I've been talking about death lately or rather the state of the dead. The Bible tells us beyond a doubt that the 'dead know nothing' . Jesus tells us death is a sleep. We are told the dead will rise again when Jesus returns- not before, not upon dying. These are all Biblical facts. More facts from the Bible have led me to believe that there are a few other things that the majority of people seem to get wrong.
God is love.
God wants pain and tears done away with.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Do we believe God? Should we? Yes, we should. And God is telling us through His amazing word that HE shall wipe away ALL tears, that there will be NO death, NO sorrow, NO crying, NO Pain.
Yet people want to believe that there is a place filled with pain, filled with sorrow that will exist forever without end.
The opposite side of the heaven scenario is the hell scenario. People going to heaven or hell upon death. Because we've already established that people don't go to heaven when they die, it's a given that they aren't going to a place called hell. We've discussed heaven and now we need to discuss hell.
What exactly is hell?
Let's look at the word itself--
There are four words translated as hell in the Bible.
1. Sheol
2. Hades
3. Geenna ( gehenna )
4. tartaroō
Taking them one at a time--
Sheol- this word is used a lot and it's necessary to note that both the righteous AND the wicked go to sheol.
Gen 37:35
Gen 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Gen 37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
Sheol-grave ( this is Jacob, righteous before God, who talks of going to the grave- going to sheol.)
Psa 89:48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
Man. Man cannot deliver himself from death or the grave. We can't keep ourselves from dying and we can't bring ourselves out of the grave. But God can do both.
We have to note this as well-
Sheol is the same as Hades in the New Testament compare- Ps.16:10 with Acts 2:27
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- sheol)
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- hadēs)
Who is the Holy One? Jesus. Jesus was NEVER in the HELL people envision - burning and torment, the place of the wicked. Jesus was in the grave for three days, not descended into a burning, fiery pit alive. Yet you say the word hades, the word hell and that's what people believe. This word has the meaning of GRAVE. Christ was left in the grave, but not for long. Christ saw NO corruption.
Let's read more of this passage - it's enlightening really.
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
Act 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Act 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
The patriarch David DEAD and BURIED and IN his sepulchre IN PAUL'S time- many, many, many years after He'd died. David was NOT in heaven.
Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Christ was not left in the GRAVE. This makes such perfect sense.
Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.
More tomorrow by the grace of our Savior.
Amen.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Sleep Death
Psa 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
None. Yet don't you believe that giving thanks would be something done constantly if you've gone over from a flesh body to a spirit body leaving behind all the infirmities the flesh has with it? Wouldn't you be shouting your thanks if you were granted heaven upon death? There is NO thanks in death. Death is something to be abhorred, not something to welcome. Don't get me wrong, death can be welcomed by many who are fighting for their lives against a painful, vile disease. What is it that is welcomed though? The end of the pain, not the end of life, just the end of the pain life brings. People who are happy don't wish to die, why? Because they know on some level that death is an ending. Death is the end of their flesh existence and their ability to interact with those still living. If death were something wonderful- an immediate passing into a spirit life living in a wondrous heavenly abode where you could still know everything there is to know about all that is going on with your loved ones- wouldn't it be wise to just encourage the death of ALL the world. Seriously, wouldn't death be desired if we REALLY believed it was a passing into that sort of existence? The thing is people AREN'T sure what happens after death. People want to believe it's a wondrous passing into a spirit life living in a wondrous heavenly abode, but there is something wrong about that belief- it's not TRUE. It simply isn't TRUE. Death isn't any great mystery! It isn't! There is NO question about what death is, not if you believe in Jesus Christ God's Son, the Savior of the World. He says--
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
JESUS said plainly-- Lazarus is DEAD.
But Jesus just said-- our friend Lazarus sleepeth.
There are different types of sleeping. A sleep that is nightly. A sleep that is healing (have you ever notice how the majority of sick people seem to need more sleep?). A sleep that is the sleep of death.
Lazarus is sleeping.
Lazarus is dead.
Which is it? Both. Lazarus is sleeping death's peaceful sleep of nothingness, of painlessness.
There is NO mystery here! None! Jesus wasn't confused about what death was. Jesus understood that death is exactly like sleeping, knowing nothing until you wake again. Is it any wonder you can't give thanks in death, do you thank people when you're sleeping? No. Is it any wonder the dead know nothing? No. Do you know anything when you are sleeping? You're clueless as to what is taking place around you, completely clueless until you wake up and your thought process begins again.
Read this…
Psa 88:10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
No, the dead have no thought why would you show them wonders?
No, the dead won't rise up and praise you, they can't…they're dead.
Ecc 2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
Everyone dies the same. Death is the same for EVERYONE. Death is the same slipping down into nothingness of death's sleep for every single person. You can be the richest man in the whole world and when you die you will sleep just as the poorest man. The wisest man and the biggest fool both inherit the sleep of death.
Job 7:8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
Job 7:9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
Job 7:10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
You go down to the grave and you come up NO MORE!
You do not return to your house!
Your place will not know you any more!
Death is a sleep, not some grand adventure into the spirit realm where you can watch the living as they go through the struggle of life. How wondrous would it be to have to watch your loved ones suffer and be able to do absolutely nothing for them? Death is a sleep and nothing more. A sleep you can and will wake from- some to eternal life and others not.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The DEAD in Christ will RISE!
Why would they need to rise if they are already living as spirit beings in heaven?
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
The DEAD SHALL BE RAISED incorruptible, when? At the LAST TRUMP.
Remember this… we just read it…
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
The LORD will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the TRUMP of God!
When our Savior return if we've died in Christ, if we are in death's sleep, we will be awakened by our Savior! Just as the moment awareness comes to us upon waking in the morning from a night's sleep, we will wake when Christ returns for us and the first awareness after we die that we have will be rising to meet the Lord. How amazingly wonderful is that?! How awesome is it to know that death is NOTHING to fear if we live in Christ and have accepted Him as our Savior, loving Him more than life itself.
