.
Romans {8:12} Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
{8:13} For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify* the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
If we live after our flesh we will die.
But if we THROUGH the SPIRIT deny ourselves, inflict privations upon ourselves, those deeds of the body the carnal desires we shall live!
Romans {8:5} For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. {8:6} For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
We have to ask ourselves which we are... are we carnally minded? Or are we spiritually minded?
People claim Jesus came and died for us, forgiving us and giving us eternal life and asked nothing of us. He asked a lot of us, He asked the hardest thing of all from us, the one thing that most will find impossible to do. Give up self.
He didn't ask us to do it on our own but through the Holy Spirit. By drawing ever closer to God it will be possible. But to think that you don't have to suffer a thing, that you don't have to deny yourself is a falsehood that will trap many. People have labeled self-sacrifice as works, saying we're working to get ourselves to heaven, we're trying to work out our own salvation. It's a perfect scheme of Satan and it works on many, many people. As long as people believe they don't have to mortify the deeds of the body, they're safe from a true Spiritual life. As long as we believe we are saved no matter what we do, Satan has us. He'll let us believe our strong delusions. He'll dance a little jig of happiness as we go about our lives satisfying our desires, our wants without once thinking that maybe, just maybe we really do need to deny ourselves something.
Yes, you could give up everything and live a life full of self-denial and it won't get you salvation.
You have to give up things and live a life full of self-denial in the SPIRIT, not seeking salvation by the acts, but seeking a closer connection to Christ. Choosing God first, not self.
You can deny yourself and still do it selfishly and that is what is meant by trying to work your way to salvation.
Ultimately it's the reason behind your actions that matters.
Jesus needs to matter most.
Not I, but Christ.
There is song called just that-
Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted;
Not I, but Christ, be seen be known, be heard;
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.
Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow,
Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear;
Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden,
Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.
Christ, only Christ! no idle words e’er falling,
Christ, only Christ; no needless bustling sound;
Christ, only Christ; no self important bearing;
Christ, only Christ; no trace of “I” be found.
Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying,
Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be;
Not I, but Christ, for body, soul, and spirit,
Christ, only Christ, here and eternally.
By the Grace and Mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May we come to Him and ask for forgiveness of our sins. May we stop shifting about our sins and lay them at the foot of the cross. May the light shine in the darkness of our lives revealing the sins we try to hide or ignore. May the grace of God shine on us, the mercy of Christ fill us, the blood of the Lamb cleanse us from all unrighteousness, now and forever.
Amen.
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