Wednesday, June 9, 2010

The Last Trump

Psa 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?


No memory of God in death.
No giving of thanks to God in death.
How can it be if upon dying a new life is entered upon? What sort of life would it be?
David, a beloved of God knew that in death he would not remember God, He would not think of God.
David knew that once in the grave there is no longer a chance to thank the Lord.
All communication with God ceases upon death regardless of the lies that have been told since the beginning by Satan- 'thou shalt not surely die' Gen. 3:4 The great deceiving lie and Satan has used it since that time long, long ago to keep people questioning God, to keep people in confusion about life and how it should be lived here and now. Like Eve who knew instantly that death wasn't given for biting into the fruit, people believe they have a second chance. As soon as the fruit was bitten the slow progress towards eventual death had begun in Eve even if she didn't understand.
No memory of God in death.
No giving thanks to God in death.
Death is a sleep no chance to earn salvation after death claims you for the grave.
Too many would have a person believe in chances after death- a mysterious realm where you can walk the earth invisible making things right. Or you can go somewhere and suffer until you are made right with God. Or nothing you do on earth matters and upon death you instantly go to that white light of everlasting joy and happiness.
Not true.
For every person who has had their brain deprived of oxygen and they've claimed to see a light and loved ones, there are many, many more that will attest to seeing absolutely nothing. To many people who have seemingly floated free of their bodies and listened as they were feverishly worked on to be brought back to life, the claim of many more worked on just the same has no such act of the brain in a twilight sleep of delusion.
Satan has many, many ways of deceiving us-- yes, even using our own senses to do so and telling us to rely on our senses over the true and sure word of God.
No memory of God in death.
No giving of thanks to God in death.
Death is a sleep until Christ's return and then we are called from our graves to be with Him.


1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.


The dead in Christ shall rise first.


Such comfort, such hope.


Be not deceived.


1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
1Co 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
1Co 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
1Co 15:37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
1Co 15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
1Co 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.


At the last trump... the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.


Praise the Lord! Praise our all merciful God! All thanks and glory unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever! May we be changed to incorruption when He returns, when that last trump sounds!


In the mercy and by the grace of our Savior!


Amen.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Savior Manifest Yourself to Us!

Joh 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.


The power of Jesus was His Father's power.


Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.


The words I speak unto you I speak NOT of myself but the FATHER that dwelleth in me, HE DOETH THE WORKS.


To see God has been something many throughout time have wanted to do. Knowing the INVISIBLE God exists, knowing the UNKNOWN God exists is factual. God wasn't a created thing and all the other gods worshipped by people, even those who worshipped the sun - they worshipped a created thing- the sun itself was created by God and not deserving of worship. The gods of the moon, the gods of the plants, the gods of the stars, they had gods for everything and they worshipped the gods of these things ignoring the fact the God of all created all things was the only God deserving of worship.


Jesus was a god in spirit form until the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and in that miraculous act that spirit god became flesh, became human. The god in human flesh divested himself of the spirit divinity he had to become human. As 'God with Us' Immanuel, he relied on His Father in heaven, he relied on the God invisible for all things. They wanted to see the Father even when they had God the Son with them because God the Son looked and seemed to be too much like them- human. How could they be sure this human was who He said He was? The very words coming from Him portrayed His uncreated side. No one locked Jesus up for being a mad, raving lunatic with delusions as many have since been locked up in madness of believing they are Him. The words coming from the divine human were from God the Father, the miracles of which there were too many to account fully of them all- were all from the power of God the Father- HE DOETH THE WORKS.


Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.


Jesus told them...BELIEVE ME FOR THE VERY WORKS' SAKE. Believe that the Father was working through Him, believe that He was connected with the FATHER. BELIEVE and if you can't believe on just His word then believe because ACTIONS speak louder than words and the actions- the works He performed- were NO ordinary works but miracles of the like NO ONE else could perform. No one before Him had performed such miracles and if they were miracles they weren't commonplace but deserving of special notice. Jesus didn't want the glory for them, He wanted the glory to go to God the Father. Jesus was the divine vessel God was working through on earth. While God could have taken any ordinary man and given them the power, no ordinary man was sinless and in such connection with Him as was Jesus- sinless in His divine self, sinless in His humanity. The bond between the Father and between the God become flesh, had never been severed by a single sin. Jesus portrayed humanity connected to God fully without sin separating Him from God the Father. He wanted His followers to experience this connection by grace through Him, through His sacrifice of His spirit form of divinity making Himself subject to death.


Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.


Savior manifest yourself to us! By Your mercy, by Your grace, by Your love, by the love of the Father, manifest Yourself to us, love us now and always!


Amen.

Monday, June 7, 2010

The Way

Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.


Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.


A way--
H1870
derek
deh'-rek
From H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action


Right--
H3477
ya?sha?r
yaw-shawr'
From H3474; straight (literally or figuratively): - convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet (-est), + pleased well right (-eous), straight, (most) upright (-ly, -ness).


Death--
H4194
ma?veth
maw'-veth
From H4191; death (natural or violent); concretely the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively pestilence, ruin: - (be) dead ([-ly]), death, die (-d).


There is a way of life in which people believe they are doing the right thing, that their path in life is righteous, that they are upright. Unfortunately that path leads them to eternal death. Seriously, there is a deception in life that people have to be wary of realizing that maybe just maybe they are the ones being deceived. It's frightening to realize there is a way of life we can take in which we believe we are right but end up being completely wrong, wrong to the point it costs us salvation. Sure people will blow it off and say God knows my intentions were good and if He's like that I don't want any part of Him. If God is a God who will trick His people into thinking they are on the right road only to have them die eternally, well He's not much of a God. Do you understand that blaming God is of Satan? If people are living in an upright way they believe will give them eternal life they have the Word of God to measure their life against. We are given the Bible. We are given instructions, reproofs, encouragements in the Word of God. We can't for one moment be satisfied that we are righteous, that our path is righteous--


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.


We have to cling to Christ and Christ's way, not our way. We have to have faith and hope in His way of life, in His righteousness.


Does this mean we should be evil and not walk upright, believing there is no hope in ourselves? Absolutely not. Our trust in Christ will prick our conscience often and we need to heed that nudging whenever it comes to us - right from wrong is revealed- choosing wrong over right is dangerous and deadly. If we're caught up in a very sinful way of life and I'm not just talking blatently sinful, but if we're caught up in a sinfilled way of life we need to throw ourselves constantly at the feet of Jesus praying for a way out through Him.


Yes, there is a way that seems right to man, we can't trust in our own ways. We need to trust solely in Christ's way.


Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Sleep in the dust of the earth...

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.


Sleep in the dust of the earth... what does it mean to sleep in the dust of the earth? Think about it for a moment. If a person is awake after they die they're no longer sleeping, right? Why would the dead need to sleep anyway, they aren't alive needing the basics of life- sleep, food, air, water. Yes read that again-


And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.


The only time a person sleeps in the dust of the earth is when they are dead. Dust returning to dust. Many shall awake when Christ returns to deliver His people. However of those many awaking not all are going to wake up to everlasting life but rather everlasting shame and contempt.


The Bible tells us the dead in Christ shall rise...


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


Some wake to life in Christ, others wake to destruction.


2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power


Every eye shall see Him!


Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.


Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.


Life and death, life after death and death after death. People don't like to think about death after death. People don't like to contemplate not existing in one form or another. People believe foolishly that no matter what they will be saved, they will be written in the Book of Life. People delude themselves and allow themselves to be deluded by others into believing that death is just merely a stepping stone to a new and better life. Those that believe in hell as pictured in many movies, books, televison shows etc, even then don't seem all that concerned about it being real or not being real.


Everlasting shame and contempt. Shame and contempt that will last until non-existence takes over in the very end of all sin, the end of all evil.


Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.


There will be a time of trouble right before the people of God are delivered, the people who have died in Christ and live in Christ will go with Him when He returns. That time of trouble isn't far off and we really need to place our faith in Jesus, our hope in Jesus, our lives in Jesus hands claiming His righteousness knowing that in Him is LIFE and life is found in no other.


