Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him
Jesus- in the days of his flesh offered up prayers and supplication with STRONG CRYING and TEARS unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared.
Think about that for a moment. We have this picture of Jesus as being God on earth and not subject to the need for strong crying and tears. If Jesus cried and not just a little bit, but really, really cried and He knew the Father in a way that we don't how much more should we be crying, strong crying to God. God was a reality to Jesus in a way that He isn't to a lot of us, most of us. God is a figure that is surreal and fantasy, unseen and therefore regulated to a special realm in an abstract way. Do we make God pure reality for us, for our lives? Is God real to us? It's easy to say yes He is, and maybe that's the truth. I believe in God, I believe He loves me and wants me to be His. I believe God sent His Son Jesus to die for me so that I might live through the righteousness of Jesus. I do believe but is my life reflective of a living God? I want it to be. Jesus, God's Son came to earth and offered up His prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. The Son of God would cry as He prayed and sought God's guidance and help. God heard Him, God heard His Son and not just because He was His Son but because He had reverence towards Him. Jesus gave God the respect due Him, so why do we think we can do any less? Jesus, God's Son learned obedience by the things he suffered. Another shocker? It can be when we think that Jesus had to learn obedience through suffering. Jesus knows everything we've gone through and will go through, Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus suffered temptation as we do. Jesus learned obedience through suffering and WE need to learn obedience through suffering. When we suffer we have the choice to learn or not to learn from our suffering. We will suffer through life's many heartaches and pains and we can succumb to them and learn nothing, or we can learn obedience. Jesus being made perfect became the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him. By the grace of God may we learn obedience through our sufferings and may we realize that Jesus cried, Jesus reverenced His Father, Jesus learned obedienced through suffering and through Jesus' perfection we can find eternal salvation and only in Him is it found.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of God
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
soul -- (life) and spirit -- (mind)
joints -- (bones) and marrow -- (muscle)
The word of God is so precise, so knowing, that to think it could divide the very life from the mind two things so closely united is just mind boggling. We might say that the life and mind are divided all the time in the brain dead and maybe that's true but we're talking about something that is so exacting and discerning that it can do this while we live our lives not lay in a bed in a deep coma kept alive by machines. The whole point of this example is to show the precision of the word of God, the power of the word of God. Dividing bone from muscle- something that is easy? Some might say yes, with a very sharp knife and that's the entire point. The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. The word of God is that sharp, exacting, powerful dividing instrument. The word of God is a discerner of thoughts and intents of heart. Think about it! Something that can discern your thoughts, something that can know that intents of your heart. God can do this. Jesus, the word made flesh, the written word of God are all so powerful and yet so often not even considered as such.
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
God knows all. People might think they are hiding their thoughts, their intents but nothing is hid from God, nothing! Some mock this fact that God knows them and they set out to defy Him, challenging Him. God is so far above our human pettiness and anything that stems from deception and lies that our challenges, our defiance only hurts us and our lives not Him. He's saddened by our consistent backsliding away from Him and His pure love and that is why forgiveness is such an unfathomable gift. Yes, His anger is shown throughout the Bible and it's justified. His love overwhelms it all because with a word we could have been taken out of existence altogether. By the grace and mercy of God we are alive and we can live for Him.
No, our thoughts and the intents of our hearts aren't always something God would approve of and we need to fall at the feet of Jesus daily asking for forgiveness for all the sin in us. Thousands of years of sin is a heavy weight upon the worlds people and soon by the grace of God it will all be over, sin will be no more. Please Lord help us to be ready for Your return, loving You, knowing You and You knowing us all by Your grace, Your forgiveness, Your righteousness.
Amen.
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
soul -- (life) and spirit -- (mind)
joints -- (bones) and marrow -- (muscle)
The word of God is so precise, so knowing, that to think it could divide the very life from the mind two things so closely united is just mind boggling. We might say that the life and mind are divided all the time in the brain dead and maybe that's true but we're talking about something that is so exacting and discerning that it can do this while we live our lives not lay in a bed in a deep coma kept alive by machines. The whole point of this example is to show the precision of the word of God, the power of the word of God. Dividing bone from muscle- something that is easy? Some might say yes, with a very sharp knife and that's the entire point. The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. The word of God is that sharp, exacting, powerful dividing instrument. The word of God is a discerner of thoughts and intents of heart. Think about it! Something that can discern your thoughts, something that can know that intents of your heart. God can do this. Jesus, the word made flesh, the written word of God are all so powerful and yet so often not even considered as such.
