John
{1:32} And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
{1:33} And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
{1:34} And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
God sent John to baptize with water.
God told John that the Spirit would descend and remain on the one which would baptize with the Holy Ghost.
Picture it...
God called John to baptize with water. To make way the coming of the Lord. He called to repentance.
Matt.
{3:1} In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea
{3:2} And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
John was preparing people telling them something was coming, something was happening and they needed to be ready for it. All their lives they lived with the need to repent of their sins, they were raised with the sacrifical services part of their every day life. But now they were being told something more was happening. They knew their sacrifical service was pointing to something else. They knew a Messiah was to come.
Hope was revived with John preaching in the wilderness. Hope was come to them that the Messiah was indeed on His way. Hope was to be realized and people needed to be ready. They needed to realize their sinfulness, to understand that the Messiah was coming and they needed to be ready.
John did what he was told to do and then one day as he was baptizing people what he was told would happened- happened.
The Spirit descended and remained upon Jesus, upon the Son of God.
Can you imagine the awe! The wonder as John saw what he'd been told come to pass? It's amazing when predictions come to pass, amazing and awe inspiring. God's wonder is amazing, His love for us is unbelievable.
Jesus Himself told us He would come again for us and He will. The people of Israel had to wait thousands of years to see the realization of the Messiah's coming. The people of the world over have been waiting for thousands of years to see the realization of Jesus' return. God's promises are realized. We must believe, we must have faith, we must have hope.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus may we be prepared.
Amen.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The Lamb of God
John {1:29} The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
*******
The Lamb of God.
Throughout the Bible a lamb is referenced as one kind of animal acceptable as a sacrificial offering to God. Why did God require animal sacrifices? Because sin is worthy of death and in place of men dying for their every sin an animal was used in place of man. A man was required to bring the lamb to be offered as a sacrifice and he would place his hands upon the animal symbolically transferring his sins to the innocent animal; the animal would then be slain. Sin warrants death. We often treat sin as of no consequence. We hardly call sin- sin any longer but rather just man's natural state of being and normal. To say something is sin we have to believe that it was a wrong committed against someone. If I steal from someone I've sinned against them. If I murder someone then I've sinned against them. A lot of sins are things we have in our society as wrongs- as things that are against our law. When someone transgresses that law then they have to pay a penalty for it. These are man's laws requiring penalties- God's laws are greater. The wages of sin are...
Ro. {6:23} 'For the wages of sin is death...'
Transgression of God's law is...
1 John '...for sin is the transgression of the law...'
Sin is transgressing the law- we have no qualms understanding this when we put it to our societies laws and yet we won't necessary say this or that person sinned, we simply say they broke the law. We don't like using the word sin. It's a biblical word, a word mostly reserved for those who believe in religion. Sure you might hear someone say... 'Oh, that's such a sin." When something bad happens. People will use it as slang, but the word sin means transgression of God's law, so it's easy to see why it's held in religious connotations even if the same law that a man breaks is one of God's law, such as stealing. While our courts may sentence a man to a year in jail, or give them probation, or perhaps a harsher sentence depending on the way the stealing took place, they won't tell a man he sinned. People have deluded themselves into believing that God isn't real, God doesn't matter, God is a figment, a fable, a non-entity, a fairy tale and then they pat themselves on the back for not being duped. Sin doesn't exist. Eternal life doesn't matter. God doesn't matter and they're all wrong.
God does matter. There is a moral standard that we can all generally adhere to and this moral standard exists in most human beings in a natural manner- it's not something that has to be taught to them. This isn't to say there aren't deviants from the norm, but the majority of the population world-wide adhere to certain standards and these standards exist not haphazardly but they were given us by a power much greater than we are, the same power that created us- created us with those standards. An animal hasn't these standards and everyone knows that tame pets can become feral once more under the right circumstances, either become feral of die in the whole survival of the fittest scenario that rules animal kind. We humans were created with morals, a gift from our creator.
