Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Laws in our hearts.
Laws written in our minds.
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
The Gentiles…those not chosen by God to be His people- those NOT born from those chosen to be God's people did not have the law given to them. Not having the law some of them would by NATURE do the things contained in the law- they were naturally followers of God's law. Their lives revealed the work of the law WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS. Their CONSCIENCE and their THOUGHTS bear them witness- accusing or excusing one another.
We see this all the time don't we? I know I'm not Jewish by blood, I'm one of the Gentiles grafted into the family of God. When a stickler for the law holds fast the law and no more, they're not of God. The Pharisees of Jesus' time were sticklers for the law and they left love out of the law. By God, who is love, the law was given to us. Having compassion is paramount with God. His laws were given OUT of love for us not out of dominance and dictating. When love is left out of the law the law is empty. How is it possible that people not chosen to be God's natural people could keep the law? Because their hearts were with God- the law of God was written in their hearts.
To have the law in our inward parts, to have the law written in our hearts, means we will have God in our hearts and we will be God's people.
1Ki 8:57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
1Ki 8:58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
1Ki 8:59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
1Ki 8:60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
1Ki 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
And having read the above from 1st Kings, it is true we must walk in God's law, the law He's written in our hearts. That HE may incline our hearts to HIM, to walk in ALL His ways. No, we don't have to uphold the ceremonial sacrificial laws because Christ is the embodiment of that law, but we will forever have to keep God's law, laws that are possible to be kept naturally even when people aren't given the law. The law of our hearts with God.
By the grace and mercy of God we will have His law ALWAYS in our heart, always!
Through the love of our Savior now and forever and ever without end.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Perfected Forever
Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
We know that Jesus revealed Himself on earth after His death first before He had seen His Father when no one could touch Him, and then afterwards where He was able to be touched and to eat. He was very much REAL, very much alive after His death and He did not ascend immediately to His Father, and sit down on the right Hand of God. The point here being that the ONE sacrifice for sins for ever is something we need to be fully aware of. To a people used to offering many sacrifices- daily sacrifices- morning and night to have that done away with is a HUGE deal. We have never lived that sort of existence. God's chosen people were DAILY aware of the fact that sacrifices for sins were being made twice daily. God's chosen people KNEW that the entire sacrificial system was in place to keep the one with God- God's chosen. Think about it for a moment, really think… every day blood sacrifices, the death of animals on your behalf, blood being shed for real. It seems really *WOW* to me, but to a people used to that way of life I can imagine it's no different than knowing the meat I put on my table has been killed for me. We don't really THINK about it, it's just the way of life. I suppose even for those doing the killing it can become a way of life without any true significance. The service could be done by rote- even the killing. The shock value of realizing the whole sacrificial system was enacted to bring God and man together would be gone after a bit, just as for a lot of people (dare I say- most people) are on fire for God when they are at first born again but after a bit- a year, two years- more or less that fire that was roaring becomes mere embers and oft times just goes out altogether. Even for those who don't lose the fire completely most would admit to having their bonfire for Christ becoming a campfire for Christ, some would even admit to having mere hot coals. Why is it? In life it's that way a lot for many things isn't it? The newness of something bring excitement but quickly that excitement gives way to slowly fading.
Anyways we were talking about the sacrificial system again. Jesus offered Himself ONCE for us. He hasn't died over and over and over and endlessly over for our sins. He died ONCE and that sacrifice is applicable for taking away all sin. The power in Christ's sacrifice is perfect. That power isn't used in a blanket effect automatically covering ALL sin everywhere. That power is used for those that would be His.
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
By ONE offering He hath perfected for ever THEM THAT ARE sanctified. Sanctified meaning--
Sanctified
SANC'TIFIED, pp.
1. Made holy; consecrated; set apart for sacred services.
2. Affectedly holy.
*
Perfected for ever THEM that are MADE HOLY.
How are we made holy?
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Through the word of God.
Who is the word of God?
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Them that are SANCTIFIED… are perfected by Christ's sacrifice. They aren't perfected through ANY thing they do themselves outside of their accepting Christ's sacrifice for them.
Not everyone will be sanctified. It's the truth. There is NO one blanket sanctification covers all human kind. People WANT to believe there is guaranteed salvation, guaranteed life after death, guaranteed continuance in some way, shape, or form- endlessly. How sad an existence people must have if they truly believe this life is all they have. You hear it all the time- make the best of things because this is it. People get down on other people for not living their lives with abandoned because why not live it that way- this is all there is there ain't no more. Seize the day, you've heard that saying I'm sure. Seize the day because you aren't promised tomorrow. But WE ARE promised tomorrow, we are! We are promised tomorrow in the realm of eventual eternal existence without any death. Why would ANYONE want to live for the here and now believing this is all life is and all they'll have or be, that every person only has what this life gives them or what they can take from life. Tell that to the person born deformed, tell that to the child who is dying, tell that to the person born ugly, to the person born with an abrasive personality they can't seem to alter, to the person who has been labeled unlucky, to the less intelligent person who can't seem to learn like others can learn. TOO many people believe that others CAN change things in this life but you know what, A LOT Of things can't be changed! I can't change my shyness, believe me, I've tried! People can't change a lot about themselves and some that find changing themselves simple are a rarity and those people believe others should be able to be like them- find changing easy. I know from my limited experience with life that some things are inherited from our parents and it doesn't matter who raises you those inherited traits will still be there. I'm talking mannerisms, emotions, attitudes… I know this to be true because my children who were raised by a man that was not their birth father have many of their birth father's traits. Having NOT been raised by their birth father if those things weren't inherited HOW did they get them? Seriously. There is a lot we inherit from our parents and they from their parents and so on, a lot - and a lot of it can be good things, and a lot can be bad things. The point being that becoming the person we imagine would be perfection doesn't exist in this world. No matter what you will have heart ache and pain in this world- no matter how perfect you are with your better than thou attitude, with your attitudes of superiority, you will cry. This world will give you grief. You will find out that you're not all you are cracked up to be. When the blinders are pulled away and you face some of the rawest emotions in existence, and you feel touched by despair that you could never have imagined, maybe then you can admit the truth of it all- this LIFE is not all there is- not for you and not for me, not for anyone ever. There IS no guaranteed forever, it is conditional and it is based upon your relationship with God. Even Jesus' forever was based upon His relationship with His Father, His Father raising Him from the dead and giving Him back His life. No, people don't want to believe that obtaining forever is conditional- it's just easier to believe it's automatic. We have media of all sort willing to feed this delusion and Satan right there to reassure you that you're good enough to go to heaven or rather, God is good enough to allow bad you into heaven. Yes, I said Satan is right there to reassure you. Satan wants people to believe in the 'everybody is going to heaven' delusion. He wants you to believe that you can work your way to heaven. What HE doesn't want you to believe is that you have to daily commit your life to Christ and His will, trusting in Christ to save you, trusting in Christ's righteousness.
