Christ be Formed in You

Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis Excerpt

May I once again start by putting two pictures, or two stories rather,
into your minds? One is the story you have all read called Beauty and the
Beast. The girl, you remember, had to marry a monster for some reason. And
she did. She kissed it as if it were a man. And then, much to her relief, it
really turned into a man and all went well. The other story is about someone
who had to wear a mask; a mask which made him look much nicer than he really
was. He had to wear it for year. And when he took it off he found his own
face had grown to fit it. He was now really beautiful. What had begun as
disguise had become a reality. I think both these stories may (in a fanciful
way, of course) help to illustrate what I have to say in this chapter. Up
till now, I have been trying to describe facts-what God is and what He has
done. Now I want to talk about practice-what do we do next? What difference
does all this theology make? It can start making a difference tonight. If
you are interested enough to have read thus far you are probably interested
enough to make a shot at saying your prayers: and, whatever else you say,
you will probably say the Lord's Prayer.


Its very first words are Our Father. Do you now see what those words
mean? They mean quite frankly, that you are putting yourself in the place of
a son of God. To put it bluntly, you are dressing up as Christ. If you like,
you are pretending. Because, of course, the moment you realise what the
words mean, you realise that you are not a son of God. You are not being
like The Son of God, whose will and interests are at one with those of the
Father: you are a bundle of self-centred fears, hopes, greeds, jealousies,
and self-conceit, all doomed to death. So that, in a way, this dressing up
as Christ is a piece of outrageous cheek. But the odd thing is that He has
ordered us to do it.


Why? What is the good of pretending to be what you are not? Well, even
on the human level, you know, there are two kinds of pretending. There is a
bad kind, where the pretence is there instead of the real thing; as when a
man pretends he is going to help you instead of really helping you. But
there is also a good kind, where the pretence leads up to the real thing.
When you are not feeling particularly friendly but know you ought to be, the
best thing you can do, very often, is to put on a friendly manner and behave
as if you were a nicer person than you actually are. And in a few minutes,
as we have all noticed, you will be really feeling friendlier than you were.
Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as
if you had it already. That is why children's games are so important. They
are always pretending to be grown-ups-playing soldiers, playing shop. But
all the time, they are hardening their muscles and sharpening their wits, so
that the pretence of being grown-up helps them to grow up in earnest.


Now, the moment you realise "Here I am, dressing up as Christ," it is
extremely likely that you will see at once some way in which at that very
moment the pretence could be made less of a pretence and more of a reality.
You will find several things going on in your mind which would not be going
on there if you were really a son of God. Well, stop them. Or you may
realise that, instead of saying your prayers, you ought to be downstairs
writing a letter, or helping your wife to wash-up. Well, go and do it.


You see what is happening. The Christ Himself, the Son of God who is
man (just like you) and God (just like His Father) is actually at your side
and is already at that moment beginning to turn your pretence into a
reality. This is not merely a fancy way of saying that your conscience is
telling you what to do. If you simply ask your conscience, you get one
result: if you remember that you are dressing up as Christ, you get a
different one. There are lots of things which your conscience might not call
definitely wrong (specially things in your mind) but which you will see at
once you cannot go on doing if you are seriously trying to be like Christ.
For you are no longer thinking simply about right and wrong; you are trying
to catch the good infection from a Person. It is more like painting a
portrait than like obeying a set of rules. And the odd thing is that while
in one way it is much harder than keeping rules, in another way it is far
easier.


The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into
the same kind of thing as Himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to "inject"
His kind of life and thought, His Zoe, into you; beginning to turn the tin
soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part
that is still tin.

*******


Ephesians-


{2:11} Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands
{2:12} That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
{2:13} But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
{2:14} For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us
{2:15} Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace
{2:16} And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby
{2:17} And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
{2:18} For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
{2:19} Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God
{2:20} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone
{2:21} In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord
{2:22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.



C.S. Lewis was describing something amazing. Do you remember the child games you used to play? A girl playing mommy-tending to her babe. A boy pretending to be a cowboy, a fireman, a policeman. And more nowadays girls pretending to be doctors, lawyers and such. We do pretend to be grown up as children and in school they'll often use pretend in games to stretch the imagination and to think of the future. The question of 'what do you want to be when you grow up' starts when you are very young. Growing up is the goal. Growing up to be something viable to society is the goal. Growing up to promote well being and bringing future children into the world is the goal. We tend as adults to lose sight of growing up because we consider ourselves grown. What adult doesn't like to say to others, especially those who are putting their adulthood in dispute- that they are grown up. 'I'm an adult, don't talk to me that way. I'm an adult, I can go out and do what I want.' You know what I'm talking about. Newly grown up children, young adults, don't like being treated like they are still children. They're proud of their grown up status. Yes, how many newly grown up are merely pretending to be grown up while the actually grow further into adulthood?


Pretending. C.S. Lewis give a good argument for us pretending to be Christ-like so that we may become Christ-like through Christ.


Ephesians talks about us being without Christ- having no hope. But in Christ Jesus we have hope by his blood. Christ took away the ordinances that threatened to separate us from Christ. That wall of separation that was twisted and warped into something ungodlike and no longer needed because Christ was there for all men.


