They believe He knows them.

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.

Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 

Php 2:21  For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

You can have the FORM of godliness OR have the POWER of godliness.

You can give really great uplifting speeches but still NOT serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

You can seek things for your own pleasure OR seek the thing which are Jesus Christ's.

You see, I've said it before and I'm going to say it again- TRULY if we are LOVERS of pleasures MORE than lovers of GOD, we will NOT BE GOD'S no matter what we think! No matter what superior form of supposed Christianity we take, we are NOT God's if we seek pleasure over seeking God. What PLACE does God hold in our lives? Is He first and foremost in our lives or have we regulated Him to another rank in our life? Do you suppose if He is even one rank under first that we are His? People want to believe this it truth, but it isn't.  People want to believe if they just accept God without any of God in their lives that they are saved. People want to believe that if they are doing good works in His name that they are saved. He tells us differently. He tells us that He needs to know us.  If you say that He knows you simply because He is a God and knows all, then I say you're wrong again.

He spoke these words of truth-

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

Jesus is going to tell MANY that He never knew them and He won't be speaking to the professed atheists, or religious unbelievers of Him. Jesus is going to be speaking to those who use HIS name.

THEY USE THE NAME OF JESUS! THEY BELIEVE HE KNOWS THEM!

This will mean all the difference in the world -  Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF THE FATHER- these are the ones that Jesus Christ will know!

Joh_6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Joh_6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

How many DO things with the belief- however small- that the things they do qualify them for salvation? Are these the people our Savior doesn't know because they haven't truly believed in HIS SAVING POWER, a power ONLY HE possesses and is found in nothing else? Or do they hang on to even the tiniest sliver of their OWN power for salvation? If we believe even a little bit that our actions beyond believing are what save us then we are NOT honestly, and fully believing in the grace of our Savior.   The acts we commit after we believe should NOT be done in order to save us, but as extensions of the truth in CHRIST's sole ability to save.  WE are able to do the tiniest bit of good only because of HIS saving power, not because we possess some power of our own to add to His redeeming of us.  We can NEVER add points to a chart that doesn't exist and it doesn't exist because we can't work our way to salvation. The ONLY chart would have one point if it existed and that point would be BELIEVING IN CHRIST!

We STOP believing in the redeeming power of our Savior when we start working our way there. We may say we don't but we do.

It's NOT that we shouldn't behave in certain ways, we have to behave as Christ behaved loving the Heavenly Father and loving others and doing works accordingly but we do that because we are SAVED, not to be SAVED.

Daily we need to pick up our crosses and these crosses are but reminders through and through of the cross of Calvary.

Luk_9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

And notice… let him deny himself AND take up the cross daily.

We take up the life and death and life again of Christ daily, knowing the walk He walked is ours to walk as well. He SAVED us so we can live for HIM and if living for Him means being persecuted all the way to our deaths, we die FOR Him because He FIRST died for us.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

THIS is TRUTH!

The cross represents the LIFE Christ lived - His ministry that led to His crucifixion. The cross represents His blood spilled in sacrifice for us. The cross represents His rising from the grave to live for us once again. The cross represents all these things and we take up a cross daily to represent that we are LIVING with CHRIST LIVING IN US.

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

Christ's power is alive in US this is the power we dare not deny. We have no godliness of our own, but we have Christ's.

May we NOT be consumed by self-serving, may our bellies not be our gods! May we truly have GOD in our lives fully, wholly in us all through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR now and forever!!!!!!!

'...good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.'

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.

When someone serves their own belly, they are serving their own needs first and foremost.  They might say they are serving the Lord, but they aren't. They speak wonderfully and in their wonderful speeches they are DECEIVING the hearts of those who would be Christ's.  Truly, are we not God's if all we do is care for ourselves before others.  We say we need to take care of ourselves first so we can care for others, but there is a difference between caring for ourselves and pampering ourselves. There is a big difference in trusting God to care for our needs while we live for Him, and trusting in ourselves.  Some argue that God expects us to care for ourselves and gives us the means to do so, and I can't say that isn't true. I can say if we are caring MORE for ourselves than Him and for others, we are not listening to God at all.

Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 

Php 2:21  For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

More on this tomorrow by the grace and will of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST NOW AND FOREVER!!!!!!!

Receiving One Another.

Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 

Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Rom 15:7  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. 

Luk_8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Bring forth fruit with patience.

Anyone who has ever grown a garden knows you must have patience. Plants of all kinds have their own time schedule and it takes a lot of time for the first tomato to turn red, from seed to fruit. The kernel planted - to the ear of corn, from the seed sowed- to the wheat stalk. Time, it all takes time and time means patience. Time is going to pass and we decide how we live in that passing time. We can fight time. We can rage against its slowness in so many of life's situations. Being impatient seldom hurries the very thing patience is needed for so why do we allow ourselves to get impatient? Is there any logical reason for it other than our emotions taking over?

Patience, surely we NEED patience, much more patience in all our daily lives, in all things.

The God of patience and consolation can grant us to have the same mind towards each other ACCORDING to Christ Jesus. We need to have the same truth and glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to receive each other as CHRIST received us and THIS will glorify God.

Receiving each other as we receive Christ. Freely, earnestly, gratefully, in love, in truth.

All through our SAVIOR, now and forever!

Patience.

Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 

Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Rom 15:7  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. 

The God of patience.

