All prayers... for all men.

1Ti 2:1  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.


All supplications...
All prayers...
All intercessions...
All giving of thanks…

…for ALL men.

Kings.
All in authority… PRAY for them.

God would have ALL men to be saved.
God would have ALL men come to the knowledge of the truth.

We are to pray for others that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Isn't this what we are to desire? Seriously.  To lead a QUIET and PEACEABLE life- in all GODLINESS and HONESTY.

Some might abhor the thought of leading a quiet life preferring to lead unpredictable and loud lives. We all know how teenagers are viewed, how young people are looked upon as those who generally have wild oats to sow, a recklessness to get out of their systems.  Yet more and more people want this wildness in their lives, they've become addicted to things that excite the senses. Do they want peace? Often times they make it a habit to create a bit of havoc just to feel that strange excitement they have come to crave- knowingly, unknowingly, peace and quiet is something they have come to shun.

Yet, we need quiet and peace as much as we need godliness and honesty.  The closer we come to God the more peace we feel. The closer we come to God, honesty becomes more of a reality in all parts of our lives.

All supplications...
All prayers...
All intercessions...
All giving of thanks…

…for ALL men.

Kings.
All in authority… PRAY for them.


We  need to pray for ALL men, not be prejudice in our prayers.  We cannot pick and choose who we think we should pray for and who we shouldn't. If GOD would have all SAVED, how can we think differently?

By His grace may we pray as HE would have us pray, may we find HIS peace, HIS quiet, HIS honesty.

Please LORD, be our all in all. IN YOUR LOVE!

War a Good Warfare

1Ti 1:18  This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck

War a good warfare.

Holding faith.
A good conscience.

Remember this--

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

To war a good warfare means being prepared, fully armored, ready for battle.
This SPIRITUAL battle we are all in is REAL.
Shake your head, scoff if you like, but it is real. You can spend your whole life ignorant to the Spiritual war going on, but you live it none the less.
Young children growing up in the middle of warfare do not know what's taking place around them. The blind cannot see what is taking place during a war. The feeble are unable to participate in a war but that doesn't mean they are all excluded. When a city comes under siege do you think those warring stop their battling and make an announcement for all those who are prepared to leave? People are victims in battle all the time, a lot of them never even knowing what the war is all about. People who do not become soldiers and yet they are killed are call casualties, civilian casualties, collateral damage. This Spiritual battle is unique because everyone is a part of it and there will be millions and millions of casualties who actually have chosen to be casualties rather than fight the Spiritual battle.  These are people who have access to the armor they need, in fact they have access to all the implements of warfare they need and yet they choose to simply not fight.

This fight has NO physical casualties, you are NEVER called to kill a single person, not ONE. There can be NO objection to this war on the basis of objecting to taking a life. The Spiritual battle is a battle against the flesh DESIRES, against the wickedness that would have us give in to selfishness at every turn. The Spiritual battle is one you wage against the invisible evil that would have you yield to every temptation presented to you.  It is a REAL evil, a REAL force that encourages us to evil all the time! If only it were fiction, if only it were a fable.

We have to war a good warfare and to do this we must have FAITH, a shield of FAITH that quenches ALL the fiery darts of the wicked. When we give up our faith, when our faith is perverted, when we look to ourselves and not to faith in our Redeemer, we will be lost in this warfare.  You might not feel the spiritual bullet that pierces your heart- taking your spiritual life. You might not even feel the first prick from an evil dart, but that is only because you desire to be blind, deaf, and dumb to the truth, you make the choice willingly to numb your spiritual senses to the reality of the war you are in.

1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck
1Ti 1:20  Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Some have put away their FAITH and their GOOD CONSCIENCE, and when we put those away we have no armor, we are unprotected, we are still in the war but we are subjecting ourselves to being overtaken, we are endangering ourselves, our eternal life, our Salvation.

When we read that Hymenaeus and Alexander are delivered to Satan in order to learn not to shun God, it sounds really strange. Read more...

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Delivered to Satan doesn't mean some Satanic cult takes you and tears you apart, it doesn't even mean you are being given to him for destruction of anything but that which would keep you from God.

How often have we suffered because of our OWN backsliding?  How often are we the victims of our own  lack of faith, of our own selfishness? Truly we are giving OURSELVES to Satan ALL the time when we give in to the evil he tempts us with.  If others leave us to our sinning, by NOT condoning it, by NOT keeping us among them, then we are left to Satan, left to our own devices. We are delivered to Satan aren't we? Yet, others will NOT stop praying for us, Christ does NOT stop loving us, there is HOPE for us.  This part-- 'THAT THEY MAY LEARN' means there is HOPE!