Our loved ones are not without us in some spirit form in heaven, because truthfully, could they really be happy being without us… their loved ones? Oh sure, people like to pretend they are up there visiting with all those that passed on before them, but it's just not so. They are sleeping, they're not existing in another form without us. What a blessed sleep that is, knowing they'll be woken up by the calling of our Savior Himself!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, may we be found in Him alive or in death's sleep. To hear the sound of our King's calling us to Him, it's a day not far off, and it's a sound I long to hear.
In HIS love, in HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
None. Yet don't you believe that giving thanks would be something done constantly if you've gone over from a flesh body to a spirit body leaving behind all the infirmities the flesh has with it? Wouldn't you be shouting your thanks if you were granted heaven upon death? There is NO thanks in death. Death is something to be abhorred, not something to welcome. Don't get me wrong, death can be welcomed by many who are fighting for their lives against a painful, vile disease. What is it that is welcomed though? The end of the pain, not the end of life, just the end of the pain life brings. People who are happy don't wish to die, why? Because they know on some level that death is an ending. Death is the end of their flesh existence and their ability to interact with those still living. If death were something wonderful- an immediate passing into a spirit life living in a wondrous heavenly abode where you could still know everything there is to know about all that is going on with your loved ones- wouldn't it be wise to just encourage the death of ALL the world. Seriously, wouldn't death be desired if we REALLY believed it was a passing into that sort of existence? The thing is people AREN'T sure what happens after death. People want to believe it's a wondrous passing into a spirit life living in a wondrous heavenly abode, but there is something wrong about that belief- it's not TRUE. It simply isn't TRUE. Death isn't any great mystery! It isn't! There is NO question about what death is, not if you believe in Jesus Christ God's Son, the Savior of the World. He says--
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
JESUS said plainly-- Lazarus is DEAD.
But Jesus just said-- our friend Lazarus sleepeth.
There are different types of sleeping. A sleep that is nightly. A sleep that is healing (have you ever notice how the majority of sick people seem to need more sleep?). A sleep that is the sleep of death.
Lazarus is sleeping.
Lazarus is dead.
Which is it? Both. Lazarus is sleeping death's peaceful sleep of nothingness, of painlessness.
There is NO mystery here! None! Jesus wasn't confused about what death was. Jesus understood that death is exactly like sleeping, knowing nothing until you wake again. Is it any wonder you can't give thanks in death, do you thank people when you're sleeping? No. Is it any wonder the dead know nothing? No. Do you know anything when you are sleeping? You're clueless as to what is taking place around you, completely clueless until you wake up and your thought process begins again.
Read this…
Psa 88:10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
No, the dead have no thought why would you show them wonders?
No, the dead won't rise up and praise you, they can't…they're dead.
Ecc 2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
Everyone dies the same. Death is the same for EVERYONE. Death is the same slipping down into nothingness of death's sleep for every single person. You can be the richest man in the whole world and when you die you will sleep just as the poorest man. The wisest man and the biggest fool both inherit the sleep of death.
Job 7:8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
Job 7:9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
Job 7:10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
You go down to the grave and you come up NO MORE!
You do not return to your house!
Your place will not know you any more!
Death is a sleep, not some grand adventure into the spirit realm where you can watch the living as they go through the struggle of life. How wondrous would it be to have to watch your loved ones suffer and be able to do absolutely nothing for them? Death is a sleep and nothing more. A sleep you can and will wake from- some to eternal life and others not.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The DEAD in Christ will RISE!
Why would they need to rise if they are already living as spirit beings in heaven?
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
The DEAD SHALL BE RAISED incorruptible, when? At the LAST TRUMP.
Remember this… we just read it…
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
The LORD will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the TRUMP of God!
When our Savior return if we've died in Christ, if we are in death's sleep, we will be awakened by our Savior! Just as the moment awareness comes to us upon waking in the morning from a night's sleep, we will wake when Christ returns for us and the first awareness after we die that we have will be rising to meet the Lord. How amazingly wonderful is that?! How awesome is it to know that death is NOTHING to fear if we live in Christ and have accepted Him as our Savior, loving Him more than life itself.
Our loved ones are not without us in some spirit form in heaven, because truthfully, could they really be happy being without us… their loved ones? Oh sure, people like to pretend they are up there visiting with all those that passed on before them, but it's just not so. They are sleeping, they're not existing in another form without us. What a blessed sleep that is, knowing they'll be woken up by the calling of our Savior Himself!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, may we be found in Him alive or in death's sleep. To hear the sound of our King's calling us to Him, it's a day not far off, and it's a sound I long to hear.
In HIS love, in HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
You know you will die
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
You know you will die.
We ALL know we will eventually die.
We know that when a person dies that which keeps them alive- their breath, their heartbeat- all stops. We know that decay begins in a dead body and that body goes through a breakdown process until- if left untouched- the flesh returns to dust, and if even more time passes, the bones turn to dust also. There is NO dispute here, it's all proven fact that can't be denied by anyone whatsoever. The flesh dies. The person that was that flesh is no more. Some have the process of returning to dust accelerated through cremation, burning the flesh and bone until it is nothing more than ashes. These are all known facts.
We know we will die. We know what happens to us when we die. We cease to function ever again. We are buried and eventually we are forgotten (unless we are famous in some way and the memory of our actions become part of history. Us, being able to partake of ANYTHING is gone.
Over 150,000,000 American's believe in ghosts (as per a site on the internet how true it is, I don't know) .
74% of American's believe in life after death. (Same note as above)
It doesn't say on the site I read if that's INSTANT life after death or DELAYED life after death, but I'm more than willing to believe that MOST of that percentage believe in INSTANT life after death. You can tell just by the mainstream media - people LOVE to console other people with the words- 'They are in heaven NOW.'