We have access through the Spirit to the Father.
We are no longer strangers, foreigners- we are fellowcitizens with the saints the household of God.


The Holy Spirit will build us into a habitation of God. This isn't something we do ourselves, we are not the builders. We have to make ourselves available to be molded and shaped into a habitation of God- Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.


We are also told this--


Ephesians
{4:20} But ye have not so learned Christ
{4:21} If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus
{4:22} That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts
{4:23} And be renewed in the spirit of your mind
{4:24} And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.


Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.


Put on the new man!


And we are told this--


Matthew
{18:1} At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
{18:2} And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them
{18:3} And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
{18:4} Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
{18:5} And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
{18:6} But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.


Be converted and become as little children- humble himself as this little child.


And this--


John
{3:3} Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {3:4} Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? {3:5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
{3:6} That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
{3:7}Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again



Don't you see? There is a change to be had when we accept Christ. When we claim Christ. When we seek Christ and accept His sacrifice in our behalf there is a change. The change won't save us, but the change is inevitable if we are Christ's. If we accept Christ then we accept the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will guide us and change us and we need to listen to that guiding Spirit.


As C.S.Lewis said - if we are pretending like children that is an innocent pretending, it's not a pretense that is harmful and full of deception. If we are hoping with a childlike hope to become Christ like- sons of God, adopted by Him, this is a good thing. If we go to a party feeling miserable and put on the pretense of happiness the chances are that we might end up really happy are good. Knowing what we should do, how we should behave and then doing so whether we feel like it or not is a good thing. We have to trust that God will supply all that is needed in us whether it's just the ability to give up and let Christ take over, that too will be supplied by God. We just have to recognize that God's will must be done in us, not that we have to enjoy all that is happening in our lives. Believing when everything shouts at us that we should no longer believe, that is faith in God. By His grace and mercy may we let the Holy Spirit work within us. May we offer up ourselves to God to work His will in.


Galatians {4:19} My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you


Paul said that and it is a travail, it is a new birth and Christ will be formed in us.


By His love, mercy, grace now and forever and ever!


Amen.

Rev. 13 The Beast Power

Revelation


We're talking of a power, a beast. A beast stood before a woman in chapter 12 and the power at the time of Jesus' birth was the Roman power. History shows that Rome was a huge, huge power. That Rome had two states of being- a Pagan Rome and a Papal Rome is history as well.


We're going to go back and read from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith again so we can get a perspective from a late 1800's Biblical Scholar.


*******
Revelation Chapter XIII


The Agelong Struggle for Religious Freedom


Verse 1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.


The sea is a symbol of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17: 15. A beast is the Bible symbol of a nation or power. It sometimes represents the civil power alone, and sometimes the ecclesiastical in connection with civil. Whenever a beast is seen to come up out of the sea, it denotes that the power arises in a thickly populated territory. If the winds are represented as blowing upon the sea, as in Daniel 7: 2, 3, political commotion, civil strife, and revolution are indicated.


By the dragon of the previous chapter, and the beast first introduced in this, we have the Roman power as a whole brought to view in its two phases, pagan and papal; hence these two symbols have each the seven heads and ten horns.


The Leopard Beast.--The seven-headed and ten-horned beast, more briefly the leopard beast, here introduced, symbolizes a power which exercises ecclesiastical as well as civil authority. This point is of sufficient importance to justify the introduction of a few conclusive arguments which prove it.


The line of prophecy in which this symbol occurs begins with Revelation 12. The symbols of earthly governments embraced in the prophecy are the dragon of Revelation 12 and the leopard beast and the two-horned beast of Revelation 13. The same line of prophecy evidently continues into chapter 14. Beginning, therefore, with Revelation 12: 1, and ending with Revelation 14: 5, we have a line of prophecy distinct and complete in itself.


Each of the powers here introduced is represented as fiercely persecuting the church of God. The scene opens with the church under the symbol of a woman anxiously longing for the promise to be fulfilled that the seed of the woman, the Lord of glory, should appear among men. The dragon stood before the woman for the purpose of devouring her child. His evil design is thwarted, and the child is caught up to God and His throne. A period follows in which the church suffers severe oppression from this dragon power. In this part of the scene the prophet occasionally glances forward, once even down almost to the end, because all the enemies of the church were to be actuated by the spirit of the dragon. In verse 1 of Revelation 13 we are carried back to the time when the leopard beast, the successor of the dragon, begins his career. From this power the church suffers war and persecution for the long period of 1260 years. Following this period of oppression, the church has another conflict, brief but sharp and severe, with the two-horned beast. Then comes deliverance. The prophecy closes with the church brought safely through all her persecutions, and standing victorious with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Thank God for the sure promise of final victory!


