Imagine getting up in the morning and getting dressed for the day. You have your clothes on and then you need to put on more...
You grab up a protective skirt and pull it on. Then you snatch a protective vest and don that. Slipping your feet into some protective shoes you then reach for a shield, helmet, and a sword and now you're ready to start your day.
Can you imagine being dressed that way? Seriously? Maybe if you're in some medieval show or some such but as a rule people don't dress this way nowadays. Having protective gear on means you're in a job of some sort of danger. You could be in a SWAT team, or the Army, and your sword and shield well... a gun and no shield, or perhaps a shield but they're more rare, right?
The idea here being we are to ALWAYS be dressed in our Spiritual armor and that armor never changes no matter the year- a 1000 years ago, 2000 years ago, yesterday or today, it doesn't matter.
Spiritual clothing. The idea of putting on clothes is we are protecting ourselves with the clothing. Our spiritual clothing is our spiritual protection. We daily dress ourselves in our physical clothing and we need to daily dress in our spiritual clothing.
We need to put on our armor. The truth, Christ's righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the word of God.
If we have these things we are protected spiritually.
We need to pray for this protective armor always.
Tomorrow as you get dressed for the day question yourself, ask yourself if you have your spiritual clothing on. We really shouldn't go about our days until we are spiritually clothed. The wiles of the devil are many and when we aren't spiritually clothed and protected we are open to all of his assaults in whatever form he chooses to use against us.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, in His righteousness, His amazing love may we be spiritually protected in our spiritual clothing through His power and might.
All glory and honor to God now and forever.
Amen!
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
As Unto Christ
Eph 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Eph 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Servants be obedient to them that are your masters... could we interpret this to mean people be obedient to those who are your bosses? Seriously, could we interpret it to mean that? In days of old people who worked under others often called those they worked for masters, right? And it wasn't always in a slave way but a respectful way. The master teaching the servant, the student. Even so, when we have bosses today we aren't always in a learning situation but rather we might be in a position that never changes with little hope for advancement and we'll forever have a boss. Very few people are the 'boss' so to speak in comparison to the many who are the employees. A servant gets paid, a master pays the servant. So if we equate these verses to the employer/boss situation we really need to reconsider our thinking don't we? Or maybe it's a situation where an elder is the 'master' to the younger 'servant' in a home situation, a father over a child, or a husband over a wife.
Servants be obedient to them that are your masters.
Employees be obedient to them that are your bosses.
Be obedient with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart AS UNTO CHRIST.
We are to be obedient with fear and trembling in singleness of our hearts AS TO CHRIST. When we are being obedient to others we are doing so as if they were Christ. Of course we know they're not and in no way are we to even for a heartbeat believe they ARE Christ. We are to respect others as we would respect Christ.
It goes on to say don't treat them disrespectfully - the exact wording - 'as menpleasers, with eyeservice' People who are nice to the face of others but in their hearts they are far from being so.
We have to do the will of God from the heart, with good will AS TO THE LORD and NOT TO MEN.
Will our attitude change if we believe we are working for Christ in ALL we do, with all those we interact with even those with the most surly of demeanors? No, Christ wouldn't have a surly demeanor but we are to treat others as we would treat Christ the Bible tells us this. Would we be nasty to Christ? Would we be condescending? Would we be hateful and hurtful, demeaning and abusive to Christ? When we act in such ways we as representatives of Christ's followers are representing Him very well at all, are we? We are to treat others as we would treat Christ and we are to represent Christ as His followers revealing His love, not our own.
This isn't easy, no one said it was easy, our hearts, our natural inclinations are not focused on being good. We are sinners and the inclination runs in that direction. It's a DAILY, hourly, minutely decision to be Christ's and as such we choose to act as Christ would have us to act. It's a choice not a happenstance. It's like love between a man and woman... really, it is, because after the newness wears off it's a choice to love in good times and in bad times. Those vows spoken saying in sickness in health, etc are relevant. A choice is made to love, to forgive, to walk as Christ would have us walk.
May God help us through His power to be as He would have us be. May we treat those around us as we would treat Christ through the power of Christ's righteousness and love, by His grace and mercy.
Please Lord help us all.
Amen.
