Love - those who don't love you.

Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 

Truthfully, it's easy to love those who love us, isn't it? I mean those who really love us, not those who pretend to love us. Okay, maybe it's not easy to love anyone. Could this be a sign of the times? We do know this…

Mat_24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

And this…

Mat 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

And this…

Mat 10:21  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Love is going to be in very short supply when our Savior returns. Love how we imagine love is supposed to be- the giving- not receiving sort, is definitely waxing cold. You may be able to point at lots of examples of the kindness of people towards one another and they may be genuine who am I to judge. I hear about a lot kindness, I'm the recipient of a lot of kindness- of love. And if I love those who love me while not loving those who hate me and revile me, and persecute me, what then? If I put conditions on MY love and all that love entails, I'm not loving unconditionally. I'm not loving as Jesus loves. Jesus loves us so much He died for us SINNERS. Jesus did not die for perfect people. Jesus died to save the sinners, wanting those sinners to repent of their sins and seek forgiveness in Him. Jesus wants us to find our HOPE in HIM.  Jesus wants us to LOVE as He loves.  Jesus said this--

Luk_23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Those who had crucified Him, those who had nailed Him to the cross--Father forgive them!

Jesus wanted forgiveness for those who were murdering Him.

We need to love and not just those who make it easy, not those who make it difficult because they impose upon out self-centeredness, but all… we need to love all. All includes strangers, all includes the hateful, all includes the worst of the worst. We can HATE what they do, but love them in Jesus' love, and that means Jesus wanting them to find forgiveness in Him, and through Him salvation. It's not a matter of deserving salvation because NONE of us do from the greatest sinner to the least. It's a matter of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior- and His forgivingness, His willingness to love us in spite of our sins- LOVE.

All through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD and SAVIOR NOW and FOREVER!

If the will of God be so...

1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 

Suffer for doing good.

We often lament not being rewarded for our good deeds. We complain about doing our good deeds because we are suffering as we do the good. God forgive us, we are so weak, so flesh-filled, so self-centered, so sinful!

Suffer for doing good.

Christ suffered for sins.  Did He complain? No.

Christ suffered being put to death.

We are told it is BETTER if GOD WILLS for us to SUFFER for doing good things, better than suffering for doing evil. 

We can comprehend that, can't we? Seriously, we understand that evil doing should get its just rewards so when evil doers suffer we can see the sense in it.

We fail to comprehend a person who does good- suffering. There is something in us that says the good deserve good things, not suffering.

It's not true and will never be true on this earth as it is without Christ having returned to take those good in Him back to heaven with Him.

The good can expect suffering, and if not expect it they should accept it when it comes without marveling at their misfortune. People will suffer for doing good things.

We are told this--

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 

The sun rises on the evil and the good.

Rain falls on the just and the unjust.

We do not do good to expect good in return. We do not expect to be immune from suffering because we do something good, or believe we are overall good in our lives. We don't treat others good only when they treat us good. We are CHRIST'S representatives here and now, we are NOT here to represent ourselves, our lives, our goodness!

WE DON'T MATTER in and of ourselves. Without Christ we are NOTHING!  Yet Satan would have us believing that we are all that does matter! How we feel matters, how we think matters, how we are treated matters- but truthfully only CHRIST matters and when we are CHRIST'S we matter simply because we are IN HIM.  If He could suffer for us, why do we believe we shouldn't have to suffer for Him?

More tomorrow on this by the GRACE of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST- NOW AND FOREVER!!!!!!!

Unseen Hope.

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith

Living by - things you HOPE for.

Living by- the EVIDENCE of things UNSEEN.

Heb_11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We need to live by HOPE.
We need to live by the UNSEEN.

What is our hope?

1Ti_1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope

Our hope- God our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom_8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Hope that is seen is NOT hope.

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.

2Co 5:7  For we walk by faith, not by sight

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 

1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 

The Just live by faith-  the end of our faith is our salvation- salvation is found in Jesus Christ our Lord, our Hope!

