Rev. {19:15} And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword,
that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule
them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
(Noah Webster's Dictionary http://refbible.com/w/wrath.htm
1. (a.) Violent anger; vehement exasperation; indignation; rage; fury; ire.
2. (n.) The effects of anger or indignation; the just punishment of an offense or a crime.
3. (a.) See Wroth.
4. (v. t.) To anger; to enrage; -- also used impersonally.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
WRATH, (ANGER)
rath, roth, rath ('aph, from 'anaph, "to snort," "to be angry"; orge, thumos, orgizomai): Designates various degrees of feeling, such as sadness (Psalm 85:4), a frown or turning away of the face in grief or anger (2 Chronicles 26:19 Jeremiah 3:12), indignation (Psalm 38:3), bitterness (Judges 18:25), fury (Esther 1:12), full of anger (Genesis 4:5 John 7:23), snorting mad (Genesis 27:45 Matthew 2:16).
1. Divine Wrath:
Wrath is used with reference to both God and man. When used of God it is to be understood that there is the complete absence of that caprice and unethical quality so prominent in the anger attributed to the gods of the heathen and to man. The divine wrath is to be regarded as the natural expression of the divine nature, which is absolute holiness, manifesting itself against the willful, high-handed, deliberate, inexcusable sin and iniquity of mankind. God's wrath is always regarded in the Scripture as the just, proper, and natural expression of His holiness and righteousness which must always, under all circumstances, and at all costs be maintained. It is therefore a righteous indignation and compatible with the holy and righteous nature of God (Numbers 11:1-10 Deuteronomy 29:27 2 Samuel 6:7 Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 42:25 Jeremiah 44:6 Psalm 79:6). The element of love and compassion is always closely connected with God's anger; if we rightly estimate the divine anger we must unhesitatingly pronounce it to be but the expression and measure of that love (compare Jeremiah 10:24 Ezekiel 23 Amos 3:2).)
***
Rev. {6:16} And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and
hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and
from the wrath of the Lamb: {6:17} For the great day of his
wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Rev. {11:18} And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come,
and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and
that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the
prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name,
small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy
the earth.
Rev. {12:12} Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye
that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of
the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great
wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Rev. {14:8} And
there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is
fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of
the wine of the wrath of her fornication. {14:9} And the
third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any
man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his]
mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev. {14:10} The same shall
drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out
without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall
be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the
holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb
Rev. {14:19} And the angel thrust in his sickle into the
earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast [it] into
the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev. {15:1} And I saw another sign in heaven, great and
marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for
in them is filled up the wrath of God
Rev. {16:19} And the
great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the
nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before
God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness
of his wrath.
Rev. {15:7} And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven
angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who
liveth for ever and ever.
{16:1} And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying
to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of
the wrath of God upon the earth
Rev. {18:2} And he cried mightily with
a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,
and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every
foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
{18:3} For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath
of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the
earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her
delicacies.
***
People get angry and the majority of the time they believe the anger is righteous. When the blood gets boiling, the emotions start to rise, that feeling of fury fills a person they start to say things they often regret. No one likes when anger is directed towards them, it makes them want to respond in kind. Anger is destructive in so many ways. So many crimes are committed from anger. Is there a righteous anger? Yes, we've all felt it, but then again as already mentioned most people believe their anger is justified, that it's righteous.
I've been guilty many times over of unrighteous anger, an anger I feel that seems to have little cause, no rhyme or reason. I've lashed out at people for no reason other than the anger in me. Anger can be a problem for a lot of people, I know it has been for me.
God's anger is righteous. God's wrath is justified.
Just as we know how it is to have an anger that is righteous- the anger of a mother whose child has been intentionally hurt by another person. The anger of a father whose son is murdered by a mugger, these sorts of anger are righteous. God's anger, God's wrath is righteous.
God offers His love, God offers life eternal through the sacrifice of His Son. God is justified in His anger as all that He has to offer to His own creations is rejected. As His creatures believe they are in fact creators. As His creatures believe they are more worthy than their Creator.
There is a sense o betrayal when someone grooms another person helping them attain a status in life that is wonderful only to have that person turn around and reject the very person who has helped them get where they are, the person who was there every step of the way. This is on a human level. The pain of being rejected by someone you've only loved and wanted what was best for them is immense. It's practically incomprehensible that someone could betray the love given to them. If it's like that on a human to human level, creature to creature level, how much more so is it on a Creator, creature level? Where the perfect Creator loves the imperfect creature, rather than imperfect creature betraying imperfect creature. We know that every human being is capable of deception and betrayal, but God is not capable of betrayal or deception. His love is perfect and since the beginning He has offered that love to us- the imperfect creatures. If we return the love He has for us that's all He desires. Yet time and again He's been rejected, the perfect love is betrayed over and over.
To put an end to all the sin in the world. To put an end to the author of lies, the first betrayer and the deception that he's used to deceive countless numbers of people, to end all evil personified it has to be justifiably destroyed. The wrath of God will fall upon the author of evil personified and all those who have joined hands with that author of evil and rightfully so.
Each of us will be on one side or the other, God's or Evil's. The wrath of God will fall on the evil and destroy it completely. How can we escape that wrath? By the love of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, the Son of the Father who makes it possible for us to join with God and His love.
By His mercy and grace may we cling to Him alone who can save us from the wrath deserved. We can't save ourselves, but we can ask Jesus to save us. Jesus will save us, we have to believe that He will, that the power of salvation is real and found in Jesus. In Christ alone we live and in no other way. Believing in Christ this is all we have to do, believe in His power to save us. Once we believe as a result of that believing we live a life in harmony with that belief. Only then is it a true belief. If I say I believe a person will do something and then act as if I don't think they will do that something, do I really believe? No. If we believe Christ is our Salvation then if that belief is real we will live a life that portrays that belief it's a natural outcome of real belief, of real faith. If we say we believe and yet our life doesn't reflect that at all, then is that belief real? Not that we aren't going to struggle, we are! Real belief does not mean perfection in all you do, it means a life surrendered to God's will, and a life that continuously is given over to God's will.
