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:
We should NOT sin.
Anyone who thinks it's okay to sin is deceived.
Anyone who thinks there is any sin no matter how small that doesn't need to be forgiven is gravely mistaken.
We cannot commit even the tiniest of deliberate sins and expect that we are forgiven.
Any sin that we are aware of MUST be forgiven and in order for that sin to be forgiven we have to ASK for it to be forgiven.
We are NOT to sin.
However…
IF ANY MAN SIN we do have and ADVOCATE with the FATHER, and JESUS CHRIST the RIGHTEOUS.
We have an ADVOCATE!
We don't have to pay for this Advocate.
When you need an advocate in worldly matters you more often than not must pay for them or go unrepresented by anyone but yourself.
Have you ever had to represent yourself in court? I have and it's not easy, especially when you have a judge ignoring all your attempts to follow things to the legal level of the law, the judges I've had to deal with have taken offense at my audacity to even try to think I might know something of the law. They say over and over that I should get a lawyer, get a lawyer, hire a lawyer, get someone to represent you. But when you just CAN'T afford to hire representation then you only have yourself to rely upon and the mercy of the court which isn't all that understanding. They want those who have gone to school and studied to speak with them, not someone ignorant of all that learning. Judges, lawyers, and those they represent.
Spiritually we have a judge, spiritually we have an advocate, and spiritually we exist as those who will be judged and those who have a need for an advocate because in this spiritual trial we cannot survive representing ourselves. We need someone to advocate for us. In fact we need someone to actually TAKE OUR PLACE, someone willing to STAND IN for us, someone willing to ACCEPT our punishment because we are GUILTY!
We cannot plead our case, we are GUILTY.
We can only stand before the judge and admit our guilt and pray that our Advocate Jesus Christ our Savior will stand in our place and take our guilt. He's already served the sentence and it was the death penalty. A God- taking on flesh and dying an innocent man.
Only by the grace of our Savior will we live and no other way at all whatsoever.
If we do sin we must confess our sins and repent of them, seeking forgiveness in our God, our ADVOCATE, this is our only hope.
By His LOVE always!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Walk in light
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
God is light.
There is NO darkness in God at all.
When we live in darkness we are living in ignorance.
There is NO blindness with God- He sees all and knows all.
If we say we are living in Christ and then do the works of darkness we are LIARS.
We cannot do the works of darkness and say we are Christ's.
Yes, we are all sinners and sinners who seek to be with Christ, sinners who seek Christ's forgiveness. We need to repent and that repentance means giving up the sin. If we don't give up the sin then we have to repent and seek forgiveness over and over again. We cannot keep sinful things in our lives willingly and not repent of them even if that means repenting constantly. Some will tell you that you can't repent constantly, that you aren't truly seeking forgiveness and repenting if you commit the sin again, but that is Satan trying to lead us into despair. We have to constantly seek the Light and to walk in that Light. We cannot allow ourselves to walk in darkness with no hope of light, we just can't. This isn't a free pass to sin and get by, not at all. God knows our hearts and knows whether or not we are truly repenting. He knows whether or not we truly want Him to lead our lives, to be the LOVE of our lives, HE knows our HEARTS and He alone can give a clean heart.
The blood of our Savior will truly CLEANSE us from ALL SIN.
We can't believe we have no sin, we can't deceive ourselves- NOT if the TRUTH is in us. We must confess our sins, we must realize that OUR LORD is faithful to us and WILL forgive us and HE will CLEANSE us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!
If we pretend we have NO sin, then we call our LORD a liar and His truth, His word is NOT in us.
We have to remember always that God is LIGHT, God is LIFE. God will shine HIS TRUTH into our IGNORANCE, so that our IGNORANCE will not kill us.
We need to comprehend the LIGHT of God, the TRUTH because if we don't we will live in darkness and believe me, Satan loves to surround us in his darkness masquerading it as light.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
If our arch enemy can transform himself into an angel of light we have to seek only the TRUTH and live in that TRUTH of God's so we are NOT deceived!
All through HIS GRACE!
All through HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!
All through HIS LOVE!
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
God is light.
There is NO darkness in God at all.
When we live in darkness we are living in ignorance.