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Eph 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Servants be obedient to them that are your masters... could we interpret this to mean people be obedient to those who are your bosses? Seriously, could we interpret it to mean that? In days of old people who worked under others often called those they worked for masters, right? And it wasn't always in a slave way but a respectful way. The master teaching the servant, the student. Even so, when we have bosses today we aren't always in a learning situation but rather we might be in a position that never changes with little hope for advancement and we'll forever have a boss. Very few people are the 'boss' so to speak in comparison to the many who are the employees. A servant gets paid, a master pays the servant. So if we equate these verses to the employer/boss situation we really need to reconsider our thinking don't we? Or maybe it's a situation where an elder is the 'master' to the younger 'servant' in a home situation, a father over a child, or a husband over a wife.
Servants be obedient to them that are your masters.
Employees be obedient to them that are your bosses.
Be obedient with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart AS UNTO CHRIST.
We are to be obedient with fear and trembling in singleness of our hearts AS TO CHRIST. When we are being obedient to others we are doing so as if they were Christ. Of course we know they're not and in no way are we to even for a heartbeat believe they ARE Christ. We are to respect others as we would respect Christ.
It goes on to say don't treat them disrespectfully - the exact wording - 'as menpleasers, with eyeservice' People who are nice to the face of others but in their hearts they are far from being so.
We have to do the will of God from the heart, with good will AS TO THE LORD and NOT TO MEN.
Will our attitude change if we believe we are working for Christ in ALL we do, with all those we interact with even those with the most surly of demeanors? No, Christ wouldn't have a surly demeanor but we are to treat others as we would treat Christ the Bible tells us this. Would we be nasty to Christ? Would we be condescending? Would we be hateful and hurtful, demeaning and abusive to Christ? When we act in such ways we as representatives of Christ's followers are representing Him very well at all, are we? We are to treat others as we would treat Christ and we are to represent Christ as His followers revealing His love, not our own.
This isn't easy, no one said it was easy, our hearts, our natural inclinations are not focused on being good. We are sinners and the inclination runs in that direction. It's a DAILY, hourly, minutely decision to be Christ's and as such we choose to act as Christ would have us to act. It's a choice not a happenstance. It's like love between a man and woman... really, it is, because after the newness wears off it's a choice to love in good times and in bad times. Those vows spoken saying in sickness in health, etc are relevant. A choice is made to love, to forgive, to walk as Christ would have us walk.
May God help us through His power to be as He would have us be. May we treat those around us as we would treat Christ through the power of Christ's righteousness and love, by His grace and mercy.
Please Lord help us all.
Amen.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Can the dead hear?
Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 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.
Resurrection of life.
Resurrection of damnation.
Life or damnation.
All that are in the grave shall hear HIS voice.
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Can the dead hear? No.
If the dead know not any thing then they can't hear can they? You know things because you hear things. I can't know something someone else knows unless they tell me, right?
I can know something if I see it, so can the dead see anything? No. How much more clearer can those words be- 'the dead know not any thing'? You have to be aware of things to know them. Even a patient in a coma is said to know nothing. They wake up and have no memory of life having passed them by. They might remember a few things hear and there but their overall awareness if virtually gone. None in a coma wake up knowing life as it's passed as one who isn't in a coma knows it.
The dead know not any thing.
We want to believe our dead loved ones know things, that they hear us, that they see us, that they're aware of us because it makes US feel better as if we haven't lost their presence entirely. It relieves guilt when we believe we can tell them we're sorry about things and then we believe that because they are dead of course they forgive us. We like to pretend they're still around to offer us comfort in some way, but the truth is... the dead know not anything. The dead don't hear, the dead don't see, the dead know not ANY thing. They are sleeping.
The Bible tells us that Jesus said- 'All that are in the grave shall hear HIS voice.' If a person is alive after death without death being a sleep, then they'd already hear His voice wouldn't they? What need would they have to hear His voice from the grave? They wouldn't. Surely Jesus speaks the truth and the time will come when ALL that are in the grave shall hear His voice--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.
Only when ALL are in their graves that are ever going to be in their graves will this time come because only then will ALL the dead throughout all time wake to hear the voice of Jesus and they shall come forth from death - some to life everlasting, others to permanent damnation.