Daily commit.
Trusting.
Having faith in Christ.
Christ has to be real to you, you have to have a real relationship with Christ, a living, breathing relationship with our Savior. He has to KNOW you and you have to know Him.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
May we all be Sanctified by our Lord and Savior perfected by Him through His love, His sacrifice.
By His grace!
Amen.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
We know that Jesus revealed Himself on earth after His death first before He had seen His Father when no one could touch Him, and then afterwards where He was able to be touched and to eat. He was very much REAL, very much alive after His death and He did not ascend immediately to His Father, and sit down on the right Hand of God. The point here being that the ONE sacrifice for sins for ever is something we need to be fully aware of. To a people used to offering many sacrifices- daily sacrifices- morning and night to have that done away with is a HUGE deal. We have never lived that sort of existence. God's chosen people were DAILY aware of the fact that sacrifices for sins were being made twice daily. God's chosen people KNEW that the entire sacrificial system was in place to keep the one with God- God's chosen. Think about it for a moment, really think… every day blood sacrifices, the death of animals on your behalf, blood being shed for real. It seems really *WOW* to me, but to a people used to that way of life I can imagine it's no different than knowing the meat I put on my table has been killed for me. We don't really THINK about it, it's just the way of life. I suppose even for those doing the killing it can become a way of life without any true significance. The service could be done by rote- even the killing. The shock value of realizing the whole sacrificial system was enacted to bring God and man together would be gone after a bit, just as for a lot of people (dare I say- most people) are on fire for God when they are at first born again but after a bit- a year, two years- more or less that fire that was roaring becomes mere embers and oft times just goes out altogether. Even for those who don't lose the fire completely most would admit to having their bonfire for Christ becoming a campfire for Christ, some would even admit to having mere hot coals. Why is it? In life it's that way a lot for many things isn't it? The newness of something bring excitement but quickly that excitement gives way to slowly fading.
Anyways we were talking about the sacrificial system again. Jesus offered Himself ONCE for us. He hasn't died over and over and over and endlessly over for our sins. He died ONCE and that sacrifice is applicable for taking away all sin. The power in Christ's sacrifice is perfect. That power isn't used in a blanket effect automatically covering ALL sin everywhere. That power is used for those that would be His.
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
By ONE offering He hath perfected for ever THEM THAT ARE sanctified. Sanctified meaning--
Sanctified
SANC'TIFIED, pp.
1. Made holy; consecrated; set apart for sacred services.
2. Affectedly holy.
*
Perfected for ever THEM that are MADE HOLY.
How are we made holy?
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Through the word of God.
Who is the word of God?
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Them that are SANCTIFIED… are perfected by Christ's sacrifice. They aren't perfected through ANY thing they do themselves outside of their accepting Christ's sacrifice for them.
Not everyone will be sanctified. It's the truth. There is NO one blanket sanctification covers all human kind. People WANT to believe there is guaranteed salvation, guaranteed life after death, guaranteed continuance in some way, shape, or form- endlessly. How sad an existence people must have if they truly believe this life is all they have. You hear it all the time- make the best of things because this is it. People get down on other people for not living their lives with abandoned because why not live it that way- this is all there is there ain't no more. Seize the day, you've heard that saying I'm sure. Seize the day because you aren't promised tomorrow. But WE ARE promised tomorrow, we are! We are promised tomorrow in the realm of eventual eternal existence without any death. Why would ANYONE want to live for the here and now believing this is all life is and all they'll have or be, that every person only has what this life gives them or what they can take from life. Tell that to the person born deformed, tell that to the child who is dying, tell that to the person born ugly, to the person born with an abrasive personality they can't seem to alter, to the person who has been labeled unlucky, to the less intelligent person who can't seem to learn like others can learn. TOO many people believe that others CAN change things in this life but you know what, A LOT Of things can't be changed! I can't change my shyness, believe me, I've tried! People can't change a lot about themselves and some that find changing themselves simple are a rarity and those people believe others should be able to be like them- find changing easy. I know from my limited experience with life that some things are inherited from our parents and it doesn't matter who raises you those inherited traits will still be there. I'm talking mannerisms, emotions, attitudes… I know this to be true because my children who were raised by a man that was not their birth father have many of their birth father's traits. Having NOT been raised by their birth father if those things weren't inherited HOW did they get them? Seriously. There is a lot we inherit from our parents and they from their parents and so on, a lot - and a lot of it can be good things, and a lot can be bad things. The point being that becoming the person we imagine would be perfection doesn't exist in this world. No matter what you will have heart ache and pain in this world- no matter how perfect you are with your better than thou attitude, with your attitudes of superiority, you will cry. This world will give you grief. You will find out that you're not all you are cracked up to be. When the blinders are pulled away and you face some of the rawest emotions in existence, and you feel touched by despair that you could never have imagined, maybe then you can admit the truth of it all- this LIFE is not all there is- not for you and not for me, not for anyone ever. There IS no guaranteed forever, it is conditional and it is based upon your relationship with God. Even Jesus' forever was based upon His relationship with His Father, His Father raising Him from the dead and giving Him back His life. No, people don't want to believe that obtaining forever is conditional- it's just easier to believe it's automatic. We have media of all sort willing to feed this delusion and Satan right there to reassure you that you're good enough to go to heaven or rather, God is good enough to allow bad you into heaven. Yes, I said Satan is right there to reassure you. Satan wants people to believe in the 'everybody is going to heaven' delusion. He wants you to believe that you can work your way to heaven. What HE doesn't want you to believe is that you have to daily commit your life to Christ and His will, trusting in Christ to save you, trusting in Christ's righteousness.