James {2:17} Even
so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. {2:18}
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:
shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee
my faith by my works. {2:19} Thou believest that there is
one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and
tremble. {2:20} But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith
without works is dead? {2:21} Was not Abraham our father
justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon
the altar? {2:22} Seest thou how faith wrought with his
works, and by works was faith made perfect? {2:23} And
the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed
God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he
was called the Friend of God. {2:24} Ye see then how that
by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. {2:25}
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works,
when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them]
out another way? {2:26} For as the body without the spirit
is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Faith - believing and yet living as if you don't believe - is no good.
Faith- believing and living as if you do believe - is good.
When one believes they live in that belief. And like the one man who wanted Jesus to heal his sick son, Jesus asked if he believed, and the man cried out that he did believe but he didn't stop there... he added... help thou my unbelief!
We are caught up in a world that would have us not live as a result of our belief in Christ. We struggle daily against the principalities and powers, the wickedness that would keep our belief separate from our living reality. That wicked one doesn't care a whit if we believe as long as the belief isn't one that is truly reflected in our lives. In fact the wicked one rejoices when he finds people who will shout loudly of their belief and at the same time they live as if they don't believe at all.
Faith, hope, believing, and living in that reality and letting our lives reflect that belief is salvation through Christ. The natural outcome of a real belief, a real faith is a life lived in that faith. We must pray that Jesus helps our unbelief, we must pray that our belief results in a life that reflects that belief naturally, unfeigned.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus alone it is possible. May the Holy Spirit guide us, live in us, lead us, may the love of Christ be real in us now and always.
Amen.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Faith, Hope, Love
Luke {17:20} And when he was demanded of the Pharisees,
when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them
and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation
{17:21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for,
behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
{17:22} And he
said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall
desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall
not see [it. ]{17:23} And they shall say to you, See here; or,
see there: go not after [them,] nor follow [them.]
{17:24}
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one [part]
under heaven, shineth unto the other [part] under heaven; so
shall also the Son of man be in his day.
{17:25} But first
must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this
generation.
{17:26} And as it was in the days of Noe, so
shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. {17:27} They
did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in
marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the
flood came, and destroyed them all. {17:28} Likewise also
as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they
bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; {17:29} But
the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all. {17:30}
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is
revealed. {17:31} In that day, he which shall be upon the
housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down
to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise
not return back. {17:32} Remember Lot’s wife.
Luke {21:34} And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time
your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come
upon you unawares. {21:35} For as a snare shall it come on
all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. {21:36}
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
John {14:15} If ye love me, keep my commandments. {14:16}
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; {14:17}
[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know
him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. {14:18}
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
{14:19} Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more;
but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. {14:20} At
that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in
me, and I in you. {14:21} He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth
me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and
will manifest myself to him. {14:22} Judas saith unto him,
not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself
unto us, and not unto the world? {14:23} Jesus answered
and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my
words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him. {14:24} He that loveth
me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear
is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. {14:25} These
things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you.
{14:26} But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you
all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. {14:27} Peace I leave with
you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid.
2 Tim. {4:8} Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing
2 Tim. {1:12} For the which cause I also suffer these things:
nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto him against that day. {1:13}
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of
me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. {1:14} That
good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the
Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
1Thess. {5:1} But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have
no need that I write unto you. {5:2} For yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the
night. {5:3} For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then
sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a
woman with child; and they shall not escape. {5:4} But ye,
brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake
you as a thief. {5:5} Ye are all the children of light, and the
children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
{5:6} Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us
watch and be sober. {5:7} For they that sleep sleep in the
night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
{5:8} But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of
salvation. {5:9} For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but
to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, {5:10} Who
died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live
together with him. {5:11} Wherefore comfort yourselves
together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
2 Thess {1:3} We are bound to thank God always for you,
brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth
exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward
each other aboundeth; {1:4} So that we ourselves glory in
you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all
your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: {1:5}
[Which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of
God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of
God, for which ye also suffer: {1:6} Seeing [it is] a
righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them
that trouble you; {1:7} And to you who are troubled rest
with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels, {1:8} In flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: {1:9} Who shall be
punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of
the Lord, and from the glory of his power; {1:10} When he
shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in
all them that believe (because our testimony among you was
believed) in that day. {1:11} Wherefore also we pray
always for you, that our God would count you worthy of
[this] calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of [his]
goodness, and the work of faith with power: {1:12} That the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and
ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
2 Thess. {2:1} Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto
him, {2:2} That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from
us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. {2:3} Let no man
deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come,]
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin
be revealed, the son of perdition; {2:4} Who opposeth and
exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,
shewing himself that he is God. {2:5} Remember ye not,
that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? {2:6}
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be
revealed in his time. {2:7} For the mystery of iniquity doth
already work: only he who now letteth [will let,] until he be
taken out of the way. {2:8} And then shall that Wicked be
revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of
his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming: {2:9} [Even him,] whose coming is after the
working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders, {2:10} And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. {2:11}
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they should believe a lie: {2:12} That they all might be
damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior may we be found believing in the Truth, believing in all Jesus is, holding fast His ways. Deception will reign and deception by its very nature is something subtle and believable. The only way we won't be deceived is by holding fast to Jesus Christ and the truth He has revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. Let a love of the truth be in us, by the grace of God. We must believe, we must have hope and faith, love of Christ by Him, through Him, all Him!
Amen.
when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them
and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation
{17:21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for,
behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
{17:22} And he
said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall
desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall
not see [it. ]{17:23} And they shall say to you, See here; or,
see there: go not after [them,] nor follow [them.]