When we reveal by our actions that we desire evil over good, then others can't be expected to desire us to be around them, others who are fighting the Spiritual battle. It's hard enough to fight the Spiritual battle, the invisible battle, let alone fight those who are flesh. If we are not in a situation that demands us to be around those who are not fighting the Spiritual war all around us, that's one thing, but to CHOOSE to have people around us that will only be used to weaken our faith is wrong.

We need to PRAY for all! No one is beyond our PRAYERS, not a single person!

By the grace of God may we keep our faith strong, our conscience good all through HIS LOVE!

Please LORD, please keep us fighting the Spiritual battle fully armored by YOU. Help us Lord, Save us!

In YOUR love!

The King Eternal

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

King eternal.
King immortal.
King invisible.
The ONLY wise God.
Honor, glory forever and ever!

Deu 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge…

Rom 1:20  ... his eternal power …

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Eph 3:11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God…

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus…

Eternal in existence.
Eternal in results.

When we think of eternal life we think of living forever, yet we don't like to think about  the fact eternal death is not existing forever.

Our King eternal is our King who is the beginning and the end - Rev 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

Psa 90:2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

He is from everlasting to everlasting.

There was NEVER a time when God was not.

God has always existed, He truly is the great I AM.

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Our Kind is ETERNAL, IMMORTAL- unable to die! Our Savior became flesh and was subject to death. He was PUT to death and He was truly DEAD. He KNEW nothing in death! He could NOT bring HIMSELF back to life! He was truly, honestly dead and in that death sleep HE KNEW NOTHING! He did NOT become an instant spirit form and slip off to heaven, NO ONE DOES THAT! I do NOT understand why people believe this happens, I just don't. Yes, our minds can do amazing things as we are subjected to near death, but near death is NOT permanent death, it's NOT death's sleep.  Lazarus was in death's sleep when our Savior restored HIM to life. Lazarus did NOT come back telling stories about how he'd seen a white light and walked into it and all his former friends and families that had died before him were there waiting and welcoming.  There were NOT fantastic stories about how wonderful everything in heaven is and don't you think there would have been if people when they die went straight to heaven? Seriously! This is logic. Lazarus was woken up from death's sleep. He was woken from the permanent state of sleep that lasts for all of us until our Savior returns and we wake to life everlasting or death everlasting.  So yes, our Savior was dead, permanently dead without any GUARANTEE He'd rise from the dead. He couldn't raise Himself only GOD the FATHER could raise Him from death's sleep just as He'd raised Lazarus. Only Lazarus was raised to be mortal again, given an extended life, our SAVIOR was given life eternal and transformed (once He ascended to His Father) remember- He didn't want anyone touching Him until He'd ascended. Once He ascended He was given the permanent state of eternal life once more. I say once more because He had eternal life until He chose to give it up in order to become human flesh. 

Our King Jesus is ETERNAL, our King Jesus is IMMORTAL, our King Jesus is invisible - He is SPIRIT as God is a SPIRIT, HE is WISE!  He is to be HONORED and given GLORY FOREVER AND EVER! AMEN!

This is our GOD! This is who we have faith in! This is our LORD who has the power to give to US eternal life, we must be IN HIM ALWAYS! He is our SALVATION!

ALL power, all glory, all honor forever to HIM!

PRAISE GOD!
THANK YOU LORD!

FOR YOUR LOVE!

For a pattern to them which should hereafter believe

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

A pattern, an example, something to look at and follow, yes? Paul, the chief of sinners, Paul the murderer of Christ's followers. Is it safe to say do you think that Paul was right there when all the accusations against Jesus, Himself, were taking place? He was high ranking among the Pharisees, right?

Act 23:6  But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

He was a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee.

This is what Jesus had to say about the Pharisee.

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Pharisee were men who exalted themselves, and unjustified in their prayers. While they prayed thanking God that they weren't like others- they were just as bad in their self-righteousness.

Luk 11:39  And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Luk 11:40  Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
Luk 11:41  But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
Luk 11:42  But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luk 11:43  Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Luk 11:44  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

Inwardly they were full of ravening and wickedness, they were fools. They tithed all their possessions but passed over judgment and LOVE of God. They loved their self importance, and they were hypocrites for such a departure from the true Love of God.

Jesus had nothing good to say about Pharisees and yet PAUL was a Pharisee and a son of a Pharisee.

Joh 11:46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Joh 11:47  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Joh 11:48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
Joh 11:49  And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
Joh 11:50  Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
Joh 11:51  And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
Joh 11:52  And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Joh 11:53  Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

The Pharisee counseled together  to put Jesus to death!

Mat 27:62  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Mat 27:63  Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Mat 27:64  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Mat 27:65  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

They called Jesus a deceiver, they wanted his sepulchre guarded against those that would steal Jesus' body and pretend He'd risen from the dead.

The Pharisee- of whom Paul was one and a zealous one. He was a murderer because he consented unto the death of Stephen, a devout disciple of the Lord.