This is DECEPTION! People want me to shut up about it and are quick to say- 'It's a HARMLESS deception if it is one, which it isn't. Believing people go right to heaven after death hurts NO ONE. If the majority of people believe this it can't be wrong!'
DECEPTION! I can't shout it here any louder. DECEPTION!!!!!
This is a deception that was begun BEFORE our first parents- Adam and Eve- ever sinned. This was part of the LIE that caused them to sin. This was part of the deception SATAN used! He used it back then and He hasn't stopped using it, and He won't stop using it until He is no more.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die
If SATAN is telling the truth then there IS life right after death- which means there is life after life because obviously there is no REAL death. If your conscious being never dies, if your consciousness never ceases at all whatsoever but just goes on and on and the moment you die your consciousness breaks free from your flesh body- then you don't DIE. If your consciousness goes on endlessly then you KNOW you are transformed in that moment of death, you know your body is dead, you know you are living on in another form and you know everything that is going on around you- you might even go to heaven- where people say all the time that loved ones go and watch over us. Your knowing awareness of things around you is endless after death if you no longer possess a body that needs to sleep to function. But this can't be true, not according to the Bible, not according to our Creator.
Remember this…
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing
The DEAD KNOW NOT ANY THING.
If the part of you that makes you - you- conscious of yourself, the part of you that KNOWS things- never ever dies, never ceases to exist, never stops, then you continue to know things, right? You are still living.
We aren't told that the living know their bodies will die but they will continue to have knowledge. Where in the Bible are we told that? We aren't told that upon the body dying we will live on forever bodiless. We aren't told that upon death part of us will keep living and that part will be rewarded or punished. We are told that our reward comes WITH Christ.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Read this… There is more than one resurrection -
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
IF people DON'T REALLY DIE- this makes NO SENSE whatsoever. The REST of the dead lived NOT again. IF everyone just keeps on living, why would the dead need to live again? Why????
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell(the grave) delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Why are the dead being delivered up from anywhere?! Why, if we just keep on living after our bodies die???
Christ dying means NOTHING if we just continue to live on in some disembodied form after our body dies. If we have this spirit form that lives on happily in heaven why would we ever want to go back into a body? We can't believe in Christ if we believe we just keep on living after we die and there really is no such thing as real dying- mind and body.
Christ came and NOT even HE went on to live in spirit form in heaven after He died. He lay physically in the grave- dead in body and mind- dead - as in what being DEAD REALLY means- knowing nothing until He was brought to life again by God days later. He even says He hasn't gone to His Father yet, He hadn't gone to heaven yet.
For some reason people think they are greater than the God that came to save them. They believe they live on and on endlessly, and not even the God-Man who died did that.
Satan's deception is alive and well and many have bought into it, believing it's harmless to believe that the dead are still alive- it some how eases our minds when we grieve and it helps when we have to linger in illness or injury before dying ourselves.
Deception is NEVER harmless, and this great deception is far from being harmless.
What is the harm? Believing in a lie, not believing in the truth.
Lies. Deceit.
Psa 101:7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
May God help us as we continue to study on this subject, this VERY important subject.
We must not believe in deception no matter how much we might be inclined to do so.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we be found in HIS TRUTH, not believing in lies and deceit.
In His love!
Amen.
You know you will die.
We ALL know we will eventually die.
We know that when a person dies that which keeps them alive- their breath, their heartbeat- all stops. We know that decay begins in a dead body and that body goes through a breakdown process until- if left untouched- the flesh returns to dust, and if even more time passes, the bones turn to dust also. There is NO dispute here, it's all proven fact that can't be denied by anyone whatsoever. The flesh dies. The person that was that flesh is no more. Some have the process of returning to dust accelerated through cremation, burning the flesh and bone until it is nothing more than ashes. These are all known facts.
We know we will die. We know what happens to us when we die. We cease to function ever again. We are buried and eventually we are forgotten (unless we are famous in some way and the memory of our actions become part of history. Us, being able to partake of ANYTHING is gone.
Over 150,000,000 American's believe in ghosts (as per a site on the internet how true it is, I don't know) .
74% of American's believe in life after death. (Same note as above)
It doesn't say on the site I read if that's INSTANT life after death or DELAYED life after death, but I'm more than willing to believe that MOST of that percentage believe in INSTANT life after death. You can tell just by the mainstream media - people LOVE to console other people with the words- 'They are in heaven NOW.'
This is DECEPTION! People want me to shut up about it and are quick to say- 'It's a HARMLESS deception if it is one, which it isn't. Believing people go right to heaven after death hurts NO ONE. If the majority of people believe this it can't be wrong!'
DECEPTION! I can't shout it here any louder. DECEPTION!!!!!
This is a deception that was begun BEFORE our first parents- Adam and Eve- ever sinned. This was part of the LIE that caused them to sin. This was part of the deception SATAN used! He used it back then and He hasn't stopped using it, and He won't stop using it until He is no more.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die
If SATAN is telling the truth then there IS life right after death- which means there is life after life because obviously there is no REAL death. If your conscious being never dies, if your consciousness never ceases at all whatsoever but just goes on and on and the moment you die your consciousness breaks free from your flesh body- then you don't DIE. If your consciousness goes on endlessly then you KNOW you are transformed in that moment of death, you know your body is dead, you know you are living on in another form and you know everything that is going on around you- you might even go to heaven- where people say all the time that loved ones go and watch over us. Your knowing awareness of things around you is endless after death if you no longer possess a body that needs to sleep to function. But this can't be true, not according to the Bible, not according to our Creator.
Remember this…
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing
The DEAD KNOW NOT ANY THING.