{17:24}
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one [part]
under heaven, shineth unto the other [part] under heaven; so
shall also the Son of man be in his day.
{17:25} But first
must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this
generation.
{17:26} And as it was in the days of Noe, so
shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. {17:27} They
did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in
marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the
flood came, and destroyed them all. {17:28} Likewise also
as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they
bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; {17:29} But
the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all. {17:30}
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is
revealed. {17:31} In that day, he which shall be upon the
housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down
to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise
not return back. {17:32} Remember Lot’s wife.
Luke {21:34} And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time
your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come
upon you unawares. {21:35} For as a snare shall it come on
all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. {21:36}
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
John {14:15} If ye love me, keep my commandments. {14:16}
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; {14:17}
[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know
him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. {14:18}
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
{14:19} Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more;
but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. {14:20} At
that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in
me, and I in you. {14:21} He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth
me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and
will manifest myself to him. {14:22} Judas saith unto him,
not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself
unto us, and not unto the world? {14:23} Jesus answered
and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my
words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him. {14:24} He that loveth
me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear
is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. {14:25} These
things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you.
{14:26} But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you
all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. {14:27} Peace I leave with
you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid.
2 Tim. {4:8} Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing
2 Tim. {1:12} For the which cause I also suffer these things:
nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto him against that day. {1:13}
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of
me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. {1:14} That
good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the
Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
1Thess. {5:1} But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have
no need that I write unto you. {5:2} For yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the
night. {5:3} For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then
sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a
woman with child; and they shall not escape. {5:4} But ye,
brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake
you as a thief. {5:5} Ye are all the children of light, and the
children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
{5:6} Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us
watch and be sober. {5:7} For they that sleep sleep in the
night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
{5:8} But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of
salvation. {5:9} For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but
to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, {5:10} Who
died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live
together with him. {5:11} Wherefore comfort yourselves
together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
2 Thess {1:3} We are bound to thank God always for you,
brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth
exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward
each other aboundeth; {1:4} So that we ourselves glory in
you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all
your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: {1:5}
[Which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of
God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of
God, for which ye also suffer: {1:6} Seeing [it is] a
righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them
that trouble you; {1:7} And to you who are troubled rest
with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels, {1:8} In flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: {1:9} Who shall be
punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of
the Lord, and from the glory of his power; {1:10} When he
shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in
all them that believe (because our testimony among you was
believed) in that day. {1:11} Wherefore also we pray
always for you, that our God would count you worthy of
[this] calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of [his]
goodness, and the work of faith with power: {1:12} That the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and
ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
2 Thess. {2:1} Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto
him, {2:2} That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from
us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. {2:3} Let no man
deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come,]
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin
be revealed, the son of perdition; {2:4} Who opposeth and
exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,
shewing himself that he is God. {2:5} Remember ye not,
that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? {2:6}
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be
revealed in his time. {2:7} For the mystery of iniquity doth
already work: only he who now letteth [will let,] until he be
taken out of the way. {2:8} And then shall that Wicked be
revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of
his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming: {2:9} [Even him,] whose coming is after the
working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders, {2:10} And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. {2:11}
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they should believe a lie: {2:12} That they all might be
damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior may we be found believing in the Truth, believing in all Jesus is, holding fast His ways. Deception will reign and deception by its very nature is something subtle and believable. The only way we won't be deceived is by holding fast to Jesus Christ and the truth He has revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. Let a love of the truth be in us, by the grace of God. We must believe, we must have hope and faith, love of Christ by Him, through Him, all Him!
Amen.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Earnestly Contend!
Jude {1:3} Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto
you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write
unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The common salvation.
Salvation in Jesus Christ and no other.
Salvation through faith in Jesus.
Salvation given to us by the sacrfice of Jesus on the cross.
Salvation undeserved.
Forgiven of sins repented of.
Forgiven of a life carnal.
Forgiven and awakened to the Spiritual.
All through faith.
Can you have salvation without faith?
No.
Jude advises- or rather exhorts- that we should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The saints.
Who in the Bible are the saints?
~~
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SAINTS
sants: In the King James Version 3 words are thus rendered:
(1) qadhosh (in Daniel the same root occurs several times in its Aramaic form, qaddish);
(2) chacidh, and
(3) hagioi.
Of these words (2) has in general the meaning of righteousness or goodness, while (1) and (3) have the meaning of consecration and divine claim and ownership. They are not primarily words of character, like chacidh, but express a relation to God as being set apart for His own. Wherever qadhosh refers to angels, the rendering "holy one" or "holy ones" has been substituted in the Revised Version (British and American) for the King James Version "saint" or "saints," which is the case also in Psalm 106:16 margin (compare 34:9), and in 1 Samuel 2:9, as the translation of chacidh.
While hagioi occurs more frequently in the New Testament than does qadhosh in the Old Testament, yet both are applied with practical uniformity to the company of God's people rather than to any individual. Perhaps the rendering "saints" cannot be improved, but it is necessary for the ordinary reader constantly to guard against the idea that New Testament saintship was in any way a result of personal character, and consequently that it implied approval of moral attainment already made. Such a rendering as "consecrate ones," for example, would bring out more clearly the relation to God which is involved, but, besides the fact that it is not a happy translation, it might lead to other errors, for it is not easy to remember that consecration-the setting apart of the individual as one of the company whom God has in a peculiar way as His own-springs not from man, but from God Himself, and that consequently it is in no way something optional, and admits of no degrees of progress, but, on the contrary, is from the beginning absolute duty. It should also be noted that while, as has been said, to be a saint is not directly and primarily to be good but to be set apart by God as His own, yet the godly and holy character ought inevitably and immediately to result. When God consecrates and claims moral beings for Himself and His service, He demands that they should go on to be fit for and worthy of the relation in which He has placed them, and so we read of certain actions as performed "worthily of the saints" (Romans 16:2) and as such "as becometh saints" (Ephesians 5:3). The thought of the holy character of the "saints," which is now so common as almost completely to obscure the real thought of the New Testament writers, already lay in their thinking very close to their conception of saintship as consecration by God to be His own.