Act 8:1  And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Act 8:2  And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
Act 8:3  As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Act 9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Act 9:10  And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
Act 9:11  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
Act 9:12  And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Act 9:13  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Act 9:14  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Act 9:17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Act 9:19  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
Act 9:20  And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Act 9:21  But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
Act 9:22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
Act 9:23  And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
Act 9:24  But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
Act 9:25  Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

Act 13:9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

Amazing! This persecutor of Christ's followers, this despiser of all things to do with Jesus Christ was FORGIVEN, this CHIEF of sinners was forgiven!  And he is an EXAMPLE to us, a pattern to all of us! We too can be forgiven though we are chief among sinners!

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

We cannot forget this, we can't!

Unfortunately, many will say that sure, if they had the experience Paul had- seeing the vision of Jesus, hearing Him, becoming blind, receiving his sight again, etc, then they too would believe, but we must live by FAITH and trust in the WORD of God given to us through the HOLY SPIRIT. The Word tells us that Paul's life is a pattern for us. We can trust in this pattern and know that our God wants us to repent and be converted, and be baptized unto Him, just as Paul was.

We are a long, long way from the time of the Apostles, yet we miraculously have the Word of God preserved throughout time for us to study, to learn from. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all understanding as we need it and we must belief this, we must have faith in our Savior.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

We can come unto the LORD, He says--

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was lifted up from the earth and HE draws ALL men unto Him!  Our God, our FATHER in heaven would have all of us believe in His Son who revealed His love in the greatest sacrifice of all- giving His innocent life for our sinfilled ones.

Yes, we can all probably agree we feel as if we are - like Paul - the chief of sinners. If Paul, chief of sinners could be drawn unto Christ, we too can be drawn unto Him. We too can be forgiven much all by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD!

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS-

Of whom I am chief.

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Rom 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

All have sinned.
All come short of the glory of God.

Remember this…

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Become as little children.

Little children hold a certain innocence in their humble existence.

They aren't aware of doing good and doing evil, we grow into that awareness.

Jas 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Sin is the transgression of the moral law of God.

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law

Even those who grow up without knowledge of God and the Bible, without knowledge of His ten moral laws, understand that there are  unspoken truths.  They understand there are good things and bad things they can do. As they grow up they learn from those around them the things that are acceptable and those things that are not acceptable. They also learn that there are consequences for the choices they make to do the unacceptable things.

That knowledge, that learning right from wrong, is something that takes place as they age, they aren't born with the knowledge.  We have to know there is a wrong and commit that wrong knowingly to do wrong.

I could grow up picking all the flowers around my house and never be told picking flowers is wrong because it isn't wrong in and of itself. Then I could go to a relative's house and begin to pick all their flowers and I'd get scolded. Was I wrong? No, not unless I was told that it is wrong to pick other peoples flowers. In my unknowing I was innocent of the wrong, as children are innocent until they learn right from wrong.  From the moment that knowledge is theirs and they choose to do wrong knowingly they become guilty of that wrong.

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS.

And except we are converted- believing in our Savior's ability to save us, to forgive us and offer us salvation, repenting of our sins- and become as little children humble, trusting in our Savior, sinless knowing we are completely forgiven and our Savior's righteousness saves us- then we won't be saved.

Jesus did not come into the world to save the faithless.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

He came to OFFER salvation to sinners.

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

He came to offer the new birth- the spirit birth to sinners.

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Salvation!

Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE sinners!

This is the purpose of Christ Jesus' appearance in our world. 

Christ Jesus would NOT have come into the world other than to save sinners.

The chief of sinners can be saved by Christ Jesus.

The tendency to think we are too awful to save is Satan inspired. 

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus was first a murderer of Christ's followers. He went from being instrumental in the misery and murder of Christ's followers to being forgiven by Christ and used of Him mightily.

Christ Jesus came into our world to SAVE SINNERS.

If we ever get to a place where we are being silently encouraged to believe we are just too sinful, too awful, too bad to be saved, let us fall to our knees before our God and beg for forgiveness knowing that Christ came into the world to SAVE SINNERS, to SAVE US!  He came for that purpose.

Yes, we are sinners- but we can either be saved and covered under the sinlessness of Christ, or we can remain sinners- our choice.

We choose.

Praise God for HIS amazing love!
Our God, our Creator, chose to take on flesh in order to save us sinners, estranged from Him.

LOVE.

He gave up so much, suffered so much, all to save us.

All glory, all honor, all praise to HIM, always!

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

AMEN!

The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love

1Ti 1:11  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

A blasphemer- one who speaks out against God.
A persecutor- one who harms others without regard to the love of God we are to have towards one another.
Injurious- one who is dangerous.

And this man obtained MERCY because He did NOT know the real love of God. He didn't have a heart conviction towards the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

It was the grace of our LORD- the grace that is EXCEEDING and ABUNDANT with FAITH and LOVE which is all found in JESUS CHRIST!