There is NO blindness with God- He sees all and knows all.
If we say we are living in Christ and then do the works of darkness we are LIARS.
We cannot do the works of darkness and say we are Christ's.
Yes, we are all sinners and sinners who seek to be with Christ, sinners who seek Christ's forgiveness. We need to repent and that repentance means giving up the sin. If we don't give up the sin then we have to repent and seek forgiveness over and over again. We cannot keep sinful things in our lives willingly and not repent of them even if that means repenting constantly. Some will tell you that you can't repent constantly, that you aren't truly seeking forgiveness and repenting if you commit the sin again, but that is Satan trying to lead us into despair. We have to constantly seek the Light and to walk in that Light. We cannot allow ourselves to walk in darkness with no hope of light, we just can't. This isn't a free pass to sin and get by, not at all. God knows our hearts and knows whether or not we are truly repenting. He knows whether or not we truly want Him to lead our lives, to be the LOVE of our lives, HE knows our HEARTS and He alone can give a clean heart.
The blood of our Savior will truly CLEANSE us from ALL SIN.
We can't believe we have no sin, we can't deceive ourselves- NOT if the TRUTH is in us. We must confess our sins, we must realize that OUR LORD is faithful to us and WILL forgive us and HE will CLEANSE us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!
If we pretend we have NO sin, then we call our LORD a liar and His truth, His word is NOT in us.
We have to remember always that God is LIGHT, God is LIFE. God will shine HIS TRUTH into our IGNORANCE, so that our IGNORANCE will not kill us.
We need to comprehend the LIGHT of God, the TRUTH because if we don't we will live in darkness and believe me, Satan loves to surround us in his darkness masquerading it as light.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
If our arch enemy can transform himself into an angel of light we have to seek only the TRUTH and live in that TRUTH of God's so we are NOT deceived!
All through HIS GRACE!
All through HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!
All through HIS LOVE!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Fellowship with the Father and the Son
1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Jn 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
That which was from beginning.
That which was heard.
That which was seen with their eyes.
That which they looked upon.
That which their hands touched.
The WORD of life.
How do you touch words?
You don't, not really.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
In beginning the WORD existed.
The WORD existed WITH GOD.
The WORD also was a GOD.
God with God in beginning.
The first word spoken was spoken by our Savior- He is the Word.
All things were made by our Savior.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
God with God, God the Father with God the Word creating our world, bringing us into existence.
God the Word with God throughout eternity no beginning, no end, ever existing. The Word gave us existence and the Word offers us salvation. The Creator, the Redeemer.
Some were witness to the miracle of the Word made flesh. They were blessed, able to see Him, touch Him, hear Him. These brought the message to us who would exist thousands of years later that through faith we would believe without seeing, without touching, without hearing.
1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1Jn 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
We also may have FELLOWSHIP with those who lived thousands of years ago and this fellowship is possible through faith in the Father and with the Word made flesh, the God who became the Son and lived among us.
We are told that this fellowship is possible, this amazing fellowship with our eternal Gods and we must believe it because only in believing will our joy truly be full.
When our hope is in eternity and things eternal and not focused on here and now, we can have that joy because NOTHING can take away that joy, that hope, nothing!
As our existence here might seem unbearable - we suffer truly suffer- we can still lay hold of the hope that is found in our God the Father and our God the Son- our Savior. Eternity can be real through faith in our Lord. Satan would blind us to eternity, or make it so that eternity is something impossible to obtain, but the real truth is that eternity must be our hope, our truth because eternity exists in our Savior!
1Jn 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
That which was from beginning.
That which was heard.
That which was seen with their eyes.
That which they looked upon.
That which their hands touched.
The WORD of life.
How do you touch words?
You don't, not really.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
In beginning the WORD existed.
The WORD existed WITH GOD.
The WORD also was a GOD.
God with God in beginning.
The first word spoken was spoken by our Savior- He is the Word.
All things were made by our Savior.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
God with God, God the Father with God the Word creating our world, bringing us into existence.
God the Word with God throughout eternity no beginning, no end, ever existing. The Word gave us existence and the Word offers us salvation. The Creator, the Redeemer.
