Whose Faith Follow

Heb 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.


Remember them- which have rule over you
Remember them - who have spoken unto you the word of God.
Remember them - whose faith follow
Remember them- considering the end of their conversation.


Different versions read that first part like this-

Remember your guides

(Bishops) Remember them which haue the ouersyght of you

(CEV) Don't forget about your leaders who taught you God's message.

(LITV) Remember your leaders who spoke the Word of God to you

(YLT) Be mindful of those leading you


Whose faith should we be following? Who leads us?


1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.


Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.


Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus


Eph 6:21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things


Col 1:7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ


Col 4:9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.


2Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.


The only faith we should follow is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are blessed to have others who are followers of our Lord in our lives and they speak according to His word and there is truth in them - then we can know they are faithful followers. We don't have the apostles to follow today, we don't have many who are faithful- truly faithful. We know that the way is NARROW, we know that many will be led astray and many will try to lead others astray. We know that in the last days it will be as the days of Noah, the days of Lot- where there will be FEW, very, very FEW in comparison to the number of people alive, who will be faithful. Knowing these facts we can't assume there is ANYONE on earth today we should follow. Seriously.


2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2Ti 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
2Ti 3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
2Ti 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
2Ti 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.


Pay attention to this next part carefully….


2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.


Our teacher must be the WORD of GOD!.


Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.


We don't have a faithful servant Onesimus, or a faithful servant Paul, or a faithful servant Tychicus to come to us and for us to learn from. We have the WORD of GOD as our faithful servant. The words of faith exist in the Word of God to us. We can 'remember them which have the rule over us', we can remember those 'who have spoken unto you the word of God' we can remember those 'whose faith follow', we can remember so many 'considering the end of their conversation.'


We have the Bible.


We have the faithful witness of God's word to us. A faithful witness that has managed to endure by God's divine hand even though many times there were those who would have seen it destroyed completely. There was a time it was ILLEGAL to have a Bible, wait… even today it is ILLEGAL to have a Bible in some parts of our world.


'In restricted nations around the world, persecuted believers have two requests: "Please pray for us" and "Please send Bibles!" Believers, as well as those seeking Christ, often wait years to own their own copy of God's Word, and they do so at great risk. But the requests continue: "Please send Bibles!"

Pasted from '


The Bible is our faithful witness! Those of us who have easy access to this faithful witness we are to have rule over us, whose faith we are to follow, considering the words of the faithful within-- don't realize how precious a gift this word of God is.


We might not have living flesh and blood to witness to us as faithful witnesses but we do have God's living word and the Holy Spirit will open our understanding to its marvelous truths.


Heb 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.


We have to remember, we have to follow, we have to consider the END of their conversation. Let's look for just a brief moment at the end of the letters written by these faithful.


2Ti 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.


Rom 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.


Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus.


1Pe 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.


1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.


Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.


1Co 16:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
1Co 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. The first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi by Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus and Timotheus.


These are just snippets, just the tiniest bit of the endings of the letters (some lengthy- some not) that have been written for US. Where are they guiding us who have them for a faithful witness- To our LORD and SAVIOR!


Always the end, the culmination of these faithful witnesses was about our Savior. The entire Bible is filled with the faithful witnesses that will NEVER lead us astray, that will never deceive us. We really need to delve into the word of God so much more than we do. This is our true life, not the world around us. Serving self desires will NOT be the paramount theme in eternity, not by a LONG, LONG shot! When we choose to do things that are pleasing to our base human nature over the things we know will serve our spiritual nature- we choose wrongly. Which nature rules us? Which nature to we CHOOSE to rule? Which nature do we feed? Which nature do we encourage? These are thoughts we need to be thinking about. We need to evaluate ourselves, our lives, our hearts. If we don't like what we see we need to drop to our knees and pray to God to be in us, to create clean hearts within us, to forgive us, to help us. We can't ignore ourselves. We can't ignore our hearts and our ways and expect all is well.


1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.


2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves…


This is for us to do by the grace and mercy of our Savior. Out of our love for God we are to do all that we can, all that the faithful witnesses have professed we should do.


May God bless and keep us in Him now and always, through the love, the mercy, the grace, the righteousness of our Savior and King!


Amen!

The Lord is my helper

Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.


The Lord is my helper.


Does this mean the Lord will help us by keeping us from all the worldly problems we may encounter? Does this mean we can expect help in the way we desire it when we ask for it?
What happens when we ask for help from the Lord and it doesn't seem to be happening? What if a bad situation just keep getting worse and worse? What if others hear us asking the Lord for help and then mock our belief when it appears the Lord isn't helping at all?


The rest of this verse… and I will not fear what man shall do unto me, explains it all, doesn't it?


We aren't living for this world!


Our prayer should be help us Lord, help us on our way to You, let all things work together for good towards our eternal life in You.


