Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren
Sanctified
SANC'TIFIED, pp.
1. Made holy; consecrated; set apart for sacred services.
2. Affectedly holy.
He that makes holy and those who are made holy by Him are all of one. That thought is amazing really. There is no special criteria to meet except we be made holy. No snickering and thinking- 'Is that all.' Seriously. We aren't to make ourselves holy but be made holy. We can't make ourselves holy- there is nothing in us to do that. We have no power to make anything holy, we have no holiness of our own- none. HE that sanctifieth- we can be sanctified and by God's will and His grace, through His love we will be made holy and be one with the One who makes us holy. Imagine, our God- imagine, our Savior-imagine, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier not being ashamed to call us brothers.
Brothers. Related to Christ by HIS choice. It's amazing that we have such a wonderful Savior who doesn't want to rule over us with an iron fist, who doesn't want to punish us arbitrarily.
Listen to these words...
Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
We are partakers of Jesus' death and His life saving blood. We are a part of His plan of salvation. Jesus gave His life, Jesus gave His flesh, Jesus gave His blood and through that sacrifice we find life. We are partakers of the life of Christ. We are part of that life, that continued life, the life that is eternal, the life that rose from the grave and ascended to heaven, the life that is related to ours- brothers, relatives, partakers together. The amazing realization that we part take of Christ's life today, right now, right this moment, is something that is too overwhelming to fully comprehend. We have to comprehend it though, we have to make it REAL. We have to have a living, viable life with Christ as a REAL person- yes, I said person!!! Yes, He is a God, God the Son. He is also a human being and we tend to take him out of that realm completely and only think of Him on His throne in heaven. Jesus was real flesh and blood, He had bones, muscles, He had hair, eyes, hands, feet, fingers, toes-- He was human! He was a divine human, yes, there is no doubt about that at all. He was divine but He became one of us, for us. That miracle, that blessing in undeniably beyond anything we can understand. By His grace we will be with Him one day, thanking Him in person, face to face, falling to our knees before Him, our God, our Brother, our Holy Brother.
In His love!
Amen.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Captain of Our Salvation
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
The captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
What does that mean exactly? Perfect through sufferings.
Luk 22:15 and he said unto them, `With desire I did desire to eat this passover with you before my suffering
Act 1:3 to whom also he did present himself alive after his suffering, in many certain proofs, through forty days being seen by them, and speaking the things concerning the reign of God.
Pe 2:19 for this is gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously;
1Pe 2:20 for what renown is it , if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure it ? but if, doing good and suffering for it , ye do endure, this is gracious with God,
1Pe 2:21 for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps,
1Pe 2:22 who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth,
1Pe 2:23 who being reviled--was not reviling again, suffering--was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange at the fiery suffering among you that is coming to try you, as if a strange thing were happening to you,
1Pe 4:13 but, according as ye have fellowship with the sufferings of the Christ, rejoice ye, that also in the revelation of his glory ye may rejoice--exulting;
1Pe 4:19 so that also those suffering according to the will of god, as to a stedfast Creator, let them commit their own souls in good doing.
Suffering.
Suffering
SUF'FERING, ppr. Bearing; undergoing pain, inconvenience or damage; permitting; allowing.
SUF'FERING, n. The bearing of pain, inconvenience or loss; pain endured; distress, loss or injury incurred; as sufferings by pain or sorrow; sufferings by want or by wrongs.
Pain, sorrow, damage…
Christ suffered. Christ who relived the suffering of so many. Christ who took away the pain many suffered with for years. Christ who healed, who helped, who forgave so many during His ministry was called to suffer.
I have a question… the Son of God, pure from sin lived in a world filled with sin and pain, and suffering. Could it be that He suffered more than we can fully comprehend? He did say this…
Luk 22:15 and he said unto them, `With desire I did desire to eat this passover with you before my suffering
Could it be that it wasn't until He was to cry out these words-- Mat 27:46 and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a great voice, saying, `Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, `My God, my God, why didst Thou forsake me?'
…that He didn't feel the full effect of the suffering, when He was alone on the cross. Yes, He felt the pain of the physical abuse, abuse that He suffered without deserving it at all whatsoever, but the mental , emotional anguish of feeling abandoned had to be beyond our comprehension, why? Because we are not alone- ever. We have not been abandoned even at our lowest point. We have access to our forgiving Father, our longsuffering Father, our Savior, no matter what we go through. Christ was alone. He had to bear the pain, the suffering alone to give to us salvation. We are called to suffer, Christ being our example.