Some were witness to the miracle of the Word made flesh. They were blessed, able to see Him, touch Him, hear Him. These brought the message to us who would exist thousands of years later that through faith we would believe without seeing, without touching, without hearing.
1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1Jn 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
We also may have FELLOWSHIP with those who lived thousands of years ago and this fellowship is possible through faith in the Father and with the Word made flesh, the God who became the Son and lived among us.
We are told that this fellowship is possible, this amazing fellowship with our eternal Gods and we must believe it because only in believing will our joy truly be full.
When our hope is in eternity and things eternal and not focused on here and now, we can have that joy because NOTHING can take away that joy, that hope, nothing!
As our existence here might seem unbearable - we suffer truly suffer- we can still lay hold of the hope that is found in our God the Father and our God the Son- our Savior. Eternity can be real through faith in our Lord. Satan would blind us to eternity, or make it so that eternity is something impossible to obtain, but the real truth is that eternity must be our hope, our truth because eternity exists in our Savior!
Remaining steadfast
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Our only protection comes when we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
If we are growing in grace, if we are growing in the knowledge of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST then we are much less likely to fall from our steadfastness.
When we are steadfast we are holding onto our faith looking forward to the coming of our Lord, looking forward to our heavenly home where our treasures are kept, looking forward to a new heavens and a new earth where there is no more sin. When we are steadfast we are fighting the good fight and it is a fight, a daily fight.
Just because life isn't going smoothly and everything is going just right doesn't mean you are lost. It is Satan who would have us give in to despair because he knows once we begin to despair then we lose hope. Despair pushes hope aside and tells us we will never be what we know God would have us to be. In truth, God would have us be His throughout all the trials and tribulations we face. As we are put into the fires of refining our God wants us to suffer through all that we must and holdfast to HIM knowing those fires, knowing that suffering is not going to last forever but is temporary. We have to fight, we have to make choices and we have to seek our Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul.
Satan would have us believe that we will never give up the sins we cherish, the sins that we believe are a part of our nature. Satan wants us to believe that we are too stained to be God's, too filthy to have hope. We have to fight the despair that Satan tempts us with and hang on to our Lord's promises. We won't see the sealing placed upon us, but God and His holy angels will. Satan would have us believe it's impossible, completely and utterly impossible to be God's in this world of sin, but it's NOT, nothing is impossible with God, nothing.
Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Only with God are we saved and we must cling to Him and His saving grace praying all the while that the fires of refining do the work they are meant to do in us.
Please Lord, please help us to grow in grace!
Please Lord, please help us to grow in knowledge of YOU!
Please Lord, please help us NOT to lose our steadfastness but remain FOREVER in YOU, our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Our only protection comes when we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
If we are growing in grace, if we are growing in the knowledge of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST then we are much less likely to fall from our steadfastness.
When we are steadfast we are holding onto our faith looking forward to the coming of our Lord, looking forward to our heavenly home where our treasures are kept, looking forward to a new heavens and a new earth where there is no more sin. When we are steadfast we are fighting the good fight and it is a fight, a daily fight.
Just because life isn't going smoothly and everything is going just right doesn't mean you are lost. It is Satan who would have us give in to despair because he knows once we begin to despair then we lose hope. Despair pushes hope aside and tells us we will never be what we know God would have us to be. In truth, God would have us be His throughout all the trials and tribulations we face. As we are put into the fires of refining our God wants us to suffer through all that we must and holdfast to HIM knowing those fires, knowing that suffering is not going to last forever but is temporary. We have to fight, we have to make choices and we have to seek our Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul.
Satan would have us believe that we will never give up the sins we cherish, the sins that we believe are a part of our nature. Satan wants us to believe that we are too stained to be God's, too filthy to have hope. We have to fight the despair that Satan tempts us with and hang on to our Lord's promises. We won't see the sealing placed upon us, but God and His holy angels will. Satan would have us believe it's impossible, completely and utterly impossible to be God's in this world of sin, but it's NOT, nothing is impossible with God, nothing.
Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Only with God are we saved and we must cling to Him and His saving grace praying all the while that the fires of refining do the work they are meant to do in us.
Please Lord, please help us to grow in grace!
Please Lord, please help us to grow in knowledge of YOU!
