In the body

Heb 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.


Remember those in prison. Let me ask you something, were they talking about all prisoners? Seriously, were they talking about the criminals? Or were they talking about remember fellow believers that are bound? Those in the body of Christ are believers of Christ as their Savior. They live in Christ, they are born again in Christ, they are part of the body of Christ. We cannot believe everyone is part of the body of Christ. Not everyone even wants to be part of the body of Christ and Christ forces no one.


People get upset when we start to differentiate between those who are with Christ and those who are not. They throw up the fact that we are to love all without bias, and that's true. We are to love without bias, we are to love as Jesus loved and loves. Did Jesus speak against anyone when He walked the earth?


Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.


Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees- does that sound as if Jesus is just 'loving' them without any reservation, without any restraint, without any thought for the manner of person they are or what they believe or how they act? No.


While we are not Jesus and we cannot see into people's hearts as He can and know their hearts. We need to be discerning though, don't we?


Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.


Dogs, swine, how are we to know who are the dogs, who are the swine if we are not able to discern between those who are of the body of Christ and those who aren't?


I've mentioned it before- we can't judge someone's eternal life, but we have to be able to judge actions. We have to be able to discern between good and evil and the acts of those who choose to do good or evil. If you know there is a party going on and you get to see the guest list of those at the party you'd be able to tell what sort of party it might be, wouldn't you? If you see a known drug addict, a known pervert on the list what would you assume? That the party isn't quite the type of party you'd want to attend based on your knowledge of those attending. Does this make you unlike Jesus? He went in and supped with sinners. We have to ask ourselves why he went in and supped with known sinners. He did so knowing there was an opportunity for Him to open their eyes to the truth in Him, open their eyes to the forgiveness and new life He offers. He did not JOIN them in their sinning. If we did attend a party where we know it will be anything but Godly and we did so with the intention of witnessing for Christ, that's one thing, but it's a whole other thing if we go to that party and simply accept the debauchery that takes place without saying a word. We aren't to put ourselves into situations or align ourselves with those we know want nothing to do with our Lord and Savior. We can pray for everyone, we can pray that people are convicted by the Holy Spirit and their eyes are opened, their hearts are softened so they can accept the love of Jesus, and sometimes that's all we can do. We can meet the sinner's basic needs- if we see a known godless person hungering, yes, we can feed them and hope the act of kindness reveals the love of Jesus in us. We just can't ignore the fact that there are godless, that there are those who don't love Jesus and we are not to mingle with them unless it's for witnessing. Too many Christians have the 'Holier than Thou' attitude and too many have the 'casting their pearls before swine without a thought' attitude, too many 'give what is holy to the dogs' thinking they are doing God's work.


We are all sinners, but some are sinners who are repenting of their sin and seeking forgiveness, others are not. We can witness, our lives witness for us, and we can pray, all without entering into the dog pits or the swine pen. Even as I say it, I know some are going to believe I'm wrong and who knows maybe I am, but maybe I'm not. Right or wrong we need to fall on our knees and ask for the guidance of our Savior and not presume we know that is best.


Heb 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.


As being yourselves also in the body. We are in the body of Christ.


Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.


Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.


We need to remember those who are in bonds and them which suffer adversity because we are all in one body in Christ. When our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ suffer - we are suffering with them- their suffering is OUR suffering and we can't forget that.


Our lives are caught up in so much. Everyday some of us come face to face with unbelievers, with those who aren't of the body. I don't personally know anyone who is shut off from the world and only living among those who believe as they believe. We aren't told to hide ourselves away. We are told to keep ourselves from evil and not to put ourselves in situations where we can be tempted by that evil. If you are weak when it comes to alcohol then going to witness for your Savior in a bar is foolish! If you have trouble with promiscuity then going to a street corner where people are offering you a chance to be promiscuous under the belief you are just going to witness is WRONG. We aren't to put ourselves in temptation's way but keep ourselves from the evil that would overcome us. We can witness for our Savior and be a part of Christ's body even if you are witnessing to just one single person in your own household. Even if your life reflects Christ's teachings when you deal with the mail man, or the grocery store clerk, or the telemarketer, or any other human being for whatever reason at all you are witnessing when you treat them with Christ's love.


Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.


We are to remember our fellow followers of Christ- strengthening each other in whatever situation we are in, and not forget we need to do this- HELP each other, even as we help our enemies. We shouldn't cast our pearls before swine and we shouldn't give that which is holy unto the dogs, but we still have to love our enemies- overcoming evil with good.


By the grace of our Lord and Savior may we be found helping those in need whether they are of the body of Christ or our enemies, never forgetting that no matter the eternal state of another - of which we cannot know- that we are to be revealers of God's love in all we do.


In the love of our Savior now and always!!!

By His amazing, wonderful grace!


Amen!

Open to Me the Gates of Righteousness!

Psa 118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Psa 118:20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.


Gate-
H8179sha‛ar
shah'-ar
From H8176 in its original sense; an opening, that is, door or gate: - city, door, gate, port (X -er).


Who is our door to salvation? Jesus.
Jesus is the way. Jesus is our gate to salvation.
The gates of righteousness.
Who is the source of all righteousness? Jesus.


1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous

1Jn 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.


This gate of the LORD - into which the righteous shall enter.


We have to enter into the righteousness of Christ this is our only way to salvation- Christ's righteousness. PRAISE THE LORD!


Psa 118:21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.


Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.


Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone


1Pe 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner


Psa 118:23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

PRAISE THE LORD!


Psa 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psa 118:25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Psa 118:26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
Psa 118:27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Psa 118:28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Psa 118:29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.


These words are so wonderful! These prophetic words of David's are all about our beloved SAVIOR! David knew even long before the Savior was to come, David knew that the only way to salvation would be through the righteousness of the Messiah- the gate of righteousness, the stone the builder refused, the head stone of the corner! Praise the Lord! Our wonderful, wonderful Lord! The promise of our Lord to come, the promise of our Lord realized, the promise of our Lord to come again. Every human being has lived with our Lord a reality! No human will ever live without the Lord being the way to Salvation!


How wondrous is our God! Never have we been without the possibility of be saved, never! Just as David lived knowing the way to Salvation, we living knowing the way to Salvation and it's not through our own righteousness.


As David said- OPEN TO ME THE GATES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS- I too say OPEN TO ME THE GATES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS I WILL GO INTO THEM!


PRAISE THE LORD!

Ignorance or Presumption

Num 15:29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
Num 15:30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.


Sin through ignorance.
Sin through presumption.


Ignorance-


H7684
shegâgâh
sheg-aw-gaw'
From H7683; a mistake or inadvertent transgression: - error, ignorance, at unawares, unwittingly.



Presumptuously-


H7311
רוּם
rûm
room
A primitive root; to be high actively to rise or raise (in various applications, literally or figuratively): - bring up, exalt (self), extol, give, go up, haughty, heave (up), (be, lift up on, make on, set up on, too) high (-er, one), hold up, levy, lift (-er) up, (be) lofty, (X a-) loud, mount up, offer (up), + presumptuously, (be) promote (-ion), proud, set up, tall (-er), take (away, off, up), breed worms.


Sin through mistakes, sin inadvertently, sin through error, sin unaware, sin unwittingly.


Sin haughtily, sin loftily, sin proudly, sin through self exaltation.


When you are commanded NOT to do something and you do it knowingly, when you do it because you believe YOU know better, that YOU are in control of yourself- that God has no power to command you- this is a blatant sin, a presumptuous sin.


A sin committed in error, a sin committed through the weakness of our flesh, a sin committed that you know is a mistake, this is a sin of ignorance.


