The Powerful Word of God

Heb_4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2Ti_2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We must RIGHTLY divide the WORD of truth.

The WORD of GOD is quick and powerful, and sharper than ANY two-edged sword.

We must rightly divide that which is QUICK, that which is POWERFUL, that which is SHARPER than any two-edge sword.

We must rightly divide the LIVING word of God.

A word so POWERFUL it's beyond our imagining.

A word whose power is exceedingly sharp, piercingly, cuttingly sharp able to slice both ways.

This living word of God can slice to the dividing of our SOUL AND SPIRIT, our JOINTS AND MARROW, and this living word can discern the THOUGHTS and INTENTS of our HEARTS!

THIS POWERFUL WORD of GOD is what we MUST STUDY if we are to show ourselves APPROVED unto God!

We must study as WORKMEN for GOD who do NOT need to be ASHAMED- we must RIGHTLY DIVIDE this POWERFUL WORD of GOD the WORD of TRUTH.

Rom 14:18  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

1Th 2:4  But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

Mat 13:52  Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

2Co 6:3  Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

2Co 6:4  But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses

1Ti 4:12  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1Ti 4:13  Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

1Ti 4:14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

1Ti 4:15  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought

2Co 4:2  But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

More study on this tomorrow by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ  now and forever!

Please, Lord, please may we begin to comprehend Your truths for us. Please Lord, teach us to study, teach us to be approved unto You, help us to do YOUR will in all things! Please!

Counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Psa 44:20  If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

Psa 44:21  Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Psa 44:22  Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Psa 44:23  Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Psa 44:24  Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

Psa 44:25  For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

Psa 44:26  Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

*******

Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God KNOWS US.  We hide nothing from God.

For God's sake we submit to death, is that death to self or death in a literal sense, or death in both ways?  Being counted as a sheep for the slaughter means what?

Biblically in the times of the sacrificial laws - sheep were counted for slaughter in that way. They were also counted for slaughter to feed people. Sheep counted for slaughter- meant to die.  If we as followers of Christ, if we as followers of God the Father are killed all day long - counted as sheep for the slaughter we are sacrifices for others. In Psalms we have a cry for the Lord to awake and not cast off His people, to not hide His face to their affliction and oppression. In Psalms we have God's people bowing to the dust, bellies clinging to the earth and a plea for help, for redemption.  In Romans we are told that we are more than conquerors through Christ, even if we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.  We are then told that neither DEATH(slaughter), nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present not thing to come, nor height, not depth nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

In both of these situations we are truly told our position- sheep for the slaughter- and where our help can be found.  Does this mean we won't be sacrificed, no not at all, but if we are called to sacrifice our hope is in our God and in our Savior Jesus Christ.

We are called to suffer and how can we not suffer in this world ruled by sin, by evil?  Our only hope in the suffering is KNOWING the end results of ALL the suffering no matter what shape it takes in our lives and that is SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST!

All by HIS AMAZING, WONDROUS GRACE and MERCY, HIS LOVE now and forever.

Amen!

Be simple concerning evil.

Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 

Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 

Rom 16:19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. 

Rom 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen

How can we read something like the above and not comprehend that many are going to be deceived? The doctrines we learn through the Lord Jesus Christ, through the word of God in all His truth do we dare deny its these doctrines? People will try and have tried to cause divisions in the truth, they've caused offences contrary to the truth and we cannot ignore this. We need to avoid being taken in by those who would dare to subvert God's truths. When people seek to serve themselves, to pretend to serve the Lord but are in truth only doing so in order to be self-serving, to seek self-glory, these care truly only for themselves and they may have many good words to speak and speeches so fair you can't help but be attracted to them and what do they do? They DECEIVE the simple. They deceive those who want to hear easy things and refuse to hear the hard truths.

We truly do need to be wise to what is good and SIMPLE concerning evil.

We cannot study evil, we cannot seek evil, we truly cannot court evil and evil ways it is much too dangerous! We need to be as simple as possible when it comes to anything evil. By God's grace may we be super simple concerning evil!

Satan is bruised by the God of peace! Satan has lost the battle between good and evil! Satan will not succeed, can't succeed, our Savior has won! Right now we live in a world with Satan as its ruler, but it will not always be that way. Our hope is in the salvation from all evil that our Savior has promised us. We have HOPE in Christ that what He has promised He will perform.

Php_1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

By His amazing wonderful grace! In Jesus Christ our Lord's name always! Amen!

Love in Sincerity.

Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Too many people believe that all people regardless of their beliefs will be with Jesus upon death. Our hearts are known to God- the good and the bad in them. I do believe that our God knows us and in knowing us loves us and in knowing us, He knows when there is no love in us. Sadly there are those without the love of God. Sadly there are heartless people. Tragically there are those who want nothing to do with love- God's real love.

There is a false love, a false religion, a false Christ, a false belief and these many falsehoods are disguised as truths.

Love, true love, love of God, love from God is our only truth. 

Trusting in Him beyond our own imaginings, our own faulty surmising this is truth. Faith, believing when we have no empirical reason to believe. Knowing there is One we do answer to for our lives. Knowing there is One who beyond all our comprehension truly only wants us in His love, this is faith.

'Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.'

In sincerity.

There are many who love our Lord Jesus Christ in something that is far from sincerity.

Please, Lord Jesus, help us to love you only in sincerity, we need Your grace so desperately! We don't always comprehend the ways of our own lives, Your ways are so much greater than ours. Please, help us to have the faith we need to be only Yours and no other's!

All in Your love, Your name, all in You our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Only Begotten Son of God the Father now and forever!

Amen.