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
God knows all. People might think they are hiding their thoughts, their intents but nothing is hid from God, nothing! Some mock this fact that God knows them and they set out to defy Him, challenging Him. God is so far above our human pettiness and anything that stems from deception and lies that our challenges, our defiance only hurts us and our lives not Him. He's saddened by our consistent backsliding away from Him and His pure love and that is why forgiveness is such an unfathomable gift. Yes, His anger is shown throughout the Bible and it's justified. His love overwhelms it all because with a word we could have been taken out of existence altogether. By the grace and mercy of God we are alive and we can live for Him.
No, our thoughts and the intents of our hearts aren't always something God would approve of and we need to fall at the feet of Jesus daily asking for forgiveness for all the sin in us. Thousands of years of sin is a heavy weight upon the worlds people and soon by the grace of God it will all be over, sin will be no more. Please Lord help us to be ready for Your return, loving You, knowing You and You knowing us all by Your grace, Your forgiveness, Your righteousness.
Amen.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Labor to enter into rest
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Rest G4520 (Greek)
sabbatismos
sab-bat-is-mos'
From a derivative of G4521; a "sabbatism", that is, (figuratively) the repose of Christianity (as a type of heaven): - rest.
Works- G2041 (Greek)
ergon
er'-gon
From ergo? (a primary but obsolete word; to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act: - deed, doing, labour, work.
Labour- G4704 (Greek)
spoudazo
spoo-dad'-zo
From G4710; to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: - do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study.
***
There is a rest to the people of God. God's people will have a rest and that rest is found in Christ at His return. The rest isn't promised to us now. We aren't told that we will find peace here and now on earth. When we think of resting we think of peacefulness don't we? Can you truly rest without peace around you? Peace and quiet go hand in hand. Peace in our minds free from the stressful things that wear on us. Jesus tells us this-- Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mat 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? Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Mat 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.
Yes, there is a rest for those who are God's and it comes by faith in God to do as He said He would do. There is a rest that is promised us when Jesus comes again and there will be no more tears or fears in our lives.
These verses-
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
We must labor- we must make an effort, we must be earnest, we must be diligent and endeavor to enter into THAT rest. It seems somewhat contradictory doesn't it, that we are to labor to enter into rest. But in truth we have to be earnest about our faith in God, we have to endeavor to know Christ fully, the effort we make is to keep Christ before us always and not ourselves first. Our diligence must be to love God first and foremost and love our fellowman. When we aren't striving, when we aren't labouring, when we aren't making the effort to put God and our fellowman first we are only looking out for ourselves and that selfishness is a dishonor to God's will. Making God's will first is the effort we must make to enter into His rest. We can't save ourselves that is a gift from God by the grace and mercy of Jesus through the ultimate sacrifice He made on the cross. We must repent and accept that sacrifice obtaining the grace of God and it's something we must do daily. Our lives must revolve around God and if they don't then nothing else matters.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
In all our ways we have to acknowledge Him and if we can't acknowledge Him in the way we are going that tells us something doesn't it? May God bless us and help us through the Holy Spirit here on earth to labor to enter into the rest that will be ours in Christ. By the will of God in Him always now and forever.
Amen.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Rest G4520 (Greek)
sabbatismos
sab-bat-is-mos'
From a derivative of G4521; a "sabbatism", that is, (figuratively) the repose of Christianity (as a type of heaven): - rest.
Works- G2041 (Greek)
ergon
er'-gon
From ergo? (a primary but obsolete word; to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act: - deed, doing, labour, work.
Labour- G4704 (Greek)
spoudazo
spoo-dad'-zo
From G4710; to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: - do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study.