People sin all the time but many sin living as if God doesn't even exist, that God's will doesn't matter. People who sin proudly flaunting their supposed superiority over God have no place of forgiveness because they've made themselves to be their own god, denying the power of the one, true God. They have no conviction to even seek repentance and forgiveness. God will not forgive a person who does not seek forgiveness.


We can't make the mistake of believing there is no hope for those who are truly seeking forgiveness. Some would have us believe that we can never be forgiven, ever, no matter what because we sinned knowingly. DAVID sinned knowingly! It's not sinning knowingly that is presumptuous, it's sinning with the presumption that it doesn't matter if you sin. David knew He'd done wrong, David didn't presume that His sin didn't matter, that God's commands didn't matter. It was in the weakness of flesh that David sinned. DON'T get me wrong here, I'm not saying we can use our flesh weakness to presumptuously sin, NO WAY. The presumption - being haughty, being proud, exalting in that sin- will forever be wrong! And again DON'T get me wrong… God KNOWS our hearts, He knows what is TRUE flesh weakness and what is presumption. We CAN'T fool God! We can try to fool ourselves but God will not be fooled!


God knows the depths of our suffering, God knows even when we renounce Him out of pain whether we are doing so presumptuously or ignorantly- through our weakness. There is a grand difference between presumption and ignorance and Satan would have us believe that we are inevitably lost wanting us to give up on God's grace, on God's power of forgiveness. Satan wants us any way He can get us!


God gives us commands. Jesus reinforced those commands and added commands, these commandments reveal God to us, these commandments reveal God's love for us.


Why is eternal death the end result of breaking the commandments of God? Why was death a punishment, a sentence given and followed through on for breaking the commandments of God? Why would God make the punishment so severe? People want to believe that God didn't command death to those who broke the commandments, but He did. People will say that doesn't sound like a very loving, caring, forgiving God at all. What they mean is that doesn't sound like their imaginary God who will never punish but forever just give a tap on the wrist and forever give chance after chance.


We have an EXACTING God! We have a God who is a CONSUMING FIRE! This is OUR GOD! Our very, very loving God!


People will point out torture in the Bible and say if God condones that then He's not loving. People will point out at the innocent suffering and say that's NOT a loving God. People are very quick to judge God- and people are very quick to PRESUME they know better than God. People will reject God and in doing so they set themselves us as their own god. As soon as you make the presumption that YOU and YOUR thoughts, YOUR beliefs are better than God's- you have put yourself in place of God whether you go about claiming that title or not. Satan would love to keep you in the dark about your presumption and where it places you, as long as you are not claiming God, Satan is thrilled. Many would be appalled to realize that they are claiming to be a god. They don't look at it quite that way, they're just saying they don't understand God, they'll back paddle quickly if they have to come face to face with the fact that when they deny God they claim their own godhood. It's not like saying you don't believe in the President of the United States and that makes you the President of the United States - that's a MAN to MAN level, human to human level. We aren't dealing with a human to human level but a God to human level. Men can, and will, and do claim there is no God, men can, and will, and do claim to be in control of themselves, dependent upon no one. Men can, and will, and do claim to be their own god- their own creator (human creating human), their own sustainer.


We are dependent creatures. If that statement bothers you then you might be guilty of self-exaltation. Seriously. We are dependent upon God. God gives us life and yes, God can take that life away. We are dependent creatures who have the power of choice. That power of choice allows us to acknowledge our dependence or ignore it, deny it, rebel against it. We are told outright the results of our actions- if we choose to acknowledge our dependence or if we choose not to acknowledge our dependence. If we choose to acknowledge our Creator, our Redeemer, or if we choose not to acknowledge our Creator, our Redeemer- there are consequences for our choices. You can choose to not acknowledge and still live out your life here and now- but you give up life eternal. There will be NO automatic save. There will be NO second chance. There will be no holding pen while you acknowledge you are wrong.


