Kingdom Treasure.

Mat 13:44  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 

Sell all that you have.

If we sell all that we have to buy something else, that something else must be worth a lot to us, right? I most certainly would not sell all my possessions on a gamble, but I might for a sure thing. Notice how I said, might. This is how awful possessions can be in our lives. I know you possibly will shake your head and say, "Only crazy people taken over by cults or delusion would sell all their possessions and be left with nothing."  And you know what? You're right. We are never being asked to sell all that we have in exchange for nothing. The parable above tells of a man finding a treasure, a hidden treasure that no one knows about. He discovers this treasure in a field that is for sale. Quickly he hides the fact he found a treasure in that field. Obviously it isn't a treasure he can simply dig up and take away to hide among his other possessions. This treasure has to be too big to cart away undetected, or even detected. I know if I found a small treasure in a field it would be very easy for me to just take that small treasure with me when I left the field, I would not need to buy the whole field.

This man hides the treasure he finds, most likely by reburying it and making things look as normal as possible so no one else can get to the treasure. He hides it from everyone. Then he goes and takes everything he owns worth anything and begins to sell it all. Once he's done selling everything he owns he takes that money and buys the field. He buys that field knowing there is a treasure there greater than all his former possessions.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hid in a field. 

The worth of the Kingdom of Heaven is so great we should do all we can- sell all the obstacles in our way in order to obtain that treasure.  When the man bought the field, he bought the hidden treasure with the field. We need to seek first…

Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness

Seeking the Kingdom of Heaven because it is the greatest treasure in existence worth more than everything we could ever own - more than the richest person in the entire world could ever own - this is how precious the Kingdom of Heaven is.

The Kingdom of Heaven- found in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Lord please help me to understand this parable so that I may cherish the Kingdom of Heaven and comprehend its worth. Please, open my heart and mind which are so clouded with my inane worries. Please, don't let Satan have his way in my life as he seeks to devour me to keep me from You. Help me to trust in You for all things. Please, Lord, save me! Please, Lord, I long for the Kingdom of Heaven-  Your righteousness! You!

May We Realize Heaven.

Mat 13:31  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 

Mat 13:32  Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. 

Mat 13:33  Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 

A tiny seed that grows into a large tree.

A tiny bit of yeast put into dough and the dough rises double.

Both of these parables are examples given of the Kingdom of Heaven. How?

Tiny seeds, a tiny bit of yeast… the Kingdom of Heaven preached.

A large tree, a large loaf of bread…the Kingdom of Heaven realized.

To many the Kingdom of Heaven is but a fantasy, or a joke- there are many stories, shows, movies and such making light of the Kingdom of Heaven, of God, of Jesus. To others the Kingdom of Heaven is something realized upon dying. All their loved ones are in heaven. Their hearts ache to imagine anything less than their loved ones leaving this earth and appearing before God. They are supposedly met by all the other loved ones that have gone on before them and there is great happiness always. Why great happiness always? Because in heaven there are no tears, no pain, no death, only joy. People talk about their loved ones looking over them from their lofty new home and they imagine a whole new and much better life for them. People do not want to imagine anything less because to do so would cause them more grief, or so they believe.

Biblically we are told the Kingdom of Heaven will NOT instantly be the home of those who have died secure in the love of God. Biblically we are told that even David, a greatly beloved man of God, is still in his grave- as if that means something and it must, right?

Act_2:29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

Act 2:34  For David is not ascended into the heavens

1Ki 2:10  So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. 

Act 13:36  For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption

2Sa 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 

David was NOT taken to the Kingdom of Heaven, and why not if that is where those who are God's go after dying? Because that is NOT where people go after dying. As the Word of God says- they SLEEP. Their bodies decay, going back to dust. Jesus was incredibly miraculous because He was RAISED from the dead. Enoch was taken to heaven bodily never seeing death at all. So, if only a spirit ghostly form of us leaves our bodies and goes to heaven upon death, why would Enoch go in body to heaven? Why would Jesus go in flesh that can be touched by the doubting, to heaven if all He needed was His supposed spirit form to be considered risen from the dead? Why would Jesus pull Lazarus' supposed spirit form back from the joys of heaven and into his fleshy body to suffer the pains of this sinful existence and die all over again? The LOGIC is incredibly faulty if you truly think about what it means if you believe people never really die, but just change form upon death. We wouldn't even need a Savior at all if we automatically die and change form to spirit with a brain, with our identity intact. For thousands of years before Christ, people died - did they all go to heaven or hell instantly? If so, they had to be saved to go to heaven, yes? So, if that possibility already existed why did Jesus have to die thousands of years later?