Please Lord, please help us NOT to lose our steadfastness but remain FOREVER in YOU, our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Longsuffering
2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
The longsuffering of our LORD IS SALVATION.
This is the truth.
Without our Lord's longsuffering we would have NO hope at all whatsoever!
Only by HIS grace, by HIS mercy, by HIS longsuffering do we live in HIS love.
A person who exhibits longsuffering is counted amazing aren't they? Or do many count them as fools? Throughout history we've had many examples of people who have been rash in their actions, unable to suffer long with anything at all contrary to their desires. Patience is in short supply when it comes to enduring something that calls for suffering. No one wants to be the one who suffers, and on the other side of the coin no one wants to be the one who has to endure the suffering of others. I say no one as if that's truth, but in our world it's far from true. Some actually enjoy the suffering of others and they are far from the love of God, caught in Satan's snare.
Our LORD is long suffering. Our LORD endures the awfulness that is our world so far from the truth, so far from all that He is, love. To look upon the horrific stain of sin spread far and wide, deep and long is something that causes our LORD pain! How could it not? How? Seriously, when we as humans look at various projects and life happenings of our own that have gone bad it breaks our hearts, yes? How many parents who have tried their hardest to raise good children have had the heart break of watching them go bad? How many children have had to watch their parents go bad? Seriously, this is the world we live in and on such a tiny level we get to experience what it means to suffer. Our Father in heaven He suffers! Our Savior in heaven, He suffers! They suffer as they watch throughout time since the beginning of mankind the horrors of sin invading a world that was never meant to be touched by the vile taint of Satan.
Our God is long suffering, allowing US right now who live to be have the precious gift of life, this opportunity to belong to HIM and live with HIM in eternity in a world that will be new and forever without sin.
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Hard to understand?
They who are unlearned and unstable wrest?
This is truth.
When we try to put our OWN truths into God's no longer accepting HIS truths then we are confused, we are lost. We have to accept GOD'S TRUTHS! When we get lost in His word then we need to fall on our knees and pray for Him to guide us, to lead us in the right path, His path, His truths!
Do we have to comprehend everything? No. The SECRET things belong to God.
Deu 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
We can't expect to comprehend everything, we have to trust, we have to have faith in our God that He is LOVE, pure LOVE.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
More on this tomorrow by the grace of our loving GOD.
Amen.
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
The longsuffering of our LORD IS SALVATION.
This is the truth.
Without our Lord's longsuffering we would have NO hope at all whatsoever!
Only by HIS grace, by HIS mercy, by HIS longsuffering do we live in HIS love.
A person who exhibits longsuffering is counted amazing aren't they? Or do many count them as fools? Throughout history we've had many examples of people who have been rash in their actions, unable to suffer long with anything at all contrary to their desires. Patience is in short supply when it comes to enduring something that calls for suffering. No one wants to be the one who suffers, and on the other side of the coin no one wants to be the one who has to endure the suffering of others. I say no one as if that's truth, but in our world it's far from true. Some actually enjoy the suffering of others and they are far from the love of God, caught in Satan's snare.
Our LORD is long suffering. Our LORD endures the awfulness that is our world so far from the truth, so far from all that He is, love. To look upon the horrific stain of sin spread far and wide, deep and long is something that causes our LORD pain! How could it not? How? Seriously, when we as humans look at various projects and life happenings of our own that have gone bad it breaks our hearts, yes? How many parents who have tried their hardest to raise good children have had the heart break of watching them go bad? How many children have had to watch their parents go bad? Seriously, this is the world we live in and on such a tiny level we get to experience what it means to suffer. Our Father in heaven He suffers! Our Savior in heaven, He suffers! They suffer as they watch throughout time since the beginning of mankind the horrors of sin invading a world that was never meant to be touched by the vile taint of Satan.
Our God is long suffering, allowing US right now who live to be have the precious gift of life, this opportunity to belong to HIM and live with HIM in eternity in a world that will be new and forever without sin.
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Hard to understand?
They who are unlearned and unstable wrest?
This is truth.
When we try to put our OWN truths into God's no longer accepting HIS truths then we are confused, we are lost. We have to accept GOD'S TRUTHS! When we get lost in His word then we need to fall on our knees and pray for Him to guide us, to lead us in the right path, His path, His truths!