If you choose to believe that God is unjust and therefore you don't want to follow Him- He won't force you to do so. If you choose to defy God and suffer for it, it's because YOU CHOSE to disobey- perhaps believing you have no need of God, perhaps believing He doesn't exist, either way it was YOUR choice. God will NOT force us to believe! God will NOT make it IMPOSSIBLE for you to have a choice. We have that choice, each and everyone of us has that choice of faith. Each of us is accountable to God for our choice- even the choice not to believe He exists. We are dependent, accountable beings and our God love us and has shown it in many, many ways. Our God could have destroyed us all outright, out of Love He's not destroyed us but given us a chance to live in Him, for Him, with Him.

God has revealed Himself to us. God sent His Son and His Son revealed God to us. We aren't left to wonder endlessly what God is like, He's shown us over and over. God has told us what He condones and what He doesn't condone. We can choose to live as He's revealed we should live- under the grace of our Savior, through our Savior's righteousness, yielding ourselves servant to our Savior, servant's to His righteousness- OR we can choose to live to ourselves, to sin.


Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Rom 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


We choose.
We are informed and we make a choice. Every day, every hour, every moment we make a choice.


By the grace and mercy of our loving Savior may we make the right choice now and always!


In His love!


Amen.

Be not forgetful

13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.


Have you ever forgotten something? Of course you have. You might have forgotten something just this morning or perhaps yesterday. We forget and some of us seem more forgetful than others. When we forget something we are usually at least a tiny bit upset with ourselves for forgetting whatever it was we forgot- at least if it were something important. We generally don't get upset if we forget a bit of history we may have learned in grade school, but we would get very upset if we forget a friend's birthday. We forget, it's part of our nature. No one, perhaps I should rephrase that for the very few, most people forget, there are a tiny fraction of people who have perfect memory- so tiny it's likely most of us don't even know one of those few.


We forget. We are forgetful. Do we forget on purpose? Is it even possible to forget something on purpose? I don't know that it is. It is however, possible for us to NOT take steps that would keep us from forgetting something. We mostly have it in our power to take step to keep from forgetting. We can write ourselves notes, we can recite something over and over, we could put an object in our midst that would jog our memory. We have ways to help us remember. No, maybe we don't have ways to help us remember every single fact we learn but we have ways to keep us from forgetting important things, right?


If someone tells you not to forget something it's a good guess it's something important- at least to that person.


Forget--
G1950
epilanthanomai
ep-ee-lan-than'-om-ahee
Middle voice from G1909 and G2990; to lose out of mind; by implication to neglect: - (be) forget (-ful of).


Lose out of mind- by implication to neglect.


Have you ever had someone in your life feel as if they were being neglected when you've forgotten something they've wanted you to remember? They feel the neglect and are HURT, their feelings are hurt. They judge your forgetfulness to mean you don't care enough to remember. Their feelings are being neglected, their wish for you to remember something is being slighted. You might not feel that way about it though. You might feel as if you have NO control over the things you forget or remember. You don't realize that you might need to create some system that allows you to remember things that people tell you, especially your loved ones who are most likely to feel hurt, to feel purposely neglected by your poor memory. Because you didn't purposely forget you want to be forgiven, but that doesn't do away with the hurt the forgetting causes. You can be forgiven but at the same time the neglect whether blatant or not, is still real.


When God tells us in His word not to forget how should He feel when we do forget? Should we expect automatic forgiveness? Or should we expect punishment for allowing ourselves to forget, for neglecting to do whatever it is God told us not to forget.


If we are told NOT to forget by God we better make sure we remember! No, I'm not saying God wouldn't forgive us if we truly repent , but we are accountable for our neglecting to remember.


13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.


Be not forgetful- to entertain strangers.


Entertain strangers-
G5381
philonexia
fil-on-ex-ee'-ah
From G5382; hospitableness: - entertain strangers, hospitality.


Hospitality (Webster)
HOSPITAL'ITY, n. [L. hospitalitas.] The act or practice of receiving and entertaining strangers or guests without reward, or with kind and generous liberality.