The Creator gives man choices and if a man chooses to sin he chooses to break a law of his Creator.
There is a penalty for this choice.
Death.
Not wanting humans to be destroyed death was still necessary as a penalty for sin. God allowed the sin to be transferred to animal sacrifices and a true repented man could kill the animal instead of suffering death himself. This sacrificial system was in place and pointing to the ultimate sacrifice- the Lamb of God.
John {1:29} The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Lamb of God.
God provided the Lamb that could restore mankind to sinlessness. No animal sacrifice could do that, only God's Lamb, only God's offering to the world.
God provided the Lamb to be slain for all mankind. God provided the only man that could be slain as a sacrifice for sin, a sinless man. God stripped His Son of His divinity and His Son took on humanity, tempted in all ways as sinfilled man is tempted. Remaining sinless through manifold temptations the sinless sacrifice so much greater than any animal sacrifice could ever possibly be, was slain for us, to redeem us to God. The price was paid and we need to believe that through that amazing, undeserving sacrifice of the Son of God, the Lamb of God, we can become sons of God as well, adopted into His family.
May the Lord bless and keep us all. By the amazing love that goes beyond our comprehension may we lay hold of the grace and mercy offered freely to us and cling to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain for us.
Amen.
*******
The Lamb of God.
Throughout the Bible a lamb is referenced as one kind of animal acceptable as a sacrificial offering to God. Why did God require animal sacrifices? Because sin is worthy of death and in place of men dying for their every sin an animal was used in place of man. A man was required to bring the lamb to be offered as a sacrifice and he would place his hands upon the animal symbolically transferring his sins to the innocent animal; the animal would then be slain. Sin warrants death. We often treat sin as of no consequence. We hardly call sin- sin any longer but rather just man's natural state of being and normal. To say something is sin we have to believe that it was a wrong committed against someone. If I steal from someone I've sinned against them. If I murder someone then I've sinned against them. A lot of sins are things we have in our society as wrongs- as things that are against our law. When someone transgresses that law then they have to pay a penalty for it. These are man's laws requiring penalties- God's laws are greater. The wages of sin are...
Ro. {6:23} 'For the wages of sin is death...'
Transgression of God's law is...
1 John '...for sin is the transgression of the law...'
Sin is transgressing the law- we have no qualms understanding this when we put it to our societies laws and yet we won't necessary say this or that person sinned, we simply say they broke the law. We don't like using the word sin. It's a biblical word, a word mostly reserved for those who believe in religion. Sure you might hear someone say... 'Oh, that's such a sin." When something bad happens. People will use it as slang, but the word sin means transgression of God's law, so it's easy to see why it's held in religious connotations even if the same law that a man breaks is one of God's law, such as stealing. While our courts may sentence a man to a year in jail, or give them probation, or perhaps a harsher sentence depending on the way the stealing took place, they won't tell a man he sinned. People have deluded themselves into believing that God isn't real, God doesn't matter, God is a figment, a fable, a non-entity, a fairy tale and then they pat themselves on the back for not being duped. Sin doesn't exist. Eternal life doesn't matter. God doesn't matter and they're all wrong.
God does matter. There is a moral standard that we can all generally adhere to and this moral standard exists in most human beings in a natural manner- it's not something that has to be taught to them. This isn't to say there aren't deviants from the norm, but the majority of the population world-wide adhere to certain standards and these standards exist not haphazardly but they were given us by a power much greater than we are, the same power that created us- created us with those standards. An animal hasn't these standards and everyone knows that tame pets can become feral once more under the right circumstances, either become feral of die in the whole survival of the fittest scenario that rules animal kind. We humans were created with morals, a gift from our creator.
The Creator gives man choices and if a man chooses to sin he chooses to break a law of his Creator.
There is a penalty for this choice.
Death.
Not wanting humans to be destroyed death was still necessary as a penalty for sin. God allowed the sin to be transferred to animal sacrifices and a true repented man could kill the animal instead of suffering death himself. This sacrificial system was in place and pointing to the ultimate sacrifice- the Lamb of God.