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


Amen.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Living Faith- Wise Unto Salvation

2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.


Why do people believe there is salvation outside of the holy scriptures? Why do people insist they can understand all that is needed to be understood by listening to someone else preach the scripture one day a week? Salvation is found in Jesus alone this is true, but... the scriptures make us WISE unto salvation through FAITH with is in Christ Jesus. We believe once we've obtained knowledge that it, that's all there is. However very few of us can read something one time and retain knowledge of it forever, able to recall any part of what we've read at any time without ever having to reread that something again. I could read a whole book and out of that book maybe be able to recall bits and pieces of it, and very few part would be read exactly as they were written- if any. I could give you the jist of the story or maybe if it really fascinated me I could remember a bit more, but most certainly I would not remember the majority. When people are in school they are given memorization exercises and then tested on their memory. Spelling exercises, vocabulary exercises, and before a test is due people study for that test. The point I'm trying to make here is that we need to study the scriptures.


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


We need to know the holy scriptures, especially those of us who haven't learned them from childhood. We know the scriptures can make us WISE unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus and in knowing that we need to learn the scriptures. The only way we're going to truly learn the scriptures is through study, not a weekly study but a daily searching. The daily searching of the scriptures doesn't have to be hours and hours and hours long, it can be ten minutes, five minutes but to open the Word of God and read just a bit from it and study that bit allowing that bit to inspire thought towards salvation, toward Jesus Christ, this is what is important.


If someone handed you a bottle of pills and said take one every day and you'll be wise to salvation though Christ Jesus, you'd pop that pill without fail wouldn't you? If someone told you where you could find a special juice that if you drank a small glass every day you'd be wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, you'd gladly drink and make sure you had a lifetime supply. We want things to be easy, we want things to require no or very little effort on our part. We don't want to put forth too much effort unless we have a tangible result. Sure you'd work very hard tilling that ground, planting those seedlings, watering and weeding that garden patch because you know the end result will be a grand sight, satisfying to you because of how hard you worked to bring it forth. Yes, you'd scrub the house from top to bottom and bask in the results of the cleaning. You'd go to a thankless job day after day knowing it will result in money for your living expenses. The hard work is necessary for most people, very few among the majority have things just given to them without working hard. We don't want to work at all for salvation- the Bible even says this -


Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.


So why should we have to study at all? Studying is work, right?


Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.


Our faith results in the works of God as a natural recourse. To claim you have faith and yet remain unwilling to live as Jesus gave us an example to live, as Jesus told us we should live is faithless faith and YES there is such a thing. A hollow faith. An empty faith. Faith that is spouted but NOT lived. We need a LIVING faith, as our Lord lives.


Will works save us? NO. Will faith save us? Yes. Living faith, not dead faith.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we have a living faith and may we search the scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus.


Amen.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Our soul waiteth for the LORD

Wait upon the Lord.
The everlasting God.
The Lord.
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
The Holy One.



Isa 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
Isa 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Isa 40:30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.


Isa 40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.


Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.


Psa 28:8 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.


Psa 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

Unworthy but Hopeful

Psa 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.


Job 36:3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.


Pro 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.


Isa 17:7 At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.


Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?


Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it... what makest thou?


I love that example of maker and made. We tend to forget we are made that we have a maker. We don't forget we have parents as a rule and most people respect their parents and most parents are worthy of respect. God is forever worthy of our respect, God is our maker over and above our parents.


Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.


God truly knows us as no other can know us.


May God bless us and in knowing us, know that we know how truely wicked we are and how undeserving of His love and mercy we are. We are creatures that have rebelled on our Creator, we are creatures that need to realize our creature status. Our only hope is to throw ourselves at our Father's feet and beg forgiveness having faith in the love of our Father to forgive us through the sacrifice of His all loving Son. Unworthy but hopeful in Christ. The righteousness is in my Maker. No matter who we are the Lord is the maker of all of us.


Amen