David Foster Estes
http://eastonsbibledictionary.com/saints.htm
~
Those set apart by God, holy ones of God.
'...earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.'
Earnestly contending
earnest (ûr´nîst) adjective
1. Marked by or showing deep sincerity or seriousness: an earnest gesture of goodwill.
2. Of an important or weighty nature; grave. See synonyms
contend (ken-tènd´) verb
contended, contending, contends verb, intransitive
1. To strive in opposition or against difficulties; struggle: armies contending for control of strategic territory; had to contend with long lines at the airport.
2. To compete, as in a race; vie.
3. To strive in controversy or debate; dispute
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
We should seriously strive against difficulties for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Don't throw up the old that's works and we're not saved by works, it said nothing about works. If I labor at something and expect a wage in return then I'm expecting my work to reward me. If I'm striving seriously against anything that would make it difficult for me to have faith does that result in a work? No. If we expect faith to just magically appear maybe we're wrong. Think about it. We are saved by grace through faith, faith is believing, hoping in the unseen. So much in life tries to rip our faith from us. So much tries to take our beliefs away on the basis of not being seen. Mere flights of fancy, of imagination, and nothing more we are told. Yes, we have to earnestly contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints. We do. We can't let anything rip our faith away from us without it we're lost and because faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen, because faith is believing in that unseen hope we have to pray always- Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief! Because doubts will creep in and tear us down. Doubts will rise up and tell us how unworthy we are and urge us to give up hope, to give up believing we can ever hope. It's the doubt we are in contending against, it's the principalities, the powers that are unseen that rail at us constantly and get us to believe in them and not cling to the faith that was once delivered to the saints.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ now and forever may we earnestly contend for that same faith delivered to the saints and hold fast to that faith.
Amen!
you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write
unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The common salvation.
Salvation in Jesus Christ and no other.
Salvation through faith in Jesus.
Salvation given to us by the sacrfice of Jesus on the cross.
Salvation undeserved.
Forgiven of sins repented of.
Forgiven of a life carnal.
Forgiven and awakened to the Spiritual.
All through faith.
Can you have salvation without faith?
No.
Jude advises- or rather exhorts- that we should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The saints.
Who in the Bible are the saints?
~~
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SAINTS
sants: In the King James Version 3 words are thus rendered:
(1) qadhosh (in Daniel the same root occurs several times in its Aramaic form, qaddish);
(2) chacidh, and
(3) hagioi.
Of these words (2) has in general the meaning of righteousness or goodness, while (1) and (3) have the meaning of consecration and divine claim and ownership. They are not primarily words of character, like chacidh, but express a relation to God as being set apart for His own. Wherever qadhosh refers to angels, the rendering "holy one" or "holy ones" has been substituted in the Revised Version (British and American) for the King James Version "saint" or "saints," which is the case also in Psalm 106:16 margin (compare 34:9), and in 1 Samuel 2:9, as the translation of chacidh.
While hagioi occurs more frequently in the New Testament than does qadhosh in the Old Testament, yet both are applied with practical uniformity to the company of God's people rather than to any individual. Perhaps the rendering "saints" cannot be improved, but it is necessary for the ordinary reader constantly to guard against the idea that New Testament saintship was in any way a result of personal character, and consequently that it implied approval of moral attainment already made. Such a rendering as "consecrate ones," for example, would bring out more clearly the relation to God which is involved, but, besides the fact that it is not a happy translation, it might lead to other errors, for it is not easy to remember that consecration-the setting apart of the individual as one of the company whom God has in a peculiar way as His own-springs not from man, but from God Himself, and that consequently it is in no way something optional, and admits of no degrees of progress, but, on the contrary, is from the beginning absolute duty. It should also be noted that while, as has been said, to be a saint is not directly and primarily to be good but to be set apart by God as His own, yet the godly and holy character ought inevitably and immediately to result. When God consecrates and claims moral beings for Himself and His service, He demands that they should go on to be fit for and worthy of the relation in which He has placed them, and so we read of certain actions as performed "worthily of the saints" (Romans 16:2) and as such "as becometh saints" (Ephesians 5:3). The thought of the holy character of the "saints," which is now so common as almost completely to obscure the real thought of the New Testament writers, already lay in their thinking very close to their conception of saintship as consecration by God to be His own.
David Foster Estes
http://eastonsbibledictionary.com/saints.htm
~
Those set apart by God, holy ones of God.
'...earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.'
Earnestly contending
earnest (ûr´nîst) adjective
1. Marked by or showing deep sincerity or seriousness: an earnest gesture of goodwill.
2. Of an important or weighty nature; grave. See synonyms
contend (ken-tènd´) verb
contended, contending, contends verb, intransitive
1. To strive in opposition or against difficulties; struggle: armies contending for control of strategic territory; had to contend with long lines at the airport.
2. To compete, as in a race; vie.
3. To strive in controversy or debate; dispute
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
We should seriously strive against difficulties for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Don't throw up the old that's works and we're not saved by works, it said nothing about works. If I labor at something and expect a wage in return then I'm expecting my work to reward me. If I'm striving seriously against anything that would make it difficult for me to have faith does that result in a work? No. If we expect faith to just magically appear maybe we're wrong. Think about it. We are saved by grace through faith, faith is believing, hoping in the unseen. So much in life tries to rip our faith from us. So much tries to take our beliefs away on the basis of not being seen. Mere flights of fancy, of imagination, and nothing more we are told. Yes, we have to earnestly contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints. We do. We can't let anything rip our faith away from us without it we're lost and because faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen, because faith is believing in that unseen hope we have to pray always- Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief! Because doubts will creep in and tear us down. Doubts will rise up and tell us how unworthy we are and urge us to give up hope, to give up believing we can ever hope. It's the doubt we are in contending against, it's the principalities, the powers that are unseen that rail at us constantly and get us to believe in them and not cling to the faith that was once delivered to the saints.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ now and forever may we earnestly contend for that same faith delivered to the saints and hold fast to that faith.
