Abba! Father!

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.


How many of us feel that being a Christian is a call to another kind of bondage? Exchanging the bondage to the law for a bondage to Christ. When we think of serving God as a call to bondage we don't know God at all whatsoever. God offers freedom. God offers true freedom. It is the carnal nature in us that believes there is bondage in being a Christian. The carnal nature wants so-called freedom to do as it pleases, to sin as it wants to sin, to indulge in lusts without any thought of anything else at all.


When we accept Christ we aren't receiving the spirit of bondage, we should have NO fear of being put into bondage with God, none! We are adopted into a loving family by a loving Father.


The words... WE CRY ABBA FATHER tell us so much. The love there is amazing, the love of a father that will never ever disappear. We need the love of God, we need to realize our adopted status. Adopted by God. By the grace...by the mercy of our Lord, our FATHER, Abba! May we feel this love fully in Christ our Lord, our Savior now and forever!


Amen.

We've Been Warned

1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.


Peace and safety. Is there any peace or any safety outside the protection of Christ's love? No.
This world is doomed.
This world as we know it has a death sentence hanging over its head.
This world is literally living on death row.
Do people bask in this world and it's worldly ways, it's worldly pleasures?
Is the world blinded to the imminent destruction to come?
The answers are yes to those questions.
Only fools would live as if the Lord could come at any moment especially when thousands of years have passed since that promised return. Why live believing that the end of all things as we know it could occur at any time? Why live prepared for Christ's return? Why? It's like a bride left at the altar never removing her gown but waiting day after day for a groom who shows no sign of returning, yet she lives in hope. People would call her delusional. People don't want to be called delusional and they don't want to be delusional so they'd rather live as if the bridegroom will never return. Peace and safety. There is no danger here, there is no upset, no reason for any alarm, no reason to believe your eternal life hangs in the balance.
Peace and safety.
Everything is fine.
Eat, drink, be merry and don't worry about the future let it worry about itself, do as you please now, logic dictates that believing in Jesus and believing in His return is all a fable, all foolhardy behavior, you can't live and believe like that. Remember God doesn't want us to worry about what we'll eat or drink or wear so why would He want us to worry about eternal life?
Peace and safety.
The majority of people, society with its established mores tells us beyond a doubt that only crazy people, only religious fanatics live believing that each day could be their last and they need to be ready for Christ's return at any moment. Only those troublesome people believe that way. You know, look at all those crazy cults where people end up dead. Look at the over zealous Muslim people who believe in suicide bombs and all that- religous fanatics that's what all the crazies are and you don't want to be a religious crazy. You don't want to stand out. You don't want to be labeled. You don't want to embarrass yourself do you? You want to fit in, we all want to fit in.
Peace and safety.
Peace and safety.
Are you among those saying- peace and safety?
Are you among those hearing- peace and safety, and believe it to be true?
Sudden destruction will come upon them.
Sudden
Destruction
There will be no grand calamity to call people to Christ. All the calamities, all the preparation will be over and we will live in a world with people saying-- PEACE and SAFETY, but it will be too late because there will be SUDDEN DESTRUCTION.
AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
THE DAY OF THE LORD COMES.
We've been warned.
We've been told.
We know the Lord will come. To stop believing in the Lord's return is certain death. We must believe and we must be ready. We must be the bride awaiting her Groom no matter how long it takes.


By the grace, by the mercy, by the love, through the righteousness of our Savior, through His sacrifice, through His forgiveness, all in Him now and forever.


Amen.


1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.


They shall say-

Peace
and
Safety


They- 1Th 5:5, 6; 1Th 4:13

Children of the dark
Others that sleep
Them which are asleep
Others which have no hope


Jeremiah 6:14 "They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, 'Peace, peace,' But there is no peace.


Jeremiah 8:11 "They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, 'Peace, peace,' But there is no peace.


Ezekiel 13:10 "It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash;


John 16:21 "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.


2 Thessalonians 1:9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, (NASB ©1995)

*******

1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

We are those who are 'afar off'

Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.


You and I are called by God, we are those who are 'afar off'.
We need to Repent.
We need to be baptized everyone one of us in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins.
We want to receive the Holy Ghost and we do when we listen to the Word of God.


Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Rom 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.



May we who are 'afar off' listen to the call of God and receive the promise, may we walk after the Spirit.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever!

Amen

Married to Christ

The law does not save. Jesus saves. We have to die to the belief that we can work our way to heaven. The law- keeping the law in and of itself does not save, cannot save.


Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren,
ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ;
that ye should be married to another,
even to him who is raised from the dead,
that we should bring forth fruit unto God.


We become dead to the law- we agree the law cannot save us, but Christ saves us. 'We should be married to another' married to Christ. The law, the belief we can save ourselves by acting in accordance with the law must die. Touting our godliness, touting our goodness, holding up our actions, holding fast to the belief that we can behave and be saved is all wrong. Christ saves us. Christ raised from the dead and we find life in Him. The fruit we bring forth- our actions that will naturally be in accordance with the commandments of God- are brought forth through the love of God, the love of our Savior. We have to die to self and the belief we can save ourselves through the law. Love needs to reign through our Savior. Our flesh is weak and if we rely on ourselves we are relying on the flesh and we are lost. We must rely on the Lord.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever! In His righteousness.