John {1:29} The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Lamb of God.
God provided the Lamb that could restore mankind to sinlessness. No animal sacrifice could do that, only God's Lamb, only God's offering to the world.
God provided the Lamb to be slain for all mankind. God provided the only man that could be slain as a sacrifice for sin, a sinless man. God stripped His Son of His divinity and His Son took on humanity, tempted in all ways as sinfilled man is tempted. Remaining sinless through manifold temptations the sinless sacrifice so much greater than any animal sacrifice could ever possibly be, was slain for us, to redeem us to God. The price was paid and we need to believe that through that amazing, undeserving sacrifice of the Son of God, the Lamb of God, we can become sons of God as well, adopted into His family.
May the Lord bless and keep us all. By the amazing love that goes beyond our comprehension may we lay hold of the grace and mercy offered freely to us and cling to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain for us.
Amen.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The way has been prepared.
John {1:26} John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; {1:27} He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
**
Conviction. John the baptist had conviction.
Mark {1:1} The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; {1:2} As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. {1:3} The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. {1:4} John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Malachai {3:1} Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
**
John prepared the way of Jesus. Do you think Jesus needed the way prepared? Seriously, do you think He needed someone to precede Him? Wouldn't His majesty, His miracles, His amazing truth be enough without any preparation? Why then was there a need for John to 'prepare' the way?
In fact couldn't Jesus have just arrived on the scene and in great fanfare start whipping out miracle after miracle wowing crowd after crowd? Couldn't Jesus have been much more flamboyent and showy?
In truth, Jesus could have been many things and yet in the end what He is, is love true love.
All through our lives we are prepared for things aren't we? Oh not everything by far, but for a lot of things we hold great store in the preparation. We are prepared for kindergarten by preschool, we are prepared for college by high school and tests, visits to the colleges. We prepare for long term relationships by dating, we prepare for tests by studying, we prepare for work by garnering lots of information and knowing what sort of job we're taking on. The better prepared you are the better things generally go. Preparing for the worst. Preparing for the best. Preparation, very few if any are unfamiliar with the necessity of preparation in life. Sure you'll get some that like to pride themselves on being ready no matter what, on being brilliant and not needing to study or any such thing. You'll get those that like to say they live on the edge and it's true and some are like that but they're not the majority.
Preparation is something that alerts people to something that is going to happen. John was preparing the way of the Lord not because Jesus needed fanfare but because people needed to wake up out of their stupor to realize that something was coming, something was happening, something big, something very worthy of preparation.
John knew his role as preparer and it was an important role but he was taking no fanfare to himself but giving it all to Jesus whom he knew was coming but wasn't there just yet.
Jesus came to prepare us for His second coming, Jesus came to prepare us for eternal life, to give us eternal life, life that we can have that will last forever. Jesus offers it to us all and He promised there would come a time when He'd come again and eternal life would be realized fully. Yes, we can know we have eternal life- the Bible tells us that- '1 John {5:13} These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.'
We can know we have eternal life but it won't be fully realized until Jesus returns.
Jesus is returning.
The way has been prepared.
May God help us all. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior may we fully realize life eternal, love eternal in Him now and forever!
Amen.
**
Conviction. John the baptist had conviction.
Mark {1:1} The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; {1:2} As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. {1:3} The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. {1:4} John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Malachai {3:1} Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
**
John prepared the way of Jesus. Do you think Jesus needed the way prepared? Seriously, do you think He needed someone to precede Him? Wouldn't His majesty, His miracles, His amazing truth be enough without any preparation? Why then was there a need for John to 'prepare' the way?
In fact couldn't Jesus have just arrived on the scene and in great fanfare start whipping out miracle after miracle wowing crowd after crowd? Couldn't Jesus have been much more flamboyent and showy?
In truth, Jesus could have been many things and yet in the end what He is, is love true love.