Luk_8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Luk_21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

Rom_5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Rom_5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope

Rom_8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Rom_15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

2Co_6:4  But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses

2Co_12:12  Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

Col_1:11  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness

1Th_1:3  Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father

2Th_1:4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure

1Ti_6:11  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

2Ti_3:10  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience

Tit_2:2  That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Heb_6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Heb_10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Heb_12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

Jas_1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Jas_1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Jas_5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Jas_5:10  Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

Jas_5:11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

2Pe_1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness

Rev_1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rev_2:2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

Rev_2:3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Rev_2:19  I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

Rev_3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Rev_13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Rev_14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Comfort of the Scriptures.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 

Through PATIENCE, and COMFORT of the scriptures we have HOPE. Everything written in God's word was written for our learning. We NEED to read the scriptures! We need to take comfort in all those who have gone before us. Each person used by God is a person just like you and I are. There was no special mold for God's chosen. God chose those who He found grace in.

Gen_6:8  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Why did Noah find grace in the eyes of the LORD? 

Gen_6:22  Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Gen_7:1  And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Gen_7:5  And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.

God saw Noah as righteous in a generation filled with evil. Noah listened to God. 

We need to listen to God. All those men and women in the Bible, listened to God. And when they didn't listen to Him, there were consequences. Jonah for example- He didn't want to listen to God, but in the end He did.

God only ever wants our ultimate good - our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Life is difficult, it was difficult for all the men and women in the Bible as well. Read their stories, read what transpired. You won't find a single instance of an easy life. You will find trials and tribulations. You'll find pain and agonies. You'll find joys too, but there isn't an easy life for ANY of those who are God's.  Look at their lives! Know their lives and take comfort in KNOWING that through all the trials and tribulations the men and women of God remained HIS through faith. They did NOT give up on God no matter what they endured all the way to their deaths.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 

We NEED TO LEARN!

We NEED PATIENCE!

We NEED TO FIND COMFORT IN THE SCRIPTURES!
We NEED HOPE!

All through our Savior, Jesus Christ, we need to listen, to heed God's word, God's lessons for us.

Please, Lord...please!

Please God, and Others, Not Self.

We think pleasing ourselves is our ultimate goal in our lives. We believe that being pleased- content, happy, satisfied, glad- is something we are to strive for. Truly we are NOT to please ourselves, this ISN'T our life's objective! To say I'm happy, to say I'm content, to say I'm satisfied, this is NOT what I should be desiring- not above others. MY pleasure should be secondary to helping others yet I am so incredibly SELFISH that I somehow believe that I should be first! That I shouldn't have to be unhappy, dissatisfied, not content, and surely not glad.  I'm not saying I need to be depressed, sad, angry, there is a place between our being pleased and our being unpleased. It is in this place between we are to LIVE for Christ and be HIS people here and now that MINISTER to each other revealing His love in everything we do for others. This is where we NEED to be! This is where we are to teach our children to be, not to seek their own pleasure, their own pleasing. 

We are to PLEASE others at the expense of NOT pleasing ourselves! We are to BEAR the infirmities of the weak if we are strong.

Christ did NOT please himself. Christ did NOT seek to please himself at all.  Pleasure may have come through bringing His light and life to others, but He did not purposefully commit a single action to please Himself.

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

Rom 15:2  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 

Rom 15:3  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 

Psa 89:50  Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; 

Psa 89:51  Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. 

Christ suffered.

Mat 26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Joh 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 

Joh 8:29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 

Joh 12:27  Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 

Joh 12:28  Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 

Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Christ did NOT live to please Himself, but to please God, His Father, are we to do ANY LESS?

STOP TRYING TO PLEASE YOURSELF (yes, I'm talking to myself too).

Please, Lord, PLEASE help us to seek to please YOU, and others, over and above ourselves.  All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever, amen!

No Stumbling Blocks.

We are not to put a stumbling block in anyone's way as they seek to walk in the truth with Christ.

If they are persuaded of a truth you do not hold, to judge their walk to be false and interfere in it, you are in truth causing them to stumble.

We have to fully comprehend that we all must follow in faith the truth as the Holy Spirit reveals it to us, and convicts us. We can present our truths to those who inquire after them, but to try and force our truths on someone will forever be wrong.

If we look around at others who don't follow our particular revealed truths and judge that they can't possibly know Jesus or be known of Him, then we are truly lost because we have no power to discern their hearts, or their futures.

We are to live our truths and reveal them as prompted by the Holy Spirit. We aren't to take it upon ourselves to shove our truths down anyone's throat.

Right now there is not a single person being forced to read this, not one, at least not by me. For all I know- no one reads these little studies and that's all well and good. God knows and that's all that matters, and all that will ever matter. If but one person seeks the truth in Christ Jesus and is helped in any way by these writings all I can do is praise God, because it will be through Him it transpires. I have no power of my own to compel anyone.

If what I write does cause someone to stumble it's not because I've singled them out and am personally striving to do something to cause that to happen. God forbid I harm anyone's walk with Christ!

Truly, we are to love- not to judge. God has the power to convict and to know the proper time to do so, not us.  May God help us all to live the truth of Christ without causing any other to stumble.

And how appropriate that this particular song come on the playlist as I finish--

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

Casting Crowns

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away

We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me

Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded

A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Yeah

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand

Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands

Help us to remember we are all the least of these

Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees

No one knows what we're for only against when we judge the wounded

What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast

For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came

Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast

But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

'Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost 'cause and I was the outcast

Yeah

You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

From <https://www.google.com/search?q=jesus+friend+of+sinners+lyrics&oq=jesus+friend+of+sinners+lyrics&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.9492j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8>

*******

Rom 14:13  Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 

Rom 14:14  I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 

Rom 14:15  But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 

Rom 14:16  Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

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

Rom 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 

Rom 14:20  For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 

Rom 14:21  It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 

Rom 14:22  Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 

Rom 14:23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.