***
There is a rest to the people of God. God's people will have a rest and that rest is found in Christ at His return. The rest isn't promised to us now. We aren't told that we will find peace here and now on earth. When we think of resting we think of peacefulness don't we? Can you truly rest without peace around you? Peace and quiet go hand in hand. Peace in our minds free from the stressful things that wear on us. Jesus tells us this-- Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mat 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? Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Mat 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.
Yes, there is a rest for those who are God's and it comes by faith in God to do as He said He would do. There is a rest that is promised us when Jesus comes again and there will be no more tears or fears in our lives.
These verses-
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
We must labor- we must make an effort, we must be earnest, we must be diligent and endeavor to enter into THAT rest. It seems somewhat contradictory doesn't it, that we are to labor to enter into rest. But in truth we have to be earnest about our faith in God, we have to endeavor to know Christ fully, the effort we make is to keep Christ before us always and not ourselves first. Our diligence must be to love God first and foremost and love our fellowman. When we aren't striving, when we aren't labouring, when we aren't making the effort to put God and our fellowman first we are only looking out for ourselves and that selfishness is a dishonor to God's will. Making God's will first is the effort we must make to enter into His rest. We can't save ourselves that is a gift from God by the grace and mercy of Jesus through the ultimate sacrifice He made on the cross. We must repent and accept that sacrifice obtaining the grace of God and it's something we must do daily. Our lives must revolve around God and if they don't then nothing else matters.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
In all our ways we have to acknowledge Him and if we can't acknowledge Him in the way we are going that tells us something doesn't it? May God bless us and help us through the Holy Spirit here on earth to labor to enter into the rest that will be ours in Christ. By the will of God in Him always now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
He also hath ceased from his own works
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Heb 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
We are promised a rest. How sweet that sounds. Even when we sleep, even when we are physically well rested we often don't feel truly rested do we? Any rest we get here and now isn't a true rest. We wake with the burdens of life surrounding us. We wake with the heaviness of life weighing down upon us so that life seems like a chore at times and not the true miracle it is. The Bible tells us, Heb 4:1 'Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.'
A promise is left to us, a promise of entering into Jesus' rest.
A promise was left to those in Moses' day when He led the freed captives through the wilderness and a whole generation of them did not enter into the promised land, why? Because they lacked faith in God. We are promised a rest in Jesus but we won't realize that rest without faith.
God created the Sabbath for us. God created a day of rest- His rest for us. God did this as a permanent reminder to us that He is our Creator, our Savior. By faith we are going to enter in Jesus' rest, the rest that is promised in Him when as the gospel reveals He comes again to take His redeemed to heaven those that are alive and those that are dead in Him will be raised to life at that time. We can ONLY enter this rest by ceasing from all our own works and the Sabbath strives to teach us this. The Sabbath reveals God's true power over His creations and by observing the Sabbath we bow down to our Creator giving up ourselves and putting Him first fully. By faith we have to surrender ourselves to God. We have to think about what it means to cease from all our own works. We can't save ourselves we have to trust in Jesus to save us. When we believe that our salvation rests with us we deny the power of God to save us. Truly we have to believe and have faith in Jesus to save us, not faith and belief in our own works.
May God open our hearts and minds to understand His true rest and our need to cease from all our works and surrender by faith to Him and His power to save us. By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Heb 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
We are promised a rest. How sweet that sounds. Even when we sleep, even when we are physically well rested we often don't feel truly rested do we? Any rest we get here and now isn't a true rest. We wake with the burdens of life surrounding us. We wake with the heaviness of life weighing down upon us so that life seems like a chore at times and not the true miracle it is. The Bible tells us, Heb 4:1 'Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.'
A promise is left to us, a promise of entering into Jesus' rest.
A promise was left to those in Moses' day when He led the freed captives through the wilderness and a whole generation of them did not enter into the promised land, why? Because they lacked faith in God. We are promised a rest in Jesus but we won't realize that rest without faith.