All through our lives we are prepared for things aren't we? Oh not everything by far, but for a lot of things we hold great store in the preparation. We are prepared for kindergarten by preschool, we are prepared for college by high school and tests, visits to the colleges. We prepare for long term relationships by dating, we prepare for tests by studying, we prepare for work by garnering lots of information and knowing what sort of job we're taking on. The better prepared you are the better things generally go. Preparing for the worst. Preparing for the best. Preparation, very few if any are unfamiliar with the necessity of preparation in life. Sure you'll get some that like to pride themselves on being ready no matter what, on being brilliant and not needing to study or any such thing. You'll get those that like to say they live on the edge and it's true and some are like that but they're not the majority.
Preparation is something that alerts people to something that is going to happen. John was preparing the way of the Lord not because Jesus needed fanfare but because people needed to wake up out of their stupor to realize that something was coming, something was happening, something big, something very worthy of preparation.
John knew his role as preparer and it was an important role but he was taking no fanfare to himself but giving it all to Jesus whom he knew was coming but wasn't there just yet.
Jesus came to prepare us for His second coming, Jesus came to prepare us for eternal life, to give us eternal life, life that we can have that will last forever. Jesus offers it to us all and He promised there would come a time when He'd come again and eternal life would be realized fully. Yes, we can know we have eternal life- the Bible tells us that- '1 John {5:13} These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.'
We can know we have eternal life but it won't be fully realized until Jesus returns.
Jesus is returning.
The way has been prepared.
May God help us all. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior may we fully realize life eternal, love eternal in Him now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Salvation complete.
John {1:15} '...For the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.'
Salvation complete.
Moses introduced the law that God gave to His people.
The law reveals sin.
Sin once revealed needs sacrifice for forgiveness.
The ceremonial law was enacted.
The ceremonial law pointing to the Lamb of God who would need to be slain to bring salvation to sinners.
Moses brought the revelation of sin and the consequence of sinning along with an imperfect forgiveness and cleansing of sin and Jesus brought grace and truth.
Grace gives all us sinners forgiveness that is undeserved, truth revals that grace is found only in Jesus.
Salvation complete.
So many want to believe that Jesus abolished Moses' law. They want to believe that with the law gone they're no longer accountable for the sins they commit. Still others believe that with the law of Moses gone they are held to a higher standard of love and not released from the burden of Moses' law at all. In truth, the law reveals sin and sin doesn't change. How can sin suddenly not be sin? Could murder ever be considered not sin? I'm not talking killing, I'm talking murder. Could stealing ever be considered not sin? You want to believe there are circumstances that make it sinless. Can coveting? Can dishonoring your parents? Again people want to make various excuses for things to be not sin when you clip on the excuses for it and I am NOT saying that there aren't abusive parents that don't deserve honor and such, but the law is the law. And to say that suddenly the laws don't matter is saying what? They were wrong? They were for that time and not relevant for today? Modern people don't need those laws they need modern laws. Some people even say Jesus did just that, He upgraded the whole system and showed that things were just wrong before. Love matters more than law. You've heard the saying/song all we need is love and it's true. If there were true love from all- the law would be automatically kept. Did you read that? Love automatically keeps the law. Seriously. What law wouldn't be kept if love were the law?
Stealing?
Murder?
False Witness?
Worshipping statues?
Taking God's name in vain?
Which one? Out of love you couldn't get rid of a single one, whether it's out of love for God or your fellow man.
The truth is, Jesus didn't come to do away with any law, but to show how out of love they are all kept. Out of love Jesus committed no sin.
Love embodies the law and vice versa, the two are together forever and trying to separate them is trying to destroy what God has created, what Jesus created.
Through grace and truth brought by Jesus may we be filled with love, accepting the forgiveness He brings, that He died to give us.
Amen.
Salvation complete.
Moses introduced the law that God gave to His people.
The law reveals sin.