If the part of you that makes you - you- conscious of yourself, the part of you that KNOWS things- never ever dies, never ceases to exist, never stops, then you continue to know things, right? You are still living.
We aren't told that the living know their bodies will die but they will continue to have knowledge. Where in the Bible are we told that? We aren't told that upon the body dying we will live on forever bodiless. We aren't told that upon death part of us will keep living and that part will be rewarded or punished. We are told that our reward comes WITH Christ.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Read this… There is more than one resurrection -
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
IF people DON'T REALLY DIE- this makes NO SENSE whatsoever. The REST of the dead lived NOT again. IF everyone just keeps on living, why would the dead need to live again? Why????
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell(the grave) delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Why are the dead being delivered up from anywhere?! Why, if we just keep on living after our bodies die???
Christ dying means NOTHING if we just continue to live on in some disembodied form after our body dies. If we have this spirit form that lives on happily in heaven why would we ever want to go back into a body? We can't believe in Christ if we believe we just keep on living after we die and there really is no such thing as real dying- mind and body.
Christ came and NOT even HE went on to live in spirit form in heaven after He died. He lay physically in the grave- dead in body and mind- dead - as in what being DEAD REALLY means- knowing nothing until He was brought to life again by God days later. He even says He hasn't gone to His Father yet, He hadn't gone to heaven yet.
For some reason people think they are greater than the God that came to save them. They believe they live on and on endlessly, and not even the God-Man who died did that.
Satan's deception is alive and well and many have bought into it, believing it's harmless to believe that the dead are still alive- it some how eases our minds when we grieve and it helps when we have to linger in illness or injury before dying ourselves.
Deception is NEVER harmless, and this great deception is far from being harmless.
What is the harm? Believing in a lie, not believing in the truth.
Lies. Deceit.
Psa 101:7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
May God help us as we continue to study on this subject, this VERY important subject.
We must not believe in deception no matter how much we might be inclined to do so.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we be found in HIS TRUTH, not believing in lies and deceit.
In His love!
Amen.
Monday, January 17, 2011
We Choose
Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
The International Standard Version of the Bible reads that same verse like this--
(ISV) Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.
The Contemporary English Version of the Bible reads this way--
(CEV) You must stop doing anything immoral or evil. Instead be humble and accept the message that is planted in you to save you.
And the Literal Translation of the Holy Bible reads as follows--
(LITV) On account of this, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of evil, in meekness receive the implanted Word being able to save your souls.
Where do people get the impression that they can live immorally and still claim salvation? I'm talking about a knowing, willing acceptance of their immorality? Maybe I’m being too harsh. I feel like I'm being too harsh - as if I'm being JUDGMENTAL and SELF-RIGHTEOUS, even though I’m not pointing a single finger at a single person. I look at my own life and know my own personal struggles and wonder if I'll ever be without filthiness in my life, and in wondering comes that sense of hopelessness that the Devil loves to use on us.
The path is STRAIGHT and NARROW.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
The Bible tells it like it is without any sugar-coating.
We are lost hopelessly without our Savior.
We have to put away all the filth in our lives, we have to shun all evil- how much evil? ALL evil. We have to RECEIVE the WORD put within us with meekness if we are to have any hope of salvation.
Humbly we must receive the Word.
Conscientiously we need to stay away from all evil. Conscientiously we must choose right over wrong. Conscientiously we MUST choose to obey God.
Life is all about choices and we are accountable for the choices. We must choose to receive the Word meekly.
Our hope is solely in Christ.
We must choose Christ.
Maybe I sound like a broken record- constantly harping on our accountability to God, constantly shouting that we are saved by Christ's sacrifice, by Christ's righteousness, but I CAN'T stop. We live in a world that seems hopeless, and Christ is the ONLY hope we have. CHOOSING CHRIST is choosing to obey, it is choosing life over death, it is choosing salvation over hopelessness. It's a constant choice, a living breathing choice that surrounds us always and if we forget that then we are without hope. WE CHOOSE.
By the grace of God may we choose life eternal through our Savior over ANY and ALL evil that seems tempting to us. Only Christ is eternal, evil is temporary and one day will be gone forever.
In His MERCY!
Amen!
The International Standard Version of the Bible reads that same verse like this--
(ISV) Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.
The Contemporary English Version of the Bible reads this way--
(CEV) You must stop doing anything immoral or evil. Instead be humble and accept the message that is planted in you to save you.
And the Literal Translation of the Holy Bible reads as follows--
(LITV) On account of this, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of evil, in meekness receive the implanted Word being able to save your souls.
Where do people get the impression that they can live immorally and still claim salvation? I'm talking about a knowing, willing acceptance of their immorality? Maybe I’m being too harsh. I feel like I'm being too harsh - as if I'm being JUDGMENTAL and SELF-RIGHTEOUS, even though I’m not pointing a single finger at a single person. I look at my own life and know my own personal struggles and wonder if I'll ever be without filthiness in my life, and in wondering comes that sense of hopelessness that the Devil loves to use on us.
The path is STRAIGHT and NARROW.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
The Bible tells it like it is without any sugar-coating.
We are lost hopelessly without our Savior.
We have to put away all the filth in our lives, we have to shun all evil- how much evil? ALL evil. We have to RECEIVE the WORD put within us with meekness if we are to have any hope of salvation.
Humbly we must receive the Word.
Conscientiously we need to stay away from all evil. Conscientiously we must choose right over wrong. Conscientiously we MUST choose to obey God.
Life is all about choices and we are accountable for the choices. We must choose to receive the Word meekly.
Our hope is solely in Christ.
We must choose Christ.
Maybe I sound like a broken record- constantly harping on our accountability to God, constantly shouting that we are saved by Christ's sacrifice, by Christ's righteousness, but I CAN'T stop. We live in a world that seems hopeless, and Christ is the ONLY hope we have. CHOOSING CHRIST is choosing to obey, it is choosing life over death, it is choosing salvation over hopelessness. It's a constant choice, a living breathing choice that surrounds us always and if we forget that then we are without hope. WE CHOOSE.
