Where are your affections?!

Seek those things which are above.

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

What things? Seriously. What things? We spend so much time seeking things that are NOT above I don't think we can comprehend fully even how to seek things that are above.  Our focus has been earthbound for so long we are clueless as to exactly what it means to seek those things which are above.  We are clueless as well as to how we lay our treasures up in heaven.  We are so lost when it comes to things heavenly because we are so incredibly earthly.

Seek those things which are above.

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Affections NOT SET ON EARTH.

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

SEEK FIRST the kingdom of GOD.

Luk 12:33  Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

Luk 12:34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

TREASURE in HEAVEN.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

SPIRITUALLY MINDED.

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.

THINGS NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL.

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Php 3:21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

CONVERSATION IS IN HEAVEN.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

STRANGERS and PILGRMS ON THE EARTH. A BETTER COUNTRY- HEAVENLY.

Over and over again we are admonished to SEEK the eternal, to SEEK the heavenly.  Set our affections on things above. Where are you affections?  Seriously, WHERE ARE YOUR AFFECTIONS?! 

The dictionary definition of affection is- 'a gentle feeling of fondness or liking.'

Where are your gentle feelings of fondness? Where are your gentle feelings of liking? Seriously, WHERE ARE YOUR AFFECTIONS!

More tomorrow by the GRACE and MERCY, the LOVE of our Savior, JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

Amen!

Seek those things which are above

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

We ARE risen with Christ, yes?

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection

We are risen with CHRIST!

And if we are TRULY risen with Christ we have to SEEK the things which are ABOVE!  We have to seek HEAVENLY things! Why don't we do this?! Why do we insist on living for things here and now? Why are we so incredibly caught up in the things of this world? Why do things that are truly TEMPORARY occupy our thoughts so much?  We worry SO much about TEMPORARY things.  Yes, people say we're crazy when we say things like - "Don't worry about that huge problem you're having, it'll work out somehow."  They insist on worrying because to NOT worry seems incredibly stupid, it makes it seem as if they don't care if they don't worry. 

Where is that fine line - the one that makes it appear as if you don't care because you've given your worries over to God? 

This world and ALL its problems, ALL our problems large or small will try to consume us and keep us planted firmly on earthly thinking only earthly things, not heavenly.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Do we believe this? How can we not believe this if we believe in our Savior, Jesus Christ?

Do we believe we shouldn't LOVE this world?

Do we believe we shouldn't LOVE the things that are in this world?

God tells us, God commands us to LOVE Him and LOVE Others, and we have to realize HE is not of this world- He is the CREATOR of the world but He no longer rules this world we gave it over to Satan when we obeyed HIM, and NOT God. And OTHERS, are they of this world? We can say yes, and it might be true, but if We are not supposed to be OF this world, then how can we believe ANY others are supposed to be OF this world? They like us, are NOT supposed to be OF this world, but risen with CHRIST!  Dead in the water buried with Christ, Risen as we rise from the baptismal water and alive in  Christ evermore!  We are NOT supposed to be OF this world! So when we are told to LOVE not this world, we are not being told to love others amiss because they are not supposed to be of this world but of Christ's world, the heavenly world. 

Yes, we are to LOVE others for they are ALL possibly heaven bound as we are! And we cannot judge their heaven bound intentions. We must LOVE them and LOVE God, NOT THIS WORLD!

Called Forth from Their Graves

Did Lazarus who was raised from the dead go on to live a normal life and die again?

Joh 11:21  Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Joh 11:22  But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Joh 11:23  Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Joh 11:24  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Joh 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Joh 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Joh 11:27  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Joh 11:28  And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

Joh 11:29  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

Joh 11:30  Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

Joh 11:31  The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

Joh 11:32  Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Joh 11:33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

Joh 11:34  And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

Joh 11:35  Jesus wept.

Joh 11:36  Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

Joh 11:37  And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

Joh 11:38  Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

Joh 11:39  Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Joh 11:40  Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Joh 11:41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Joh 11:42  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

Joh 11:43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

Joh 11:44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Joh 11:45  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

Joh 11:46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

Did Lazarus ever die after being resurrected from death?

Yes.

Lazarus was given back his life just as several throughout Jesus' ministry were brought back from death.