God created the Sabbath for us. God created a day of rest- His rest for us. God did this as a permanent reminder to us that He is our Creator, our Savior. By faith we are going to enter in Jesus' rest, the rest that is promised in Him when as the gospel reveals He comes again to take His redeemed to heaven those that are alive and those that are dead in Him will be raised to life at that time. We can ONLY enter this rest by ceasing from all our own works and the Sabbath strives to teach us this. The Sabbath reveals God's true power over His creations and by observing the Sabbath we bow down to our Creator giving up ourselves and putting Him first fully. By faith we have to surrender ourselves to God. We have to think about what it means to cease from all our own works. We can't save ourselves we have to trust in Jesus to save us. When we believe that our salvation rests with us we deny the power of God to save us. Truly we have to believe and have faith in Jesus to save us, not faith and belief in our own works.
May God open our hearts and minds to understand His true rest and our need to cease from all our works and surrender by faith to Him and His power to save us. By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Throne of Grace
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The throne of grace. It sounds so majestic, the throne of grace.
Grace is --
charis
khar'-ece
From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
grace (grâs) noun
a. A disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill. b. Mercy; clemency.
A favor rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence.
A temporary immunity or exemption; a reprieve.
8. Theology. a. Divine love and protection bestowed freely on people. b. The state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God. c. An excellence or a power granted by God.
When we think of the grace of God we think of the unwarranted forgiveness that God gives to us, the reprieve, the mercy, the divine love of God given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
To be told to come boldly unto the throne of grace is to place ourselves before God. We can't go knock on a door and be admitted to a room containing the throne of grace so that we can kneel before that throne and God upon it, can we? No. We aren't able to do that literally but figuratively we do need to do just that. We need to place ourselves before God, humbling ourselves even as we boldly take that step to put ourselves into the very real presence of God, the Holy Spirit interceding for us literally where we cannot go. Only at the throne of grace will we find the grace we need to help us. By the grace of God we are helped by God in so many, many ways. In fact it is only by the grace of God we even live.
Please Lord, let us learn to come boldly before You our only source of true help, the only place we can find the help we need to live in You and only in You. We are in a world that would tear us down and destroy us at every opportunity. We live in a world that brings pain and anguish to those we love while we remain feeling helpless to ease their heartache, their pain. How gladly we say, or think we would take their pain and bear it for them just so they didn't have to endure it themselves and yet we know that we are all tried in fire, that our faith is perfected as we are chastened and go through the hardships of life excessive or not. Please Lord I come boldly before You now and kneel at Your throne of grace pleading for Your help in our time of need. You know our needs Lord, please help us endure all that we need to in You, and through You, so that we may one day be with You forever in eternity. By Your grace Lord, by Your grace.
In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
The throne of grace. It sounds so majestic, the throne of grace.
Grace is --
charis
khar'-ece
From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
grace (grâs) noun
a. A disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill. b. Mercy; clemency.
A favor rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence.
A temporary immunity or exemption; a reprieve.
8. Theology. a. Divine love and protection bestowed freely on people. b. The state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God. c. An excellence or a power granted by God.
When we think of the grace of God we think of the unwarranted forgiveness that God gives to us, the reprieve, the mercy, the divine love of God given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
To be told to come boldly unto the throne of grace is to place ourselves before God. We can't go knock on a door and be admitted to a room containing the throne of grace so that we can kneel before that throne and God upon it, can we? No. We aren't able to do that literally but figuratively we do need to do just that. We need to place ourselves before God, humbling ourselves even as we boldly take that step to put ourselves into the very real presence of God, the Holy Spirit interceding for us literally where we cannot go. Only at the throne of grace will we find the grace we need to help us. By the grace of God we are helped by God in so many, many ways. In fact it is only by the grace of God we even live.
Please Lord, let us learn to come boldly before You our only source of true help, the only place we can find the help we need to live in You and only in You. We are in a world that would tear us down and destroy us at every opportunity. We live in a world that brings pain and anguish to those we love while we remain feeling helpless to ease their heartache, their pain. How gladly we say, or think we would take their pain and bear it for them just so they didn't have to endure it themselves and yet we know that we are all tried in fire, that our faith is perfected as we are chastened and go through the hardships of life excessive or not. Please Lord I come boldly before You now and kneel at Your throne of grace pleading for Your help in our time of need. You know our needs Lord, please help us endure all that we need to in You, and through You, so that we may one day be with You forever in eternity. By Your grace Lord, by Your grace.