By the grace of God may we choose life eternal through our Savior over ANY and ALL evil that seems tempting to us. Only Christ is eternal, evil is temporary and one day will be gone forever.
In His MERCY!
Amen!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Satan's Sole Purpose
We WANT to walk upright, don't we?
We desire to walk upright in the paths of righteousness, yes?
We long to follow the ways of our Savior, correct?
Constantly we are buffeted by the enemy who doesn't want us to do any of those things. It is the enemy's JOB, it is the enemy's SOLE PURPOSE to keep US- each of us- from following the Savior. If something is your sole purpose what exactly does that mean?
You've heard someone say before - 'It's my sole purpose in life to love you, or they might say it's my sole purpose in life to get revenge on you.' They're in essence saying that they are LIVING for this reason. They are living to love you and without you they have no other purpose in life. Or they are living to hurt you and for no other reason. We know that when people say stuff like that it's usually an exaggeration. The same person who said they live to love you might turn around and ask for a divorce a few years later because they no longer can stand to be near you. As well as the one seeking revenge, their ire may cool and life make take on new purpose. But with Satan his IRE never cools, His love to deceive us never grows cold and will exist as long as He exists. This is the truth. He will EVER go about seeking to devour who He can, untiringly in his angelic spirit heritage he needs no sleep, no resting. And if we understand how intense it can be on a human to human level to have someone with a 'sole purpose' that is very changeable, how much more intense is it on the spirit level with a being who won't ever change?
We desperately wish to be Christ's and we have an enemy that will stop at nothing to keep us in doubt, keep us confused, keep us questioning, keep us hopeless and all he has to do is hold up our shortcomings to us and make us believe we will never be Christ's not with how exceedingly sinful we are. He loves to act as a circus funhouse mirror reflecting back at us our evilness, and yes, sin is evil and the sin we commit is evil- we can't pretty it up and say it's just a tiny little bitty sin, not one of those awful ones. And the funhouse effect of this mirror is to make us feel HOPELESS, so evil we can never be forgiven, never hope to be sin-free in Christ. He gets us to keep looking at ourselves so that we have no desire to take our eyes off ourselves and our failings. And as long as Satan has us looking at ourselves we are not looking at our SAVIOR! We have no hope in ourselves, NONE and the sooner we realize this the better. We have to STOP looking at ourselves and look beyond ourselves to our Savior. HE IS able to save us, we are NOT able to save ourselves!
The questions were…
We WANT to walk upright, don't we?
We desire to walk upright in the paths of righteousness, yes?
We long to follow the ways of our Savior, correct?
Then we have to LISTEN to the LORD! We can't close our ears to Him and expect to walk upright. We can't ignore Him and expect to walk upright. We can't close our eyes and expect to follow Him. Do you know how quickly one falls off a path once they are blindfolded? If we blind ourselves, if we keep ourselves in the dark we can't expect to find light on the path.
Remember yesterday's study… all those things we are told to do to understand the fear of the Lord and to find the knowledge of God?
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST!
Actions, verbs!
Here read it again…
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
And there is more...
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Pro 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Pro 2:14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Pro 2:15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
Pro 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Pro 2:17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
Pro 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Pro 2:19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Pro 2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Pro 2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
Righteous and wicked.
We choose.
We are told to act in upright ways - to -
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST
And when we DO NOT do as we are told is it any wonder we can be tempted away to the wicked path?
We can do absolutely nothing and hope that doing nothing is enough. Or we can do the things we are told to do and HOPE that by the grace of OUR Savior it will be enough.
We can stand without armor on and hope to live, but the chances of that are very, very slim. We are told to wear spiritual armor and we are told what that armor is.
Salvation
Righteousness
Truth
Gospel of Peace
Spirit of the Word of God
Faith
We have to choose these things.
Not, put the armor on once and never again; not, only wear one piece of the armor and no more; not, put on the armor when the mood hits us. The war we are in is ongoing- night and day, everyday. Ask soldiers that go to war if they sleep in protective gear when they are close to or among the enemy lines. We exist in the enemy's camp without any hope of survival unless we have our armor on.
We must have SALVATION first and foremost and with our head protected we must protect the rest of us and that Salvation we have in Christ is also where we get the rest of our protective gear.
We have an inheritance in Christ and the Holy Spirit will guide us and keep us in the promise of that inheritance if we allow Him. We can be blessed with all spiritual blessings. We can be before Our Savior without blame in love. We are adopted by Jesus Himself! We have redemption through His sacrifice. This is WISDOM, the knowledge of HIM and His love towards us! It is the WILL of our Savior that we be with Him! Read it! I didn't write it… HE DID!
Eph 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
AMEN!
We desire to walk upright in the paths of righteousness, yes?
We long to follow the ways of our Savior, correct?
Constantly we are buffeted by the enemy who doesn't want us to do any of those things. It is the enemy's JOB, it is the enemy's SOLE PURPOSE to keep US- each of us- from following the Savior. If something is your sole purpose what exactly does that mean?
You've heard someone say before - 'It's my sole purpose in life to love you, or they might say it's my sole purpose in life to get revenge on you.' They're in essence saying that they are LIVING for this reason. They are living to love you and without you they have no other purpose in life. Or they are living to hurt you and for no other reason. We know that when people say stuff like that it's usually an exaggeration. The same person who said they live to love you might turn around and ask for a divorce a few years later because they no longer can stand to be near you. As well as the one seeking revenge, their ire may cool and life make take on new purpose. But with Satan his IRE never cools, His love to deceive us never grows cold and will exist as long as He exists. This is the truth. He will EVER go about seeking to devour who He can, untiringly in his angelic spirit heritage he needs no sleep, no resting. And if we understand how intense it can be on a human to human level to have someone with a 'sole purpose' that is very changeable, how much more intense is it on the spirit level with a being who won't ever change?