Logic… and deception.  People have been deceived and only grow more and more deceived as the time grows shorter.

Act 7:59  And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 

Act 7:60  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 

Stephen called for God to receive his BREATH, his spirit, the essence that gave him life and then what did he do? HE FELL ASLEEP.

Now think a moment, falling asleep entails a temporary state of being unconscious, yes? Why would Stephen need to fall asleep if he simply was going somewhere else? Wouldn't it have been better explained that Stephen said Lord Jesus receive my spirit and… when he had said this he left his body.   That would make it very clear, right? But Stephen didn't leave his body, he FELL ASLEEP. He slipped into UNCONCIOUSNESS something he would only need to do if he would eventually wake up from his sleep. Which the Bible clearly explains happens when our Savior returns and not before. And IF a person wakes up when Jesus returns that means what? That he HASN'T been awake until then!

1Co 15:6  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 

1Co 15:17  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 

1Co 15:18  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 

1Co 15:19  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

1Co 15:20  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 

1Co 15:21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 

Did you read that with comprehension… In Christ shall ALL be made alive…  Christ the firstfruits and AFTERWARDS they that ARE CHRIST'S AT HIS COMING!

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. 

Did you read that with comprehension? THEM also which SLEEP in Jesus will God BRING WITH HIM. They sleep now!!! Sleep is an unconscious state!

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: 

THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST! No need of this if they are already alive and conscious, their bodies already changed to immortality and incorruption!

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. 

PLEASE comprehend that to allow yourself to be deceived based on some cherished tradition of man is to allow yourself to be taken under the control of Satan. You may think it is a HARMLESS deception, but it is very harmful. You have an opportunity for truth and denying truth is denying Christ. Remember there are going to be more people who believe they are Christ's than really are Christ's. He is going to tell them to get away from Him, that He doesn't know them - and they are going to be SHOCKED because they think they are His.

Please, LORD, we ONLY want YOUR TRUTH not the lies and deceptions of Satan, not the traditions of man. We want YOUR TRUTH.

Please… help us! We believe, Lord, help THOU our unbelief!

The Kingdom of Heaven will be realized for us when our Lord returns. Right now it is by parable but a seed growing, but then it will be full grown and ready for us to inhabit with our Lord and Savior, our God, our Heavenly Father! May we realize heaven!

All Wars Will End Only When This Wicked World Ends.

The Kingdom of Heaven-  this is a REAL place. This kingdom is as real as any kingdom that has ever existed upon earth. There are 44 current monarchies in the world today in 2019. That's 44 kingdoms that exist. These aren't                          fairytale kingdoms but kingdoms upon the earth. The Kingdom of Heaven isn't a fairytale either, but many would have us believe it is, why? Because we can't travel to that kingdom as of yet.  Let's look at a parable of Jesus' about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mat 13:24  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 

Mat 13:25  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 

Mat 13:26  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 

Mat 13:27  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 

Mat 13:28  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 

Mat 13:29  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. 

Mat 13:36  Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 

Mat 13:37  He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 

Mat 13:38  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 

Mat 13:39  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 

Mat 13:40  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 

Mat 13:41  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 

Mat 13:42  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 

Mat 13:43  Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

The Son of man created a way for mankind to belong to Him, and the mankind that belong to Him are the heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. However, not all of mankind are heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who  CHOOSE not to become heirs- because it is their choice- belong to the wicked one, the devil.

For now, the heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven and the heirs of the wicked one live together BUT there is going to come a time when the world as we know it- ends.

The evil heirs are going to be extinguished from existence and the Kingdom of Heaven will reign.

It's real.

How awful it would be if we live in this wicked world, surrounded by wicked, tempted to wickedness ourselves, saved from wickedness only by the grace of God - through His power of salvation- had no hope of an end to wickedness.