We cannot forget to be kind to those we don't know.


How easy it is to be indifferent to those we don't know. How easy it is to go about in our own little worlds keeping the unknown at bay. I know it's very easy for me to do so. I don't live in a small town where everyone knows everyone, I wasn't raised in a small town like that either. Keeping to myself is much more my style, in fact it's very hard for me to talk to strangers. I like to think that if someone came to me in need I wouldn't turn them away and in that way I'd be able to entertain strangers, but to go out and actively seek strangers to entertain isn't something I feel very comfortable doing. Not everyone is outgoing and being shy doesn't mean a person is ungodly. We all have our roles, we all have our places in life and as long as we put ourselves at God's disposal He will use us as He needs to.


We can't forget what God tells us not to forget. We can't forget what God tells us to remember and we need to do all we can to remember the words of the Lord to us. If it means writing ourselves notes, or going to great lengths to remember we need to do this, we really do.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, in His love, by His righteousness now and forever!


Amen.

Let brotherly love continue

Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.


Jesus said this…


Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.


Could we love as Jesus loved without Jesus having loved us? No.


No wonder He's *adding* to the commandments already given. Until God's Son divested Himself of His divinity and took on human flesh, living among us, loving us, we could not have that commandment. Seriously, we couldn't have this commandment until Jesus' love was revealed. We already had these commandments--


Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.


These commandments show the love we should have for God and the love we should have for our fellowman. But one thing that isn't a commandment in there if is to forgive. We aren't commanded to forgive until Jesus gives us this commandment-


Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.


Love one another as I have loved you.


Jesus' love forgives. Jesus loved us by forgiving us in our undeserving state. We are to love others as HE loves us. We are to forgive even when the one we forgive is undeserving, what good is forgiving the deserving, any one does that, but Jesus forgave when we didn't deserve that forgiveness.


Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.


What is brotherly love?


1Th 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.


We are taught of God to love one another. Jesus was our example of love and if we follow His example we will love our brother, we will have brotherly love in our lives. We are commanded to love as Jesus loved. We need to learn more and more of Jesus, we need to get as close as we can to our Savior so we can know Him as completely as possible and know how to love as He loved.


By His grace we will learn to love as He loved, by His love!


Amen

We receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved

Heb 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
Heb 12:19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
Heb 12:20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
Heb 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)


Lets read about this more fully…


Exo 19:1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
Exo 19:2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
Exo 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
Exo 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine

Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Exo 19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
Exo 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
Exo 19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
Exo 19:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
Exo 19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

Exo 19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

Exo 19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
Exo 19:14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
Exo 19:15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

Exo 19:17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

Exo 19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
Exo 19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
Exo 19:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
Exo 19:22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
Exo 19:23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

Exo 19:24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
Exo 19:25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.


Exo 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

Exo 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

Exo 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

Exo 20:21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
Exo 20:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.


**

IMAGINE living that!

God desirous to speak with His people- people like you and I, flesh and blood! And how did the people react? They were frightened and they DIDN'T want God to speak to them. They told Moses to speak with them, but not God, because they thought if God spoke with them they'd die. Just imagine being there as this all unfolded.

Then many, many years later we are told this...

Heb 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,


WE ARE NOT COME to the Mount that might be touched.


Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.


WE ARE COME to the mount that CAN'T be touched- Mount Sion, the Heavenly Jerusalem.


Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven


If we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven!
If those who heard God speak from earth could NOT escape, there is NO way we who hear God speak from heaven will escape.


Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.


Heb 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.


Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:


Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him


Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.


Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.


Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.


WE who receive the kingdom cannot be move.
We who receive the kingdom cannot be shaken.


God will shake the earth and the heavens make no mistake about it, but we cannot be moved who are steadfast in Him.


Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:


We RECEIVING a kingdom.
We are receiving the kingdom of God. As soon as we accept Christ we are HEIRS to the kingdom.


Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.


Joint-heirs. Does Jesus own the kingdom? Did Jesus bring the kingdom with Him? Yes and yes. When we accept Jesus we are part of that kingdom. We become joint-heirs with Christ.


So reading this…. We receiving the kingdom which cannot be moved- let us HAVE grace- whereby we MAY serve God ACCEPTABLY with reverence and godly fear. We have this now! We have the kingdom of God, we have grace, and it's because we HAVE these now we can serve God acceptably. If we don't believe we have the kingdom of God, if we don't believe have grace right now in our lives we can't serve God acceptably. These have to be a reality to us right now, not at some future point. We receive it now. It has to be part of our lives. Without believing these are ours now we aren't fully God's are we? We receive grace now! We receive the kingdom now! We receive all this when we receive our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.


Make no mistake this is stating the truth- our God is a consuming fire.


Deu 4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.


God who is from everlasting to everlasting is the same yesterday, today, and forever. When people try to say that God has changed, that Jesus changed things they are so wrong! God in the beginning of the Bible was a consuming fire and God in the end of the Bible is a consuming fire. God hasn't changed, will not change, ever. His standards are the same always.


By His grace, by His love we live and will live forever in Him, in His love, serving Him!


Amen

Fail of the grace of God

Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled


Fail of the grace of God.


No one likes to talk about this, no one. Am I being dramatic? Yes, most likely I am. Maybe it's just me that doesn't like to talk about this, or think about this. Failing of the grace of God?! When there is so much in life we can fail at, this is the ONE thing we do not want to fail to receive.


Just the idea of it being possible to fail of the grace of God is frightening. How do we avoid this? By LOOKING DILIGENTLY. What are we looking diligently for or at? We have to look at ourselves, our lives and what are we looking for in ourselves? ANY root of bitterness springing up to trouble us.


Root of bitterness.


Hannah-
1Sa 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

Hannah prayed in the bitterness of her soul and was redeemed. Hannah didn't live in that bitterness without action. She had the bitterness in her and she prayed, she wept. She believed that God heard her prayer. We can't expect not to be bitter about everything in life that happens, but when that bitterness comes we have to do all we can to pray and get rid of that bitterness. We have to…trust, we have to have faith in God as the bitterness threatens to overwhelm us. Bitterness can consume us. Bitterness can develop in us and when it does that we are no longer trusting in our Savior. We have to be DILIGENT about looking for any bitterness inside us. Maybe there is something in us, maybe some old hurt that we've buried and have yet to seek forgiveness for. Maybe our lives are wrapped up in a cloak of bitterness, and maybe, just maybe we've become immune to the realization of the bitterness disguising it under a different part of our personality. Is it possible?


Heb 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.


Fornicator, profane person- for ONE morsel sold his birthright.
After selling his birthright- he was REJECTED. He found NO place of repentance- though he SOUGHT it CAREFULLY with TEARS.

HE SOUGHT IT! With TEARS!


I want to believe that anyone who seeks repentance will find it, especially if they are seeking it carefully with tears. But sometimes when we commit acts we can't take them back, we can't get back what we've lost. Sometimes it is too late. Esau sold something he could NEVER get back. We all face this trial in our own way. Sometimes it is too late. I don't want to believe it, I want everyone to have endless opportunities to repent and find forgiveness. We have to realize that Esau sold his birthright to keep from suffering hunger and did he want it right back? Did he regret what he'd done as soon as he'd done it? Did he go on and live with the fact he'd sold his birthright happily, unconcerned, believing that he'd done no wrong? Was it ONLY when he realized just how important that birthright was - when it came time to claim it- that it meant anything to him and by then he was more sorry for losing the benefits of the birthright than he was for what he'd done. You know what I mean. Being sorry for our actions is different than being sorry for the outcome of our actions. Esau wasn't sorry he sold the birthright, he wasn't sorry for that action not until the action was attached to the realization he'd sold much more than just his birthright. We can go out and sin - taking pleasure in our sins, we can choose to sin rather than suffer, and at the moment it seems well and good. But then later on maybe we come down with a disease and then we regret the sinning and we might even cry because we feel so upset over having sinned, we might repent of that action with a lot of tears but we are repenting of the outcome, not the actual sin. We are WISHING we never did the sin that brought the consequence. Would we repent if the sin hadn't had that consequence? No. Esau would NEVER have repented if the consequence hadn't existed.