We desperately wish to be Christ's and we have an enemy that will stop at nothing to keep us in doubt, keep us confused, keep us questioning, keep us hopeless and all he has to do is hold up our shortcomings to us and make us believe we will never be Christ's not with how exceedingly sinful we are. He loves to act as a circus funhouse mirror reflecting back at us our evilness, and yes, sin is evil and the sin we commit is evil- we can't pretty it up and say it's just a tiny little bitty sin, not one of those awful ones. And the funhouse effect of this mirror is to make us feel HOPELESS, so evil we can never be forgiven, never hope to be sin-free in Christ. He gets us to keep looking at ourselves so that we have no desire to take our eyes off ourselves and our failings. And as long as Satan has us looking at ourselves we are not looking at our SAVIOR! We have no hope in ourselves, NONE and the sooner we realize this the better. We have to STOP looking at ourselves and look beyond ourselves to our Savior. HE IS able to save us, we are NOT able to save ourselves!
The questions were…
We WANT to walk upright, don't we?
We desire to walk upright in the paths of righteousness, yes?
We long to follow the ways of our Savior, correct?
Then we have to LISTEN to the LORD! We can't close our ears to Him and expect to walk upright. We can't ignore Him and expect to walk upright. We can't close our eyes and expect to follow Him. Do you know how quickly one falls off a path once they are blindfolded? If we blind ourselves, if we keep ourselves in the dark we can't expect to find light on the path.
Remember yesterday's study… all those things we are told to do to understand the fear of the Lord and to find the knowledge of God?
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST!
Actions, verbs!
Here read it again…
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
And there is more...
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Pro 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Pro 2:14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Pro 2:15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
Pro 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Pro 2:17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
Pro 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Pro 2:19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Pro 2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Pro 2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
Righteous and wicked.
We choose.
We are told to act in upright ways - to -
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST
And when we DO NOT do as we are told is it any wonder we can be tempted away to the wicked path?
We can do absolutely nothing and hope that doing nothing is enough. Or we can do the things we are told to do and HOPE that by the grace of OUR Savior it will be enough.
We can stand without armor on and hope to live, but the chances of that are very, very slim. We are told to wear spiritual armor and we are told what that armor is.
Salvation
Righteousness
Truth
Gospel of Peace
Spirit of the Word of God
Faith
We have to choose these things.
Not, put the armor on once and never again; not, only wear one piece of the armor and no more; not, put on the armor when the mood hits us. The war we are in is ongoing- night and day, everyday. Ask soldiers that go to war if they sleep in protective gear when they are close to or among the enemy lines. We exist in the enemy's camp without any hope of survival unless we have our armor on.
We must have SALVATION first and foremost and with our head protected we must protect the rest of us and that Salvation we have in Christ is also where we get the rest of our protective gear.
We have an inheritance in Christ and the Holy Spirit will guide us and keep us in the promise of that inheritance if we allow Him. We can be blessed with all spiritual blessings. We can be before Our Savior without blame in love. We are adopted by Jesus Himself! We have redemption through His sacrifice. This is WISDOM, the knowledge of HIM and His love towards us! It is the WILL of our Savior that we be with Him! Read it! I didn't write it… HE DID!
Eph 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
AMEN!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Spirit Fed- from the Word of God
God Works in mysterious ways, of this there is NO doubt.
Yesterday my study -
Would you eat of the tree?
Resulted from starting to study Proverbs 2:22.
Tonight at Bible study I was prompted to come home and study more on having God's word in our hearts and lo and behold I was led back to Proverbs 2. Amazing.
Pro 2:1 My son, IF thou wilt receive my words...
IF we will receive the words of God. We have a choice on whether or not to receive them, don't we? When we hear something we can let it go in one ear and out the other as the saying goes. We don't have to receive the words we hear- it is as simple as that. People say you can't take back something you say- if you say something nasty and hurtful it can remain with someone for life and this is true. That something nasty and hurtful was RECEIVED, it wasn't allowed to go in one ear and out the other. Isn't it AWFUL that Satan has that power? Isn't it AWFUL that we allow Satan to have sway over us in that way? So that the BAD stuff lingers on and on and the good stuff gets pushed aside. It happens all the time. Can you relate something bad said to you? I believe you can and not only can you relate that bad thing you can recall how it made you feel and it's even possible the words still have the same effect on you today that they had on you when they were said to you. Turn the table - can you remember something bad you said to someone else and how hurt it made them feel?
Received words.
Received words are not only bad words said to us. We do recall good things people have said too. A bit of praise from a mother or father, a teacher, a boss, a co-worker, a husband or wife.
Received words are REMEMBERED words.
No, I'm not saying that you have to memorize the entire Bible- that'd be great but for most of us it's just not feasible, our ability to retain information isn't quite up to such a feat. I am saying that memorizing God's word is important- it's REMEMBERING God's word to us, it's RECEIVING God's word.
I know, I know you might be thinking that some of the Pharisees and such had the Scriptures memorized and they were no better off for doing so. It's true, you can memorize and in that way receive God's word but there is MORE to it and God didn't leave that part out. Let's continue reading...
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee
AND hide my commandments with thee
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding
INCLINE ear to wisdom
AND apply thine heart to understanding.
Are you reading? Do you see there is more. RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY and there is till more!
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
CRIEST after knowledge
LIFTEST UP THY VOICE for understanding
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
SEEKEST Her as silver
SEARCHEST for her as for hid treasure
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST!
Pro 2:5 THEN shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST - THEN SHALT THOU UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD!