Are we living by faith? Or are we demanding to see results of our faith- proof from God? Are we demanding to understand how He is working in our lives? Can we TRUST that He is working even when our lives are falling apart? When storms rage all around us in so many different forms, are we holding fast in our faith, in our Savior believing in the salvation He offers us. Do we remember that the things that are not seen are ETERNAL, but things we see are temporal?

God help us to live by FAITH, to live by CHRIST JESUS our SAVIOR.

Live or dead -may we be Christ's when He returns.

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.

The dead will live.

Those alive will never die.

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

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

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

The dead shall rise first.

Then those who are alive will rise with them and all will meet the Lord in the air, and we will EVER be with the Lord!

These words bring comfort to all who would believe them, but not many do these days.

How do they explain them away? I don't even know. Who do they think the dead are that are being raised? I don't know. They believe people go right to heaven upon death so I'm not sure who they believe are being raised. Perhaps they are going to make up theories about bodies being reunited with spirit forms- but nowhere is that found in the Bible, nowhere. When Lazarus died his spirit didn't go to heaven. If he did go to heaven why would Jesus want to bring Lazarus back from heaven to suffer death all over again? Jesus woke Lazarus from death's long sleep but eventually Lazarus died again and is still sleeping death's long sleep.

Sleeping in death is peaceful-

Ecc_9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing

Dead know not anything.

What do you know when you're sleeping? Seriously. There could be a major catastrophe somewhere while you're sleeping and you won't know about it until you wake. We don't know what's happening around us while we sleep. We may dream, but dreams are not knowing things going on in the world around us.

Psa_6:5  For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

No remembering.

No thanking anyone.

Death's sleep is peaceful - the dead will not know anything until that last trump sounds and either they will rise to meet Christ, or rise to meet their eventual eternal destruction.

When any loved one of mine falls into death long sleep I know they are at peace, pure peace of sleep. They are not up in heaven looking down upon us here watching all we do- good and bad. They are not watching us suffer, would that be heaven as we imagine? They are not floating unseen about us doing things like watching over us, again where is the peace in doing that if they are watching us suffer? People somehow derive pleasure in believing their loved ones are happy now with other loved ones, and they are all living happily in heaven. Sure, I want my loved ones to be happy, but I do not want them aware of all the pain and heartache in our lives. Knowing my loved ones are sleeping undisturbed, and unable to be disturbed in any way whatsoever until our Lord returns gives me great peace of mind.

I can't change anyone's mind on their beliefs and I don't want to, I only hope and pray the Lord reveal His truth to all, and all are open to His truth.  I want everyone to want truth and nothing but the Lord's truth. If people desire truth God will give it to them. It is then my prayer that the Lord opens the hearts of all those desirous of His truth so they will know and follow only His truth. We need eyesalve to see! May we all be blessed with this eyesalve! May we not embrace familiar blindness just because it's in our comfort zone. May we NOT be among the deceived content to remain deceived, blind to our own blindness.

Please Lord, may we be Yours, wholly Yours now and forever through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Death's Sleep.

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.

1Co 15:13  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 

1Co 15:14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 

Joh_11:24  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

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.

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The dead in Christ will rise first- comfort one another with these words.

How can we comfort one another with these words if we live under the deception that the dead are already risen in Christ before He descends from heaven with a shout?

When Christ returns-  will He find any that believe His truth?

Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 

Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 

Christ has NO reason to return to earth if the dead in Him are already risen.

There IS a resurrection but it is NOT until our Savior returns for us!

The DEAD IN CHRIST will rise.

Who are the DEAD IN CHRIST that need rising if everyone believes they are already risen? Who are they?!  Seriously, who are the DEAD IN CHRIST that need to be raised up to MEET Christ in the air? Haven't the dead already risen and met Christ? So many believe that they have, that they do, but they are under one of Satan's greatest deceptions ever to be made. 