The one character which ever appears the same in all these scenes, and whose history is the leading theme through all the prophecy, is the true Church of God. The other characters are her persecutors, and are introduced simply because they are such. Here, as an introductory inquiry, we raise the question, Who or what is it that persecutes the true church? It is a false or apostate church. What is it that is ever warring against true religion? It is a false and counterfeit religion. Who ever heard of the mere civil power of any nation persecuting the people of God on its own initiative? Governments may war against other governments to avenge some wrong, real or imaginary or to acquire territory and extend their power. But governments do not persecute (mark the word--do not persecute) people on account of their religion, unless under the control of some opposite and hostile system of religion.


Leopard Beast a Persecuting Power.--The powers introduced in this prophecy--the dragon, the leopard beast, and the two-horned beast of verses 11-17--are all persecuting powers. They are actuated by rage and enmity against the people and church of God. This fact is of itself sufficiently conclusive evidence that in each of these powers the ecclesiastical or religious element is the controlling power.


Take the dragon: what does it symbolize?--The undeniable answer is, Primarily Satan, as shown heretofore, and secondarily the Roman Empire. But this is not enough. No one would be satisfied with this answer and no more. It must be more definite. We therefore add, The Roman Empire in its pagan form, to which all must agree. But just as soon as we say pagan, we introduce a religious element, for paganism is one of the most gigantic systems of counterfeit religion that Satan has ever devised. The dragon, then, is so far an ecclesiastical power that the very characteristic by which it is distinguished is a false system of religion. What made the dragon persecute the church of Christ? It was because Christianity was prevailing against paganism, sweeping away its superstitions, overturning its idols, and dismantling its temples. The religious element of that power was touched, and persecution was the result.

We now come to the leopard beast of Revelation 13. What does that symbolize? The answer still is, The Roman Empire. But the dragon symbolized the Roman Empire, and why does not the same symbol represent it still? Ah! there has been a change in the religious character of the empire. This beast symbolized Rome in its professedly Christian form. It is this change of religion, and this alone, which makes a change in the symbol necessary. This beast differs from the dragon only that it presents a different religious aspect. Hence it would be wrong to affirm that it denotes simply the Roman civil power.


A Symbol of the Papacy.--To this beast the dragon gives his power, his seat, and great authority. By what power was pagan Rome succeeded? We all know that is was by papal Rome. It matters not to our present purpose when or by what means this change was effected. The great fact is apparent, and is acknowledged by all, that the next great phase of the Roman Empire after its pagan form was its papal. It would not be correct, therefore, to say that pagan Rome gave its power and seat to a form of government merely civil, having no religious element whatever. No stretch of the imagination can conceive of such a transaction. But two phases of empire are here recognized, and in the prophecy Rome is pagan until Rome is papal. The statement that the dragon gave to the leopard beast his power and seat, is further evidence that the dragon of Revelation 12: 3 is used as symbol of pagan Rome. But back of both powers, and leading them on in their wicked work, is Satan himself.


But it may be said that it takes both the leopard beast and the two-horned beast to constitute the papacy, and hence it is to these that the dragon gives his power, seat, and great authority. But the prophecy does not say so. It is the leopard beast alone with which the dragon has to do. It is to that beast alone that he gives his power, seat, and great authority. It is that beast which has a head that is wounded to death, which is afterward healed; that beast after which the whole world wonders; that beast which has a mouth speaking blasphemies, and which wears out the saints for 1260 years. It does all this before the succeeding power, the two-horned beast, appears. The leopard beast alone, therefore, symbolizes the Roman Empire in its papal form, the controlling influence being ecclesiastical.


Identical With the Little Horn.--To show this more fully, we have but to draw a parallel between the little horn of Daniel 7: 8, 20, 24, 25, and this power. From this comparison it will appear that the little horn and the leopard beast symbolize the same power. The little horn is generally acknowledged to be a symbol of the papacy. There are six points by which to establish their identity:


1. The little horn was a blasphemous power. "He shall speak great words against the Most High." Daniel 7: 25. The leopard beast of Revelation 13: 6 does the same. "He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God."


2. The little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. (Daniel 7: 21.) This beast also (Revelation 13: 7) makes war with the saints, and overcomes them.


3. The little horn had a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7: 8, 20.) Of this beast we read: "There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies." Revelation 13: 5.


4. The little horn arose on the cessation of the pagan form of the Roman Empire. The beast of Revelation 13: 2 arises at the same time; for the dragon, pagan Rome, gives him his power, his seat, and great authority.


5. Power was given to the little horn to continue for a time, times, and the dividing of time, or 1260 years. (Daniel 7: 25) To this beast also power was given for forty-two months or 1260 years. (Revelation 13: 5.)


6. At the end of that specified period of 1260 years the "saints," "times," and "laws" were to be taken out of the "hand" of the little horn. (Daniel 7: 25.) At the end of the same period, the leopard beast was himself to be led "into captivity." Revelation 13: 10. Both these specifications were fulfilled in the captivity and exile of the pope, and the temporary overthrow of the papacy by France in 1798.


These six points prove satisfactorily the identity of the little horn and the leopard beast. When we have in prophecy two symbols, as in this instance, representing powers that come upon the stage of action at the same time, occupy the same territory, maintain the same character, do the same work, exist the same length of time, and meet the same fate, those symbols represent the same identical power.