Daily commit.
Trusting.
Having faith in Christ.
Christ has to be real to you, you have to have a real relationship with Christ, a living, breathing relationship with our Savior. He has to KNOW you and you have to know Him.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
May we all be Sanctified by our Lord and Savior perfected by Him through His love, His sacrifice.
By His grace!
Amen.
Perfected Forever
Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
We know that Jesus revealed Himself on earth after His death first before He had seen His Father when no one could touch Him, and then afterwards where He was able to be touched and to eat. He was very much REAL, very much alive after His death and He did not ascend immediately to His Father, and sit down on the right Hand of God. The point here being that the ONE sacrifice for sins for ever is something we need to be fully aware of. To a people used to offering many sacrifices- daily sacrifices- morning and night to have that done away with is a HUGE deal. We have never lived that sort of existence. God's chosen people were DAILY aware of the fact that sacrifices for sins were being made twice daily. God's chosen people KNEW that the entire sacrificial system was in place to keep the one with God- God's chosen. Think about it for a moment, really think… every day blood sacrifices, the death of animals on your behalf, blood being shed for real. It seems really *WOW* to me, but to a people used to that way of life I can imagine it's no different than knowing the meat I put on my table has been killed for me. We don't really THINK about it, it's just the way of life. I suppose even for those doing the killing it can become a way of life without any true significance. The service could be done by rote- even the killing. The shock value of realizing the whole sacrificial system was enacted to bring God and man together would be gone after a bit, just as for a lot of people (dare I say- most people) are on fire for God when they are at first born again but after a bit- a year, two years- more or less that fire that was roaring becomes mere embers and oft times just goes out altogether. Even for those who don't lose the fire completely most would admit to having their bonfire for Christ becoming a campfire for Christ, some would even admit to having mere hot coals. Why is it? In life it's that way a lot for many things isn't it? The newness of something bring excitement but quickly that excitement gives way to slowly fading.
Anyways we were talking about the sacrificial system again. Jesus offered Himself ONCE for us. He hasn't died over and over and over and endlessly over for our sins. He died ONCE and that sacrifice is applicable for taking away all sin. The power in Christ's sacrifice is perfect. That power isn't used in a blanket effect automatically covering ALL sin everywhere. That power is used for those that would be His.
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
By ONE offering He hath perfected for ever THEM THAT ARE sanctified. Sanctified meaning--
Sanctified
SANC'TIFIED, pp.
1. Made holy; consecrated; set apart for sacred services.
2. Affectedly holy.
*
Perfected for ever THEM that are MADE HOLY.
How are we made holy?
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Through the word of God.
Who is the word of God?
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Them that are SANCTIFIED… are perfected by Christ's sacrifice. They aren't perfected through ANY thing they do themselves outside of their accepting Christ's sacrifice for them.
Not everyone will be sanctified. It's the truth. There is NO one blanket sanctification covers all human kind. People WANT to believe there is guaranteed salvation, guaranteed life after death, guaranteed continuance in some way, shape, or form- endlessly. How sad an existence people must have if they truly believe this life is all they have. You hear it all the time- make the best of things because this is it. People get down on other people for not living their lives with abandoned because why not live it that way- this is all there is there ain't no more. Seize the day, you've heard that saying I'm sure. Seize the day because you aren't promised tomorrow. But WE ARE promised tomorrow, we are! We are promised tomorrow in the realm of eventual eternal existence without any death. Why would ANYONE want to live for the here and now believing this is all life is and all they'll have or be, that every person only has what this life gives them or what they can take from life. Tell that to the person born deformed, tell that to the child who is dying, tell that to the person born ugly, to the person born with an abrasive personality they can't seem to alter, to the person who has been labeled unlucky, to the less intelligent person who can't seem to learn like others can learn. TOO many people believe that others CAN change things in this life but you know what, A LOT Of things can't be changed! I can't change my shyness, believe me, I've tried! People can't change a lot about themselves and some that find changing themselves simple are a rarity and those people believe others should be able to be like them- find changing easy. I know from my limited experience with life that some things are inherited from our parents and it doesn't matter who raises you those inherited traits will still be there. I'm talking mannerisms, emotions, attitudes… I know this to be true because my children who were raised by a man that was not their birth father have many of their birth father's traits. Having NOT been raised by their birth father if those things weren't inherited HOW did they get them? Seriously. There is a lot we inherit from our parents and they from their parents and so on, a lot - and a lot of it can be good things, and a lot can be bad things. The point being that becoming the person we imagine would be perfection doesn't exist in this world. No matter what you will have heart ache and pain in this world- no matter how perfect you are with your better than thou attitude, with your attitudes of superiority, you will cry. This world will give you grief. You will find out that you're not all you are cracked up to be. When the blinders are pulled away and you face some of the rawest emotions in existence, and you feel touched by despair that you could never have imagined, maybe then you can admit the truth of it all- this LIFE is not all there is- not for you and not for me, not for anyone ever. There IS no guaranteed forever, it is conditional and it is based upon your relationship with God. Even Jesus' forever was based upon His relationship with His Father, His Father raising Him from the dead and giving Him back His life. No, people don't want to believe that obtaining forever is conditional- it's just easier to believe it's automatic. We have media of all sort willing to feed this delusion and Satan right there to reassure you that you're good enough to go to heaven or rather, God is good enough to allow bad you into heaven. Yes, I said Satan is right there to reassure you. Satan wants people to believe in the 'everybody is going to heaven' delusion. He wants you to believe that you can work your way to heaven. What HE doesn't want you to believe is that you have to daily commit your life to Christ and His will, trusting in Christ to save you, trusting in Christ's righteousness.