You have to ask yourself- do you receive, do you hide, do you incline, do you criest, do you liftest, do you seekest, do you searchest - GOD's WORD?
We can't just receive, we must hide God's commandments with us, we must incline towards hearing wisdom, we have to apply our hearts to understand- do you see??? It's not enough to just receive to just memorize God's word, we have to do so much more with it! We have to cry out for knowledge, we have to cry out for understanding, we have seek this as for SILVER, search as if we are searching for a hidden treasure- not as if the treasure has been revealed- meaning we no longer have to search.
Do you see?
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.
Over and over we are told how amazing the word of God is.
Jesus said-- Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
When we stop feeding from the word of God our spirit dies.
If we stop feeding from the word of God we are feeding from other things. Satan has a whole slew of things he will try and feed us to quell the stirrings of a starving spirit within us.
What are you feasting on?
Where do you get your spiritual food from?
If you are discontented, if you don't feel inclined towards God, if you feel your life is filled with angst and worry, stress and pain you have to ask yourself what you're feeding your spirit. Are you feeding your spirit from the source of life everlasting or from the source of death eternal?
How often do you read, or hear about the people of God having a strange peace within them even in very trying times as they suffer unspeakable hardships? This is why. They are feeding from the source of life everlasting- their spirit is fed from the word of God, the Word of God.
It isn't something magical that only a few chosen are born with, it's not something reserved for special people- we can ALL feed from the source of life everlasting!
More on this tomorrow… :)
May God help us to …
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST - the WORD of God!
By HIS GRACE! BY HIS LOVE!
Amen!
Yesterday my study -
Would you eat of the tree?
Resulted from starting to study Proverbs 2:22.
Tonight at Bible study I was prompted to come home and study more on having God's word in our hearts and lo and behold I was led back to Proverbs 2. Amazing.
Pro 2:1 My son, IF thou wilt receive my words...
IF we will receive the words of God. We have a choice on whether or not to receive them, don't we? When we hear something we can let it go in one ear and out the other as the saying goes. We don't have to receive the words we hear- it is as simple as that. People say you can't take back something you say- if you say something nasty and hurtful it can remain with someone for life and this is true. That something nasty and hurtful was RECEIVED, it wasn't allowed to go in one ear and out the other. Isn't it AWFUL that Satan has that power? Isn't it AWFUL that we allow Satan to have sway over us in that way? So that the BAD stuff lingers on and on and the good stuff gets pushed aside. It happens all the time. Can you relate something bad said to you? I believe you can and not only can you relate that bad thing you can recall how it made you feel and it's even possible the words still have the same effect on you today that they had on you when they were said to you. Turn the table - can you remember something bad you said to someone else and how hurt it made them feel?
Received words.
Received words are not only bad words said to us. We do recall good things people have said too. A bit of praise from a mother or father, a teacher, a boss, a co-worker, a husband or wife.
Received words are REMEMBERED words.
No, I'm not saying that you have to memorize the entire Bible- that'd be great but for most of us it's just not feasible, our ability to retain information isn't quite up to such a feat. I am saying that memorizing God's word is important- it's REMEMBERING God's word to us, it's RECEIVING God's word.
I know, I know you might be thinking that some of the Pharisees and such had the Scriptures memorized and they were no better off for doing so. It's true, you can memorize and in that way receive God's word but there is MORE to it and God didn't leave that part out. Let's continue reading...
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee
AND hide my commandments with thee
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding
INCLINE ear to wisdom
AND apply thine heart to understanding.
Are you reading? Do you see there is more. RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY and there is till more!
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
CRIEST after knowledge
LIFTEST UP THY VOICE for understanding
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
SEEKEST Her as silver
SEARCHEST for her as for hid treasure
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST!
Pro 2:5 THEN shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST - THEN SHALT THOU UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD!
You have to ask yourself- do you receive, do you hide, do you incline, do you criest, do you liftest, do you seekest, do you searchest - GOD's WORD?
We can't just receive, we must hide God's commandments with us, we must incline towards hearing wisdom, we have to apply our hearts to understand- do you see??? It's not enough to just receive to just memorize God's word, we have to do so much more with it! We have to cry out for knowledge, we have to cry out for understanding, we have seek this as for SILVER, search as if we are searching for a hidden treasure- not as if the treasure has been revealed- meaning we no longer have to search.
Do you see?
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.
Over and over we are told how amazing the word of God is.
Jesus said-- Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
When we stop feeding from the word of God our spirit dies.
If we stop feeding from the word of God we are feeding from other things. Satan has a whole slew of things he will try and feed us to quell the stirrings of a starving spirit within us.
What are you feasting on?
Where do you get your spiritual food from?
If you are discontented, if you don't feel inclined towards God, if you feel your life is filled with angst and worry, stress and pain you have to ask yourself what you're feeding your spirit. Are you feeding your spirit from the source of life everlasting or from the source of death eternal?
How often do you read, or hear about the people of God having a strange peace within them even in very trying times as they suffer unspeakable hardships? This is why. They are feeding from the source of life everlasting- their spirit is fed from the word of God, the Word of God.
It isn't something magical that only a few chosen are born with, it's not something reserved for special people- we can ALL feed from the source of life everlasting!
More on this tomorrow… :)
May God help us to …
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST - the WORD of God!
By HIS GRACE! BY HIS LOVE!
Amen!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Would you eat of the tree?
Pro 2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
The wicked will NOT inherit the earth. Satan will not inherit the earth. The earth was made for God's people. God made the earth for the people He created, people that will love Him, people that will trust and obey Him. This earth will NOT belong to the wicked- the sinners will be rooted out of it- gone forever! When you take a plant out by the roots it does not return. The wicked will NOT return to the earth once they are rooted out. Those who LOVE God with all their hearts, those who OBEY God, those who TRUST God- these are the ones who will dwell in the land, dwell in the earth.