*******


We can't help but see the truth in all this because history is just that -- history. The facts are the facts they can't be disputed. The pieces fit together just as God knew they would.


Jesus will return and we need to be ready for Him. By His grace and mercy may we understand all we need to understand in Him.

Please Lord.

Amen.

Beasts

Revelation


We really need to take what we've learned and apply it to throughout, in so doing a small recap is necessary here-

(From Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith)

The sea is a symbol of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17: 15.
A beast is the Bible symbol of a nation or power. It sometimes represents the civil power alone, and sometimes the ecclesiastical in connection with civil.
Whenever a beast is seen to come up out of the sea, it denotes that the power arises in a thickly populated territory.
If the winds are represented as blowing upon the sea, as in Daniel 7: 2, 3, political commotion, civil strife, and revolution are indicated.


*******

...
And I stood upon the sand of the sea,
and saw a beast rise up out of the sea,
having seven heads and ten horns,
and upon his horns ten crowns,
and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
...


Another beast is seen by John as he stood on the sand of the sea- the sea shore. If the sea represents a lot of people, John is standing on the outskirts of this land watching. He sees a beast- a power rising up from the multitudes and this power had seven heads. Seven kingdoms, and with ten horns. Seven heads should have seven horns right, but this beast has seven heads with ten horns. Seven kingdoms with ten leaders, and ten crowns - ten victories for those ten leaders. Upon his heads... the beasts seven heads there is the name of blasphemy. A single name on all the heads- the name for all of them, blasphemy.

Dict. Def.

blasphemy (blàs´fe-mê) noun
plural blasphemies
1.a. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity. b. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
2.An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.

Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary


This beast is clearly not Godly in any way shape or form other than perhaps anti-godly. This beast with its seven heads-all blasphemous. When you have label on something it's named. This beast is named.


...
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard,
and his feet were as the feet of a bear,
and his mouth as the mouth of a lion
...


Interesting to note this is a non-descript beast meaning it's not just a lion, not just a bear, not just a leopard, it's a composite of them all. It looks like a leopard and yet the feet of this leopard looking beast are those of a bear, and the leopard looking beast's mouth was like that of a lion. Another interesting note- where else are these beasts mentioned?


Daniel--
{7:1} In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, [and] told the sum of the matters.
{7:2} Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
{7:3} And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
{7:4} The first [was] like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
{7:5} And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and [it had] three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
{7:6} After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
{7:7} After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.
{7:8} I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

A lion,
A bear,
A leopard,
A non-descript beast.


Backwards, single beast in Revelation 13 is described with attributes of these individual beasts in Daniel 7, only backwards. The leopard- like description first then the feet of the bear, and then a mouth of a lion. Very interesting!


The powers, the kingdoms, the rulers of the multitude of people are corrupt- blasphemous and yet we have many in leadership positions that claim to be God-fearing. They're liars! Blasphemous. Rulers that have nothing to do with the true church, God's people.


...
and the dragon gave him his power,
and his seat,
and great authority.
...


This composite beast is given power by whom? The dragon! The Devil! The devil gives this beast power and not only power but his SEAT and GREAT AUTHORITY.


We need to study this stuff closely, very closely to understand what is going on. The Revelation wasn't given to us for no reason. We are blessed if we read and keep it. With history our key, and God as our guide we can understand. By the mercy and grace of Jesus our lives are His and we need to believe in Him and His love for us. What we need to understand we will understand through the Holy Spirit's guidance.


Let's not cover our eyes and choose not to see just because we don't like what is being revealed.


In Jesus now and forever.


Amen.

Protected

...
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the wilderness,
into her place,
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent.
,,,


The church fled swiftly into hiding. God's people were persecuted yet protected. We've talked of the 1260 years before and a time, times and a half a times is the same thing. It must be important to realize this date, this time frame because of the repetition. While the church was being protected, they were being protected from the evil that would destroy them.


...
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water
as a flood after the woman,
that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
...


The serpent used many, many people to persecute Christ's people, many people. The hope was to use all those people to overwhelm and destroy, drown the few compared to the many. How often does the majority in a society overwhelm to few? Too often.


...
And the earth helped the woman,
and the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
...


Think about it, religious persecution- no freedom of religion. When and where did a land of freedom emerge? Late 1400's America was discovered and from then on this great land with few people in such a vast area took in people. How many people fled from other countries to America to be free to practice their own religion? Martin Luther began the Protestant movement and as the scriptures were opened for people they realized the truth and the earth(a place of few people compared to the seas of people) opened up and protected God's people.


...
And the dragon was wroth with the woman,
and went to make war with the remnant of her seed,
which keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
...


Satan won't give up, he has no reason to give up. He's lost and his only goal is to make the number of God's people as small as he can. The satisfaction he receives from depriving God of even one person is the only satisfaction he gets. Until Christ returns Satan will work hard, using his wrath to war with God's people and the description of God's people is given...

Those which KEEP the commandments of God
and
have the TESTIMONY of Jesus Christ.


May God bless and keep us in Him. May we Keep God's commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ fully.