Our sins have consequences.


Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled


Any root of bitterness comes up troubling you.


This is what we really need to understand, the roots of bitterness that trouble us.


Could it be allowing any bitterness to remain in ourselves over anything?


Esau was bitter- his repentance came from his bitterness, it wasn't true repentance. If we are bitter over something we are holding resentment and if we are clinging to resentment over something then we are not allowing God to fill us with Himself because He cannot dwell where there is bitterness and resentment. We all have what we call our pet peeves, our particular situations that cause angst to arise in us and we label them okay because we are so used to them and don't really consider them problems, just our pet peeves. See, we even label them pets which makes them sound like companions of sort. Could they be bitter roots? Do those pet peeves trouble us? They wouldn't be peeves if they didn't offer annoyance to us, would they? Many will be defiled by roots of bitterness troubling them. That's a frightening thought.


Bottom line? Maybe the bottom line is being troubled. When we are troubled by something we are stressing over it- a more modern term we can relate to. When we stress we are not trusting in God. When we don't trust in God then we are lost because He is our source of life and we must trust in Him for ALL things. We have to stop trying to handle everything ourselves. Easier said than done, I know. We see others suffering and it causes us stress. It'd be odd to see a loved one in pain and not be stressed by it, that would make us callous, right? Trusting in God makes us seem unfeeling to people. HOW COULD WE ACT SO UNFEELING!? YOU'RE HEARTLESS! Why? Because we choose to let God be in control? We choose to realize we can't rely on ourselves for anything, but have to rely on God for all things. When we rely on God we let go of everything that would trouble us and by let go I mean we face the facts and our limitations, we face that what is beyond our limitations must be left to God.


If we are having problems and a way out of them is presented to us but we choose not to take that way- thinking God will answer in another way, we are guilty of neglecting God's way of answering.


Everyone knows that old tale that has been told endless times about a man falling over a cliff hanging on just by one hand and crying out to God to save him. The only message he receives is let go. But the man doesn't want to let go. The man has envisioned help coming in a different way perhaps from being pulled up by someone, letting go isn't something he's prepared to do. So clinging to that cliff the man dies. If he'd let go like God was telling Him to do he would have landed on a jutting rock below, but the man didn't know the jutting rock shelf was just beneath him. He didn't trust, he wanted God to answer in another way.


What we can do ourselves we are to do, what we can't do we have to have faith that God will accomplish it however He chooses.


Also, we have to realize that suffering is part of our lives and being called to suffer doesn't mean God has forsaken us or wants us to leave Him.


Suffering and holding fast to God, having faith in God doesn't mean not crying, it doesn't mean not being upset- it means NOT giving up on God. Even as the tears fall we must believe that God is in control and no matter how it seems, things will work out for our eternity.


Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled


Any bitterness in us that would defile us- that would trouble us and turn us from God must be done away with and we have to constantly watch out for the bitterness that would do that to us.


By the grace of our Lord may we be ever watchful not allowing any bitterness to rise up in ourselves to trouble us away from Him in any way. May we take stock of our lives and recognize any and all troubling within us and give that troubling to God. What we may think is minor could have roots deeper than we imagine. Any bitterness inside over anything must be given to our Lord, we cannot be troubled by life as if God doesn't exist and we are not promised eternity after this life of suffering.


Please Lord bless us, help us, guide us, and keep us in YOU now and forever!


By Your grace!


Amen.