Amen!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
Ps.
{27:4} One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my
life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his
temple.
{27:5} For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in
the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up
upon a rock.
Job.
{38:1} Then the LORD answered Job out of the
whirlwind, and said,
{38:22} Hast thou entered into the treasures of
the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
{38:23} Which I have reserved against the time of trouble,
against the day of battle and war?
Ps. {37:39} But the salvation of the righteous [is] of the LORD: [he is]
their strength in the time of trouble.
{37:40} And the LORD shall help them and deliver them: he shall deliver
them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Ps. {41:1} Blessed [is] he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver
him in time of trouble.
Isa. {33:2} O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for
thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in
the time of trouble
Rev. {12:1} And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great
prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and
there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since
there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time
thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found
written in the book.
Rev. {16:17} And the
seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there
came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the
throne, saying, It is done. {16:18} And there were voices,
and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great
earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth,
so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great. {16:19} And the
great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the
nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before
God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness
of his wrath. {16:20} And every island fled away, and the
mountains were not found. {16:21} And there fell upon
men a great hail out of heaven, [every stone] about the
weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the
plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding
great.
*******
Christ is our salvation, our rock.
1 Cor. {10:4} And did all drink the
same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock
that followed them: and that Rock was Christ
Ps. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my
life
One thing we should ALL desire and seek of the Lord is to dwell with Him in His house all the days of our lives. Dwelling with God is the perfect desire, dwelling with the Lord, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Saviour. Only by His grace is this possible.
There is a time of trouble coming, a terrible time of trouble and God has been prepared for this time for a long, long time. He has a store house of hail in reserve. As sure as anything that has been predicted has transpired, all the rest will.
Ps. {27:5} For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in
the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up
upon a rock.
Only by being in Christ can we survive. Only by being hid by Him in the secret of His tabernacle can we have hope. There is hope only in Christ, the rock, the chief cornerstone. May He hide us all in Him as we cling to the promise of salvation found only in Him, no where else, only in Him.
By His grace and mercy.
Amen.
{27:4} One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my
life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his
temple.
{27:5} For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in
the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up
upon a rock.
Job.
{38:1} Then the LORD answered Job out of the
whirlwind, and said,
{38:22} Hast thou entered into the treasures of
the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
{38:23} Which I have reserved against the time of trouble,
against the day of battle and war?
Ps. {37:39} But the salvation of the righteous [is] of the LORD: [he is]
their strength in the time of trouble.
{37:40} And the LORD shall help them and deliver them: he shall deliver
them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Ps. {41:1} Blessed [is] he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver
him in time of trouble.
Isa. {33:2} O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for
thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in
the time of trouble
Rev. {12:1} And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great
prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and
there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since
there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time
thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found
written in the book.
Rev. {16:17} And the
seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there
came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the
throne, saying, It is done. {16:18} And there were voices,
and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great
earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth,
so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great. {16:19} And the
great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the
nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before
God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness
of his wrath. {16:20} And every island fled away, and the
mountains were not found. {16:21} And there fell upon
men a great hail out of heaven, [every stone] about the
weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the
plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding
great.
*******
Christ is our salvation, our rock.
1 Cor. {10:4} And did all drink the
same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock
that followed them: and that Rock was Christ
Ps. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my
life
One thing we should ALL desire and seek of the Lord is to dwell with Him in His house all the days of our lives. Dwelling with God is the perfect desire, dwelling with the Lord, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Saviour. Only by His grace is this possible.
There is a time of trouble coming, a terrible time of trouble and God has been prepared for this time for a long, long time. He has a store house of hail in reserve. As sure as anything that has been predicted has transpired, all the rest will.
Ps. {27:5} For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in
the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up
upon a rock.
Only by being in Christ can we survive. Only by being hid by Him in the secret of His tabernacle can we have hope. There is hope only in Christ, the rock, the chief cornerstone. May He hide us all in Him as we cling to the promise of salvation found only in Him, no where else, only in Him.
By His grace and mercy.
Amen.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Sensual or Spiritual.
Jude {1:17} But, beloved, remember ye the words which were
spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
{1:18} How that they told you there should be mockers in
the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
{1:19} These be they who separate themselves, sensual,
having not the Spirit. {1:20} But ye, beloved, building up
yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy
Ghost, {1:21} Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
{1:22} And of some have compassion, making a difference:
{1:23} And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the
fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
{1:24} Now unto him that is able to keep you from
falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of
his glory with exceeding joy, {1:25} To the only wise God
our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power,
both now and ever. Amen.
Are there mockers today? Many of them, a lot of them.
mock (mòk) verb
mocked, mocking, mocks verb, transitive
1. To treat with ridicule or contempt; deride.
2. a. To mimic, as in sport or derision. See synonyms at ridicule. b. To imitate; counterfeit.
3. To frustrate the hopes of; disappoint.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Mockers- ridiculers frustrating the hopes of those who would be God's.
Mockers '...who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. {1:19} These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Has it ever been more blatant that mankind would walk after their own ungodly lusts? Selfish lusts, selfish desire, are glorified today. If it feels good, do it is the motto. Take care of self first. We grow up on this, it's fed to us in our lives- schools, television, movies, magazines, promoting self above all.
They separate themselves, sensusal having not the Spirit.
sensual (sèn´sh¡-el) adjective
1. Relating to or affecting any of the senses or a sense organ; sensory.
2. a. Of, relating to, given to, or providing gratification of the physical and especially the sexual appetites. See synonyms at sensuous. b. Suggesting sexuality; voluptuous. c. Physical rather than spiritual or intellectual. d. Lacking in moral or spiritual interests; worldly.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Sensual having not the Spirit.