By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ may we live in Him now and forever, His. Trusting in His protection forever.


Amen.

Devil on Death Row

Revelation-

...
And the woman fled into the wilderness,
where she hath a place prepared of God,
that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
...


(More- 1260


{11:3} And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and
they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and]
threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.



Dan. {12:11} And
from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken
away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,
[there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days.



(Taken from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith)--


The period of "a thousand two hundred and three score days" is variously referred to in the Scriptures. It appears in three forms:


As 1260 days in this verse and Revelation 12: 6.


As 42 months in Revelation 11: 2 and 13: 5.


As 3 1/2 times in Daniel 7: 25 and 12: 7, and Revelation 12: 14.


These all refer to the same period and can be easily be calculated. A time is a year, as is evident from Daniel 11: 13, marginal reading. A year has twelve months, and a Biblical month contains thirty days. Thus we have the following:


1 year of 12 months at 30 days - - - - 360 days
3 1/2 years, or times, of 360 days - - - - 1260 days
42 months of 30 days - - - - - - - - 1260 days



PLUS- The church fled into the wilderness at the time of the papacy was firmly established in 538, where it was nourished by the word of God, and the ministration of angels during the long, dark, and bloody rule of that power for 1260 years.


*******


Again, the 1260 years. The two witnesses - the Old/New Testament, the Bible, were to prophesize clothed in sackcloth and at the same time the woman (the church) was to be hidden in the wilderness, protected. There was NO way Satan could destroy God's people, God's church, the Bible -- no way! It wouldn't be allowed. They could be hunted, wounded, wanted, depised, trampled upon, but they could not be wiped out of existence.


...
And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not;
neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent,
called the Devil,
and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world
he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.
...


War in heaven.
Michael...


(Other Michael'a-


Jude {1:9} Yet
Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he
disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against
him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.


1 Thess. {4:16} For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: {4:17} Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord
in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.


John {5:26} For as
the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son
to have life in himself; {5:27} And hath given him authority
to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
{5:28} Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, {5:29}
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation.



Jesus- is Michael. More specifically Jesus in battle, Jesus as victor of a battle.


...
And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not;
neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent,
called the Devil,
and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world
he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.
...


Jesus and His angels fought against the devil
The devil and his angels fought and prevailed not.


The devil and his angel no longer had a place in heaven they were cast out. The devil which deceives the whole world, cast out. His angels were cast out as well, he wasn't alone, he and his fellow angels were cast out of heaven.


...
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation,
...


When did salvation come? When? On the cross. When Christ died for us. Is it any wonder at all that Christ prevailed against Satan and was able to cast Him and His followers from heaven? Having obtained the victory for the inhabitants of earth they were from thereon safe from the devil's hopelessness. Hope was given to the world. Even with Satan cast out of heaven and to earth He had no rule over God's people from the moment salvation was come.


If I lived in a world where super lions constantly killed men and women, and there was some protection from them because they weren't bound to that world left to entirely destroy it. If a super lion repellent was invented and the world's inhabitants were offered this repellent, would it be safe to bind the super lions to earth knowing that the people had protection available? Yes. It wouldn't have been safe in any way to bind the super lions to earth allowing them to roam and destroy everything upon earth if there hadn't been a way to protect any of the people. It was only safe to bind the super lions to earth once the repellent existed and was available for all.


When Satan was cast out of heaven to earth it was only after salvation through Jesus was obtained and people could be saved through Jesus.


...
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation,
and strength,
and the kingdom of our God,
and the power of his Christ:
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them before our God day and night.
...


Night and day Satan was in heaven accusing God. Accusing God of any and everything He could to disparge His name, to bring God to ruin in any way he could. Satan wanted God to fail, he wanted his accusations to prove true. He wanted God to be hated and despised so that he could be glorified, but he could accuse all he wanted to, he couldn't prevail. Christ was victorious on the cross and that is something Satan can never take away, never. His accusations were proven false once and for all upon the cross.


...
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,
and by the word of their testimony;
and they loved not their lives unto the death.
...


The overcomers in Christ will only overcome by the blood of the Lamb. The overcomers will only overcome by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's innocent Son. The overcomers will have the word of their testimony which is their hope in Jesus' prophesized return to come for His people. The overcomers will not love their own lives to death, they will love Jesus' life knowing they live for life eternal not for this mortal life offered here on earth now. This life while precious in its own right will only, always be temporary and not the life we should love and cling to. Our love of life has to be the life in Jesus. If we get caught up in our love of this life we are bound by it, we are trapped in it. Overcomers will not love this life of theirs, but the life in Jesus, the next life- life eternal.


...
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.
...


Yes, the devil's wrath is immense because with salvation assured he lost all hope of any victory over God. He lost. He lost and now his only pleasure is to see how many of God's people he can corrupt and turn to himself, to the losing side. He believes that he'll have a victory of his own making if he can rob God of those made in His image. And he'll succeed in getting all but a few, all but the elect. With his ultimate destruction assured, the time the devil has left is short because he no longer has the hope of eternity it was taken from him the moment Christ died upon the cross.