Daily commit.
Trusting.
Having faith in Christ.
Christ has to be real to you, you have to have a real relationship with Christ, a living, breathing relationship with our Savior. He has to KNOW you and you have to know Him.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
May we all be Sanctified by our Lord and Savior perfected by Him through His love, His sacrifice.
By His grace!
Amen.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
We know that Jesus revealed Himself on earth after His death first before He had seen His Father when no one could touch Him, and then afterwards where He was able to be touched and to eat. He was very much REAL, very much alive after His death and He did not ascend immediately to His Father, and sit down on the right Hand of God. The point here being that the ONE sacrifice for sins for ever is something we need to be fully aware of. To a people used to offering many sacrifices- daily sacrifices- morning and night to have that done away with is a HUGE deal. We have never lived that sort of existence. God's chosen people were DAILY aware of the fact that sacrifices for sins were being made twice daily. God's chosen people KNEW that the entire sacrificial system was in place to keep the one with God- God's chosen. Think about it for a moment, really think… every day blood sacrifices, the death of animals on your behalf, blood being shed for real. It seems really *WOW* to me, but to a people used to that way of life I can imagine it's no different than knowing the meat I put on my table has been killed for me. We don't really THINK about it, it's just the way of life. I suppose even for those doing the killing it can become a way of life without any true significance. The service could be done by rote- even the killing. The shock value of realizing the whole sacrificial system was enacted to bring God and man together would be gone after a bit, just as for a lot of people (dare I say- most people) are on fire for God when they are at first born again but after a bit- a year, two years- more or less that fire that was roaring becomes mere embers and oft times just goes out altogether. Even for those who don't lose the fire completely most would admit to having their bonfire for Christ becoming a campfire for Christ, some would even admit to having mere hot coals. Why is it? In life it's that way a lot for many things isn't it? The newness of something bring excitement but quickly that excitement gives way to slowly fading.
Anyways we were talking about the sacrificial system again. Jesus offered Himself ONCE for us. He hasn't died over and over and over and endlessly over for our sins. He died ONCE and that sacrifice is applicable for taking away all sin. The power in Christ's sacrifice is perfect. That power isn't used in a blanket effect automatically covering ALL sin everywhere. That power is used for those that would be His.
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
By ONE offering He hath perfected for ever THEM THAT ARE sanctified. Sanctified meaning--
Sanctified
SANC'TIFIED, pp.
1. Made holy; consecrated; set apart for sacred services.
2. Affectedly holy.
*
Perfected for ever THEM that are MADE HOLY.
How are we made holy?
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Through the word of God.
Who is the word of God?
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Them that are SANCTIFIED… are perfected by Christ's sacrifice. They aren't perfected through ANY thing they do themselves outside of their accepting Christ's sacrifice for them.
Not everyone will be sanctified. It's the truth. There is NO one blanket sanctification covers all human kind. People WANT to believe there is guaranteed salvation, guaranteed life after death, guaranteed continuance in some way, shape, or form- endlessly. How sad an existence people must have if they truly believe this life is all they have. You hear it all the time- make the best of things because this is it. People get down on other people for not living their lives with abandoned because why not live it that way- this is all there is there ain't no more. Seize the day, you've heard that saying I'm sure. Seize the day because you aren't promised tomorrow. But WE ARE promised tomorrow, we are! We are promised tomorrow in the realm of eventual eternal existence without any death. Why would ANYONE want to live for the here and now believing this is all life is and all they'll have or be, that every person only has what this life gives them or what they can take from life. Tell that to the person born deformed, tell that to the child who is dying, tell that to the person born ugly, to the person born with an abrasive personality they can't seem to alter, to the person who has been labeled unlucky, to the less intelligent person who can't seem to learn like others can learn. TOO many people believe that others CAN change things in this life but you know what, A LOT Of things can't be changed! I can't change my shyness, believe me, I've tried! People can't change a lot about themselves and some that find changing themselves simple are a rarity and those people believe others should be able to be like them- find changing easy. I know from my limited experience with life that some things are inherited from our parents and it doesn't matter who raises you those inherited traits will still be there. I'm talking mannerisms, emotions, attitudes… I know this to be true because my children who were raised by a man that was not their birth father have many of their birth father's traits. Having NOT been raised by their birth father if those things weren't inherited HOW did they get them? Seriously. There is a lot we inherit from our parents and they from their parents and so on, a lot - and a lot of it can be good things, and a lot can be bad things. The point being that becoming the person we imagine would be perfection doesn't exist in this world. No matter what you will have heart ache and pain in this world- no matter how perfect you are with your better than thou attitude, with your attitudes of superiority, you will cry. This world will give you grief. You will find out that you're not all you are cracked up to be. When the blinders are pulled away and you face some of the rawest emotions in existence, and you feel touched by despair that you could never have imagined, maybe then you can admit the truth of it all- this LIFE is not all there is- not for you and not for me, not for anyone ever. There IS no guaranteed forever, it is conditional and it is based upon your relationship with God. Even Jesus' forever was based upon His relationship with His Father, His Father raising Him from the dead and giving Him back His life. No, people don't want to believe that obtaining forever is conditional- it's just easier to believe it's automatic. We have media of all sort willing to feed this delusion and Satan right there to reassure you that you're good enough to go to heaven or rather, God is good enough to allow bad you into heaven. Yes, I said Satan is right there to reassure you. Satan wants people to believe in the 'everybody is going to heaven' delusion. He wants you to believe that you can work your way to heaven. What HE doesn't want you to believe is that you have to daily commit your life to Christ and His will, trusting in Christ to save you, trusting in Christ's righteousness.