Mat 9:18  While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

Mat 9:19  And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

Mat 9:23  And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

Mat 9:24  He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

Mat 9:25  But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

Mar 9:25  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

Mar 9:26  And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

Mar 9:27  But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

Luk 7:12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

Luk 7:13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

Luk 7:14  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

Luk 7:15  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

Mat 10:5  These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

Mat 10:6  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

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

Mat 10:8  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

So, did Lazarus die again or is he supposedly still walking the earth along with all the others Jesus and Jesus' disciples brought back from the dead? Clearly a fiction writer could go crazy with stories about this, but the truth is, there isn't a single person alive today that cannot die.  Jesus bringing the people back to life- was bringing them back to live out their life in the flesh, it was NOT the resurrection to eternal life because we know this--

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.

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Lazarus was not raised to meet Christ in the air.  Lazarus and all the others lived normal lives after being brought back from death, but they were still subject to death. The children brought back continued to grow to adulthood, they weren't made a spectacle of living on as children forever and ever.

This death they experience and the death we experience is a long sleep.  This is why our Savior could raise Lazarus and the others, they had just fallen into that long sleep. 

Were  ANY that had been in the graves for years and years and years live again?  It is possible--

Mat 27:50  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Mat 27:52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

Mat 27:53  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Bodies of the saints which slept arose- came out of the graves-appeared unto many. These saints that slept in graves- clearly DEAD- arose… and ONLY after the resurrection of Jesus a few DAYS later did these people go into Jerusalem and appear to many!  Just imagine people buried in a cemetery (tombs) outside the city are once more alive! They are alive and then after getting themselves reoriented to living again they went and once more appeared to many people. Did these people, like the others who were raised from the dead by the Savior and His disciples, go on to live their lives or were they heaven bound- I don't know- I can't find that answer in God's word, though I will continue to search.

The point needed to be made here is death is a reality, what happens after we die- our thoughts perish- we sleep death's sleep, a special sleep.  Those people in their graves when Jesus died weren't in heaven, they weren't called back from heaven why would that every happen, what would be the purpose in such a thing?!  How horrific to imagine that God would call people back from heaven into earthly bodies to suffer earthly ailments and eventual death all over again.  It makes NO SENSE.

Lazarus and all the others resurrected by our Savior and the disciples through our Savior, lived on only to die again and enter death's sleep.  They will be resurrected from the grave when our Savior returns and the last trump is sounded.  Those who were raised from their graves when Christ died, very well could have ascended like Christ ascended because their bodies had to be altered having been severely decaying in their graves, they very well could have been given immortal flesh, but I don't know.  We do know that death's sleep is a long sleep- some- like Abel have been asleep for a long, long time. Abel will rise again upon hearing that call from the last trump as our Savior returns to take ALL who are His, those in the graves over the thousands of years of death, and those who are alive never tasting death's sleep.

Please LORD, please, come soon.  This world is worse than Sodom and Gomorrah, it has to be! Please, Father, please let the cup be full soon. Please! We long to hear the last trump sound, we long for our Savior to return. We feel it's all but hopeless living in this awful, awful world, but our HOPE is in YOU, save us! Please, save us. All by the love and mercy, the grace and the righteousness of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord!

Amen!

Our labor is not in vain

We labor.

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.

Our labor is NOT in vain in the Lord.

To think we don't labor is ridiculous. We have to be abounding in the WORK of the Lord, but what is the work of the Lord?

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

This is the work of God-

BELIEVE ON JESUS, GOD'S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON WHOM HE SENT TO US!

The disciples of Jesus worked the work of God by believing in our Savior and letting others know of this belief.  Our lives are LIVING testaments to our Savior if we are working the work of God.

Believing in our Savior is a great work, because of what it means to believe in Him. We believe in ALL He stands for! We believe in all He did! We believe in all He is doing! We believe in what He will be doing! We believe in what He is- God in flesh. We believe in all His truth! The disciples brought our Savior's message to everyone they could. They taught of Jesus. All that we read in the New Testament the disciples were bringing to the people. The life of our Savior was relayed over and over to all that would listen.  We have those words in print, we have those words we can study at our leisure. We are privileged beyond belief to have His words where we can study them DAILY! By the grace of our LORD let us BELIEVE and all it means to believe in the Son of God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Amen! 

Examining Ourselves

1Co 10:15  I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 

There is no SET ritual time frame for the taking of communion.  There is not a single special day people were instructed to partake of this sacred act. The disciples of Jesus after His death did this--

Act_2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house…

Breaking bread from house to house.

1Co 11:23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

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

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

We take communion in remembrance of our Savior's sacrifice, and we have to remember His  sacrifice constantly! And it's important we do EXAMINE ourselves. We have to repent of our sins, seek forgiveness, we need to forgive others. Truly our hearts need to be clean as we come to our Lord, remembering what He did for us! And He alone can make us clean.  We need to ask for a clean heart-

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psa 51:11  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Psa 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

The must be our desire!