Do we have to comprehend everything? No. The SECRET things belong to God.
Deu 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
We can't expect to comprehend everything, we have to trust, we have to have faith in our God that He is LOVE, pure LOVE.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
More on this tomorrow by the grace of our loving GOD.
Amen.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Look for such things
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
We look for such things.
The things of HEAVEN.
We look for a new heaven and a new earth, don't we? Seriously, don't we?
We face so many obstacle every single day. All too often we imagine ourselves taken out of the situation and tell ourselves things would be different if only this or that, but the truth is, those same obstacles will follow us everywhere because the obstacle s and how we handle them is in internal spiritual battle. We cannot be asked to be taken out of the world - Jesus did not even ask that for us. We cannot be asked to be exempted from all of life's many, many problems.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Jesus prayed that we should be KEPT from evil, not that we wouldn't have temptations and trials. Jesus knew that we would have to live in a corrupt world and He did not say that to stay in Him we must hide in the mountains away from all temptation. Our Lord did not tell us to be isolated, to become hermits, to hide away. The battle is an internal one, a SPIRITUAL war fought within our minds, our hearts.
We MUST enhance the SPIRITUAL and put down the FLESH parts of our lives. We have to do this! And we can ONLY do this through the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR.
We MUST look for the coming of our LORD- this is WHY our SAVIOR LIVED and DIED! He lived and died to give us life eternal IN HIM in a new world, in a new heavens and a new earth. If we aren't living towards that new heavens and new earth then we aren't living in CHRIST our Lord and Savior.
Do we wake up with joy, knowing we are one day closer to our eternity with out Savior? We should, we really, really should. Through our Lord's righteousness we are saved by His amazing love, His amazing grace, His amazing forgiveness.
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
We must be diligent so that we may be found in our Savior in PEACE, without spot, and blameless.
We can only be found in Him that way if we have hope firmly planted in Him.
His peace, His love will fill us, must fill us, must make us blameless.
Please Lord Help us, help us grow spiritually as we die more and more to our flesh, PLEASE.
All in YOU.
We look for such things.
The things of HEAVEN.
We look for a new heaven and a new earth, don't we? Seriously, don't we?
We face so many obstacle every single day. All too often we imagine ourselves taken out of the situation and tell ourselves things would be different if only this or that, but the truth is, those same obstacles will follow us everywhere because the obstacle s and how we handle them is in internal spiritual battle. We cannot be asked to be taken out of the world - Jesus did not even ask that for us. We cannot be asked to be exempted from all of life's many, many problems.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Jesus prayed that we should be KEPT from evil, not that we wouldn't have temptations and trials. Jesus knew that we would have to live in a corrupt world and He did not say that to stay in Him we must hide in the mountains away from all temptation. Our Lord did not tell us to be isolated, to become hermits, to hide away. The battle is an internal one, a SPIRITUAL war fought within our minds, our hearts.
We MUST enhance the SPIRITUAL and put down the FLESH parts of our lives. We have to do this! And we can ONLY do this through the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR.
We MUST look for the coming of our LORD- this is WHY our SAVIOR LIVED and DIED! He lived and died to give us life eternal IN HIM in a new world, in a new heavens and a new earth. If we aren't living towards that new heavens and new earth then we aren't living in CHRIST our Lord and Savior.
Do we wake up with joy, knowing we are one day closer to our eternity with out Savior? We should, we really, really should. Through our Lord's righteousness we are saved by His amazing love, His amazing grace, His amazing forgiveness.
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
We must be diligent so that we may be found in our Savior in PEACE, without spot, and blameless.
We can only be found in Him that way if we have hope firmly planted in Him.
His peace, His love will fill us, must fill us, must make us blameless.
Please Lord Help us, help us grow spiritually as we die more and more to our flesh, PLEASE.
All in YOU.
Monday, March 12, 2012
The Choice is Ours
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
As a thief.
A thief strikes unexpectedly- at least to the one he steals from. If you've ever been robbed you know how it feels, how awful it is to discover things missing, to find yourself no longer in possession of things you owned and never expected not to own. It's a shock.