There is an amazing justice in this isn't there? All the dead throughout all time sleep upon death and while some have slept for 6000 years and others will have slept in the grave for only a single hour, they will wake at the same time to their eternal fate.
Death is but a sleep.
Life is when Jesus calls us all from the grave at the same time.
May we be found in Jesus as we wake if we sleep in the grave, may our loved ones be found in Him all of us rising to life everlasting in Him, in His amazing love. By His mercy and His grace, through His righteousness alone.
Amen.
Joh 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.
Resurrection of life.
Resurrection of damnation.
Life or damnation.
All that are in the grave shall hear HIS voice.
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Can the dead hear? No.
If the dead know not any thing then they can't hear can they? You know things because you hear things. I can't know something someone else knows unless they tell me, right?
I can know something if I see it, so can the dead see anything? No. How much more clearer can those words be- 'the dead know not any thing'? You have to be aware of things to know them. Even a patient in a coma is said to know nothing. They wake up and have no memory of life having passed them by. They might remember a few things hear and there but their overall awareness if virtually gone. None in a coma wake up knowing life as it's passed as one who isn't in a coma knows it.
The dead know not any thing.
We want to believe our dead loved ones know things, that they hear us, that they see us, that they're aware of us because it makes US feel better as if we haven't lost their presence entirely. It relieves guilt when we believe we can tell them we're sorry about things and then we believe that because they are dead of course they forgive us. We like to pretend they're still around to offer us comfort in some way, but the truth is... the dead know not anything. The dead don't hear, the dead don't see, the dead know not ANY thing. They are sleeping.
The Bible tells us that Jesus said- 'All that are in the grave shall hear HIS voice.' If a person is alive after death without death being a sleep, then they'd already hear His voice wouldn't they? What need would they have to hear His voice from the grave? They wouldn't. Surely Jesus speaks the truth and the time will come when ALL that are in the grave shall hear His voice--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.
Only when ALL are in their graves that are ever going to be in their graves will this time come because only then will ALL the dead throughout all time wake to hear the voice of Jesus and they shall come forth from death - some to life everlasting, others to permanent damnation.
There is an amazing justice in this isn't there? All the dead throughout all time sleep upon death and while some have slept for 6000 years and others will have slept in the grave for only a single hour, they will wake at the same time to their eternal fate.
Death is but a sleep.
Life is when Jesus calls us all from the grave at the same time.
May we be found in Jesus as we wake if we sleep in the grave, may our loved ones be found in Him all of us rising to life everlasting in Him, in His amazing love. By His mercy and His grace, through His righteousness alone.
Amen.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Will we be made whole
Joh 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
Wilt thou be made whole?
The man had no hope of being made whole, or rather he had little hope. He had just enough hope that he came to the pool of Bethesda. This pool was a healing pool but a conditional healing pool. Not just anyone could be healed but the first to make it in the pool when the healing angel troubled the water.
Joh 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
A pool of miracles. If such a pool existed today people would be overwhelming the place fighting to be the first. With no time table and no telling when the water would be troubled it's possible it was one time a year, right? Or maybe once every six months? There's no way of knowing and because of that people had to stay by the pool possibly for long periods of time just watching the water maybe afraid to even sleep because they'd miss the troubling of the water.
Here was a man lame for 38 years! 38 years unable to walk and who knows how often he stayed by the pool of water. Who knows how often he witnessed the troubling of the water only to watch another go down into the pool and be healed. He stayed by the pool with that little bit of hope or else he wouldn't have wasted his time being near it at all. The hope he had was so small though that he told Jesus this when asked if he'd be made whole...
Joh 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
The man would try to make his way there but each time he tried another moved into the water before him reaping the benefits. How many times had he seen it happen? How many times had he watched another be healed? Was he hoping Jesus would offer to put him in the pool? But that would mean Jesus staying near him and waiting until the angel troubling the water made their appearance. The man wanted to be healed of his infirmity he stayed near the pool. Jesus knew of his longing, Jesus knew that the man spoke truthfully. Jesus loved this man, Jesus had pity on this man, Jesus' compassion was roused for this poor man and so he healed him right then and there.