Take away the spiritual and we are left with trying to live a life solely based on the pleasure we can extract from all that is around us. Does the spiritual offer pleasure? The spiritual offers pleasures unlike any we'll ever know on earth now. Seriously, we can't comprehend the joy of the future and it's not a selfish pleasure, it's not a self-seeking pleasure. Joy found in Christ is beyond imagination and yet for those who want pleasure now, for those who are mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts, for those who are sensual they can't imagine sacrificing self because they believe self is all they have.
Jude {1:17} But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; {1:18} How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. {1:19} These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
{1:20} But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, {1:21} Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
{1:22} And of some have compassion, making a difference: {1:23} And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
{1:24} Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, {1:25} To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Building ourselves up on the most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Keeping ourselves in the love of God.
Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Are we to shun those who are mockers, those who are sensual and not Spiritual? No, not entirely because there are some that is if we have compassion upon them it will make a difference. Some will be saved with fear- hating that which keeps them from God, from being spiritual.
Christ alone is able to keep us from falling, Christ alone saves us by His mercy, by His love, by the Love of God. We must pray in the Holy Spirit, pray...pray. Keeping ourselves in the love of God, looking to His mercy always!
Senusal or Spiritual.
There is a fight between the two.
One is for self, the other for God.
We are carnal by nature and yet offered Spiritual through Christ.
We have to cling to Christ, look to Christ, pray in the Holy Spirit, resist temptations, resist the devil, resist self and all things sensual.
Luke {9:23} And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,
and follow me.
Sensual or Spiritual.
Self or denying self?
Mockers or Christ's?
We have choices to make, that cross is to be taken up daily...daily.
May God help us, may the Holy Spirit live within us, may we pray in the Holy Spirit keeping ourselves in the love of God, through the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior without Him we are nothing!
Amen.
spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
{1:18} How that they told you there should be mockers in
the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
{1:19} These be they who separate themselves, sensual,
having not the Spirit. {1:20} But ye, beloved, building up
yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy
Ghost, {1:21} Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
{1:22} And of some have compassion, making a difference:
{1:23} And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the
fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
{1:24} Now unto him that is able to keep you from
falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of
his glory with exceeding joy, {1:25} To the only wise God
our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power,
both now and ever. Amen.
Are there mockers today? Many of them, a lot of them.
mock (mòk) verb
mocked, mocking, mocks verb, transitive
1. To treat with ridicule or contempt; deride.
2. a. To mimic, as in sport or derision. See synonyms at ridicule. b. To imitate; counterfeit.
3. To frustrate the hopes of; disappoint.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Mockers- ridiculers frustrating the hopes of those who would be God's.
Mockers '...who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. {1:19} These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Has it ever been more blatant that mankind would walk after their own ungodly lusts? Selfish lusts, selfish desire, are glorified today. If it feels good, do it is the motto. Take care of self first. We grow up on this, it's fed to us in our lives- schools, television, movies, magazines, promoting self above all.
They separate themselves, sensusal having not the Spirit.
sensual (sèn´sh¡-el) adjective
1. Relating to or affecting any of the senses or a sense organ; sensory.
2. a. Of, relating to, given to, or providing gratification of the physical and especially the sexual appetites. See synonyms at sensuous. b. Suggesting sexuality; voluptuous. c. Physical rather than spiritual or intellectual. d. Lacking in moral or spiritual interests; worldly.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Sensual having not the Spirit.
Take away the spiritual and we are left with trying to live a life solely based on the pleasure we can extract from all that is around us. Does the spiritual offer pleasure? The spiritual offers pleasures unlike any we'll ever know on earth now. Seriously, we can't comprehend the joy of the future and it's not a selfish pleasure, it's not a self-seeking pleasure. Joy found in Christ is beyond imagination and yet for those who want pleasure now, for those who are mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts, for those who are sensual they can't imagine sacrificing self because they believe self is all they have.
Jude {1:17} But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; {1:18} How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. {1:19} These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
{1:20} But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, {1:21} Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
{1:22} And of some have compassion, making a difference: {1:23} And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
{1:24} Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, {1:25} To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Building ourselves up on the most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Keeping ourselves in the love of God.
Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Are we to shun those who are mockers, those who are sensual and not Spiritual? No, not entirely because there are some that is if we have compassion upon them it will make a difference. Some will be saved with fear- hating that which keeps them from God, from being spiritual.
Christ alone is able to keep us from falling, Christ alone saves us by His mercy, by His love, by the Love of God. We must pray in the Holy Spirit, pray...pray. Keeping ourselves in the love of God, looking to His mercy always!
Senusal or Spiritual.
There is a fight between the two.
One is for self, the other for God.
We are carnal by nature and yet offered Spiritual through Christ.
We have to cling to Christ, look to Christ, pray in the Holy Spirit, resist temptations, resist the devil, resist self and all things sensual.
Luke {9:23} And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,
and follow me.
Sensual or Spiritual.
Self or denying self?
Mockers or Christ's?
We have choices to make, that cross is to be taken up daily...daily.
May God help us, may the Holy Spirit live within us, may we pray in the Holy Spirit keeping ourselves in the love of God, through the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior without Him we are nothing!
Amen.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
We would be sealed by God's angel
James
{5:7} Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.
Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth,
and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
{5:8} Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth
nigh.
Hosea
{6:3}Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD:
his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain,
as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth.
Heb.
{8:10} For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,
saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind,
and write them in their hearts:
and I will be to them a God,
and they shall be to me a people:
{8:11} And they shall not teach every man his neighbour,
and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
{8:12} For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Rev. {14:6} And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth,
and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
{14:7} Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him;
for the hour of his judgment is come
and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
{14:8} And there followed another angel, saying,
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city,
because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
{14:9} And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,
If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
{14:10} The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,
which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation;
and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels,
and in the presence of the Lamb:
{14:11} And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
{14:12} Here is the patience of the saints:
here [are] they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus.