Amen.


*******
Rom 7:1 Know ye not, brethren,
(for I speak to them that know the law,)
how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?


Rom 7:2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth;
but if the husband be dead,
she is loosed from the law of her husband.


Rom 7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth,
she be married to another man,
she shall be called an adulteress:
but if her husband be dead,
she is free from that law;
so that she is no adulteress,
though she be married to another man.


Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren,
ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ;
that ye should be married to another,
even to him who is raised from the dead,
that we should bring forth fruit unto God.


Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh,
the motions of sins,
which were by the law,
did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.


Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law,
that being dead wherein we were held;
that we should serve in newness of spirit,
and not in the oldness of the letter.


Rom 7:7 What shall we say then?
Is the law sin?
God forbid.
Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law
for I had not known lust
except the law had said,
Thou shalt not covet.


Rom 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment,
wrought in me all manner of concupiscence.
For without the law sin was dead.


Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once
but when the commandment came,
sin revived, and I died.


Rom 7:10 And the commandment,
which was ordained to life,
I found to be unto death.


Rom 7:11 For sin,
taking occasion by the commandment,
deceived me, and by it slew me.


Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy
and the commandment holy,
and just, and good.


Rom 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me?
God forbid.
But sin,
that it might appear sin,
working death in me by that which is good
that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.


Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual
but I am carnal, sold under sin.


Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not
for what I would,
that do I not;
but what I hate,
that do I.


Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not
I consent unto the law that it is good.


Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it
but sin that dwelleth in me.


Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,)
dwelleth no good thing
for to will is present with me
but how to perform that which is good I find not.


Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not
but the evil which I would not,
that I do.


Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not,
it is no more I that do it,
but sin that dwelleth in me.


Rom 7:21 I find then a law,
that, when I would do good,
evil is present with me.


Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man


Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind,
and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.


Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am!
who shall deliver me from the body of this death?


Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God;
but with the flesh the law of sin.

*******

God Enlighten My Darkness

Psa 18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
Psa 18:22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
Psa 18:23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
Psa 18:24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.


Psa 18:25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
Psa 18:26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
Psa 18:27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
Psa 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.


Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.


Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God


Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.


By Your Grace Lord, by Your Grace. I can only hide my face in shame. I can only plead for Your mercy upon me. I can only lay at Your feet surrendered to You, to Your will, my will is no good. I am wretched, so wretched. Thank you God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior. Your righteousness, not mine, Your ways, not mine. You, not me. Anything righteous, anything clean, anything pure, anything upright, any iniquity I keep from all is through You and Your righteousness, Your power. By You Lord, by You Savior, now and forever! You light my candle, You Lord my God enlighten my darkness.


In Your Love Always!


Amen.

Satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Psa 16:1 '...Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.'


Psa 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.


We can't preserve ourselves. We can make choices, in fact we make choices every single day of our lives. We make choices in big things and in little things. We choose our own steps. Even those who work under an exacting boss choose to work for that boss. All but slaves- those held captive by another- have choices and even slave have choices but they are very hard to make especially when being killed for disobedience is one of the choices. In the end we can't keep ourselves, the world is too wicked. We have to ask God to preserve us. We have to trust that God will preserve us. Our prayer needs to be 'Preserve me O God for in thee do I put my trust.'


With David, a beloved of God, we need to be satisfied when we wake in our Lord's likeness meaning... nothing on earth is going to be truly satisfying, nothing. Our satisfaction needs to come from the eternal and after we sleep in death we will wake in the likeness of our Savior upon His return for us. Right now as David sleeps the sleep of death he will be satisfied when he is raised from the dead with His Savior's likeness. And in truth we are raised incorruptible as our Lord is incorruptible. We are changed instantly and brought to a new life and that satisfaction is all any of us needs- life eternal in Christ our Lord and Savior, our God.


Can we say that... can we say we'll be satisfied when we wake with Christ's likeness? We are told to seek first the kingdom of God, and we truly need to do that...seek FIRST, not second, not third, not as an afterthought or once a week, but we need to seek first the kingdom of God and that kingdom is our Savior and His righteousness.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever.


Amen.

Your Righteousness

Psa 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.


Psa 5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.


Psa 6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
Psa 6:3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?
Psa 6:4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.


Psa 6:9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.


Psa 7:9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.


Psa 7:17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.


Psa 9:8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.


Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear


Lord, I trust in Your righteousness. Lord, I look up to You, my prayers are to You always. Have mercy on me, Lord, I am so very, very weak. Heal me. Heal my soul, deliver my soul, save me by Your mercy. Hear my cries, receive my prayer. Let Your righteousness try our hearts, our lives. All praise to you Lord in Your righteousness. Judge the world by Your righteousness for there is no righteousness without You. Prepare my heart, hear me oh Lord my Savior, my God, the Almighty, the Righteous One.


Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.


Thy will be done Lord, Thy will. By Thy grace and Thy mercy now and forever, on earth as in heaven.


Amen.