Joh 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Joh 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked
Immediately the man was made whole! To be made whole meant that he wasn't whole. His infirmity, his unwholeness was taken away, he was healed.
Later Jesus said this to that man--
Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
Jesus told him to 'sin no more' if he sinned a worse thing would come on him. Can you imagine having an infirmity that made you lame for 38 years and then being told something worse could come upon you if you sinned? We are sinners by nature, was this a trap for the man? Sinning is a WILLFUL act, a heart set to do evil, to disobey God. If this man set his heart to oppose God, to do evil to God, to break the laws of God he would receive something worse than being lame for 38 years. It makes you wonder about something... how old was this man made whole? What sins had he committed before? We, in our enlightened ways don't believe at all that our illnesses and infirmities are a result of any sinning, that's like supernatural stuff, right? Yet from Jesus' own mouth came those words. Do we believe in Jesus? Do we really? Can we believe that sinning would have the result of an illnesses, or infirmities, of bad luck? We don't want to believe that because it leaves us feeling hopeless because we know how much we sin. We want to believe our illnesses are just part of life and anything else is just nonsense, germs are germs, diseases are diseases and whether or not we sin means very little. Is it true? No way a baby born with a disease is guilty...but perhaps the sins of the parents or their parents or...well you get the picture. We don't know beyond any doubt, the things of God are His, what we need to know we can know. Is sinning ever good? No, sinning is NEVER good. By the mercy of our Lord and Savior we can be forgiven of our sins, we can live with His righteousness it's the only way to really live-- in Him.
Wilt we be made whole?
In Christ.
Amen.
Wilt thou be made whole?
The man had no hope of being made whole, or rather he had little hope. He had just enough hope that he came to the pool of Bethesda. This pool was a healing pool but a conditional healing pool. Not just anyone could be healed but the first to make it in the pool when the healing angel troubled the water.
Joh 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
A pool of miracles. If such a pool existed today people would be overwhelming the place fighting to be the first. With no time table and no telling when the water would be troubled it's possible it was one time a year, right? Or maybe once every six months? There's no way of knowing and because of that people had to stay by the pool possibly for long periods of time just watching the water maybe afraid to even sleep because they'd miss the troubling of the water.
Here was a man lame for 38 years! 38 years unable to walk and who knows how often he stayed by the pool of water. Who knows how often he witnessed the troubling of the water only to watch another go down into the pool and be healed. He stayed by the pool with that little bit of hope or else he wouldn't have wasted his time being near it at all. The hope he had was so small though that he told Jesus this when asked if he'd be made whole...
Joh 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
The man would try to make his way there but each time he tried another moved into the water before him reaping the benefits. How many times had he seen it happen? How many times had he watched another be healed? Was he hoping Jesus would offer to put him in the pool? But that would mean Jesus staying near him and waiting until the angel troubling the water made their appearance. The man wanted to be healed of his infirmity he stayed near the pool. Jesus knew of his longing, Jesus knew that the man spoke truthfully. Jesus loved this man, Jesus had pity on this man, Jesus' compassion was roused for this poor man and so he healed him right then and there.
Joh 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Joh 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked
Immediately the man was made whole! To be made whole meant that he wasn't whole. His infirmity, his unwholeness was taken away, he was healed.
Later Jesus said this to that man--
Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
Jesus told him to 'sin no more' if he sinned a worse thing would come on him. Can you imagine having an infirmity that made you lame for 38 years and then being told something worse could come upon you if you sinned? We are sinners by nature, was this a trap for the man? Sinning is a WILLFUL act, a heart set to do evil, to disobey God. If this man set his heart to oppose God, to do evil to God, to break the laws of God he would receive something worse than being lame for 38 years. It makes you wonder about something... how old was this man made whole? What sins had he committed before? We, in our enlightened ways don't believe at all that our illnesses and infirmities are a result of any sinning, that's like supernatural stuff, right? Yet from Jesus' own mouth came those words. Do we believe in Jesus? Do we really? Can we believe that sinning would have the result of an illnesses, or infirmities, of bad luck? We don't want to believe that because it leaves us feeling hopeless because we know how much we sin. We want to believe our illnesses are just part of life and anything else is just nonsense, germs are germs, diseases are diseases and whether or not we sin means very little. Is it true? No way a baby born with a disease is guilty...but perhaps the sins of the parents or their parents or...well you get the picture. We don't know beyond any doubt, the things of God are His, what we need to know we can know. Is sinning ever good? No, sinning is NEVER good. By the mercy of our Lord and Savior we can be forgiven of our sins, we can live with His righteousness it's the only way to really live-- in Him.