People think I’m crazy when I tell them I don't believe our loved ones go to heaven or hell when they die. I don't think our loved ones are meeting each other in heaven after death. I believe that death is a SLEEP. I believe this because my Bible tells me this. Christ will return and the DEAD IN CHRIST will rise from their graves and meet Him in the air, that's what my Bible tells me! Christ calls death a sleep-

Joh 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 

Joh 11:12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 

Joh 11:13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 

Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 

If everyone who has loved God died and went right to heaven, what need is there of Christ to return and have the dead in Him rise? There isn't any reason and it's completely contradictory.

Our breath of life goes back to God who gives it to us, but we go to sleep and if we go to sleep in Christ the next thing we know upon waking is rising from our graves to meet our Savior in the air!

That last trump is going to sound, but truly will Christ find faith on earth? So few will believe in the truth, more will believe the deception and they will be caught up among the many not the few. They will be caught up among those who will cry out to Christ that they've done many wonderful things in His name and He is going to tell them to depart from Him, they are workers of iniquity. They don't believe they are, but they are DECEIVED by the great deceiver.

May we believe only in the truth of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST now and forever!

The God of Peace.

Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 

Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.

The God of peace.

Rom_15:33  Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

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.

Php_4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

1Th_5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need the God of peace with us!

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Think on these things.

We need to learn to think on the things of God but Satan surrounds us with so much that would draw us away from God.

What is true. What is honest. What is just. What is pure. What is lovely. What is of good report. What is virtuous. What is praiseworthy.

When we think on things that aren't true, things that aren't honest, things that aren't pure, things that aren't lovely, things that aren't of good report, things that aren't virtuous, things that aren't praiseworthy- then we are NOT thinking on the things of God.

Truth, honesty, purity, lovely, good, virtuous, praise- things that are in very short supply in our world, in our lives. We are surrounded by so much that glorifies lying, impurity, bad, dishonesty, deception, things we could never praise God for. Daily we can be bombarded by this stuff in many ways.  We need to think on things God would have us think on!

God doesn't want us focusing on the bad, He knows it's out there in our world, but He doesn't want us to wrap the bad things about us like a cloak of justification for our not trusting in Him for all things working together for good to us who love the Lord. 

Rom_8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God of Peace.

When our lives seem anything but peaceful, we have to cling tightly to God and HIS PEACE. Our hope is in CHRIST- not in good days, good feelings, easy times and happiness right here and now. Christ wants us to look heavenward all the while Satan is determined to get us to look only at the here and now. Satan wants us to wallow in the now as if it's all there is, Satan is a liar. 

More on this tomorrow by the grace and will of God! All through the love of Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior now and forever!

God's Peace, Not My Peace.

Eph 6:23  Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

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

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Isa 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 

Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 

Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Isa 57:19  I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him

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Peace. We talked a little bit about peace yesterday. I honestly wished it was as easy to follow the knowledge we receive as it was to write about it. I intellectually understand what it means to have God's peace, but putting that understanding into practice is another matter.  It is so difficult to find peace in a crisis, at least for me. I'm struggling and I need my Lord and Savior to open my heart to His will, to let the Holy Spirit show me the way to His peace amidst the worst times. I don't like letting my current situation cause disquiet in me, panic in me, anxiety in me, exhaustion and dismay in me. I pray to be strong in the Lord, to be able to look to Him as my Hope, my Rock, my Stronghold, my Fortress, my King, my Savior, my God. I have to stop looking at myself for these things because I HAVEN'T the ability to bring myself peace.

I need this-- as I was reminded--

Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

I need this peace He can leave with me, the peace He can give to me, peace that the world cannot give to me. I need to not let my heart be troubled, or afraid.

Please, Lord help me to look outward for my strength not inward as if I should have some special ability to give myself peace. Let Your peace live in me. Let me cling to You, growing ever closer to You and further away from myself. All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!