{14:13} And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write,
Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth
Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours;
and their works do follow them.
Joel
{2:23} Be glad then, ye children of Zion,
and rejoice in the LORD your God:
for he hath given you the former rain moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain,
and the latter rain in the first [month. ]
{2:24} And the floors shall be full of wheat,
and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
{2:25} And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,
the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm,
my great army which I sent among you.
{2:26} And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the LORD your God,
that hath dealt wondrously with you:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
{2:27} And ye shall know that I [am] in the midst of Israel,
and [that] I [am] the LORD your God, and none else:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
{2:28} And it shall come to pass afterward,
[that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions:
{2:29} And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
{2:30} And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
{2:31} The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
{2:32} And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance,
as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
Rev. {7:3} Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. {7:4} And I heard the number of them which were sealed:
[and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Eph. {1:12} That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
{1:13} In whom ye also [trusted,] after that ye heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise
{1:14} Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of his glory.
Sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
All glory and honor, all praise to the Lord our God the maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is!
Praise be to God that we are not left without comfort- Heavenly Comfort.
John {14:16} And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever;
{14:17} [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him;
for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
{14:18} I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you
The Spirit of truth dwells within us, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter from Heaven. Jesus prayed that the Father would give the Comforter to those that Love Him.
Does having a Comforter mean we'll feel no pain? On the contrary, having a Comforter is the Hope of a future beyond the pain of existing in the world we live in. No matter the pain everyone has pain. The Spirit of Truth brings us comfort and hope, the truth as it is found in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He preached of the coming world, of His return, He knew He had to leave and yet He wasn't abandoning anyone. Just as a good parent provides a care giver for their children when they have to leave, Jesus provides for us a care giver while He ministers in Heaven and prepares a place for us there. The Holy Spirit is real, as real as Jesus, as real as God. Can we know the ways of the Holy Spirit? No, no more than we can know the ways of God.
All praise to God!
If the Holy Spirit is to be poured out in a way exceptional to the every day offer of the promise of His being with us, may we be ready to receive whatever the Spirit can give us through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
We would be sealed by God's angel, sealed unto Christ, completely marked as His and His alone! We offer all we are to God, and we long for the out pouring of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter.
Please Lord, have us Yours.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior now and forever.
Amen.
{5:7} Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.
Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth,
and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
{5:8} Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth
nigh.
Hosea
{6:3}Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD:
his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain,
as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth.
Heb.
{8:10} For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,
saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind,
and write them in their hearts:
and I will be to them a God,
and they shall be to me a people:
{8:11} And they shall not teach every man his neighbour,
and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
{8:12} For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Rev. {14:6} And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth,
and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
{14:7} Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him;
for the hour of his judgment is come
and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
{14:8} And there followed another angel, saying,
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city,
because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
{14:9} And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,
If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
{14:10} The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,
which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation;
and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels,
and in the presence of the Lamb:
{14:11} And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
{14:12} Here is the patience of the saints:
here [are] they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus.
{14:13} And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write,
Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth
Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours;
and their works do follow them.
Joel
{2:23} Be glad then, ye children of Zion,
and rejoice in the LORD your God:
for he hath given you the former rain moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain,
and the latter rain in the first [month. ]
{2:24} And the floors shall be full of wheat,
and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
{2:25} And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,
the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm,
my great army which I sent among you.
{2:26} And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the LORD your God,
that hath dealt wondrously with you:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
{2:27} And ye shall know that I [am] in the midst of Israel,
and [that] I [am] the LORD your God, and none else:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
{2:28} And it shall come to pass afterward,
[that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions:
{2:29} And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
{2:30} And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
{2:31} The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
{2:32} And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance,
as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
Rev. {7:3} Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. {7:4} And I heard the number of them which were sealed:
[and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Eph. {1:12} That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
{1:13} In whom ye also [trusted,] after that ye heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise
{1:14} Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of his glory.
Sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
All glory and honor, all praise to the Lord our God the maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is!
Praise be to God that we are not left without comfort- Heavenly Comfort.
John {14:16} And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever;
{14:17} [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him;
for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
{14:18} I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you
The Spirit of truth dwells within us, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter from Heaven. Jesus prayed that the Father would give the Comforter to those that Love Him.
Does having a Comforter mean we'll feel no pain? On the contrary, having a Comforter is the Hope of a future beyond the pain of existing in the world we live in. No matter the pain everyone has pain. The Spirit of Truth brings us comfort and hope, the truth as it is found in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He preached of the coming world, of His return, He knew He had to leave and yet He wasn't abandoning anyone. Just as a good parent provides a care giver for their children when they have to leave, Jesus provides for us a care giver while He ministers in Heaven and prepares a place for us there. The Holy Spirit is real, as real as Jesus, as real as God. Can we know the ways of the Holy Spirit? No, no more than we can know the ways of God.
All praise to God!
If the Holy Spirit is to be poured out in a way exceptional to the every day offer of the promise of His being with us, may we be ready to receive whatever the Spirit can give us through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
We would be sealed by God's angel, sealed unto Christ, completely marked as His and His alone! We offer all we are to God, and we long for the out pouring of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter.
Please Lord, have us Yours.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Spirit knows all things, the deep things of God.
1 Cor.
{2:9} But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
{2:10} But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
{2:11} For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
{2:12} Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
{2:13} Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
{2:14} But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them,] because they are spiritually discerned.
{2:15} But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
{2:16} For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
*
Neither have entered into the heart of man.