Daily commit.
Trusting.
Having faith in Christ.
Christ has to be real to you, you have to have a real relationship with Christ, a living, breathing relationship with our Savior. He has to KNOW you and you have to know Him.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
May we all be Sanctified by our Lord and Savior perfected by Him through His love, His sacrifice.
By His grace!
Amen.
Monday, October 11, 2010
He taketh away the first...
Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me
Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Isn't it amazing?! We are told so plainly which law was done away with- burnt offerings, sacrifices, , offering for sin… this sacrificial system was done away with, NOT God's Ten Commandments. People think is says the laws were done away with and that means the Ten Commandments, but it doesn't. There were many laws God gave that weren't put in the Ark of the Covenant, where God dwelled above the Mercy Seat. Only the Ten Commandments were put in the Ark of all the commands, of all the laws given. These Ten Commandments were everlasting. Christ came and lived the Ten Commandments- never changing one single one of them. He even told the rich young man that asked about eternal life this--
Luk 18:20 'Thou knowest the commandments…'
Then Christ Himself went on to name a few of the commandments from the eternal ten to show EXACTLY which commandments He was talking about.
Luk 18:20 '...Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.'
Where are these commandments from? The TEN COMMANDMENTS!
So here we have Christ coming and taking away a law, and that law is the sacrificial laws of burnt offerings, of blood sacrifices, offerings that were made by the sacrificial law to purge sins. NONE of those offerings could take away sin, NONE. It's always been our Savior, always been those sacrifices pointing to Christ's perfect sacrifice.
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Jesus' ONE sacrifice was enough. Jesus' ONE sacrifice meant more than the millions of sacrifices offered when the old sacrificial system was in place. Jesus' sacrifice was and is PERFECT - a human being born of the Spirit, born PERFECT, who lived PERFECT, and died PERFECT.
These are amazing revelations, amazing truths!
More tomorrow, it's been a very long day, a blessed day.
By the grace and mercy of our Perfect Savior! In His love, through HIS righteousness now and forever and ever and ever!
Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me
Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Isn't it amazing?! We are told so plainly which law was done away with- burnt offerings, sacrifices, , offering for sin… this sacrificial system was done away with, NOT God's Ten Commandments. People think is says the laws were done away with and that means the Ten Commandments, but it doesn't. There were many laws God gave that weren't put in the Ark of the Covenant, where God dwelled above the Mercy Seat. Only the Ten Commandments were put in the Ark of all the commands, of all the laws given. These Ten Commandments were everlasting. Christ came and lived the Ten Commandments- never changing one single one of them. He even told the rich young man that asked about eternal life this--
Luk 18:20 'Thou knowest the commandments…'
Then Christ Himself went on to name a few of the commandments from the eternal ten to show EXACTLY which commandments He was talking about.
Luk 18:20 '...Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.'
Where are these commandments from? The TEN COMMANDMENTS!
So here we have Christ coming and taking away a law, and that law is the sacrificial laws of burnt offerings, of blood sacrifices, offerings that were made by the sacrificial law to purge sins. NONE of those offerings could take away sin, NONE. It's always been our Savior, always been those sacrifices pointing to Christ's perfect sacrifice.
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Jesus' ONE sacrifice was enough. Jesus' ONE sacrifice meant more than the millions of sacrifices offered when the old sacrificial system was in place. Jesus' sacrifice was and is PERFECT - a human being born of the Spirit, born PERFECT, who lived PERFECT, and died PERFECT.
These are amazing revelations, amazing truths!
More tomorrow, it's been a very long day, a blessed day.
By the grace and mercy of our Perfect Savior! In His love, through HIS righteousness now and forever and ever and ever!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A Shadow of Good Things
Heb 10:1-
'For the law having a shadow of good things to come.'
The sacrificial services all pointed to the ultimate Sacrifice.
The sacrificial system in place was a shadow of the true.
How silly to think that the blood of any animal at all in and of itself could cover our sins. That blood only covered our sins because God set up the sacrificial system as a shadow of what was to come. God was revealing to His people that with sin you need a sacrifice or that sin will keep you estranged from Him. That sin will keep you apart from God. Sin separates us from God. What are we apart from God? We are nothing.
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
Having no hope.
Without God in the world.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH.
Not perishing means having eternal life.
Having eternal life means living with God.
Living with God means NOT being separated from God.
Sin separates us from our Creator.
Is it any wonder we're told this---
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Separated from God we cannot live forever, we just can't it's impossible. God is the source of all life, without the source of all life we cannot live. I'm talking ETERNALLY here! ETERNAL LIFE! We have to get passed this life we live now. We have to get it through our heads in a very REAL way that the life we live right now is temporary! Remember this from James 4:14 'For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.'
I see so much pain in the world as I'm sure you do too. NO ONE can live in this world and not see the pain of life, not experience that pain, not know that pain. Being allowed to see the pain, to feel the pain, to be a part of the pain of this world reveals more and more that something isn't right with this world. Something is very wrong with the world we live in and you'd have to be a completely spiritually blind not to recognize the wrongness of so much in this world. It's not just our personal pains but the pains of all those around us, near and far. It's WRONG! Our world is ALL WRONG! A huge flaw has appeared in our world! You have to know this! You have to see it, feel it, you're living it!
'For the law having a shadow of good things to come.'
Of good things to come. The sacrificial law was temporary. When we're given a shadow of better things, we are given just s bit of that better thing. When someone gives you a little gift and tells you that's just the tip of the ice burg they mean there is more to come and your expectations are aroused to get more gifts. A shadow isn't the real thing, the real thing has more substance but a shadow gives the outline and idea of what the real thing is. When I see my shadow it's part of me, it reveals the idea of my shape, of what I look like. Yes, shadows can be distorted but allowing for the distortion we can still get an idea of what the true is from the shadow of a thing. You have to have a REAL thing to have a shadow of that real thing.