In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Kingdom of God
Luk 9:27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
All of us can see the kingdom of God right now, do you believe this? Seriously. The kingdom of God is Jesus Christ and salvation through Him. If we accept Jesus as our Savior we are seeing the kingdom of God realized fully. Just as the thief on the cross was promised the kingdom, we too are promised it. The thief didn't go that very day to *heaven*, Jesus Himself didn't even go to *heaven* that day but lay in the grave. The promise of the kingdom is given now not upon death. There were some standing there when Jesus spoke those words who accepted Him as their Savior, they accepted Him as the kingdom of God come to them and they didn't see death. Maybe they lived their lives and didn't fully accept the Lord as their Savior for many years, but before they died they understood, they realized the the kingdom of God was found only in one place-- Jesus Christ. NONE shall see the kingdom of God who don't realize that Jesus is the kingdom of God and it's only through Him that any will ever experience life eternal.
Jesus said...
Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Jesus said...
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Jesus said....
Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 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.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mar 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:
Mar 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.
Mar 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.
Jesus said...
Luk 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
Jesus said...
Luk 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
Jesus said...
Luk 13:18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
Luk 13:19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
Luk 13:20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
Luk 13:21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Jesus said...
Luk 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:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
'...the kingdom of God is within you.'
The knowledge can lie within us all, the truth, the way, Jesus is that knowledge, Jesus is the truth, Jesus is the way, Jesus is the kingdom of God for us all. By His grace and mercy may we realize the kingdom of God within us through Him and only Him as our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
All of us can see the kingdom of God right now, do you believe this? Seriously. The kingdom of God is Jesus Christ and salvation through Him. If we accept Jesus as our Savior we are seeing the kingdom of God realized fully. Just as the thief on the cross was promised the kingdom, we too are promised it. The thief didn't go that very day to *heaven*, Jesus Himself didn't even go to *heaven* that day but lay in the grave. The promise of the kingdom is given now not upon death. There were some standing there when Jesus spoke those words who accepted Him as their Savior, they accepted Him as the kingdom of God come to them and they didn't see death. Maybe they lived their lives and didn't fully accept the Lord as their Savior for many years, but before they died they understood, they realized the the kingdom of God was found only in one place-- Jesus Christ. NONE shall see the kingdom of God who don't realize that Jesus is the kingdom of God and it's only through Him that any will ever experience life eternal.
Jesus said...
Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Jesus said...
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Jesus said....
Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 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.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mar 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:
Mar 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.
Mar 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.
Jesus said...
Luk 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
Jesus said...
Luk 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
Jesus said...
Luk 13:18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
Luk 13:19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
Luk 13:20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
Luk 13:21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Jesus said...
Luk 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:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
'...the kingdom of God is within you.'
The knowledge can lie within us all, the truth, the way, Jesus is that knowledge, Jesus is the truth, Jesus is the way, Jesus is the kingdom of God for us all. By His grace and mercy may we realize the kingdom of God within us through Him and only Him as our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Abhor Evil, Cleave to Good
Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Dict. Def-- Dissimulation-- To disguise (one's intentions, for example) under a feigned appearance. To conceal one's true feelings or intentions.
Dict. Def-- Abhor-- To regard with horror or loathing; abominate. To reject vehemently; shun
Dict. Def-- Cleave to-- Cohere: stick to, cleave to, come off on, rub off on
Let love be without disguise, without concealing, without feigning- love that is true and real isn't disguised, concealed, or feigned.
Reject vehemently, regard with horror, regard with loathing that which is evil. Stick to that which is good.