More tomorrow by the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!

Amen.

The Holy Spirit is Given to Them That Obey God

Obey God rather than men.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Act 5:30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Act 5:31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The Holy Spirit is given to them that OBEY GOD.

*******

How many people pervert the word of God and use this truth 'Obey God Rather Than Men'  to get away with horrific acts because they believe God would have them enact pain upon unbelieving people?  Using this truth wrongly is extremely sinful, but using it as God intended is a blessing. When people create traditions that seem to be commands of God they are in danger of leading people astray.  What people might call harmless traditions geared to bring people closer to God is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about those who claim traditions to be commands. Recognizing a tradition for what it is, and not necessarily God commanded is something we need to do. We can't afford to confuse tradition with commands. Does that mean we can't keep traditions? No. It means we have to realize that traditions come second to the commands of God and when traditions begin to supersede the commandments of God we are in grave danger. 

When our Savior came to earth, God in the flesh, and died for us He fulfilled all the commands that pointed to His sacrifice. How could the sacrifice of a lamb, bull, dove, or any such sacrifice ever portray the actual death of our Savior ever again?  The ULTIMATE sacrifice was made and it is this sacrifice we remember in the act of communion- of the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the wine- the broken body of our Savior, the spilled blood of our Redeemer, this is a constant reminder we have.  Never again would an animal's blood, and animal's death suffice, it couldn't.  It had it's place in teaching of the coming sacrifice that God would make, but once that was fulfilled it lost all of its meaning.  Still, many held fast to the past, refusing to realize the truth. Even today all of the strictly Jewish people believe in the ceremonial commandments that found complete fulfilment in Christ. They do not recognize Christ as God's Son, they do not believe His sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice.  And they obey MEN rather than GOD. 

Many traditions had worked their way into the religion of the Jewish people and Jesus called the Jewish leaders on some of them.

Mat 15:1  Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

Mat 15:2  Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

Mat 15:4  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Mat 15:5  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

Mat 15:6  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Mat 15:7  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

We are in DANGER when we dare to keep our own traditions before God's commands.

Read this again-

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Act 5:30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Act 5:31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

We've been talking a lot about the Holy Spirit, living in the Spirit, being given the Holy Spirit by God and we cannot ignore the following truth-  'The HOLY SPIRIT- whom GOD HATH GIVEN TO THEM THAT OBEY HIM.' 

We can't let ourselves believe that the Holy Spirit is given to everyone automatically. God will not allow the Holy Spirit to go to those who blatantly disobey Him, why would He? What would the purpose be? How could the Holy Spirit work in someone who doesn't desire to obey God, believing in God?

Satan would have us NOT desire to obey God, He disobeyed God.  Satan was self-exalted in the day He caused human kind to disobey God. His fate was sealed in that same day, but He had to be overwhelmed with joy for having caused this unique creation of God's, man, made in God's own image, to DISOBEY the Creator.

Disobedience is not a trivial matter, it is something we have to be very aware of. Obeying God, this must be our desire! If we truly want the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, our willingness to be obedient to God is paramount.  We must OBEY GOD.  In order to obey someone You have to know what they are commanding you to do, and God has not left us without a clue. God has told us what His commands are in no uncertain terms, will we obey?

Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned! We err so often when we would obey! Help us to obey! We are sinners, Lord, and do NOT deserve in any way to have the Holy Spirit reside in us, but we plead for You to give the Holy Spirit to us, teaching us, convicting us, keeping us in YOU. Please, Father, we would have the Holy Spirit in us. Please.

All by the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!

Amen.

It wasn't easy for Jesus and it won't be easy for us.

It isn't a sacrifice if it is easy.

Do we dare to imagine it was EASY for our Savior to suffer the things He suffered just because He was God born into flesh?

Do we dare believe as He felt the slap of a hard calloused hand against His bearded cheek, and the inside of His mouth slammed into the unrelenting hardness of His teeth and He tasted His own blood, that it was EASY for Him?

As that horrid torture device shaped in a crown yet made of long, thick, very sharp thorns was hard pressed into his head and the needle tipped points of the severest kind dug deep tearing through flesh until stopped only by the hard bone of our Savior's skull, that it was EASY for Him?

As the hot, slimy spittle came at His face from all sides and it filled His eyes, sliding down His cheeks, as He tasted another's spit on His own lips, do you really, truly imagine it was EASY for Him?