Sin once revealed needs sacrifice for forgiveness.
The ceremonial law was enacted.
The ceremonial law pointing to the Lamb of God who would need to be slain to bring salvation to sinners.
Moses brought the revelation of sin and the consequence of sinning along with an imperfect forgiveness and cleansing of sin and Jesus brought grace and truth.
Grace gives all us sinners forgiveness that is undeserved, truth revals that grace is found only in Jesus.
Salvation complete.
So many want to believe that Jesus abolished Moses' law. They want to believe that with the law gone they're no longer accountable for the sins they commit. Still others believe that with the law of Moses gone they are held to a higher standard of love and not released from the burden of Moses' law at all. In truth, the law reveals sin and sin doesn't change. How can sin suddenly not be sin? Could murder ever be considered not sin? I'm not talking killing, I'm talking murder. Could stealing ever be considered not sin? You want to believe there are circumstances that make it sinless. Can coveting? Can dishonoring your parents? Again people want to make various excuses for things to be not sin when you clip on the excuses for it and I am NOT saying that there aren't abusive parents that don't deserve honor and such, but the law is the law. And to say that suddenly the laws don't matter is saying what? They were wrong? They were for that time and not relevant for today? Modern people don't need those laws they need modern laws. Some people even say Jesus did just that, He upgraded the whole system and showed that things were just wrong before. Love matters more than law. You've heard the saying/song all we need is love and it's true. If there were true love from all- the law would be automatically kept. Did you read that? Love automatically keeps the law. Seriously. What law wouldn't be kept if love were the law?
Stealing?
Murder?
False Witness?
Worshipping statues?
Taking God's name in vain?
Which one? Out of love you couldn't get rid of a single one, whether it's out of love for God or your fellow man.
The truth is, Jesus didn't come to do away with any law, but to show how out of love they are all kept. Out of love Jesus committed no sin.
Love embodies the law and vice versa, the two are together forever and trying to separate them is trying to destroy what God has created, what Jesus created.
Through grace and truth brought by Jesus may we be filled with love, accepting the forgiveness He brings, that He died to give us.
Amen.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Partakers of the heavenly
John
{1:6} There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John.
{1:7} The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe.
{1:8} He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light.
{1:9} [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
{1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
{1:11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
{1:12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name
{1:13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
{1:14} And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Every man! Not a light that lights up a couple of special people, but a light offered to all mankind. There isn't a person born who lives without essential bits and pieces that make us up as human beings. Flesh, no human being is born without flesh. Blood, no human being is born without blood. Can we even imagine such a thing? What would contain the insides of our bodies if we were born without flesh? What would keep it all from just falling apart, from being prone to disease and infection? Fleshless. No, we can't imagine being a creature without flesh- even those that have flesh-eating diseases are living a life that isn't pleasant in any way, shape, or form. As for having no blood. Without blood we wouldn't live so to be born without blood would mean to be born dead. No one lives without blood. People who are fatally cut can bleed out in minutes. Their blood leaves their bodies and they die. Vital bits and pieces necessary to call us living we can't imagine not having and being called human. Every single one of us humans have these vital bits- a heart, lungs, flesh, blood and there isn't one of us born alive without the vital bits. Another vital bit is the spiritual part of us that separates us from all other living creatures. This spiritual part of us receives the Light of Jesus. The Light that is allowed to shine on every man that cometh into the world, this Light touches all of us- none of us can escape from the Light.
Like it says in verse 10 above, He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not. Also verse 11, He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
The Light comes to all but that doesn't mean those it shines upon will accept the Light. The Light can be rejected, it can be ignored, but the Light comes to all. The Spiritual Light of Jesus' love touches all, there isn't one human being it won't shine upon but just because the Light shines for all doesn't mean all will rejoice in the Light.
Unlike flesh and blood along with our vital organs, people can live a half-life without the Light that is offered to them. They can exist but they will not become a son of God. They will live out their lives as human beings but then it is over. If they never receive the Light of Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice for them they can never bridge that gap between humanity and spirituality, or rather they can never allow the bridge to be built for them by Jesus Himself.