*******
Do we really abhor evil? First of all what do we consider evil? Let's look at the dictionary definition of evil--
vil (ê´vel) adjective
eviler, evilest
1. Morally bad or wrong; wicked: an evil tyrant. See synonyms at bad1.
2. Causing ruin, injury, or pain; harmful: the evil effects of a poor diet.
3. Characterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous: evil omens.
4. Bad or blameworthy by report; infamous: an evil reputation.
5. Characterized by anger or spite; malicious: an evil temper.
noun
1. The quality of being morally bad or wrong; wickedness.
2. That which causes harm, misfortune, or destruction: a leader's power to do both good and evil.
3. An evil force, power, or personification.
4. Something that is a cause or source of suffering, injury, or destruction: the social evils of poverty and injustice.
Morally bad or wrong- who decides what is morally bad? God has His own moral standards doesn't He? Look at the Ten Commandments these are the moral laws of God. That which is against God's moral laws is evil.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ((((Having other Gods before God is evil)))
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. ((((Making graven images to bow down to and serve is evil.)))
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. ((((Taking the name of the LORD thy God in vain is evil.)))
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (((( Not keeping the Sabbath is evil.)))
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. ((((Not honoring your father and mother is evil.)))
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill. ((((Killing is evil)))
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. ((((Committing adultery is evil)))
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal. ((((Stealing is evil.)))
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. ((((Lying about someone is evil.)))
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. ((((Coveting other's things is evil.)))
And Jesus summed up these ten laws into two knowing that the two embraced them all--
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment. ((((Not loving the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, and mind is evil.)))
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ((((Not loving our neighbors as ourselves is evil.)))
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Abhoring evil would mean hating anything that would keep us from loving God first and foremost.
Abhoring evil would mean hating anything that would keep us from loving our neighbors.
We are to cleave to that which is good, the good being the opposite of evil.
We need to ask ourselves what keeps us from loving God first and foremost, as well as ask ourselves what keeps us from loving our fellow human beings as we should. Can you think of anything that keeps you from putting God first in your life? Can you think of anything that keeps you from loving your fellow man? Seriously, we need to take stock of things in our lives don't we? A lot of time there are outside forces that influence our behavior. We blame our behavior on the weather, on other people and their actions, we blame our responses on situations and make excuses for ourselves time and again for why we aren't as loving towards God and others as we should be. We turn our thoughts so completely inward on ourselves nothing else seems to matter except for how we feel at any given moment and our world revolves around our own feelings. There are web groups like Myspace and Facebook as well as others and they want us to express how we feel at any moment in time. Soandso is happy- insert smile face here. Soandso is angry- insert angry smilie here. They have numerous expressions to indicate how you might feel at any moment and this all turns our thoughts inward on ourselves. How we feel has become increasingly important, self has become increasingly important. Self-help, self-actualization, self-exploration, so much is about self. We are so busy self noting that we've forgotten what it means to be self-less in any way, shape, or form. Putting God and others first before ourselves is what it's all about. Jesus stripped Himself of His immortal Spirit and took on humanity's mortality. Jesus' stripped Himself of His Self and came to earth devoting His entire life to the saving of humanity. Every action He took was self-less. When we are called by Jesus to believe in Him to follow Him we are called to take up His cross.
Luk 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.
If you choose to follow Jesus you choose to DENY YOURSELF. If you choose to follow Jesus you choose to take up a cross. What cross are you taking up but the same one that Jesus took up- living His entire life for the salvation of others. While salvation isn't ours to give to anyone pointing the way to salvation is ours to give. Salvation is found solely in Christ and out of love for Christ we choose to deny ourselves and take up the cross.
We who have so much have that much more trouble denying ourselves. We who have been taught to indulge self by the society we live in won't find denying self easy at all. Setting self aside is something that seems impossible and it's something that we can do only through the grace of Jesus, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
May God help us all as we learn to abhor evil- hating anything that would keep us from loving God and our fellow man. May we learn to deny self and take up our cross so that it will be possible. With selfishness out of the way we are free to truly love. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Dict. Def-- Dissimulation-- To disguise (one's intentions, for example) under a feigned appearance. To conceal one's true feelings or intentions.
Dict. Def-- Abhor-- To regard with horror or loathing; abominate. To reject vehemently; shun
Dict. Def-- Cleave to-- Cohere: stick to, cleave to, come off on, rub off on
Let love be without disguise, without concealing, without feigning- love that is true and real isn't disguised, concealed, or feigned.