The natural man we are, apart from the spiritual part of us that longs for the connection with something more, cannot understand, cannot comprehend the things of God. It's not possible that a man apart from the Holy Spirit can comprehend. It's like learning another language- it's pure gibberish holding no meaning whatsoever until comprehension is brought about from one who knows, or something that teaches. Left to our own devices do we naturally learns how to read? Do we naturally know how to do math? Is the structure of language something we understand all on our own? Do we naturally know how to tie our laces? How to tie a necktie? How to knit a blanket, mend a shirt. Do we know how to go into another human being's body and operate on them? Do we know how to fight for the rights of a person if we don't know the law?
The heart of man does not fully understand anything of God, but God reveals to us by HIS Spirit the things He chooses.
The Spirit knows all things, the deep things of God.
Man knows the evil within him, man's spirit the thing we know makes us who we are in the natural sense, yes, we know the ways of ourselves, our natural inclinations and they are not naturally inclined towards God.
The things of God man doesn't know, but the Spirit of God knows. We when accept Christ as our Savior, God as our Creator, we don't receive the spirit of man, tht is already ours. What we receive is the Spirit of God that we can understand what God gives to us as His creatures. Man's wisdom cannot teach God's wisdom. Man can be brilliant in the spirit of man knowing all there is to know in a natural sense but man doesn't know God's ways until the Holy Ghost teaches us. The spiritual with the spiritual. We receive the ability to comprehend the spiritual things of God. This isn't something we are naturally given in fact to those who are not inclined to listen to the Holy Spirit the things of the Spirit of God are FOOLISHNESS to them, and they cannot know them. So if you wonder why others don't understands, if you wonder why they can talk circles of seeming logic around your faith poking holes it it until you are forced to succumb to their natural understanding that's why. As they poke holes and doubts begin to form in your mind it's because the natural man inside us all can't understand the spiritual things of God. We really aren't forced to succumb are we? We can cling to our faith in God, to the spiritual things that have been revealed to us through the Holy Spirit. We can acknowledge the very fact that not all will understand and many will not understand at all.
{2:15} But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
{2:16} For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Christ judges all things, and is judged of no man. Christ alone lives in the spiritual relying upon God for all things. The Holy Spirit sent to us by Jesus to live with us and bring us hope, understanding, encouragement all things we need Spiritually from God to be God's through Jesus, this Holy Spirit alone can give us the mind of Christ- the understanding that God is all things and God's way are not our ways but God's ways are the true ways. Having the mind of Christ is everything, and we truly can have the same mind through Christ. The Holy Spirit will teach us and through faith we believe not because it makes sense to the natural man within us, but because it is Spiritually true.
Faith, hope, love. Choosing to love God is the first step. Leaping by faith the next. Faith is hope when we can't see.
May God send His Holy Spirit to live in us now and always until Jesus returns again. By the grace and mercy of God may we let the Holy Spirit work in us giving us Spiritual understanding, teaching us everything we need to know of God.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, now and forever.
Amen.
{2:9} But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
{2:10} But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
{2:11} For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
{2:12} Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
{2:13} Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
{2:14} But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them,] because they are spiritually discerned.
{2:15} But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
{2:16} For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
*
Neither have entered into the heart of man.
The natural man we are, apart from the spiritual part of us that longs for the connection with something more, cannot understand, cannot comprehend the things of God. It's not possible that a man apart from the Holy Spirit can comprehend. It's like learning another language- it's pure gibberish holding no meaning whatsoever until comprehension is brought about from one who knows, or something that teaches. Left to our own devices do we naturally learns how to read? Do we naturally know how to do math? Is the structure of language something we understand all on our own? Do we naturally know how to tie our laces? How to tie a necktie? How to knit a blanket, mend a shirt. Do we know how to go into another human being's body and operate on them? Do we know how to fight for the rights of a person if we don't know the law?
The heart of man does not fully understand anything of God, but God reveals to us by HIS Spirit the things He chooses.
The Spirit knows all things, the deep things of God.
Man knows the evil within him, man's spirit the thing we know makes us who we are in the natural sense, yes, we know the ways of ourselves, our natural inclinations and they are not naturally inclined towards God.
The things of God man doesn't know, but the Spirit of God knows. We when accept Christ as our Savior, God as our Creator, we don't receive the spirit of man, tht is already ours. What we receive is the Spirit of God that we can understand what God gives to us as His creatures. Man's wisdom cannot teach God's wisdom. Man can be brilliant in the spirit of man knowing all there is to know in a natural sense but man doesn't know God's ways until the Holy Ghost teaches us. The spiritual with the spiritual. We receive the ability to comprehend the spiritual things of God. This isn't something we are naturally given in fact to those who are not inclined to listen to the Holy Spirit the things of the Spirit of God are FOOLISHNESS to them, and they cannot know them. So if you wonder why others don't understands, if you wonder why they can talk circles of seeming logic around your faith poking holes it it until you are forced to succumb to their natural understanding that's why. As they poke holes and doubts begin to form in your mind it's because the natural man inside us all can't understand the spiritual things of God. We really aren't forced to succumb are we? We can cling to our faith in God, to the spiritual things that have been revealed to us through the Holy Spirit. We can acknowledge the very fact that not all will understand and many will not understand at all.
{2:15} But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
{2:16} For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Christ judges all things, and is judged of no man. Christ alone lives in the spiritual relying upon God for all things. The Holy Spirit sent to us by Jesus to live with us and bring us hope, understanding, encouragement all things we need Spiritually from God to be God's through Jesus, this Holy Spirit alone can give us the mind of Christ- the understanding that God is all things and God's way are not our ways but God's ways are the true ways. Having the mind of Christ is everything, and we truly can have the same mind through Christ. The Holy Spirit will teach us and through faith we believe not because it makes sense to the natural man within us, but because it is Spiritually true.
Faith, hope, love. Choosing to love God is the first step. Leaping by faith the next. Faith is hope when we can't see.
May God send His Holy Spirit to live in us now and always until Jesus returns again. By the grace and mercy of God may we let the Holy Spirit work in us giving us Spiritual understanding, teaching us everything we need to know of God.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, now and forever.
Amen.
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