We are all born with the potential to become a Son of God, partakers of the heavenly, and yet not all of us will be so. Most people will reject the Light because it isn't forced upon them. There is a choice to be made, a choice to align ourselves with God and His will through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and the choice has to be made. We have to accept the Light, believe, have faith.
Jesus is full of grace and truth. Jesus the only begotten of the Father. Jesus the Light that Lights every man. Jesus who lives so that we may become partakers of heaven, that we may become a son of God. Our spiritual life illuminated by the greatest Light of all.
By His mercy, by His grace now and forever light our lives sweet, wonderful Jesus.
Amen.
{1:6} There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John.
{1:7} The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe.
{1:8} He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light.
{1:9} [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
{1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
{1:11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
{1:12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name
{1:13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
{1:14} And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Every man! Not a light that lights up a couple of special people, but a light offered to all mankind. There isn't a person born who lives without essential bits and pieces that make us up as human beings. Flesh, no human being is born without flesh. Blood, no human being is born without blood. Can we even imagine such a thing? What would contain the insides of our bodies if we were born without flesh? What would keep it all from just falling apart, from being prone to disease and infection? Fleshless. No, we can't imagine being a creature without flesh- even those that have flesh-eating diseases are living a life that isn't pleasant in any way, shape, or form. As for having no blood. Without blood we wouldn't live so to be born without blood would mean to be born dead. No one lives without blood. People who are fatally cut can bleed out in minutes. Their blood leaves their bodies and they die. Vital bits and pieces necessary to call us living we can't imagine not having and being called human. Every single one of us humans have these vital bits- a heart, lungs, flesh, blood and there isn't one of us born alive without the vital bits. Another vital bit is the spiritual part of us that separates us from all other living creatures. This spiritual part of us receives the Light of Jesus. The Light that is allowed to shine on every man that cometh into the world, this Light touches all of us- none of us can escape from the Light.
Like it says in verse 10 above, He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not. Also verse 11, He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
The Light comes to all but that doesn't mean those it shines upon will accept the Light. The Light can be rejected, it can be ignored, but the Light comes to all. The Spiritual Light of Jesus' love touches all, there isn't one human being it won't shine upon but just because the Light shines for all doesn't mean all will rejoice in the Light.
Unlike flesh and blood along with our vital organs, people can live a half-life without the Light that is offered to them. They can exist but they will not become a son of God. They will live out their lives as human beings but then it is over. If they never receive the Light of Jesus Christ and accept His sacrifice for them they can never bridge that gap between humanity and spirituality, or rather they can never allow the bridge to be built for them by Jesus Himself.
We are all born with the potential to become a Son of God, partakers of the heavenly, and yet not all of us will be so. Most people will reject the Light because it isn't forced upon them. There is a choice to be made, a choice to align ourselves with God and His will through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and the choice has to be made. We have to accept the Light, believe, have faith.
Jesus is full of grace and truth. Jesus the only begotten of the Father. Jesus the Light that Lights every man. Jesus who lives so that we may become partakers of heaven, that we may become a son of God. Our spiritual life illuminated by the greatest Light of all.
By His mercy, by His grace now and forever light our lives sweet, wonderful Jesus.
Amen.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The darkness comprehended it not
John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
**
The Word was with God.
In him was life.
The life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness.
And the darkness comprehended it not.
*
Only through Jesus is eternal life given to mankind. Jesus is our only hope, our only light in a world of darkness and eternal darkness. Jesus has done all He can to bring this light to the darkness, to dispel the dark, to show mankind that there is light only in Him. The darkness comprehended it not. The darkness that invades us is deceptive, in fact the darkness is so deceptive it has people fooled into thinking they live in light when they don't. The light that surrounds us without Jesus is nothing compared to the true light that He brings. The world we live in without Jesus is completely made up of artifical light giving false hope that will fool many. The darkness comprehended it not.