A prisoner on death row may live on death row for twenty-five years before being killed, but that time is short. They know their death is assured, they are living on death row, a waiting line for death. While most of us live in our own little worlds oblivious to our impending deaths- not knowing how we'll die whether by accident, illness, or old age; those on death row know the way they will die and that it will be no accident, no illness, and certainly not old age. Those on death row know that they have a date of execution and the manner in which they will die. Living your life with that knowledge shortens it considerably- even if it's fifty years- it's not the same as if they weren't living on death row with the specter of death hanging over them, it's not the same at all.


The devil lives on death row and he's determined to ease his impending death by taking as many people with him as he can because it's the only thing he has left to do. If he can deprive God of one person he allows himself that small bit of satisfaction. A prisoner on death row getting his last kicks by causing as much trouble as he possibly can.


...
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth,
he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
...


See, the devil realizing it was over that his sentence was a death sentence and he was bound to earth- no longer welcomed in heaven to create any mischief he went to persecute God's church, God's people- the very ones who God deemed worthy to bring His son into the world.


*******


May God bless us all and keep us in Him so that we may be among those who will overcome, by His grace and His mercy, in His love now and forever!


Amen.

Great Wonders in Heaven

Revelation-

...
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven
a woman clothed with the sun,
...


*
A woman-


2 Corinthians
{11:1} Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. {11:2} For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.


A chaste virigin to Christ.


Galatians
{4:26} But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all


Ephesians
{5:23} For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. {5:24} Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. {5:25} Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it
*


Without clothes the woman would be naked- if clothed with rags the woman would be pictured as one dirty, defiled. Clothed with the sun she is clothed with brightness, purity.


Malachi
{4:2} But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. {4:3} And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.


Clothed with the sun. The woman, the true church, God's church clothed in the sun- righteous, light, pure, holy.


...
and the moon under her feet,
and upon her head a crown of twelve stars
...


The moon only gets its light from the sun, it is dark without the sun illuminating it. A lesser light is under the feet of the woman, the woman would stand upon the lesser light, the light that is borrowed, that is taken from the sun.


The crown depicting victory has twelve stars. Significantly throughout the Bible the number 12 is used- 12 tribes, 12 apostles, 12 gates, 12 angels. The crown having 12 stars just reenforces the importance of the role this woman has, the role that God's true church plays. I read somewhere that 12 is important because it is made up of 7 and 5 - 7 being God's perfect number, 5 man's perfect number and combined they are 12. If ever is might fit that way it would be in Jesus who was God with us, God and Man. Jesus the One who bridges the gap between sinfilled man and Holy God.


...
And she being with child cried,
travailing in birth,
and pained to be delivered.
...


God's church is comprised of people who are God's. Surely as Jesus was brought forth in birth from one among God's chosen people, He came forth from God's church. The people who made up God's church at the time Christ was to be born were in great distressed, they longed for the Messiah to deliver them from the crushing Roman rule.


...
And there appeared another wonder in heaven
and behold a great red dragon,
having seven heads
and ten horns,
and seven crowns upon his heads.
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven,
and did cast them to the earth
...

(Other places w/7 heads-

Rev.{13:1} And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a
beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten
horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads
the name of blasphemy.

Rev. {17:3} So he carried me away in the
spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a
scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having
seven heads and ten horns.

Rev. {17:7} And
the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will
tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that
carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Rev. {17:9} And here is the mind which hath
wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which
the woman sitteth.)

(Other places w/dragon-

Rev. the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his
hand. {20:2} And he laid hold on the dragon, that old
serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a
thousand years,

Rev. {16:13} And I
saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth
of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of
the mouth of the false prophet.

Rev. {13:11} And I
beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had
two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Rev. {13:4} And they worshipped the
dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they
worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast?
who is able to make war with him?

Rev. {13:2} And the beast which I saw
was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a
bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon
gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority

Rev. {12:17} And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and
went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep
the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ

Rev. {12:16} And the earth helped
the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed
up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth

Rev. {12:13} And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the
earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the
man child.

Rev. {12:9} And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which
deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev. {12:7} And
there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels

Rev. {12:4}
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and
did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the
woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her
child as soon as it was born.

*******

Red dragon-
Dragon- that old serpent, the devil, and satan
Seven heads- mountains


Mountain-
Nations and Kingdoms, including God's Kingdom.
Zion is the mountain of the Lord's house -Isaiah 2: 1-5; 11: 9; 13: 4; 41: 15; 42: 15
The Rock from the mountain of God replaces the kingdoms of the earth - Daniel 2: 35, 44,45;
Ezekiel 35: 2, 7, 8
Zechariah 4: 7

A mountain and an animal both represent kingdoms. But the mountain may represent a more eternal kingdom. This may be because of their nature. An animal lives a short time and dies. But a mountain is tall and permanent. It can reach the heavens. A mountain may represent the kingdom of God or a kingdom that tries to be like God.