1Pe 2:21 for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps,
People think this is horrible, that we are called to suffer. But if you live in this world, you suffer. There is no way you can live here and live in Christ's love without suffering. This world is filled with so much suffering that our suffering can even come from watching others suffer. If we are heartless, if we give ourselves over to Satan we will have a lack of compassion, we won't suffer as much. Compassion won't be as prominent in our lives. Have you ever wondered how some people can abuse others, how they can purposely cause them pain, and even enjoy it? Have you ever witnessed the suffering of another without your heart aching for their pain? Maybe you can answer yes to those questions, I don't know, but if the answer is yes then falling on your knees and begging God to give you a heart that truly loves your fellowman is in order. Satan has twisted us, Satan has warped us into self-centered people whose main purpose is self- even when we help others He's twisted it into being a selfish act. Take some time to notice the selfishness in other- not to condemn them NO WAY, but sometimes when we see something in another it can be a reflection for us. We can see ourselves in them. We need to recognize how selfish we are in so many ways, even little ways. Our greatest example, the greatest light we need to look to is our SAVIOR, in His light we can see our failings and cling to His light, not ours. We need to be bathed fully in HIS light, having NONE of our own. HE is the LIGHT! We are to be illuminated by Him, any light we have to show to others is HIS light, not our light. When our light shines before others it's to glorify GOD, not to bring us glory. When we suffer, even if it's pain from witnessing the suffering of others we are following in the example of our Lord and Savior. It's when we no longer suffer that we really should wonder about our walk with Christ. I'm not saying we can't have any joy in our lives. We can praise and glorify our Lord and Savior and we can even find the Peace that passes understanding in Christ, but in this world of sin, reeking of thousands of years of sin ruled by the prince of darkness, suffering will be ours. We may count it JOY when we suffer, but that joy is in the knowledge that we have a Savior whose suffering brought us salvation. There is hope and joy in the world to come, in living with our Lord and Savior. Our joy needs to be in Christ. If we find joy in ourselves without Christ we are deceiving ourselves, or being deceived. Our joy, our hope, our faith, our love, our light is all IN CHRIST!
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
The captain of OUR salvation perfect through sufferings.
Sin brings suffering.
Joy in suffering is knowing sin has been defeated by our Lord, by our Savior!
May God bless and keep us always IN HIM! May we suffer as He suffered and count it all joy knowing salvation is found in Him, that beyond ALL suffering lives our Savior and life everlasting in HIM!
By His Grace!
Amen.
Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
The captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
What does that mean exactly? Perfect through sufferings.
Luk 22:15 and he said unto them, `With desire I did desire to eat this passover with you before my suffering
Act 1:3 to whom also he did present himself alive after his suffering, in many certain proofs, through forty days being seen by them, and speaking the things concerning the reign of God.
Pe 2:19 for this is gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously;
1Pe 2:20 for what renown is it , if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure it ? but if, doing good and suffering for it , ye do endure, this is gracious with God,
1Pe 2:21 for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps,
1Pe 2:22 who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth,
1Pe 2:23 who being reviled--was not reviling again, suffering--was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange at the fiery suffering among you that is coming to try you, as if a strange thing were happening to you,
1Pe 4:13 but, according as ye have fellowship with the sufferings of the Christ, rejoice ye, that also in the revelation of his glory ye may rejoice--exulting;
1Pe 4:19 so that also those suffering according to the will of god, as to a stedfast Creator, let them commit their own souls in good doing.
Suffering.
Suffering
SUF'FERING, ppr. Bearing; undergoing pain, inconvenience or damage; permitting; allowing.
SUF'FERING, n. The bearing of pain, inconvenience or loss; pain endured; distress, loss or injury incurred; as sufferings by pain or sorrow; sufferings by want or by wrongs.
Pain, sorrow, damage…
Christ suffered. Christ who relived the suffering of so many. Christ who took away the pain many suffered with for years. Christ who healed, who helped, who forgave so many during His ministry was called to suffer.
I have a question… the Son of God, pure from sin lived in a world filled with sin and pain, and suffering. Could it be that He suffered more than we can fully comprehend? He did say this…
Luk 22:15 and he said unto them, `With desire I did desire to eat this passover with you before my suffering
Could it be that it wasn't until He was to cry out these words-- Mat 27:46 and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a great voice, saying, `Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, `My God, my God, why didst Thou forsake me?'
…that He didn't feel the full effect of the suffering, when He was alone on the cross. Yes, He felt the pain of the physical abuse, abuse that He suffered without deserving it at all whatsoever, but the mental , emotional anguish of feeling abandoned had to be beyond our comprehension, why? Because we are not alone- ever. We have not been abandoned even at our lowest point. We have access to our forgiving Father, our longsuffering Father, our Savior, no matter what we go through. Christ was alone. He had to bear the pain, the suffering alone to give to us salvation. We are called to suffer, Christ being our example.