When the rough hands hardened by years of training grabbed up His arms and squeezed - bruising His flesh, injuring muscles as He was yanked and dragged about, that was EASY for Him to endure?

Then, when His garments were torn from His body exposing His bare flesh and He was fastened to a whipping post, the awful anticipation, the humiliation rendered to Him- this was EASY as well?

For those of us who have felt the strike of a belt across our bodies, or endured the painful sting of a thin willow branch on our flesh, we know minutely the pain of a brief whipping given by the hand of a chastising parent. Our Savior was not being chastised by a loving, yet firm, guiding hand for His own learning, His own good. Our Savior was being brutally whipped by a weapon created to inflict the harshest of pains. The whips used upon criminals were forged to tear open the flesh upon impact as it sank into the muscle beneath and when yanked backwards out of that bed of flesh and blood, it took bits and pieces of skin and muscle with its horrific release- it was this sort of whip that was used upon our Savior- do we dare in the least manner believe this was EASY for Him?

He felt the agony of that whip over and over until the flesh of His body hung from him in bloody, raw strips. The hands wielding the whip were well practiced in the art of this torture and spared nothing because before him was God in the flesh. He didn't recognize our Savior as God in flesh, he had orders to follow and he knew to do  his job to the fullest or face his own punishment. Our Savior felt every single strike of that whip, and the pain went far beyond any light, barely mark inducing whippings we might have endured.

Most certainly as our tortured Savior was placed upon the wooden beams in the form of a cross and the nails pierced His flesh, IT WAS NOT EASY FOR HIM! 

And now, do you imagine on another avenue of thought that before He was taken captive by the soldiers at the behest of the Jewish hierarchy, that His three years of ministry were pain free? We all know there are pains that are not induced physically. Do we imagine it was EASY for our Savior to see all the evil about Him, to endure the knowledge that so many would be lost to Him? Yes, many were saved, many were brought to Him, many were healed by Him, many listened to Him, and yet many more drew back away from Him. Remember we've read where five to seven thousand people were following Him witnessing His miracles, listening to His preaching of the gospel of the kingdom and yet all of them left when they realized He didn't want to be made an earthly king, and His sayings grew hard for them to comprehend.  This was not EASY for Him, how could it be?

Sacrifice is not easy, if it were, it would not be called sacrifice.

1Co 10:1  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

1Co 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

The story of the great exodus from Egypt, how amazing and wonderful to be freed from bondage, from enslavement to others, from the inability to worship your God. ALL the people freed ate the same SPIRITUAL meat. ALL the people drank the same SPIRITUAL drink-  the source- CHRIST OUR SAVIOR in His SPIRITUAL GOD FORM before He was born into flesh becoming the only begotten Son of the Father God.  ALL of them freed from bondage were given the same SPIRITUAL access to their SALVATION.  However--

1Co 10:5  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

With MANY of them God wasn't well pleased. These people who were given access to all they needed Spiritually were OVERTHROWN in the wilderness. They weren't overthrown by God, but of their OWN LUSTS. They were NOT willing to sacrifice, to suffer privation, to suffer in any way at all!

1Co 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

They are now our EXAMPLES, they are held up in front of us and we are made to see that we, like them, should NOT lust after EVIL THINGS!  Yes, we will be tempted of evil for that is the nature of evil - to tempt, but we should not LUST after the evil- giving in to the temptation. And THIS requires SACRIFICE, do not let anyone try to tell you differently!  Suffering, sacrifice, painful agonizing denial of our fleshy lusts. Why do we imagine we shouldn't have to sacrifice? That somehow it's not of God if we are called to painful sacrificing? That a loving God would not ask us to suffer the agony of sacrifice. Why do we believe those things, those lies of Satan?

1Co 10:7  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

1Co 10:8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Twenty-three THOUSAND people died in one day because of their evil lusts.  And what do a lot of people today say to this? They say that only proves God is evil and not a God they want to serve.  They are claiming God is the evil one for destroying innocent people who only want to live in pleasure and happiness.  They say God hates people having a good time. This is what the world is saying today, this is what the world is claiming because they, like the twenty-three thousand are only concerned with being able to indulge their passions and pleasures and care nothing of true love which is selfless, which is not self-servicing in any way. We are a very, very incredibly self-serving people- even using our seeming selflessness in a very selfish way.