Dan. {2:35} Then was the iron, the
clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces
together, and became like the chaff of the summer
threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no
place was found for them: and the stone that smote the
image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth


Dan. {2:44} And in the days of these kings shall the
God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people,
but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. {2:45} Forasmuch as
thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain
without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass,
the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made
known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and
the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.


Horns-
Horn
Ruler, head of a kingdom, Power strength. A symbol of kings, kingdoms, divisions of kingdoms, power, authority. It is generally a kingdom with a military force.
Horn with crowns - Monarchies
Ten horns are ten kings (kingdoms) that shall arise. (Daniel 7: 24)
The great horn is the first king (kingdom). (Daniel 8: 21)
The ten horns are ten kings. (Revelation 17: 12)
For you are the glory of their strength: and in your favour our horn shall be exalted. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. Psalm 89: 17,24.
Then lifted I up my eyes, and saw, and look four horns. And I said to the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. Zechariah 1: 18-19.

Crown

Crown
Victory, life, royalty
There are two types of crowns, the royal crown and the wreath of victory (stephanos) placed on the head of the winner.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: From now 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 to all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 4: 7-8.
Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him. James 1: 12.
And he brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. 2 Kings 11: 12.
Thus says the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. Ezekiel 21: 26-27.


********

Red dragon- dragon- that old serpent, the devil, and satan
Seven heads- seven mountains- seven kingdoms
Ten horns- ten rulers
crowns- royalty
stars- angels


...
And there appeared another wonder in heaven
and behold a great red dragon,
having seven heads
and ten horns,
and seven crowns upon his heads.
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven,
and did cast them to the earth
...


The devil- earthly kingdoms, with ten rules, having power.
The devil using his tail took 1/3 of the angels of heaven and they were cast to earth from heaven.


...
and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered,
for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
...


The devil stood near the woman- God's people, Jesus was about to be born- the Savior as an infant and the devil didn't want Him to be born- the Savior of the world, the conquerer of death, the bringer of eternal life, restorer of all that is good. No, the devil didn't want Jesus to be born.


...
And she brought forth a man child,
who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron:
and her child was caught up unto God,
and to his throne.
...


Rev. {2:24} But unto you I say, and unto the rest
in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which
have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will
put upon you none other burden. {2:25} But that which ye
have already hold fast till I come. {2:26} And he that
overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him
will I give power over the nations: {2:27} And he shall rule
them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they
be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev. {19:13} And he was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
{19:14} And the armies which were in heaven followed
him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and
clean. {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. {19:16} And he
hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING
OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Jesus!


*******

It's true that Jesus and the true followers of Christ have been persecuted by Satan and will be persecuted by Him until Christ comes again and the battle between good and evil is decided for every person.


From the moment of Jesus' birth Satan stepped up His activity. That Satan rules the majority is no surprise, no surprise at all. He's working hard to get as many as he can and he has no standards, no morals, no compunctions whatsoever to get in his way.


May God bless and Keep us in Christ now and forever, safe from the evil of the devil and all his way.


Please Lord open our eyes, give us the understanding we need to be yours now and forever by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.


Amen.

Do not most people simply drift away

Excerpt from Mere Christianity-


'Now Faith,
in the sense in which I am here using the word,
is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted,
in spite of your changing moods.


For moods will change,
whatever view your reason takes.
I know that by experience.


Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable
but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable.


This rebellion of your moods against your real self is going to come anyway.
That is why Faith is such a necessary virtue
unless you teach your moods "where they get off,"
you can never be either a sound Christian or even a sound atheist,
but just a creature dithering to and fro,
with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of its digestion.


Consequently one must train the habit of Faith.


The first step is to recognise the fact that your moods change.
The next is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity,
then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day.


That is why daily prayers and religious reading and church going are necessary parts of the Christian life.


We have to be continually reminded of what we believe.
Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind.
It must be fed.


And as a matter of fact,
if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity,
I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument?


Do not most people simply drift away?'


*******

Ephesian {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints


Praying always.


2 Timothy {2:15} Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.


Study.


Hebrews {10:23} Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) {10:24} And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: {10:25} Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is;] but exhorting [one another:] and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.


Exhort one another.


Hebrews {3:13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. {3:14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;


Hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.


Acts {17:11} These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.


Searched the scriptures daily.


Luke {11:1} And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. {11:2} And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. {11:3} Give us day by day our daily bread. {11:4}
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one thatis indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.


Day by day our daily bread.


John {6:47} Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. {6:48} I am that bread of life. {6:49} Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. {6:50} This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. {6:51} I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.


Jesus said- 'I am the living bread'


*

Daily we need our bread whether it's food for physical sustenance- for our physical life here and now; or whether it's the food of Christ- food for eternal life. Give us this day our daily bread.


Is it any wonder Jesus used such analogy as bread? Not really. He knew what He was doing. He knew. And He knew when He said 'your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead.' Even food given daily by God to the Israelites leaving Egypt and traveling in the wilderness for forty years, even that food would not give life eternal. That food, that manna came from God out of heaven--


Exodus- {16:11} And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {16:12} I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD your God. {16:13} And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the
host. {16:14} And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness [there lay] a small round thing, [as] small as the hoar frost on the ground. {16:15} And when the children of Israel saw [it,] they said one to another, It [is] manna: for they wist not what it [was.] And Moses said unto them, This [is] the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.