1Pe 2:21 for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps,
People think this is horrible, that we are called to suffer. But if you live in this world, you suffer. There is no way you can live here and live in Christ's love without suffering. This world is filled with so much suffering that our suffering can even come from watching others suffer. If we are heartless, if we give ourselves over to Satan we will have a lack of compassion, we won't suffer as much. Compassion won't be as prominent in our lives. Have you ever wondered how some people can abuse others, how they can purposely cause them pain, and even enjoy it? Have you ever witnessed the suffering of another without your heart aching for their pain? Maybe you can answer yes to those questions, I don't know, but if the answer is yes then falling on your knees and begging God to give you a heart that truly loves your fellowman is in order. Satan has twisted us, Satan has warped us into self-centered people whose main purpose is self- even when we help others He's twisted it into being a selfish act. Take some time to notice the selfishness in other- not to condemn them NO WAY, but sometimes when we see something in another it can be a reflection for us. We can see ourselves in them. We need to recognize how selfish we are in so many ways, even little ways. Our greatest example, the greatest light we need to look to is our SAVIOR, in His light we can see our failings and cling to His light, not ours. We need to be bathed fully in HIS light, having NONE of our own. HE is the LIGHT! We are to be illuminated by Him, any light we have to show to others is HIS light, not our light. When our light shines before others it's to glorify GOD, not to bring us glory. When we suffer, even if it's pain from witnessing the suffering of others we are following in the example of our Lord and Savior. It's when we no longer suffer that we really should wonder about our walk with Christ. I'm not saying we can't have any joy in our lives. We can praise and glorify our Lord and Savior and we can even find the Peace that passes understanding in Christ, but in this world of sin, reeking of thousands of years of sin ruled by the prince of darkness, suffering will be ours. We may count it JOY when we suffer, but that joy is in the knowledge that we have a Savior whose suffering brought us salvation. There is hope and joy in the world to come, in living with our Lord and Savior. Our joy needs to be in Christ. If we find joy in ourselves without Christ we are deceiving ourselves, or being deceived. Our joy, our hope, our faith, our love, our light is all IN CHRIST!
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
The captain of OUR salvation perfect through sufferings.
Sin brings suffering.
Joy in suffering is knowing sin has been defeated by our Lord, by our Savior!
May God bless and keep us always IN HIM! May we suffer as He suffered and count it all joy knowing salvation is found in Him, that beyond ALL suffering lives our Savior and life everlasting in HIM!
By His Grace!
Amen.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
World to Come- Salvation
Heb 2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
Salvation. We are saved for a purpose, for life eternal. We are saved from this world that isn't anything like the world we need and long to be from. We are saved from eternal death, from eternal nothingness, from eternal darkness and given life in Christ from whom all love flows. We only get glimpses, tiny glimpses into the world of unconditional love, unselfish love, teeny tiny insights in our lives that are all markers pointing us to the one unconditional, unselfish love that saves us. We can look on the outside of people and some appear to be very unselfish, and very Christ-like, but the fact remains we don't know their hearts. By their fruit we shall know them and some appear to have the best fruit in the world- so Christ-like it puts us to total shame. What it comes down to is our own lives- because they are the only thing we really know. I know my heart and wish it were more Christ-like. I know my failings, my sins, my inner evils just as you all know your own. We can ask for forgiveness, we can repent, and we can be saved! We can be given the world to come. We can hope for a place in that world ruled by love in its purest form without sin marring anything. We can pray and have faith that we will be in that world to come a world that angels will be in subjection to.
1. Being in a position or in circumstances that place one under the power or authority of another or others
Pasted from
Angels will be under the power and authority of God. We will share in that world with God, with angels. God's power, God's authority will always and forever be supreme! God- from whom ALL blessings flow.
Angels- spiritual beings we imagine act of their own accord but God's angels are all in subjection to God and do the bidding of the Lord. Does this mean they are enslaved to God? Some would have you believe that's exactly what is means, that God wants to make us all slaves to Him. That's not true, not true at all whatsoever. When you serve the one you love, when you put yourself into subjection of the one you love to obey them you are NOT a slave to them. Freely the love is given, freely the serving is offered. The angels consider themselves blessed to serve God. While the devil would have us twist things and make subjection to God seem like a punishment, and evil all on its own, it's a lie from the father of lies.
*
Heb 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands
Psa 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psa 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Psa 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Psa 8:7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
Psa 8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Psa 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Man- made a little lower than the angels and yet crowned with glory and honor.
There have been movies about angels detesting humans because God made angels to be above them and yet has crowned them with glory and honor. Angels of God by their very nature minister unto man all through love, there is no animosity though Satan would have us believe there is. Satan would have us put our sinful nature onto the unfallen angels and give them traits that fallen humans have, or that evil fallen angels have. It's not like that at all.
What is man? We are God's creation. We are so important to Him that His Son took on our flesh and became human so He could save us through the sacrifice of Himself. We don't understand, we can't understand just how important we are to God, just how much He loves us. Our love towards God is unequaled to His love for us and our righteousness is filthy, unequal to Christ's pure righteousness that we so desperately need to claim while giving up our selfish need to believe we can be righteous on our own.
Praise God for His amazing LOVE! Praise God!
May we fully be immersed in the Love of God, may we live for the world to come where self is nothing compared to selflessness in Christ.
By His glory, by His grace!
Amen.
Salvation. We are saved for a purpose, for life eternal. We are saved from this world that isn't anything like the world we need and long to be from. We are saved from eternal death, from eternal nothingness, from eternal darkness and given life in Christ from whom all love flows. We only get glimpses, tiny glimpses into the world of unconditional love, unselfish love, teeny tiny insights in our lives that are all markers pointing us to the one unconditional, unselfish love that saves us. We can look on the outside of people and some appear to be very unselfish, and very Christ-like, but the fact remains we don't know their hearts. By their fruit we shall know them and some appear to have the best fruit in the world- so Christ-like it puts us to total shame. What it comes down to is our own lives- because they are the only thing we really know. I know my heart and wish it were more Christ-like. I know my failings, my sins, my inner evils just as you all know your own. We can ask for forgiveness, we can repent, and we can be saved! We can be given the world to come. We can hope for a place in that world ruled by love in its purest form without sin marring anything. We can pray and have faith that we will be in that world to come a world that angels will be in subjection to.