The day of the LORD will be a shock.
There isn't going to be any grand rapture and then a waiting period for others to come to Jesus, that's a wicked lie and it lulls many into waiting, into holding off on their acceptance of the Lord because they don't want to repent of their wicked ways. Just imagine how many people have watched the 'Left Behind' series or read the books and are now filled with the belief that there will be a NOTICE, our God will give the world a special notice that they really can't ignore and that notice will be people disappearing. As those people wait for the NOTICE they aren't concerning themselves with truly walking with God now because they'll get a second chance and they definitely won't be able to ignore that when it comes. It's a LIE. A great big, ugly, deceptive lie of Satan's.
The day of the LORD will be a shock, it will be UNEXPECTED and at that point it's MUCH too late to decide to give your heart to Jesus.
The word of God tells us to WATCH so it doesn't come as a thief in the night to those who are His.
Mat 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mar 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
Mar 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
We are admonished to WATCH. If we are watching then we are not taken by surprise. If we are watching vigilantly a thief won't rob us. People set up security systems about their houses and businesses, they put up surveillance equipment all with the hope of warding off would-be thieves knowing a thief is less likely to strike when they know they are being watched.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The heavens shall pass away- our atmosphere as we know it will cease to exist.
There will be a GREAT noise.
Things will begin to melt with the heat.
The earth, the things of the earth will be burned.
What a vivid picture we are given. No one will be left alive on the earth. All those who are Christ's as His coming will be taken to heaven as the earth below them burns.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
So KNOWING all this will happen- what sort of people should we be?
We should be in HOLY conversations and GODLINESS!
We should be LOOKING FOR and HASTING unto the coming of that day, the day of GOD.
It will happen!
The atmosphere will be gone and the earth will be destroyed by fire.
This isn't a possibility, this is a REALITY.
This isn't one scenario in many, it is the ONLY scenario.
The one thing we have left up to us is where we figure in this picture. We will either be God's and spared, or not be God's and condemned.
The choice is OURS.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
As a thief.
A thief strikes unexpectedly- at least to the one he steals from. If you've ever been robbed you know how it feels, how awful it is to discover things missing, to find yourself no longer in possession of things you owned and never expected not to own. It's a shock.
The day of the LORD will be a shock.
There isn't going to be any grand rapture and then a waiting period for others to come to Jesus, that's a wicked lie and it lulls many into waiting, into holding off on their acceptance of the Lord because they don't want to repent of their wicked ways. Just imagine how many people have watched the 'Left Behind' series or read the books and are now filled with the belief that there will be a NOTICE, our God will give the world a special notice that they really can't ignore and that notice will be people disappearing. As those people wait for the NOTICE they aren't concerning themselves with truly walking with God now because they'll get a second chance and they definitely won't be able to ignore that when it comes. It's a LIE. A great big, ugly, deceptive lie of Satan's.
The day of the LORD will be a shock, it will be UNEXPECTED and at that point it's MUCH too late to decide to give your heart to Jesus.
The word of God tells us to WATCH so it doesn't come as a thief in the night to those who are His.
Mat 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mar 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
Mar 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
We are admonished to WATCH. If we are watching then we are not taken by surprise. If we are watching vigilantly a thief won't rob us. People set up security systems about their houses and businesses, they put up surveillance equipment all with the hope of warding off would-be thieves knowing a thief is less likely to strike when they know they are being watched.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The heavens shall pass away- our atmosphere as we know it will cease to exist.
There will be a GREAT noise.
Things will begin to melt with the heat.
The earth, the things of the earth will be burned.
What a vivid picture we are given. No one will be left alive on the earth. All those who are Christ's as His coming will be taken to heaven as the earth below them burns.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
So KNOWING all this will happen- what sort of people should we be?
We should be in HOLY conversations and GODLINESS!
We should be LOOKING FOR and HASTING unto the coming of that day, the day of GOD.
It will happen!
The atmosphere will be gone and the earth will be destroyed by fire.
This isn't a possibility, this is a REALITY.
This isn't one scenario in many, it is the ONLY scenario.
The one thing we have left up to us is where we figure in this picture. We will either be God's and spared, or not be God's and condemned.
The choice is OURS.
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