{16:31} And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it [was] like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it [was] like wafers [made] with honey. {16:32} And Moses said, This [is] the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your
generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. {16:33} And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. {16:34} As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. {16:35} And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. {16:36} Now an omer [is] the tenth [part] of an ephah.



The children of Israel ate manna forty years!


Jesus referencing the manna, the food from God out of heaven is important. God supplied the needs of His people, He fed them. Jesus supplied the need of His people He fed them His very life. If we believe on Jesus a belief that is lived DAILY just as we eat daily, if we partake of all that is Jesus- reading His word, praying, exhorting one another we will live forever with Christ.


C.S. Lewis talked of mood affecting faith. We talk of losing faith, we talk of having no faith, we tell others to have faith, faith is very important without it we can't please God.


Hebrews {11:6} But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him:] for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.


Believing that God IS.
And not only believing that God IS, but believing that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.


Faith.


Yes, our moods can affect our lives in many ways, many...many...many ways.


C.S. Lewis had this to say--

'And as a matter of fact,
if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity,
I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument?
Do not most people simply drift away?'



Drift away. It sounds so... easy. In fact it is easy to drift away. It's easy to find a lull and let the lull soothe us, ease us away. It's easier to just skip praying, reading the Bible, studying, exhorting one another, diligently seeking God. It takes action on our behalf to keep faith alive.


People like to believe that they shouldn't HAVE to do anything at all to be 'saved' and in truth they can't save themselves if they do everything and anything they want- only Jesus can save us. But we have to believe in Jesus first. You say you believe in Jesus but guess what?


James {2:19} Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.


Read on...


James {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.


Real faith, real belief in Jesus means real action. Jesus said a lot to His followers about what they should be doing.


Mark {12:28} And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? {12:29} And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is,] Hear, O Israel; The
Lord our God is one Lord: {12:30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. {12:31} And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. {12:32} And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: {12:33} And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love [his] neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. {12:34} And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no
man after that durst ask him any question.


Do you see- we are to love God and love our neighbor- actions. Love. And Jesus didn't leave us to wonder what love was.


Read ALL of the following, really read it. Take the time to think about all the action that Jesus was promoting wanting His followers to do. Faith isn't the end, it's only the beginning and if we 'drift away' it's because we are not living our faith we are losing it, we aren't nurturing it, we're ignoring it and it will wither until it dies.


Matthew {5:1} And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: {5:2} And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, {5:3} Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. {5:4} Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. {5:5} Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. {5:6} Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. {5:7} Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. {5:8} Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God. {5:9} Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. {5:10} Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. {5:11} Blessed are ye,
when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you,] and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. {5:12} Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. {5:13} Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. {5:14} Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. {5:15} Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. {5:16} Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. {5:17} Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. {5:18} For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. {5:19} Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them,] the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. {5:20} For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. {5:21} Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: {5:22} But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. {5:23} Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; {5:24} Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. {5:25} Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. {5:26} Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. {5:27} Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: {5:28} But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. {5:29}And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell. {5:30} And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell. {5:31} It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: {5:32} But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. {5:33} Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: {5:34} But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: {5:35} Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. {5:36} Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. {5:37} But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. {5:38} Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: {5:39} But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. {5:40} And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have [thy] cloke also. {5:41} And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. {5:42} Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. {5:43} Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. {5:44} But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; {5:45} That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for
he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. {5:46} For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? {5:47} And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others?] do not even the publicans so? {5:48} Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. {6:1} Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. {6:2} Therefore when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they
may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. {6:3} But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: {6:4} That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. {6:5} And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are:] for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. {6:6} But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy
closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. {6:7} But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do:] for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. {6:8} Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. {6:9} After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. {6:10} Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven. {6:11} Give us this day our daily bread. {6:12} And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. {6:13} And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. {6:14} For if ye
forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: {6:15} But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. {6:16} Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. {6:17} But thou, when thou fastest,
anoint thine head, and wash thy face; {6:18} That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. {6:19} Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: {6:20} But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: {6:21} For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. {6:22} The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. {6:23} But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness! {6:24} No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. {6:25} Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? {6:26} Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? {6:27} Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? {6:28} And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: {6:29} And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these. {6:30} Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith? {6:31} Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? {6:32} (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. {6:33} But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. {6:34} Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof. {7:1} Judge not, that ye be not judged. {7:2} For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. {7:3} And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? {7:4} Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam [is] in thine own eye? {7:5} Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. {7:6} Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. {7:7} Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: {7:8} For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. {7:9} Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? {7:10} Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? {7:11} If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? {7:12} Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that
men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. {7:13} Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: {7:14} Because strait [is] the
gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. {7:15} Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. {7:16} Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? {7:17} Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. {7:18} A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. {7:19} Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. {7:20} Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. {7:21} Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. {7:22} Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? {7:23} And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. {7:24} Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: {7:25} And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. {7:26} And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: {7:27} And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. {7:28} And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: {7:29} For he taught them as [one] having authority, and not as the scribes.