1. Being in a position or in circumstances that place one under the power or authority of another or others
Pasted from
Angels will be under the power and authority of God. We will share in that world with God, with angels. God's power, God's authority will always and forever be supreme! God- from whom ALL blessings flow.
Angels- spiritual beings we imagine act of their own accord but God's angels are all in subjection to God and do the bidding of the Lord. Does this mean they are enslaved to God? Some would have you believe that's exactly what is means, that God wants to make us all slaves to Him. That's not true, not true at all whatsoever. When you serve the one you love, when you put yourself into subjection of the one you love to obey them you are NOT a slave to them. Freely the love is given, freely the serving is offered. The angels consider themselves blessed to serve God. While the devil would have us twist things and make subjection to God seem like a punishment, and evil all on its own, it's a lie from the father of lies.
*
Heb 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands
Psa 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psa 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Psa 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Psa 8:7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
Psa 8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Psa 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Man- made a little lower than the angels and yet crowned with glory and honor.
There have been movies about angels detesting humans because God made angels to be above them and yet has crowned them with glory and honor. Angels of God by their very nature minister unto man all through love, there is no animosity though Satan would have us believe there is. Satan would have us put our sinful nature onto the unfallen angels and give them traits that fallen humans have, or that evil fallen angels have. It's not like that at all.
What is man? We are God's creation. We are so important to Him that His Son took on our flesh and became human so He could save us through the sacrifice of Himself. We don't understand, we can't understand just how important we are to God, just how much He loves us. Our love towards God is unequaled to His love for us and our righteousness is filthy, unequal to Christ's pure righteousness that we so desperately need to claim while giving up our selfish need to believe we can be righteous on our own.
Praise God for His amazing LOVE! Praise God!
May we fully be immersed in the Love of God, may we live for the world to come where self is nothing compared to selflessness in Christ.
By His glory, by His grace!
Amen.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Salvation- God bears witness
Heb 2:3 ...how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
Heb 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will
So great salvation- first spoken by the Lord- confirmed by those who heard the Lord.
God also bore witness of this great salvation. How?
With signs.
With wonders.
With different miracles.
With gifts of the Holy Ghost.
To reveal salvation to the world many steps were taken. The unveiling was in reality miraculous in many ways so that it would be undeniable.
Salvation undeniable yet denied by the vast majority of those who witnessed first hand and by the vast majority today, and all throughout the ages.
If signs and wonders, if miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost were not enough- nothing would be enough. Do we want this today? Do we demand today to see signs, to witness wonders, to experience miracles, to be declared by a tongue of fire that the Holy Ghost has gifted us? Would we even recognize a sign, a wonder, a miracle, a gift? We are so jaded by so many things and our skepticism has only grown deeply embedded in our lifestyles. We are quick to judge on the side of negativity and we call it by the name realism- we are just being realistic about things. The truth of the matter is that we join with the throngs that stood in a crowd and cried out for our Savior to be crucified when we deny active faith, when we refuse to believe real miracles, real signs, real wonders, and real gifts from the Holy Ghost. Yes, we do have to be extremely cautious because Satan will try and imitate all of these things and he will succeed in deceiving many, but just because Satan will use these things, doesn't mean God won't use them. We can differentiate between the two by taking everything to the Word of God. Should we seek signs and wonders, miracles and gifts? Not to the exclusion of a faith that stands on just that… faith alone.
All has to be done according to God's will- not our will. All was done according to God's will when God's Son took on humanity and chose to offer His life to bring us salvation.
Salvation is REAL!
Salvation! A word that means what exactly?
sal·va·tion
[sal-vey-shuhn]
Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act of saving or protecting from harm, risk, loss, destruction, etc.
2.
the state of being saved or protected from harm, risk, etc.
3.
a source, cause, or means of being saved or protected from harm, risk, etc.
4.
Theology . deliverance from the power and penalty of sin; redemption.
Pasted from
Saved! Redeemed! Delivered!
So many people today don't even believe they are in need of salvation. Satan has done His work well. People don't believe they are in a state of captivity because the captivity is to sin and they don't believe in sin. Yes, they might believe in *certain* sins but they don't commit those *certain* sins - they aren't criminals and so they have no need of being saved, they aren't captive to anything at all, thank you very much.
Satan worked with all stops out when Jesus was working His ministry on earth and since Jesus won salvation for all that would accept it, Satan has stopped at nothing, working harder and harder to deceive using every single tactic he can. So what if you believe, he'll steer that belief into the 'saved by works' mentality. So what if you show faith in God, he'll guide you to have more faith in yourself. For every single bit of godliness that exists, Satan and his minions have counter measures to put into place. Is it no wonder the path is so narrow? Is it no wonder few there be that find that path? Ask for God to take the spiritual blinders off you, ask for the eyesalve so needed so we can see all the truth, so that we can see His ways and then by His grace, by His power walk in those ways.
Salvation! Brought to us undeserving sinners by God! We can't neglect this so great salvation, God has done all He can to bear witness to its reality.
By His grace, by His mercy, in His love, His righteousness now and forever!