Am I saying we shouldn't pray for earthly things? NO! No! No! But first and foremost has to be our Heavenly Father and His will in all things leading towards eternal life in Him.


When I ask people to pray for someone who may be sick or injured, I do want them to pray for their wellbeing. Do I want them to pray for them first and foremost? No. First and foremost God's eternal will must be our prayer.


Remember the prayer the Lord gave to the disciples when they asked Him to teach them to pray?


Ma 6:9 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.


What was first? Our Father which are in heaven- Hallowed be they name. Thy kingdom come.


God is first! The kingdom of God is first! It has to be first and foremost because we aren't living for this world we are living in hopes of the next world in Christ. If we don't make God first, if we don't make eternal life first we get all caught up in the trap of wanting our lives here and now to be easy, to be tolerable, to be good. We pray for things to change here and now so we can live here and now easily. We don't want to live with afflictions, we don't want our loved ones to suffer, we don't want the pain and heartache that comes with life.


Let me emphasize- IT'S NOT WRONG TO PRAY AND ASK FOR THINGS TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER, TO HELP OTHERS, TO MAKE LIFE LESS PAINFUL. What is wrong is making that our priority.


Our priority must be our God! Our priority must be eternal life! Our priority must be God's will be done right here, right now on earth… as God's will is done in heaven…as God will WILL be done in eternity!


Then after we make God our priority, after we make eternity our priority, AFTER we have things eternal in mind and our priorities are straight… then we pray…

Give us this day our daily bread. Lord please supply our needs, physical, mental, emotional, supply our needs as we need them.

We really need to understand this because too many ridicule God and our belief in God as not being the great wish fulfiller. He's not our great wish fulfiller, He is God and with God our eternal life is first and foremost.


Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.


THE LORD IS MY HELPER!


I won't fear what man shall do unto me. I won't fear what comes in this life. I won't fear that my eternal life can be lost by circumstances beyond my control.


May God help this to be all our prayer, may we all BOLDLY say THE LORD IS MY HELPER!


By His grace!

Be without covetousness

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.


Our lives need to be without covetousness, and living in a world where covetousness is an accepted way of life and even promoted telling someone their life needs to be without covetousness seems like telling them they have to do the impossible.


We fool ourselves by telling ourselves that it's NORMAL to covet better things. What makes it normal? Because it's part of our carnal nature, does that make it acceptable? So many people do so many things based upon their impulses, their desires and they call them normal because they have them and they can't help they have these desires- they just do. Our desires, the things we covet- and I'm not just talking about material things here but we covet people, we covet situations, we covet beauty, we can covet many, many things. And YES, we covet from a sin-filled nature. We have to war against the flesh we possess, the fleshy desires that are contrary to God and His will.


1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul


Our fleshly lusts will war against us! We will have these lusts, these desires and they will be powerful! These covetous lusts will try to control us, not have us control them. Satan has done His job well and has convinced us that it's impossible to fight temptations, it's impossible for us to control our NATURAL desires. We have child molesters that will describe in great detail how they couldn't HELP doing what they've done. Murderers, serial killers, they'll tell you they were compelled to do what they've done- unable to stop themselves. We have psychologists/psychiatrists/therapists/physicians and many tests that will be used in court to prove that parts of a psychopath's brain doesn't function like normal peoples. We have so much that goes on to prove why people can't control their coveting, why they can't abstain from their fleshly lusts. We make excuses even as we lock the rapists and murderers up in jail and there is a pinprick of sympathy for the poor soul who was just born bad through NO fault of his own.


I'm no expert at all and don't claim to be. There really could be people who lack the control to abstain from coveting and such- there really could be those who have no control over their actions. I know I have a hard enough time with my own personal *problems*. However we are told in God's word that with every temptation there is a way out of that temptation.


1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


IF we believe in God we have to believe His word to us. If we claim Christ as our Savior, if we've been born again in our Savior and place our lives in His hands we have to believe what we are told.


The temptations we face are COMMON. Often we feel as if we are the only ones struggling but we aren't! Temptation is common, it's not something rare! God WILL make a way to escape, He will make us able to BEAR the temptation without succumbing to it. He will! And we have to resist unto blood if necessary.


Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.


A way to escape, striving against sin. It's not easy- it's horrifically hard to strive against sin.


We are to pray-

Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.


We are told by our Savior-

Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.


The FLESH is weak! We must WATCH, we must PRAY- that we enter NOT into temptation!


Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.


We must ENDURE temptation not succumb to temptation, we must endure it without giving into it.



Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.