The sacrificial law was a shadow of what was to come. The sacrifice of animals a mere shadow of the sacrifice needed to obtain full forgiveness. The sacrifice of animal would NEVER do away with sin. Only the Savior could do away sin.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
One sacrifice- the TRUE sacrifice that was foreshadowed by all the animal sacrifices pointing towards that perfect sacrifice- Jesus Christ, the innocent Lamb of God.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The sacrificial law was done away with and we cannot substitute any works of our own in its place. Christ and Christ ALONE, the true, perfect Sacrifice is the ONLY hope we have for atonement, for becoming one with God again, no longer separated by our sins.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we accept His Sacrifice
'For the law having a shadow of good things to come.'
The sacrificial services all pointed to the ultimate Sacrifice.
The sacrificial system in place was a shadow of the true.
How silly to think that the blood of any animal at all in and of itself could cover our sins. That blood only covered our sins because God set up the sacrificial system as a shadow of what was to come. God was revealing to His people that with sin you need a sacrifice or that sin will keep you estranged from Him. That sin will keep you apart from God. Sin separates us from God. What are we apart from God? We are nothing.
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
Having no hope.
Without God in the world.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH.
Not perishing means having eternal life.
Having eternal life means living with God.
Living with God means NOT being separated from God.
Sin separates us from our Creator.
Is it any wonder we're told this---
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Separated from God we cannot live forever, we just can't it's impossible. God is the source of all life, without the source of all life we cannot live. I'm talking ETERNALLY here! ETERNAL LIFE! We have to get passed this life we live now. We have to get it through our heads in a very REAL way that the life we live right now is temporary! Remember this from James 4:14 'For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.'
I see so much pain in the world as I'm sure you do too. NO ONE can live in this world and not see the pain of life, not experience that pain, not know that pain. Being allowed to see the pain, to feel the pain, to be a part of the pain of this world reveals more and more that something isn't right with this world. Something is very wrong with the world we live in and you'd have to be a completely spiritually blind not to recognize the wrongness of so much in this world. It's not just our personal pains but the pains of all those around us, near and far. It's WRONG! Our world is ALL WRONG! A huge flaw has appeared in our world! You have to know this! You have to see it, feel it, you're living it!
'For the law having a shadow of good things to come.'
Of good things to come. The sacrificial law was temporary. When we're given a shadow of better things, we are given just s bit of that better thing. When someone gives you a little gift and tells you that's just the tip of the ice burg they mean there is more to come and your expectations are aroused to get more gifts. A shadow isn't the real thing, the real thing has more substance but a shadow gives the outline and idea of what the real thing is. When I see my shadow it's part of me, it reveals the idea of my shape, of what I look like. Yes, shadows can be distorted but allowing for the distortion we can still get an idea of what the true is from the shadow of a thing. You have to have a REAL thing to have a shadow of that real thing.
The sacrificial law was a shadow of what was to come. The sacrifice of animals a mere shadow of the sacrifice needed to obtain full forgiveness. The sacrifice of animal would NEVER do away with sin. Only the Savior could do away sin.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
One sacrifice- the TRUE sacrifice that was foreshadowed by all the animal sacrifices pointing towards that perfect sacrifice- Jesus Christ, the innocent Lamb of God.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The sacrificial law was done away with and we cannot substitute any works of our own in its place. Christ and Christ ALONE, the true, perfect Sacrifice is the ONLY hope we have for atonement, for becoming one with God again, no longer separated by our sins.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we accept His Sacrifice
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Christ's Righteousness
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord
Precious faith-through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Not through our righteousness!
Is it any wonder that people give up hoping? They give up because they are placing their hope in themselves and not in God. We will ALWAYS lose hope when we begin to hope in ourselves. Hope in ourselves is a false hope, hope in our goodness, hope in our righteousness is a losing hope, a dead hope. We cannot hope in ourselves, we just can't. We have to get this drilled into our minds and keep it there. The hope is IN CHRIST, not in ourselves. We can hope until we are old and gray, or old and grayer, all we want and if that hope is placed in our own righteousness we will be unsaved. People love to pat themselves on their backs and take pride in being self-righteous, but all that self-righteousness means NOTHING. No, I'm not advocating being unrighteous and willfully committing unrighteousness. We need to stay as far from unrighteous things as we can. What I'm saying is we are only truly righteous in Christ's righteousness. Any good that we do must be a result of Christ's goodness, not our own. Is it any wonder we are to give God all the glory? That we are to freely given thanks to our God? We must be GOD centered. Our life has to revolve around GOD, not ourselves. We need to live FOR God. Our hope in life has to be in God who dwells in eternity and promises us eternity in Him.
I looked up a few verses on hope--
Psa 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psa 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy
Psa 33:22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Psa 78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments
Psa 119:114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word
Psa 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Jer 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is
Lam 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
Joe 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Col 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
2Th 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace
1Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Our all in all is Christ.
Note this particular verse--
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began
PROMISED before the world began.
Mankind was created to be eternal.
We were meant to be eternal beings.
We were never meant to die. Death only came to us through sin.
Before the world began there was put in place - hope for eternal life. God CANNOT lie! The hope of eternal life was promised to mankind before mankind existed.
We all know what it means to make plans for things and have those plans work out smoothly, things go off without a hitch as the saying goes. And we all know what it means to make plans and have things NOT go off without a hitch. People have contingency plans for that reason.
We were promised the hope of eternal life and that hope has been realized in our Savior.