Amen!
Heb 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will
So great salvation- first spoken by the Lord- confirmed by those who heard the Lord.
God also bore witness of this great salvation. How?
With signs.
With wonders.
With different miracles.
With gifts of the Holy Ghost.
To reveal salvation to the world many steps were taken. The unveiling was in reality miraculous in many ways so that it would be undeniable.
Salvation undeniable yet denied by the vast majority of those who witnessed first hand and by the vast majority today, and all throughout the ages.
If signs and wonders, if miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost were not enough- nothing would be enough. Do we want this today? Do we demand today to see signs, to witness wonders, to experience miracles, to be declared by a tongue of fire that the Holy Ghost has gifted us? Would we even recognize a sign, a wonder, a miracle, a gift? We are so jaded by so many things and our skepticism has only grown deeply embedded in our lifestyles. We are quick to judge on the side of negativity and we call it by the name realism- we are just being realistic about things. The truth of the matter is that we join with the throngs that stood in a crowd and cried out for our Savior to be crucified when we deny active faith, when we refuse to believe real miracles, real signs, real wonders, and real gifts from the Holy Ghost. Yes, we do have to be extremely cautious because Satan will try and imitate all of these things and he will succeed in deceiving many, but just because Satan will use these things, doesn't mean God won't use them. We can differentiate between the two by taking everything to the Word of God. Should we seek signs and wonders, miracles and gifts? Not to the exclusion of a faith that stands on just that… faith alone.
All has to be done according to God's will- not our will. All was done according to God's will when God's Son took on humanity and chose to offer His life to bring us salvation.
Salvation is REAL!
Salvation! A word that means what exactly?
sal·va·tion
[sal-vey-shuhn]
Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act of saving or protecting from harm, risk, loss, destruction, etc.
2.
the state of being saved or protected from harm, risk, etc.
3.
a source, cause, or means of being saved or protected from harm, risk, etc.
4.
Theology . deliverance from the power and penalty of sin; redemption.
Pasted from
Saved! Redeemed! Delivered!
So many people today don't even believe they are in need of salvation. Satan has done His work well. People don't believe they are in a state of captivity because the captivity is to sin and they don't believe in sin. Yes, they might believe in *certain* sins but they don't commit those *certain* sins - they aren't criminals and so they have no need of being saved, they aren't captive to anything at all, thank you very much.
Satan worked with all stops out when Jesus was working His ministry on earth and since Jesus won salvation for all that would accept it, Satan has stopped at nothing, working harder and harder to deceive using every single tactic he can. So what if you believe, he'll steer that belief into the 'saved by works' mentality. So what if you show faith in God, he'll guide you to have more faith in yourself. For every single bit of godliness that exists, Satan and his minions have counter measures to put into place. Is it no wonder the path is so narrow? Is it no wonder few there be that find that path? Ask for God to take the spiritual blinders off you, ask for the eyesalve so needed so we can see all the truth, so that we can see His ways and then by His grace, by His power walk in those ways.
Salvation! Brought to us undeserving sinners by God! We can't neglect this so great salvation, God has done all He can to bear witness to its reality.
By His grace, by His mercy, in His love, His righteousness now and forever!
Amen!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Plead my cause, oh LORD!
During my recent Bible studies on Friday evenings we've been studying Spiritual Warfare. As most people know - when we get closer to the Lord the Devil gets mad. We are attacked. It's not fiction- it's reality. Satan would have us believe it's fiction, Satan would have us believe any attacks by him have to be the stuff of exorcisms. The every day ordinary life is Satan-free, right? That's how Satan would have us think. The nasty little every day irritations can't be from him, He doesn't bother himself with tiny stuff.
It's a lie, and He's the father of lies. Satan works his evil in every way he can in the smallest ways possible. He's not going to exert any more effort than needed to capture the spiritual life of a person. Satan will not go to great lengths if only small upsets are enough to take over a person and bring them to despair that they'll ever be able to be the Lord's fully.
Today I was attacked spiritually in a very vicious way and I didn't exhibit any Christ-like qualities as I was assaulted. The attack came from more than one side and just threw me for a loop. No, I'm not going to relate some amazing, supernatural occurrence to you. It wasn't a supernatural occurrence but rather situations set up to entice me to be overcome by the sin of unrighteous anger. In the blink of an eye one occurrence took place and while that spark ignited the fire a heart beat later another occurrence caused that small flame to explode and I felt an awful rage of anger and logically there was no real reason for any of it to happen! None! I don't understand why, I just know that I succumbed to the attack and reacted just how Satan wanted me to react. The guilt, the shame, the awful knowledge that my spiritual life was so lacking I could be so easily goaded into sinning pained me something awful. Knowing that others witnessed my unwarranted anger, knowing others were the victims of my failing made me feel sick. Recognizing it all for what it was- a Satanic attack- not of the spectacular but of the ordinary- was a blessing. Asking for forgiveness, letting the others know it was an attack- helped me get through it without too much spiritual damage- PRAISE GOD!
The reason I'm writing about this here in my Bible Study is because we need to recognize the enemy for what He is and what He does. We need to realize His workings not as an excuse like some think we use it for, but for the reality we live in. We need to BLAME Satan for what He does, for what He orchestrates, for the evil He incites, we CAN'T let Him place the blame on us as if He doesn't exist, or worse still we can't let Him place the blame on God.