Wilt we be made whole?
In Christ.
Amen.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Ye shall afflict your souls and do no work.
An atonement is a cleansing from all sin.
An atonement for the holy sanctuary- a cleansing of all the sins attached to the holy sanctuary.
An atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation and the alter - a cleansing of all sin in places of worship.
An atonement for the priest- a cleansing of all sin for those who serve the people for God.
An atonement for all the people of the congregation- a cleansing of all sin for all God's people.
With the tabernacle on earth an example of the heavenly we know the temple service on earth foreshadowed Christ's life and death. The temple was a place for people to go to offering sacifices for their sins, a place to worship God, a place where God was to dwell when on earth. Christ, God's Son uniquely begotten on earth, God's Son who lived and died offering Himself as the only sacrifice needed for our sins. No building can truly compare to God fully realized on earth in Jesus. All the services of the temple pointed to the Messiah's life and death and life again. The once yearly full cleansing points to the once only cleansing we will have before Christ returns. Think about it... nothing unclean, nothing with sin, will enter heaven, nothing with sin will go with Christ upon His return. To be Christ's is to be His fully claiming His righteousness as ours, trusting in His righteousness, His forgiveness, His cleansing of us.
If the temple served as an example of the heavenly truly the day of atonement serves as an example of the earth's final cleansing.
Ye shall afflict your souls and do no work.
We can only fall at the feet of Jesus in soul affliction as we realize our helpless, sinless state. We cannot do any work to save ourselves, none. We have to believe that the Messiah will cleanse us of all our sins before the Lord.
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Fear and trembling, afflicted souls. We work out our own salvation WITH fear and trembling. We fall before the feet of our Savior knowing that in our own unworthiness it's all we can possibly do, it's the only work we can possibly perform.
Lev 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
Lev 16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Lev 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
Lev 23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
Lev 23:30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
*******
May we afflict our souls with fear and trembling as we seek salvation in our Lord and Savior the Son of God, our Messiah, the only place salvation is found.
Amen
An atonement for the holy sanctuary- a cleansing of all the sins attached to the holy sanctuary.
An atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation and the alter - a cleansing of all sin in places of worship.
An atonement for the priest- a cleansing of all sin for those who serve the people for God.
An atonement for all the people of the congregation- a cleansing of all sin for all God's people.
With the tabernacle on earth an example of the heavenly we know the temple service on earth foreshadowed Christ's life and death. The temple was a place for people to go to offering sacifices for their sins, a place to worship God, a place where God was to dwell when on earth. Christ, God's Son uniquely begotten on earth, God's Son who lived and died offering Himself as the only sacrifice needed for our sins. No building can truly compare to God fully realized on earth in Jesus. All the services of the temple pointed to the Messiah's life and death and life again. The once yearly full cleansing points to the once only cleansing we will have before Christ returns. Think about it... nothing unclean, nothing with sin, will enter heaven, nothing with sin will go with Christ upon His return. To be Christ's is to be His fully claiming His righteousness as ours, trusting in His righteousness, His forgiveness, His cleansing of us.
If the temple served as an example of the heavenly truly the day of atonement serves as an example of the earth's final cleansing.
Ye shall afflict your souls and do no work.
We can only fall at the feet of Jesus in soul affliction as we realize our helpless, sinless state. We cannot do any work to save ourselves, none. We have to believe that the Messiah will cleanse us of all our sins before the Lord.
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Fear and trembling, afflicted souls. We work out our own salvation WITH fear and trembling. We fall before the feet of our Savior knowing that in our own unworthiness it's all we can possibly do, it's the only work we can possibly perform.
Lev 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
Lev 16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Lev 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
Lev 23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
Lev 23:30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
*******
May we afflict our souls with fear and trembling as we seek salvation in our Lord and Savior the Son of God, our Messiah, the only place salvation is found.