Reject vehemently, regard with horror, regard with loathing that which is evil. Stick to that which is good.
*******
Do we really abhor evil? First of all what do we consider evil? Let's look at the dictionary definition of evil--
vil (ê´vel) adjective
eviler, evilest
1. Morally bad or wrong; wicked: an evil tyrant. See synonyms at bad1.
2. Causing ruin, injury, or pain; harmful: the evil effects of a poor diet.
3. Characterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous: evil omens.
4. Bad or blameworthy by report; infamous: an evil reputation.
5. Characterized by anger or spite; malicious: an evil temper.
noun
1. The quality of being morally bad or wrong; wickedness.
2. That which causes harm, misfortune, or destruction: a leader's power to do both good and evil.
3. An evil force, power, or personification.
4. Something that is a cause or source of suffering, injury, or destruction: the social evils of poverty and injustice.
Morally bad or wrong- who decides what is morally bad? God has His own moral standards doesn't He? Look at the Ten Commandments these are the moral laws of God. That which is against God's moral laws is evil.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ((((Having other Gods before God is evil)))
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. ((((Making graven images to bow down to and serve is evil.)))
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. ((((Taking the name of the LORD thy God in vain is evil.)))
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (((( Not keeping the Sabbath is evil.)))
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. ((((Not honoring your father and mother is evil.)))
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill. ((((Killing is evil)))
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. ((((Committing adultery is evil)))
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal. ((((Stealing is evil.)))
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. ((((Lying about someone is evil.)))
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. ((((Coveting other's things is evil.)))
And Jesus summed up these ten laws into two knowing that the two embraced them all--
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment. ((((Not loving the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, and mind is evil.)))
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ((((Not loving our neighbors as ourselves is evil.)))
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Abhoring evil would mean hating anything that would keep us from loving God first and foremost.
Abhoring evil would mean hating anything that would keep us from loving our neighbors.
We are to cleave to that which is good, the good being the opposite of evil.
We need to ask ourselves what keeps us from loving God first and foremost, as well as ask ourselves what keeps us from loving our fellow human beings as we should. Can you think of anything that keeps you from putting God first in your life? Can you think of anything that keeps you from loving your fellow man? Seriously, we need to take stock of things in our lives don't we? A lot of time there are outside forces that influence our behavior. We blame our behavior on the weather, on other people and their actions, we blame our responses on situations and make excuses for ourselves time and again for why we aren't as loving towards God and others as we should be. We turn our thoughts so completely inward on ourselves nothing else seems to matter except for how we feel at any given moment and our world revolves around our own feelings. There are web groups like Myspace and Facebook as well as others and they want us to express how we feel at any moment in time. Soandso is happy- insert smile face here. Soandso is angry- insert angry smilie here. They have numerous expressions to indicate how you might feel at any moment and this all turns our thoughts inward on ourselves. How we feel has become increasingly important, self has become increasingly important. Self-help, self-actualization, self-exploration, so much is about self. We are so busy self noting that we've forgotten what it means to be self-less in any way, shape, or form. Putting God and others first before ourselves is what it's all about. Jesus stripped Himself of His immortal Spirit and took on humanity's mortality. Jesus' stripped Himself of His Self and came to earth devoting His entire life to the saving of humanity. Every action He took was self-less. When we are called by Jesus to believe in Him to follow Him we are called to take up His cross.
Luk 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.
If you choose to follow Jesus you choose to DENY YOURSELF. If you choose to follow Jesus you choose to take up a cross. What cross are you taking up but the same one that Jesus took up- living His entire life for the salvation of others. While salvation isn't ours to give to anyone pointing the way to salvation is ours to give. Salvation is found solely in Christ and out of love for Christ we choose to deny ourselves and take up the cross.
We who have so much have that much more trouble denying ourselves. We who have been taught to indulge self by the society we live in won't find denying self easy at all. Setting self aside is something that seems impossible and it's something that we can do only through the grace of Jesus, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
May God help us all as we learn to abhor evil- hating anything that would keep us from loving God and our fellow man. May we learn to deny self and take up our cross so that it will be possible. With selfishness out of the way we are free to truly love. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
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