This Psalm of David has been brought to my attention several times lately and with good reason-
Psa 35:1 A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
Psa 35:2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
Psa 35:3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
Psa 35:4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
Psa 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
Psa 35:6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
The angel of the LORD chase them.
The angel of the LORD persecute them.
Satan is an evil angel and he has many minions of like kind. We might read something like the verses above and instantly imagine living in a time of warfare with human enemies after us- something I know I don't live with at all in that respect. What I live with is spiritual warfare. I need to pray this prayer- I need to ask the Lord to strive with me, to fight against them that fight against me- and those who are the 'them' might just be evil angels, not other human beings. We are told to put on armor- Spiritual armor. We are told to take a helmet, a shield, a sword, a belt, boots, a breastplate- armor. Here in this Psalm David is pleading to God- 'take hold of a shield and buckler- draw out the spear.' Spiritual armor! We need our spiritual enemies to be just as confounded, to be put to shame, to turn back, to be brought to confusion. We need the spiritual enemy to be as chaff in the wind- we need the angel of the Lord to persecute them.
We are in a battle! We are, we really, really are and we can't let anything in this world convince us otherwise. As soon as we begin to believe the battle is fictional we are lost.
It is my prayer along with David's- Plead my cause, O LORD. Plead my cause! Please God- Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation!
By His grace!
Amen.
It's a lie, and He's the father of lies. Satan works his evil in every way he can in the smallest ways possible. He's not going to exert any more effort than needed to capture the spiritual life of a person. Satan will not go to great lengths if only small upsets are enough to take over a person and bring them to despair that they'll ever be able to be the Lord's fully.
Today I was attacked spiritually in a very vicious way and I didn't exhibit any Christ-like qualities as I was assaulted. The attack came from more than one side and just threw me for a loop. No, I'm not going to relate some amazing, supernatural occurrence to you. It wasn't a supernatural occurrence but rather situations set up to entice me to be overcome by the sin of unrighteous anger. In the blink of an eye one occurrence took place and while that spark ignited the fire a heart beat later another occurrence caused that small flame to explode and I felt an awful rage of anger and logically there was no real reason for any of it to happen! None! I don't understand why, I just know that I succumbed to the attack and reacted just how Satan wanted me to react. The guilt, the shame, the awful knowledge that my spiritual life was so lacking I could be so easily goaded into sinning pained me something awful. Knowing that others witnessed my unwarranted anger, knowing others were the victims of my failing made me feel sick. Recognizing it all for what it was- a Satanic attack- not of the spectacular but of the ordinary- was a blessing. Asking for forgiveness, letting the others know it was an attack- helped me get through it without too much spiritual damage- PRAISE GOD!
The reason I'm writing about this here in my Bible Study is because we need to recognize the enemy for what He is and what He does. We need to realize His workings not as an excuse like some think we use it for, but for the reality we live in. We need to BLAME Satan for what He does, for what He orchestrates, for the evil He incites, we CAN'T let Him place the blame on us as if He doesn't exist, or worse still we can't let Him place the blame on God.
This Psalm of David has been brought to my attention several times lately and with good reason-
Psa 35:1 A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
Psa 35:2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
Psa 35:3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
Psa 35:4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
Psa 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
Psa 35:6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
The angel of the LORD chase them.
The angel of the LORD persecute them.
Satan is an evil angel and he has many minions of like kind. We might read something like the verses above and instantly imagine living in a time of warfare with human enemies after us- something I know I don't live with at all in that respect. What I live with is spiritual warfare. I need to pray this prayer- I need to ask the Lord to strive with me, to fight against them that fight against me- and those who are the 'them' might just be evil angels, not other human beings. We are told to put on armor- Spiritual armor. We are told to take a helmet, a shield, a sword, a belt, boots, a breastplate- armor. Here in this Psalm David is pleading to God- 'take hold of a shield and buckler- draw out the spear.' Spiritual armor! We need our spiritual enemies to be just as confounded, to be put to shame, to turn back, to be brought to confusion. We need the spiritual enemy to be as chaff in the wind- we need the angel of the Lord to persecute them.
We are in a battle! We are, we really, really are and we can't let anything in this world convince us otherwise. As soon as we begin to believe the battle is fictional we are lost.
It is my prayer along with David's- Plead my cause, O LORD. Plead my cause! Please God- Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation!
By His grace!
Amen.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Jesus' Prayer
What a blessing it is for us personally to hear these words of our Savior--
Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word
That's you and me Jesus is talking about! Jesus is praying for you and me! This prayer is so important for us. Jesus told us specifically that when we pray we shouldn't do so with vain repetitions, that we shouldn't make a great show of it, no public spectacle when we pray but rather go to a closet and pray there, do so in private rather than put your praying on display. So after being told all this we are greatly privileged, blessed, to hear one of Jesus' prayers. Jesus would go away in private to do most of His praying, but this prayer was one we were meant to hear. A prayer to His Father. Communication with His Father, with God the Father, how amazing is this! We get to listen as Jesus speaks with His Father when mentions US.