Twenty-three thousand perish because of their self-serving, their inability to truly love. Self-absorbed, pleasure seeking, thrill seeking, self-seeking people- and today this is taught as a good thing. Long gone are the days of true discipline, where working hard and helping others  is the goal of a person. We are taught to work hard only so we can play even harder. I'm not talking wild partying alone either. I'm talking about being able to take our ease, to relax we long for these things. We long for rest and relaxation, to not have to concern ourselves with anything but what we desire to do. These are what we call good. Seeking to help others, we call that work, or at the least we think of it as an intrusion on our self time. We talk about how we had to do this and that, we felt obligated to do this and that, and how put upon we are. In the next breath we might claim not to mind, but the mere fact we aren't actively seeking to help, and have even a sliver of dread when called to help reveals that we are not selfless, but more concerned with self than others. This is one of the biggest problems we have - selfishness.  We do not live to happily serve.  Notice I said "HAPPILY" serve. 

Twenty-three thousand people perished because of their selfish lusts.

1Co 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

Again, they tempted Christ because of their self-serving. They wanted more than to be simply sustained by God.  They wanted God to prove Himself. They were NOT dying of thirst or hunger, but they were thirsty and hungry.  They believed God had brought them away from their water and food only let them die rather than believe He would sustain them. They doubted God. How often do we doubt? We cannot doubt, but rather believe! We do not want to be numbered among those who tempt Christ. We must believe.

1Co 10:10  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

To murmur, to complain that God is not the God we know He is. To murmur, to complain that God will not save us as promised. To no longer believe.  We MUST believe! The unbelieving will be destroyed, not because God forces obedience, but because love commands obedience. The unbelieving do NOT desire to live eternally with God, and because God promised to do away with all evil they cannot be allowed to live. They believe they can live without God, but that isn't true. Without God they cannot live. If they choose NOT to believe in God, they are choosing to no longer be sustained by God. There isn't a single innocent, loving, selfless person who will perish.  To say there are many people who do not believe in God but are wonderful selfless, caring people is to say there are many people who are not truly selfless, but believe they are selfless and caring of their own accord, therefore they cannot be selfless all the while they might be seemingly selfless. Is it any wonder those who seek to prove, to tempt, to murmur against our Savior are destroyed? They aren't destroyed out of pleasure to destroy, but out of mercy. None who choose not to believe will be forced to believe. If you choose to not believe in God you cannot expect Him to save you with eternal life.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

We must study these things and comprehend people of all ages have the same tendencies towards sin, towards selfishness. No one time period had it easier than another we all face the inward battle of selfishness.

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

TAKE HEED!  Pay attention! We have to pay attention especially if we think we are standing, it is when we believe we might be closest to our God that we might be on the brink of falling!

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

TRUTH! We have to believe this is truth. You may be called to SACRIFICE, to SUFFER so that you can escape, but a way is made for you to escape. It doesn't read that an easy way will be given you so you can escape falling into temptation. We want an easy way but that's foolishness on our part. To believe that we have to have it easy in order to comply, that we shouldn't have to outwardly, consciously work in any way, shape, or form to escape. As soon as we begin to realize that we have to suffer and sacrifice Satan is right there taunting us telling us that we are trying to work for our salvation.  God's word says this--

Php_2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

No, salvation will not come by our WORKING as if we earn grace, but the Christian life is a WORK in and of itself and Satan would have us believe otherwise. The WAR we all fight in, this battle between God and Evil, is a real FIGHT and that fight is a work. You can't fight by laying down and doing nothing and expect to be victorious. We are told to put on armor and pick up a sword- all Spiritual, all REAL.  Just because they are spiritual does not mean they are pretend!  Perhaps that's where we go wrong some, playing pretend war when it is a REAL battle!  Yes, we will be tried and tempted but we are given all we need by God to overcome, and we must work, suffer, sacrifice in a very real way.

1Co 10:14  Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Flee from anything that would take God's rightful place in our lives! And you know what? Fleeing is an ACTION! Fleeing is a WORK! Fleeing is a sacrifice and suffering in that sacrifice!

Please Father in heaven, please help us as we struggle in this horrific world dominated by Satan and his followers on all sides. We do NOT want to belong to Satan, we would be YOURS and only YOURS, help us towards this end! We don't want to be numbered among the twenty-three thousand who chose selfish indulgence in our lusts rather than choosing to live for YOU, serving YOU, and following YOUR will in all things! HELP US! SAVE US FROM OURSELVES! Please, by the love and grace, through the mercy of YOUR SON, Jesus Christ our Lord, now and forever!

Amen!