Satan would have that hope disappear. Satan would have us hold fast to false hope. Satan will do anything He can to keep each and every one of us with Him. If you think about it - to those who are considered to be the most influential, important people in the world we aren't even known. Those important people could careless whether we exist or not. Our lives mean nothing to those people and therefore we imagine that to God we mean even less, but this is the beauty of God being love. He cares about ALL of us on an eternal level. Yes, I said on an eternal level. I have to say on an eternal level because otherwise people will start spouting off about all the horrible things done to innocents and say if God cared that stuff wouldn't happen. God does care for us even now but more importantly He cares for our eternity. Satan is considered to be the most important evil influence in existence and people sometimes believe that he too is too important to bother with little ol' us. People place him on the same level as human beings and it's true that important human beings care nothing (or mostly nothing) about the average person outside their little realms. Satan CANNOT be placed on the same level as human beings, this is a HUGE mistake to put him there and believe he could care less about you, that you mean nothing to him at all. You mean A LOT to him, more than you realize.
Satan will have to pay one day for ALL the sin he's caused. For every human being that is lost to Him and is God's, He will have to take on all their sins, the sins that Christ has forgiven them for. The more people Satan has on His side the less he will be punished for. The more people He has on His side the less God will have and Satan glories in the knowledge that He can keep even one person from God.
We are in a war and there are only two sides to this war.
You are on one side or the other and BOTH generals of this war want you on their side.
Unlike our earthly wars where it's all up to chance whether you live or die, this war for eternity is up to us. We decide to either claim eternal life through our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, or we decide to claim eternal death courtesy of Satan.
My hope is in my Savior! My hope is in Christ's righteousness! My hope is in the grace and love, through the forgiveness of my Lord and King the Son of God.
Amen!
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord
Precious faith-through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Not through our righteousness!
Is it any wonder that people give up hoping? They give up because they are placing their hope in themselves and not in God. We will ALWAYS lose hope when we begin to hope in ourselves. Hope in ourselves is a false hope, hope in our goodness, hope in our righteousness is a losing hope, a dead hope. We cannot hope in ourselves, we just can't. We have to get this drilled into our minds and keep it there. The hope is IN CHRIST, not in ourselves. We can hope until we are old and gray, or old and grayer, all we want and if that hope is placed in our own righteousness we will be unsaved. People love to pat themselves on their backs and take pride in being self-righteous, but all that self-righteousness means NOTHING. No, I'm not advocating being unrighteous and willfully committing unrighteousness. We need to stay as far from unrighteous things as we can. What I'm saying is we are only truly righteous in Christ's righteousness. Any good that we do must be a result of Christ's goodness, not our own. Is it any wonder we are to give God all the glory? That we are to freely given thanks to our God? We must be GOD centered. Our life has to revolve around GOD, not ourselves. We need to live FOR God. Our hope in life has to be in God who dwells in eternity and promises us eternity in Him.
I looked up a few verses on hope--
Psa 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psa 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy
Psa 33:22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Psa 78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments
Psa 119:114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word
Psa 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Jer 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is
Lam 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
Joe 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Col 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
2Th 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace
1Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Our all in all is Christ.
Note this particular verse--
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began
PROMISED before the world began.
Mankind was created to be eternal.
We were meant to be eternal beings.
We were never meant to die. Death only came to us through sin.
Before the world began there was put in place - hope for eternal life. God CANNOT lie! The hope of eternal life was promised to mankind before mankind existed.
We all know what it means to make plans for things and have those plans work out smoothly, things go off without a hitch as the saying goes. And we all know what it means to make plans and have things NOT go off without a hitch. People have contingency plans for that reason.
We were promised the hope of eternal life and that hope has been realized in our Savior.
Satan would have that hope disappear. Satan would have us hold fast to false hope. Satan will do anything He can to keep each and every one of us with Him. If you think about it - to those who are considered to be the most influential, important people in the world we aren't even known. Those important people could careless whether we exist or not. Our lives mean nothing to those people and therefore we imagine that to God we mean even less, but this is the beauty of God being love. He cares about ALL of us on an eternal level. Yes, I said on an eternal level. I have to say on an eternal level because otherwise people will start spouting off about all the horrible things done to innocents and say if God cared that stuff wouldn't happen. God does care for us even now but more importantly He cares for our eternity. Satan is considered to be the most important evil influence in existence and people sometimes believe that he too is too important to bother with little ol' us. People place him on the same level as human beings and it's true that important human beings care nothing (or mostly nothing) about the average person outside their little realms. Satan CANNOT be placed on the same level as human beings, this is a HUGE mistake to put him there and believe he could care less about you, that you mean nothing to him at all. You mean A LOT to him, more than you realize.
Satan will have to pay one day for ALL the sin he's caused. For every human being that is lost to Him and is God's, He will have to take on all their sins, the sins that Christ has forgiven them for. The more people Satan has on His side the less he will be punished for. The more people He has on His side the less God will have and Satan glories in the knowledge that He can keep even one person from God.
We are in a war and there are only two sides to this war.
You are on one side or the other and BOTH generals of this war want you on their side.
Unlike our earthly wars where it's all up to chance whether you live or die, this war for eternity is up to us. We decide to either claim eternal life through our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, or we decide to claim eternal death courtesy of Satan.
My hope is in my Savior! My hope is in Christ's righteousness! My hope is in the grace and love, through the forgiveness of my Lord and King the Son of God.
Amen!
Friday, October 8, 2010
No Design Flaw
You have a tree.
You have a car.
You have rain.
You have a road.
There is nothing wrong with the tree- it's as perfect as any tree can be.
There is nothing wrong with the car- it's as perfect as any car can be.
There is nothing wrong with the rain- it's as perfect as any rain can be.
There is nothing wrong with the road- it's as perfect as any road can be.
The rain causes slick roads causing the car to hit the tree.
We call this an accident because the tree isn't at fault, the car isn't at fault, the rain isn't as fault, the road isn't at fault. An accident. Something happened without any intention for it to happen.
You have a person with an oil can.
You have a car.
You have a road.
The person DELIBERATELY chooses to put oil on the road. The car slides on the oil and crashes. It is not an accident. There was a choice made to put oil on the road.