Watching for Jesus

Psa 130:1  A Song of degrees. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

Psa 130:2  Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

Psa 130:3  If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

Psa 130:4  But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

Psa 130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Psa 130:6  My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning

Crying unto the Lord, pleading for the Lord to hear our voice. Asking the LORD to  make His ear attentive to our cries, our desperate desires. We know if the LORD marked our sins we could NEVER stand, never. There is by the grace of our Lord, FORGIVENESS for all our sins! Forgiveness of the like we can but imagine. Fearing our God, knowing He and He only forgives us as we need we truly must wait for the LORD, our soul must wait and HOPE in the word of God. Our soul must wait for the LORD more than a watchman waiting for the morning to break. 

We know what it is like to wait for day break. We know what it is like to wait desperately for something, all of us do, don't we?  Do we wait with that same desperation, that same eagerness for our Savior? With what longing do we wait for the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ?

Maybe we merely talk about His return, or think about it from time to time. Maybe it's simply a topic that comes up when we attend Bible meetings. Perhaps we only think on it when things go badly in our lives. How often should we be thinking about Christ's return? All the time.  With every prayer we pray.

How often should we pray?

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

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

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints

Praying always.

Luk_2:37  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Prayers- night and day.

Act_2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

In prayers.

2Ti_1:3  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day

So how often are we to truly think about our Savior's return? Every time we pray-- for in each prayer we are to say-  "Thy kingdom come."  And for our Savior's kingdom to come He must return. For things to be on earth as they are in heaven, He must return.

Our Savior Jesus Christ will return, we must wait for Him, watch for Him, long for His return for only when He returns will we finally be taken home with Him to His heavenly kingdom!

Please, Lord, please…come LORD JESUS, come!

Our Dead Loved Ones Will Rise from Their Graves and Meet Christ in the Air.

1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 

1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 

1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

We obtain salvation only one way- through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Few who believe in Christ will dispute this claim. Our Savior alone has the power to give us salvation. Our Savior was God in heaven, God who took on flesh becoming the only begotten Son of God the Father. In flesh, our God was faced with all manner of temptations to get Him to submit to the fallen angel, Lucifer who claims his own warped God presence- striving to be like the Most High. Unfailingly our God in human flesh did not succumb to any of the temptations but rather through the relying upon the power of God the Father, He remain true even unto death.  Put to death by agents of the evil one, our Savior was brought up from death's sleep and when He ascended to the Father He obtained full new life, forever alive, forever Savior, forever flesh, forever God. Through our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ we can obtain salvation from the evil angel who would have us on his side.

Our Savior died for us- the evil angel would never consent to death to save any, he is consume by his own survival in the face of knowing his own ultimate demise. Our Savior died for us- and whether we are ALIVE or DEAD when He returns to gather us to Him, we WILL live with Him.

We have to comfort ourselves together, helping each other to realize that we will one day be with our Savior, He will return for us.  The Bible is a huge book of prophecy all geared to this one end- salvation in Jesus Christ our Savior.  Before the earth was created our Savior was foreordained-

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

A Savior named, a Savior chosen, a Savior foreordained should a Savior be needed.

A Savior became needed and was declared.

Psa 2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

From that decree declared- a time was appointed and the declared Son took on flesh.

Joh_1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

All this to SAVE US from the evil that would possess us at every turn!

We can't know how many have died in Christ, we can't know how many people are sleeping death's sleep right now and will awake when Christ returns and calls them from their graves. We can't know how many will be alive in Christ when He returns and will be called to rise to meet Him in the air, transformed to put on immortality.

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Christ will raise our dead loved ones who are His from their death sleep before He calls us to Him. When we rise into the air, our bodies being transformed as we rise will be rising to MEET our Savior and with our Savior will be those we've longed to see again.

We truly NEED to comfort each other with these words of truth! 

It's so easy to give in to despair as Satan surrounds us, warring against us constantly, and we do NEED comfort and we can find comfort in the truth of God's word!  We can comfort each other with the knowledge of the future- we KNOW the future! We have been told the FUTURE! We don't have to speculate, to wonder, we KNOW what the future holds- the ULTIMATE future we long for and can be comforted by. We might not know tomorrow's future or next week's or even next year's but we can know the ultimate future as a true REALITY beyond any doubt whatsoever- our Savior will return for us and for our loved ones in Him who have gone to death's sleep.  We may not be able to comfort each other with very much but this is a surety and it does offer comfort, the only true comfort we can have- our Savior and His promise to us- Salvation in Him!

By HIS GRACE, HIS LOVE, HIS MERCY always!!!!

Amen.

God's Instructions

We are TOLD-

Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

AWAKE out of sleep!

CAST OFF the works of darkness!

PUT ON the armor of light!

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

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 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

WATCH!

BE ye ready!

Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

A cry made- wake-be ready!

Mat 26:40  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

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

WATCH!

Pray!

Mar 13:35  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Mar 13:36  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

Mar 13:37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

WATCH!

1Th 5:5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

1Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1Th 5:7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

SLEEP NOT!

Watch!

Be Sober!

Put on- faith love hope of salvation!

Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts

PUT off …the old man!

Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Col 3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds

PUT off …anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication.

LIE not!

Put off the old man!

Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

LAY apart … filthiness and naughtiness.

RECEIVE …the WORD.

1Pe 2:1  Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings

LAYING ASIDE ALL malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies, evil speakings.

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.

Joh 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Joh 3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

DOETH TRUTH.

Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

NO FELLOWSHIP with … works of darkness.

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

PUT ON the Lord.

MAKE NOT provision for the flesh.

2Co 6:7  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

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

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Col 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.