Let's really listen to this prayer-- Joh 17:1-26
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said--
Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
Amazing! Jesus doesn't pray for the world! How shocking that news might be for many who preach that we are to pray for the world. Jesus isn't praying for the world. Jesus knows this world as it is belongs to the prince of darkness. Jesus prays for those that God has given to Him. Those God has given to Him do not find this world to be theirs either.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
We are NOT supposed to fit in! We are not supposed to look, be, feel, act like the world! We are not supposed to be like the majority! We are not to have their same thoughts or actions. We are not to seek acceptance from the world. If you are hoping to fit in, hoping that the Lord will answer your prayer to make you more like the world- more acceptable to others- then you are not in harmony with Jesus at all. You've had to have heard that that there is a "right" way and a "wrong" way to do things. The right way to most people is the one that doesn't rock any boats, that doesn't make you stand out in a crowd. The wrong way is to go about it in a way that will cause unrest, unease, making people feel uncomfortable- in a way that doesn't conform. Am I suggesting people who serve their Lord and Savior are to be unruly? No. I'm suggesting that we need to stand up for Christ and not be ashamed of Him and do so in a way that the world may not accept. Don't hide our faith, don't try to fit in with the world just so the world accepts you. What good is having the acceptance of EVERYONE on this world and not having the acceptance of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior? Do your peers accept you? Does your family accept you? Do co-workers accept you? Do your neighbors accept you? Do they all follow the Lord? Are they too not of this world? If they are of this world and not of Jesus then you need to ask yourself if you are conforming to their ways- being accepting of their worldliness- so you are accepted, or are they tolerating your ways, the ways of our Lord?
Jesus lived in this world but wasn't of this world! He is our great example. I want to be of Jesus' world, not this world. The more uncomfortable, the more ill-at-ease, the more strange I feel in this world the better, as long as the world I belong to is the same as Jesus' world.
May God bless us as Jesus' prayer is prayed for us even now. By the mercy of our Lord, by His grace!
In Christ now and forever and ever, always.
Amen.
Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word
That's you and me Jesus is talking about! Jesus is praying for you and me! This prayer is so important for us. Jesus told us specifically that when we pray we shouldn't do so with vain repetitions, that we shouldn't make a great show of it, no public spectacle when we pray but rather go to a closet and pray there, do so in private rather than put your praying on display. So after being told all this we are greatly privileged, blessed, to hear one of Jesus' prayers. Jesus would go away in private to do most of His praying, but this prayer was one we were meant to hear. A prayer to His Father. Communication with His Father, with God the Father, how amazing is this! We get to listen as Jesus speaks with His Father when mentions US.
Let's really listen to this prayer-- Joh 17:1-26
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said--
Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
Amazing! Jesus doesn't pray for the world! How shocking that news might be for many who preach that we are to pray for the world. Jesus isn't praying for the world. Jesus knows this world as it is belongs to the prince of darkness. Jesus prays for those that God has given to Him. Those God has given to Him do not find this world to be theirs either.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
We are NOT supposed to fit in! We are not supposed to look, be, feel, act like the world! We are not supposed to be like the majority! We are not to have their same thoughts or actions. We are not to seek acceptance from the world. If you are hoping to fit in, hoping that the Lord will answer your prayer to make you more like the world- more acceptable to others- then you are not in harmony with Jesus at all. You've had to have heard that that there is a "right" way and a "wrong" way to do things. The right way to most people is the one that doesn't rock any boats, that doesn't make you stand out in a crowd. The wrong way is to go about it in a way that will cause unrest, unease, making people feel uncomfortable- in a way that doesn't conform. Am I suggesting people who serve their Lord and Savior are to be unruly? No. I'm suggesting that we need to stand up for Christ and not be ashamed of Him and do so in a way that the world may not accept. Don't hide our faith, don't try to fit in with the world just so the world accepts you. What good is having the acceptance of EVERYONE on this world and not having the acceptance of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior? Do your peers accept you? Does your family accept you? Do co-workers accept you? Do your neighbors accept you? Do they all follow the Lord? Are they too not of this world? If they are of this world and not of Jesus then you need to ask yourself if you are conforming to their ways- being accepting of their worldliness- so you are accepted, or are they tolerating your ways, the ways of our Lord?
Jesus lived in this world but wasn't of this world! He is our great example. I want to be of Jesus' world, not this world. The more uncomfortable, the more ill-at-ease, the more strange I feel in this world the better, as long as the world I belong to is the same as Jesus' world.
May God bless us as Jesus' prayer is prayed for us even now. By the mercy of our Lord, by His grace!
In Christ now and forever and ever, always.
Amen.
Friday, August 20, 2010
How shall we escape....
Heb 2:1-3 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
Every transgression
Every disobedience…
…will receive its just reward.
Make NO mistake people! No mistake! We have to give EARNEST HEED to what we know, because if we don't, if we just let what we know of salvation slip away we will NOT ESCAPE! If we neglect salvation we will NOT ESCAPE! It's not automatic, eternal life in Christ is NOT automatic. What is automatic is eternal death if we neglect the great salvation of our Savior.