We have to live without coveting- the root of a lot of our temptations is coveting. We need to be CONTENT with how things are. We need to be content without the things we covet, living in such a way that by the grace of our Lord we stop coveting. We need to be content with this wonderful, amazing fact-- Jesus will NEVER leave us or forsake us! We might lose EVERYTHING we hold dear in this world, but we CAN'T lose our Savior, NO ONE can take our Savior from us, NOTHING can take our Savior from us! He will NEVER leave us! He will NEVER forsake us! Our eternal life is secure in HIM! We might live in horror in this world, but we have the promise of true life in HIM, in our SAVIOR! Too many people believe God is giving up on them when their lives here and now become living torture- whether emotionally, mentally, physically it doesn't matter. Satan would have us believe God has left us, that we are no longer loved by God, that we've been deserted just when we need our Savior most- but that's wrong! Our Savior was HERE In this world suffering, dying when we needed Him most to do so and He did! He was an example to us- He lived a very painful existence emotionally, mentally, and finally physically He lived a torturous life and we are called to do NO less. If we are blessed enough not to be called to endure horror it's not because of something we've done, it's not because God loves us more than others, we can't know all the reasoning behind life, all the whys and wherefores. We suffer, we live, we love, we need to claim our Savior in ALL things! He will NEVER LEAVE US! He will NEVER FORSAKE US! By His grace we live!


May we cling to our Savior as Satan surrounds us with constant temptation to covetousness, may we cling to our Lord, our Redeemer and resist unto blood!


All in His name! In His holy, holy name! In His love! In His righteousness! His grace! His mercy!


Amen!!!

God will judge

Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Let's get the meaning of the Greek words whoremaster and adulterer--

Webster-
WHOREMONGER, n. The same as whoremaster.
Whoremaster
WHOREMASTER, n. [supra.] One who practices lewdness.

Strong's-
Whoremonger-
pornos
por'-nos
From πέρνημι pernēmi (to sell; akin to the base of G4097); a (male) prostitute (as venal), that is, (by analogy) a debauchee (libertine): - fornicator, whoremonger.

Websters-
Adulterer
ADUL'TERER, n. [L. adulter.]

1. A man guilty of adultery; a man who has sexual commerce with any married woman, except his wife. [See Adultery.]

2. In scripture, an idolator. Ezek 23.

3. An apostate from the true faith, or one who violates his covenant engagements; a very wicked person. Jer 9 and 23.

4. One devoted to earthly things. James 4.

Strong's
Adulterer-
moichos
moy-khos'
Perhaps a primary word; a (male) paramour; figuratively apostate: - adulterer.

*******

Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.


Marriage is honorable.
Adultery, whoredom- is not honorable and God will judge those who take part in these.


What is the principle example of marriage- Christ and His Bride(the Church), Christ and His people joining- becoming one.


Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.


Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.


A bride needs a bridegroom, and a bridegroom needs a bride- one without the other is useless.
All of us can be part of the bride of Christ. Every single human being has this capacity. Every single person can be part of this heavenly marriage, this heavenly relationship. The possibility exists for us to have this amazing marriage, the BEST marriage ever!


If the possibility exists to have an amazing marriage then the opposite is true, isn't it? No marriage.


We are made inherently to want companions and when we meet people who don't have a companion but rather are living their lives alone it's inevitable that people feel sorry for them. Being alone is lonely. There is something missing, that other half isn't there.


Today in our warped world with it's warped perceptions I'm sure many will say that being alone doesn't necessarily mean being lonely, that we don't all need companions, that having another half isn't true for everyone. I'm not going to debate this, I'm not a debater in the best of circumstances. I believe what I believe and I'm not asking anyone to join me in my beliefs. If anyone agrees with something I say that's great but my relationship is with God first not any other. I have to answer to God and God alone. I will be judged by God and God alone and it's my personal belief that we human beings created male and female were made to desire companionship to be complete.


Being made with this desire is a perfect way for us to understand the relationship God desires with His people. Companionship.


We have an opportunity to be wedded to our God, and we also have an opportunity to MISS being wedded to our God. God will not marry every human being but ONLY those who are His, only those who have been born again.


We can choose to be God's, in fact to be His we need to choose to be, and by the power of Christ it is possible. If we don't choose to be God's we won't be. If we choose to be God's and then choose to leave God we won't be God's any longer- HE DOES NOT FORCE US TO STAY HIS! We can choose to become apostates . We can choose to become adulterers, leaving our God for a substitute god. We can choose to be whoremongers and try to find others to fill the place of God as a companion, and Satan will do anything and everything he can to keep us from our Bridegroom, to snatch us away once we are betrothed to Him.


Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.


Whether marriage between a man and woman or the promised marriage to come this verse applies.


God will judge those who are whoremongers and adulterers. God will NOT judge those who are married to Him. God will not judge those who are honorable in their marriages.


Those who choose not to be God's will be judged without any doubt. Those who choose to be God's will have an advocate and that advocate is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, and He will plead in our behalf, He has paid the price for our sins, and we will not be found guilty. PRAISE GOD!


By the grace of our Lord and Savior now and forever may be we ready for our Bridegroom when He comes to take us into the marriage feast, His Bride!


In His eternal love!


Amen.

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.