A sinner is one who transgresses the law.
Therefore the perfect are those who do not transgress the law.
Our Savior was the ONLY human not to transgress the law and through HIM we can be adopted as sons of God.
We are made perfect IN Christ.
Where Adam and Eve chose to disobey the command to God, we must choose to obey the command of God.
It's all about choice, about choosing and that is up to US to do, God cannot choose for us.
We need to ask ourselves this VERY important question-
Would we eat of the tree?
We are SO very quick to condemn Eve and Adam for their failure and yes, they failed without having our sinful nature and we have that sinful nature through inheritance. We condemn them and yet when we stand before our TREE or in many cases- our orchard of trees we pick from them all and eat many forbidden fruit without a second thought. We disobey God all the time. We eat of the tree even as we stand there and have the gall to condemn others who eat from the tree. You say you're powerless, that you can't help but eat of the forbidden tree and maybe that's true to a certain degree. We do live in a world filled with forbidden trees and the refuge of a garden free of temptation scarcely exists. Because we live in this garden of temptation we feel as if there is no choice but to eat of the forbidden fruit just to live. It's like a complete OPPOSITE of the garden of Eden. Instead of just ONE forbidden tree, we have ONE righteous tree. Instead of countless righteous trees to feed from, we have countless forbidden trees. Instead of having to stay away from ONE forbidden tree, we have to cling to the ONE righteous tree. We have NO righteousness within ourselves, Adam and Eve had NO righteousness within themselves- they had their righteousness within their Creator who offered them a life of righteousness- eating from a TREE of life in a garden of righteousness where only a single Forbidden tree stood. We have our righteousness in our Creator who had Redeemed us, and we need to eat of this Tree while we live among countless forbidden trees. Before the Fall and after the Fall- our eternal life is found within Christ. Choosing to disobey God by partaking of the Forbidden trees is something we need to ask forgiveness for- not blame God for the Forbidden trees existences.
Would we eat of the tree? When you are faced with any situation where you need to choose obeying God versus disobeying God- ask yourself- would you eat of the tree? Place yourself there in the garden of Eden and ask yourself would you choose to eat of the tree- because eating of that tree was disobeying God- transgressing against God. All our sins are transgressions against God- and sin is the transgression of the law- God is the law.
Instead of making up excuses- fall at the feet of the Tree of Righteousness, choose the ONE who can save you, cling to your Savior as you fight, as you strive against sin, choose NOT to eat of the forbidden tree.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we choose CHRIST over all! This is something we MUST do. Choose Christ! And if anyone thinks they don't have to choose Christ they're sadly mistaken.
Choose Christ!
In His Love!
Amen.
Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
The wicked will NOT inherit the earth. Satan will not inherit the earth. The earth was made for God's people. God made the earth for the people He created, people that will love Him, people that will trust and obey Him. This earth will NOT belong to the wicked- the sinners will be rooted out of it- gone forever! When you take a plant out by the roots it does not return. The wicked will NOT return to the earth once they are rooted out. Those who LOVE God with all their hearts, those who OBEY God, those who TRUST God- these are the ones who will dwell in the land, dwell in the earth.
A sinner is one who transgresses the law.
Therefore the perfect are those who do not transgress the law.
Our Savior was the ONLY human not to transgress the law and through HIM we can be adopted as sons of God.
We are made perfect IN Christ.
Where Adam and Eve chose to disobey the command to God, we must choose to obey the command of God.
It's all about choice, about choosing and that is up to US to do, God cannot choose for us.
We need to ask ourselves this VERY important question-
Would we eat of the tree?
We are SO very quick to condemn Eve and Adam for their failure and yes, they failed without having our sinful nature and we have that sinful nature through inheritance. We condemn them and yet when we stand before our TREE or in many cases- our orchard of trees we pick from them all and eat many forbidden fruit without a second thought. We disobey God all the time. We eat of the tree even as we stand there and have the gall to condemn others who eat from the tree. You say you're powerless, that you can't help but eat of the forbidden tree and maybe that's true to a certain degree. We do live in a world filled with forbidden trees and the refuge of a garden free of temptation scarcely exists. Because we live in this garden of temptation we feel as if there is no choice but to eat of the forbidden fruit just to live. It's like a complete OPPOSITE of the garden of Eden. Instead of just ONE forbidden tree, we have ONE righteous tree. Instead of countless righteous trees to feed from, we have countless forbidden trees. Instead of having to stay away from ONE forbidden tree, we have to cling to the ONE righteous tree. We have NO righteousness within ourselves, Adam and Eve had NO righteousness within themselves- they had their righteousness within their Creator who offered them a life of righteousness- eating from a TREE of life in a garden of righteousness where only a single Forbidden tree stood. We have our righteousness in our Creator who had Redeemed us, and we need to eat of this Tree while we live among countless forbidden trees. Before the Fall and after the Fall- our eternal life is found within Christ. Choosing to disobey God by partaking of the Forbidden trees is something we need to ask forgiveness for- not blame God for the Forbidden trees existences.
Would we eat of the tree? When you are faced with any situation where you need to choose obeying God versus disobeying God- ask yourself- would you eat of the tree? Place yourself there in the garden of Eden and ask yourself would you choose to eat of the tree- because eating of that tree was disobeying God- transgressing against God. All our sins are transgressions against God- and sin is the transgression of the law- God is the law.
Instead of making up excuses- fall at the feet of the Tree of Righteousness, choose the ONE who can save you, cling to your Savior as you fight, as you strive against sin, choose NOT to eat of the forbidden tree.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we choose CHRIST over all! This is something we MUST do. Choose Christ! And if anyone thinks they don't have to choose Christ they're sadly mistaken.
Choose Christ!
In His Love!
Amen.
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