We cannot ignore this because we too often find ourselves ignorant of the great love of God. We get all confused and imagine the love of God means having things go easy in our lives. This ignorance coupled with our natural inclination towards flesh lusts can cause great confusion.

The love of our SAVIOR is all we truly need, but we bewail and moan our lives of hardship believing we need so much more when the truth is we need less of the things we are longing for and more of the love of our SAVIOR. 

We commit a lot of sin ignorantly and have obtained mercy for those sins. When we realize our sin and continue in sin we need to repent, to truly repent and forsake the sin, not indulge it. All through the GRACE of our God, our LORD, our SAVIOR!

God will reveal His love to us through His Son, but we have to be willing to believe in His love, to have faith in His love.

Our lives as Christ followers will NOT be easy, we aren't promised ease, we aren't promised problem free lives. We are NOT even promised semi-easy lives. Our lives could be filled with misery of the likes we don't want to imagine and Christ will still be LOVE and we can still find LOVE in Him, outside of ourselves and our existence.

God isn't punishing us when things go wrong, not even when they go horrifically wrong, it's not our punishment.  The love of God works in ways we can scarcely comprehend. We are called to have FAITH in the love of God, faith without wavering.

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering- for he is faithful that promised

No where are we promised ease and we HAVE to remember this!  When things are at their absolute worst we have to remember we aren't promised an easy life, and it's not God removing His love when things go wrong. God never stopped loving Job all the while Job suffered, so why do we believe He is punishing us and not loving us when we suffer?  This is something Satan wants of us, to believe God is inherent bad and unfair.  The moment we believe God is unfair we are treading on Satan's ground and it's a ground that will open up and swallow us whole if we let it.

By the grace of God may we NOT let that happen.


All in HIS LOVE!

Some having swerved... from love out of a pure heart

1Ti 1:6  From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Swerving from--

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

Swerving from--

Love.

Swerving from love-- some have turned aside unto vain jangling. They want to hear themselves speak. Their vanity forces them to speak words that are not edifying, not loving from a pure heart. This means they can speak as if they do love, but it's not real, it's not from a good conscience, it's not from faith unfeigned.

These people-
1Ti 1:7  Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

They desire  to teach the law- but they aren't teaching it from the love of God as it was given.

1Ti 1:8  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully

The law does what? It reveals sin.  Without the law there is no sin, right?

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

If you are committing no sin, you are not transgressing any law and if you are not transgressing the law you are not using it, are you?  The LAW was made for the lawless.

1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.

That sure does describe the lawless, doesn't it?

People who desire to teach the law must know what is at the heart of the law.  Love.

Some may only see the letter of the law without any love at all.  Many use it without love.  In fact it is probably safe to say that many teachers, preachers, students, hearers, of the law would say love has NO place in the law, because love is emotion and you have to be impartial, not swayed by emotion but the law. Do you see the conundrum?  They've strip the law of love.  They've stripped God's law, and man's law of all love, preferring to hear themselves speak, to judge on their own without any thought of God.

Love is EVERYTHING, but GOD is LOVE.

Caring for everyone, caring for them in a way that goes well beyond the superficial. Caring for them in the way our Savior cared.

He knew the laws of God, He was part of those laws, His hand was in those laws of love. He knew why He wrote them - the moral laws that will never be forsaken, and yet He forgave the adulteress and told those around her who didn't want to forgive but wanted her blood to be spilled as their law outlined- he told them to only kill her if they had no sin.  Did that do away with the law?! NO! It brought the LAW to life! The LOVE was reintroduced to the law. The men were forced to acknowledge their own sins worthy of stoning, worthy of death and yet they lived in no danger of being called to task for their own sins. They realized that while they were in no danger from each other, God knew their hearts and all their sins, they couldn't hide their sins from Him. They could NOT kill that adulteress without admitting they desired to be killed themselves.

Does this mean sins shouldn't be punished when they are found out? No. But it means compassion should be the rule, not the exception to the rule.

They judges that sit upon the benches all across America they have their own sins, and occasionally they are found out. The juries, the lawyers, everyone has their own sins they have to answer for, sins they need to repent of if they seek the forgiveness of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Do they need to prosecute those that commit the blatant sins? Yes, it is a necessity, but they can do it from a place of love if they have God in their hearts.  All too often they forsake God rather than love Him, and those they are prosecuting are judged without any love at all whatsoever.

This world is messed up we know that and it's not fixable, not this world. We live for the world to come, not this one.

As we go through our lives maybe not judges, or lawyers, or anything at all to do with our civil law, we do go through our lives needing to be in obedience to the moral law of God. We need to live righteously through CHRIST, and we need to LOVE others in that LOVE of Christ's, not our faulty, sinfilled, love, but HIS sinLESS love!

All by HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY, HIS LOVE!