We need Jesus. We need the light of men. We need life. We need to comprehend and not be lost in the darkness.
May God help us, giving us light dispelling the darkness in our lives. We need light, we need life, we need Jesus.
By His grace and mercy.
Amen.
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
**
The Word was with God.
In him was life.
The life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness.
And the darkness comprehended it not.
*
Only through Jesus is eternal life given to mankind. Jesus is our only hope, our only light in a world of darkness and eternal darkness. Jesus has done all He can to bring this light to the darkness, to dispel the dark, to show mankind that there is light only in Him. The darkness comprehended it not. The darkness that invades us is deceptive, in fact the darkness is so deceptive it has people fooled into thinking they live in light when they don't. The light that surrounds us without Jesus is nothing compared to the true light that He brings. The world we live in without Jesus is completely made up of artifical light giving false hope that will fool many. The darkness comprehended it not.
We need Jesus. We need the light of men. We need life. We need to comprehend and not be lost in the darkness.
May God help us, giving us light dispelling the darkness in our lives. We need light, we need life, we need Jesus.
By His grace and mercy.
Amen.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Either God is in control or we think we are.
Either God is in control or we think we are. If God is in control then we bow to His will, not ours. If we are in control then we do whatever we feel like doing or not doing. Is it God or is it us? If God then we must obey God not doing our will. Is it God's will be done or our will be done or ours? We don't have to understand to obey, we obey and hope for understanding.
Exodus {19:5} Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine
Obey God's voice.
Deut. {13:3}...for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. {13:4} Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Walk after the Lord your God...obey his voice.
Deut. {27:9} And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. {27:10} Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day
Obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
Deut. {30:2} And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul
Obey his voice.
Deut. {30:20} That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days
Obey his voice.
1 Sam. {12:14} If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then
shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God
Obey his voice.
1 Sam. {15:22} And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.
Obeying the voice of the Lord. Obeying better than sacrifice.
Jere. {7:23} But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all
the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Obey my (God's) voice.
Jere. {11:3} And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, {11:4} Which I commanded your fathers in the day [that] I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God
Obey my (God's) voice.
Jere. {11:7} For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day [that] I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. {11:8} Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart...
Obey my (God's) voice. Yet they obeyed not... everyone walked in the imagination of their evil heart. Obey God, His will be done, not ours.
Jere. {26:13} Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you
Obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Jere. {42:6} Whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Daniel {7:27} And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Obey him.
Daniel. {9:10} Neither have we obeyed the oice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. {9:11} Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
Obey him.
Zech. {6:15} And they [that are] far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And [this] shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Acts {5:29} Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Obey God rather than men.
Romans {6:16} Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
His servants you are to whom you obey.
1 Pet. {4:17} For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God? {4:18} And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? {4:19} Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him] in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Obey the gospel God.
Obey...
obey (o-bâ´) verb
obeyed, obeying, obeys verb, transitive
1.To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of.
2.To carry out or comply with (a command, for example).
verb, intransitive
To behave obediently.
[Middle English obeien, from Old French obeir, from Latin oboedìre, to listen to : ob-, to. See ob- + audìre, to hear.]
- obey´er noun
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
From Latin-- to listen, to hear.
Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
1. (v. t.) To give ear to; to execute the commands of; to yield submission to; to comply with the orders of.
2. (v. t.) To submit to the authority of; to be ruled by.
3. (v. t.) To yield to the impulse, power, or operation of; as, a ship obeys her helm.
4. (v. i.) To give obedience.
Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
1. (n.) The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control.
2. (n.) Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness.
Submitting ourselves to God.
Subject to God's rule.
Listening, hearing, yielding to God.
Executing the commands of God.
Submission to, complying with God's orders.
Ruled by God.
Only good comes from obeying the voice of God, of harkening to His commands. Only good. Ultimate good, not earthly good necessarily. Jesus obeyed the voice of His father implicitly. There wasn't a single command of God's that Jesus broke, not one. Jesus died. Jesus' death was for us. Jesus said...