The person with an oil can was fine - nothing wrong until they made the choice to use the oil for something deliberately wrong.
There doesn't HAVE to be a design flaw for something to go wrong.
Sin wasn't an accident. Sin was a choice. A choice to disobey was made. Some argue the design flaw exists and that design flaw was humanity being given the power of choice. Imagine having NO power of choice. Seriously. Some people can imagine that more than others. Slaves can imagine it perfectly when they have their every move dictated to them by someone else. Do you like even the idea of having your every move dictated to you? Do you remember as a child telling your parents not to tell you what to do? Maybe you can't, but do you remember thinking and wishing they wouldn't tell you what to do all the time? You wanted independence. You wanted to be able to do for yourself. You wanted to make your own choices.
~
People bring up the question- what's to stop sin from entering the world again, what's to stop someone from choosing to sin again after we are taken to heaven with Christ at His second coming?
Every heart will be tried and every human being will have to make a choice and that choice will be reflected in their lives. When Christ comes again and redeems His people from a sin-filled world to bring them into everlasting life in a sin-less existence everyone of His people will have made their choice.
This is why we live now, this is why we are tried in the fire of life, this is why our testing grounds are so harsh now. This life we live now reveals the choice we make between good and evil, between God and Satan, between sinlessness and sinning, between eternity and death. The choice we make now in this the harshest of proving grounds will determine our stance on sinning and being able to live sinless. Christ died to give us this choice.
We will choose sin or not sinning and it will be a choice that we have so thoroughly made that not even the idea of introducing sin into our new sinless existence will ever cross our minds. Yes, we will always have our freedom of choice and God will know our hearts and know whether we would be forever and always content in a sinless existence.
Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
Our choices- our daily choices determine the fruit of our doings.
By the grace and mercy of our loving Savior, by His righteousness may we be tried and not found wanting. May we be tried and found to have hearts created clean and new by Christ, hearts that hate sin and love the righteousness of our Savior.
There will be no more sin, ever. The choice is ours individually. Our Lord will not give eternal life to anyone who loves sin. To love sin is to love the separation it brings from God. If we love being separated from God we will never choose eternal life. We must understand that each and every sin we commit has the power to separate us from God. God would not have us desire separation from Him, He is our Creator. If we desire separation we will inherit eternal death, eternal and everlasting without any end, forever and ever and ever death, death's endless sleep-- non-existence.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Believeth- an active, living faith in daily choosing to follow the only begotten Son of God, believing that only through Him and His righteousness by His grace and mercy are we saved and believing it always, living in that belief.
Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. - Mark 9:24
Amen
You have a car.
You have rain.
You have a road.
There is nothing wrong with the tree- it's as perfect as any tree can be.
There is nothing wrong with the car- it's as perfect as any car can be.
There is nothing wrong with the rain- it's as perfect as any rain can be.
There is nothing wrong with the road- it's as perfect as any road can be.
The rain causes slick roads causing the car to hit the tree.
We call this an accident because the tree isn't at fault, the car isn't at fault, the rain isn't as fault, the road isn't at fault. An accident. Something happened without any intention for it to happen.
You have a person with an oil can.
You have a car.
You have a road.
The person DELIBERATELY chooses to put oil on the road. The car slides on the oil and crashes. It is not an accident. There was a choice made to put oil on the road.
The person with an oil can was fine - nothing wrong until they made the choice to use the oil for something deliberately wrong.
There doesn't HAVE to be a design flaw for something to go wrong.
Sin wasn't an accident. Sin was a choice. A choice to disobey was made. Some argue the design flaw exists and that design flaw was humanity being given the power of choice. Imagine having NO power of choice. Seriously. Some people can imagine that more than others. Slaves can imagine it perfectly when they have their every move dictated to them by someone else. Do you like even the idea of having your every move dictated to you? Do you remember as a child telling your parents not to tell you what to do? Maybe you can't, but do you remember thinking and wishing they wouldn't tell you what to do all the time? You wanted independence. You wanted to be able to do for yourself. You wanted to make your own choices.
~
People bring up the question- what's to stop sin from entering the world again, what's to stop someone from choosing to sin again after we are taken to heaven with Christ at His second coming?
Every heart will be tried and every human being will have to make a choice and that choice will be reflected in their lives. When Christ comes again and redeems His people from a sin-filled world to bring them into everlasting life in a sin-less existence everyone of His people will have made their choice.
This is why we live now, this is why we are tried in the fire of life, this is why our testing grounds are so harsh now. This life we live now reveals the choice we make between good and evil, between God and Satan, between sinlessness and sinning, between eternity and death. The choice we make now in this the harshest of proving grounds will determine our stance on sinning and being able to live sinless. Christ died to give us this choice.
We will choose sin or not sinning and it will be a choice that we have so thoroughly made that not even the idea of introducing sin into our new sinless existence will ever cross our minds. Yes, we will always have our freedom of choice and God will know our hearts and know whether we would be forever and always content in a sinless existence.
Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
Our choices- our daily choices determine the fruit of our doings.
By the grace and mercy of our loving Savior, by His righteousness may we be tried and not found wanting. May we be tried and found to have hearts created clean and new by Christ, hearts that hate sin and love the righteousness of our Savior.
There will be no more sin, ever. The choice is ours individually. Our Lord will not give eternal life to anyone who loves sin. To love sin is to love the separation it brings from God. If we love being separated from God we will never choose eternal life. We must understand that each and every sin we commit has the power to separate us from God. God would not have us desire separation from Him, He is our Creator. If we desire separation we will inherit eternal death, eternal and everlasting without any end, forever and ever and ever death, death's endless sleep-- non-existence.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Believeth- an active, living faith in daily choosing to follow the only begotten Son of God, believing that only through Him and His righteousness by His grace and mercy are we saved and believing it always, living in that belief.
Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. - Mark 9:24
Amen
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