Amen
Friday, May 7, 2010
Jesus Kingdom
What is the gospel of the kingdom?
Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
The kingdom of God is come unto you.
Jesus was come unto us. Jesus said...
Mar 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
Mar 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
Mar 4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
Mar 4:29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
Mar 4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
Mar 4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
Mar 4:32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
A miracle.
The greatest thing in all the world is Jesus, there is nothing greater, nothing. He is everything we need. We are so busy trying to find the answers to life we often overlook the only answer that means anything at all, Jesus. He is the gospel, He is the kingdom of God. How many people believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior? How many kneel before Him surrendering all they are to Him? How many plead for forgiveness? Jesus is the only answer and we should never get tired of proclaiming Him as the All in All! Others might get tired of hearing but we should never tire of proclaiming Him living, dying, and living again for us. All praise and honor, all glory to our Lord, our Creator, our Savior.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, through the Holy Spirit, in the Father's love now and forever.
Amen.
Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
The kingdom of God is come unto you.
Jesus was come unto us. Jesus said...
Mar 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
Mar 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
Mar 4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
Mar 4:29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
Mar 4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
Mar 4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
Mar 4:32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
A miracle.
The greatest thing in all the world is Jesus, there is nothing greater, nothing. He is everything we need. We are so busy trying to find the answers to life we often overlook the only answer that means anything at all, Jesus. He is the gospel, He is the kingdom of God. How many people believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior? How many kneel before Him surrendering all they are to Him? How many plead for forgiveness? Jesus is the only answer and we should never get tired of proclaiming Him as the All in All! Others might get tired of hearing but we should never tire of proclaiming Him living, dying, and living again for us. All praise and honor, all glory to our Lord, our Creator, our Savior.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, through the Holy Spirit, in the Father's love now and forever.
Amen.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Whether in pretence or in truth-- Christ is preached.
Php 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel
The things that happened to Paul- ridiculed, jailed, set on trial for his faith in Jesus Christ, and all the hardships, beatened, bruised, abraded, all these things happened to further the message of the gospel to others, to spread the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.
Php 1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places
Because of those bonds he was placed in Christ's message was manifested to the palace, and in other places! His tragedy was used to further God's plan.
Php 1:14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Others when they witness Paul's persecution and the way he holds fast to the message of Christ are emboldened by his example to speak the gospel without fear!
Php 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Php 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds
Some people preached Christ wrongly yet Paul says here that even those that did that thinking they'd heap more harm upon him instead gained more interest for Christ and Hisw word, His gospel.
Php 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
Php 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Php 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ
Whether in pretence or in truth-- Christ is preached.
We don't know who might hear something to spike the interest of another, a genuine interest, a real love for Christ can come from something even preached wrongly. It's not up to us to convict a heart it's the Holy Spirit who convicts, we can spread the word, we can preach what we know but in the end the Holy Spirit is the force used by God to bring Christ into hearts opened to Him
By His grace and mercy always and forever, in His righteousness.
Amen.
The things that happened to Paul- ridiculed, jailed, set on trial for his faith in Jesus Christ, and all the hardships, beatened, bruised, abraded, all these things happened to further the message of the gospel to others, to spread the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.
Php 1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places
Because of those bonds he was placed in Christ's message was manifested to the palace, and in other places! His tragedy was used to further God's plan.
Php 1:14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Others when they witness Paul's persecution and the way he holds fast to the message of Christ are emboldened by his example to speak the gospel without fear!
Php 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Php 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds
Some people preached Christ wrongly yet Paul says here that even those that did that thinking they'd heap more harm upon him instead gained more interest for Christ and Hisw word, His gospel.
Php 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
Php 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Php 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ
Whether in pretence or in truth-- Christ is preached.
We don't know who might hear something to spike the interest of another, a genuine interest, a real love for Christ can come from something even preached wrongly. It's not up to us to convict a heart it's the Holy Spirit who convicts, we can spread the word, we can preach what we know but in the end the Holy Spirit is the force used by God to bring Christ into hearts opened to Him
By His grace and mercy always and forever, in His righteousness.
Amen.
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