Luke {22:42} Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Nevertheless not my will but thine be done.
Jesus gave His life obeying the will of His Father. Obeying the voice of the LORD God.
Jesus is our example and we must obey the voice of the LORD our God. Not our will, but God's.
Do we have to understand? No. We are called to obey, not obey after we've picked apart everything and find it to our liking, discarding it if we don't. It's not our liking that matters, it's obeying our Creator, our Heavenly Father, the LORD God.
Ro. {5:21} That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Not our will but thine oh Lord!
Help us to obey the voice of the LORD God, through Your righteousness, by Your grace and mercy now and always.
Amen.
Exodus {19:5} Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine
Obey God's voice.
Deut. {13:3}...for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. {13:4} Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Walk after the Lord your God...obey his voice.
Deut. {27:9} And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. {27:10} Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day
Obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
Deut. {30:2} And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul
Obey his voice.
Deut. {30:20} That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days
Obey his voice.
1 Sam. {12:14} If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then
shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God
Obey his voice.
1 Sam. {15:22} And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.
Obeying the voice of the Lord. Obeying better than sacrifice.
Jere. {7:23} But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all
the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Obey my (God's) voice.
Jere. {11:3} And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, {11:4} Which I commanded your fathers in the day [that] I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God
Obey my (God's) voice.
Jere. {11:7} For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day [that] I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. {11:8} Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart...
Obey my (God's) voice. Yet they obeyed not... everyone walked in the imagination of their evil heart. Obey God, His will be done, not ours.
Jere. {26:13} Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you
Obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Jere. {42:6} Whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Daniel {7:27} And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Obey him.
Daniel. {9:10} Neither have we obeyed the oice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. {9:11} Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
Obey him.
Zech. {6:15} And they [that are] far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And [this] shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Acts {5:29} Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Obey God rather than men.
Romans {6:16} Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
His servants you are to whom you obey.
1 Pet. {4:17} For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God? {4:18} And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? {4:19} Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him] in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Obey the gospel God.
Obey...
obey (o-bâ´) verb
obeyed, obeying, obeys verb, transitive
1.To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of.
2.To carry out or comply with (a command, for example).
verb, intransitive
To behave obediently.
[Middle English obeien, from Old French obeir, from Latin oboedìre, to listen to : ob-, to. See ob- + audìre, to hear.]
- obey´er noun
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
From Latin-- to listen, to hear.
Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
1. (v. t.) To give ear to; to execute the commands of; to yield submission to; to comply with the orders of.
2. (v. t.) To submit to the authority of; to be ruled by.
3. (v. t.) To yield to the impulse, power, or operation of; as, a ship obeys her helm.
4. (v. i.) To give obedience.
Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
1. (n.) The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control.
2. (n.) Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness.
Submitting ourselves to God.
Subject to God's rule.
Listening, hearing, yielding to God.
Executing the commands of God.
Submission to, complying with God's orders.
Ruled by God.
Only good comes from obeying the voice of God, of harkening to His commands. Only good. Ultimate good, not earthly good necessarily. Jesus obeyed the voice of His father implicitly. There wasn't a single command of God's that Jesus broke, not one. Jesus died. Jesus' death was for us. Jesus said...
Luke {22:42} Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Nevertheless not my will but thine be done.
Jesus gave His life obeying the will of His Father. Obeying the voice of the LORD God.
Jesus is our example and we must obey the voice of the LORD our God. Not our will, but God's.
Do we have to understand? No. We are called to obey, not obey after we've picked apart everything and find it to our liking, discarding it if we don't. It's not our liking that matters, it's obeying our Creator, our Heavenly Father, the LORD God.
Ro. {5:21} That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Not our will but thine oh Lord!
Help us to obey the voice of the LORD God, through Your righteousness, by Your grace and mercy now and always.
Amen.
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