Are you giving earnest heed to your Salvation? What happens when you stop heeding salvation? What happens when eternal life ceases to be a concern and all that matters is the life you have right here on earth now? Should thoughts of salvation be daily thoughts? Should the eternal be a daily contemplation or just something you think about once in a while, from time to time? Should our eternal life be something like retirement? You think about it occasionally and even make a few plans for it, you accept a few conditions here and there about investing in your retirement fund, but it isn't something you bother yourself with every day. Maybe the older you get the more you think about it and then as it approaches you have constant thoughts. If we treat our eternal life in the same way there is a great chance that we will have neglected salvation. No, you say? You will have saved up for eternal life? You will have put away a little something? It doesn't work like that. It's not retirement, it's not a new phase of life as you wait for inevitable dying. Eternal life is just that - eternity. It's so much more important than any sort of retirement. Eternal life needs earnest heeding. Eternal life needs to be experienced every day, constantly. Eternal life needs to be part of our daily life now, not something we think about later on.
How else shall we escape?
Do you really believe that life is nothing more than birth, aging, and death? Do you really believe that here and now is all that life consists of? The real world is the eternal world, not this world we are living on right now. The real world exists beyond this one. Satan would have us believe that this is the real world and all there is and everything else is mere fantasy. Satan would have us believe that we don't have to concern ourselves with heeding earnestly anything spiritually discerned- if we keep our thoughts in the real world, on real problems, on real life will we be okay- that's Satan's plan for any and all he can convince.
Heb 2:1-3 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
Unless we recognize our sinning and seek salvation through repentance and the grace of our Lord and Savior, unless we realize our need of constant salvation through the righteousness of God's Son, we will have to pay a price for every sin, for every transgression. Our Savior paid the price for us, but we have to live in Him, making that gift available to us. Salvation is the gift of God and it's a gift we have to have in our hearts at all times, a salvation pacemaker if you will. Something with us at all times, working at all times on our behalf. We cannot accept salvation and like a real pacemaker forget about it being there after awhile, we need to be aware of God always. We need to be aware of God's love and the gift of God always. Once you accept Christ as your Savior you are choosing to live for Him.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
The only way this verse if pertinent is if we are praying daily, right? Our Lord and Savior would have us praying daily, He would have us living in Him daily.
Joh 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Joh 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Joh 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Joh 17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord! By His will! Please Lord, please… let the love that God the Father loved His Son with be in us , and Christ be in us now and always! In His righteousness, in His amazing love!
Amen.
Every transgression
Every disobedience…
…will receive its just reward.
Make NO mistake people! No mistake! We have to give EARNEST HEED to what we know, because if we don't, if we just let what we know of salvation slip away we will NOT ESCAPE! If we neglect salvation we will NOT ESCAPE! It's not automatic, eternal life in Christ is NOT automatic. What is automatic is eternal death if we neglect the great salvation of our Savior.
Are you giving earnest heed to your Salvation? What happens when you stop heeding salvation? What happens when eternal life ceases to be a concern and all that matters is the life you have right here on earth now? Should thoughts of salvation be daily thoughts? Should the eternal be a daily contemplation or just something you think about once in a while, from time to time? Should our eternal life be something like retirement? You think about it occasionally and even make a few plans for it, you accept a few conditions here and there about investing in your retirement fund, but it isn't something you bother yourself with every day. Maybe the older you get the more you think about it and then as it approaches you have constant thoughts. If we treat our eternal life in the same way there is a great chance that we will have neglected salvation. No, you say? You will have saved up for eternal life? You will have put away a little something? It doesn't work like that. It's not retirement, it's not a new phase of life as you wait for inevitable dying. Eternal life is just that - eternity. It's so much more important than any sort of retirement. Eternal life needs earnest heeding. Eternal life needs to be experienced every day, constantly. Eternal life needs to be part of our daily life now, not something we think about later on.
How else shall we escape?
Do you really believe that life is nothing more than birth, aging, and death? Do you really believe that here and now is all that life consists of? The real world is the eternal world, not this world we are living on right now. The real world exists beyond this one. Satan would have us believe that this is the real world and all there is and everything else is mere fantasy. Satan would have us believe that we don't have to concern ourselves with heeding earnestly anything spiritually discerned- if we keep our thoughts in the real world, on real problems, on real life will we be okay- that's Satan's plan for any and all he can convince.
Heb 2:1-3 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
Unless we recognize our sinning and seek salvation through repentance and the grace of our Lord and Savior, unless we realize our need of constant salvation through the righteousness of God's Son, we will have to pay a price for every sin, for every transgression. Our Savior paid the price for us, but we have to live in Him, making that gift available to us. Salvation is the gift of God and it's a gift we have to have in our hearts at all times, a salvation pacemaker if you will. Something with us at all times, working at all times on our behalf. We cannot accept salvation and like a real pacemaker forget about it being there after awhile, we need to be aware of God always. We need to be aware of God's love and the gift of God always. Once you accept Christ as your Savior you are choosing to live for Him.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
The only way this verse if pertinent is if we are praying daily, right? Our Lord and Savior would have us praying daily, He would have us living in Him daily.
Joh 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Joh 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Joh 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Joh 17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord! By His will! Please Lord, please… let the love that God the Father loved His Son with be in us , and Christ be in us now and always! In His righteousness, in His amazing love!
Amen.
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