Mankind right now and for a long, long, long time has constantly renewed their quest for peace- for being able to live peaceably with each other. We've never been able to achieve this. We're split into separate countries each refusing to give up their ownership of what land they've claimed as their country. We've had many attempts throughout our world history of various conquerors trying to gain more land for their particular countries. We've had a lot of talk of one world government, but these things have never come fully to fruition. If in times past there have been seemingly one world kingdoms they never lasted for very long. We mouth the words world peace- but the reality is we are as far from world peace as we ever were. There are so many wars being waged around the world. From what I can find on the internet- there are about 36 countries at war right now. We have large countries and many smaller countries and at any given time there is a war taking place. This is the way of this world- this wicked, devil ruled world.

There is a way to the Kingdom of Heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, but it won't be until the end of this wicked world that we will live with Him in the Kingdom.

Remember this…

1Co 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 

1Co 15:56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 

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. 

In a moment…

In a twinkling of an eye…

AT THE LAST TRUMP-for the TRUMPET SHALL SOUND…

Death will be no more when the victory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is complete, and we that are His are changed to immortality, to incorruptible beings. 

That day approaches.   Prophecy has foretold many things and each things has come to pass and this too will come to pass without fail.

May we belong to Christ Jesus, may we belong to the Kingdom of Heaven and not to the wicked one, the devil who rules over this world.

Lord, Lord!

Do you call out to the Lord? Do you say… Lord, Lord? I know I have many, many times. I've cried out to Jesus, I've prayed, begged, pleaded, whispered, entreated, agonized to, screamed, I've called on the Lord constantly.  Knowing this then reading the following verse…

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.

…makes me have to examine myself. And we are supposed to do that.

2Co_13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

I have to examine myself and ask myself whether or not I am doing the will of the Heavenly Father.  Truly it isn't enough to simply mouth the words, it isn't enough to sing out, cry out, yell out, or whisper the name of the Lord not is I refuse the Heavenly Father's will.

The Lord will allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of the wrongs in our lives, as long as we yield to the Holy Spirit allowing Him to do this work in us. It isn't a pleasant work, being convicted of sins especially if we have cherished sins in our lives that are second nature to us. We want to overlook those pet sins of ours and tuck them away safely out of the Holy Spirit convicting zone so we don't have to feel the weight of the sin. If you are pricked even once in your conscience over something you are from that moment on accountable to determine if it is something the Lord is allowing to be revealed to you for correction in righteousness.

2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness

We are allowed to see where we need correction, instruction, doctrine, and reproof. That nudge of something not being quite right in our lives is there to lead us to the Word of God where we will find most answers to all our possible convictions.

Not too long ago a situation in my life arose and I was led to a list of ways to determine whether something or not is the way of the Lord- the way I seek to go. The very last 'supreme' way to determine something was whether or not in glorified God. And they used this scripture-

1Co_10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

That bit there- the WHATSOEVER you do part- that is the telling point in all our actions. Are we glorifying God?

To do the will of the Heavenly Father we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ then we follow His teachings. His teachings instruct us in many ways and He tells us that He has sent a Comforter, the Holy Spirit to be with us to guide us. The Holy Spirit will act upon the contrite and humble heart of one seeking earnestly to do the Heavenly Father's will and will reveal to us our leanings. The constant revelation of our inability to save ourselves is from the Holy Spirit. The constant revelation of our sinfulness is from the Holy Spirit. These constant, unrelenting revelations lead us to, and keep us at the foot of the cross and raise us to our living, saving Savior. Without the continuous knowledge that we need to rely upon God for all things, we are in danger of pride taking ahold of us and working its evil inside our lives.

No, not everyone who calls upon the Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. The Lord knows sincerity, the Lord knows our hearts. We cannot hide our hearts from His searching.

Please, Lord, search us and know our hearts and lead us in Your way everlasting! Help us not to deceive ourselves! Keep us from our own will and lead us to do the will of the Heavenly Father. Let the Holy Spirit guide us. May we glorify you in all we do, seeking You over all. Please, Lord, we believe, help our unbelief!

Thank you, Lord, thank you!

In the name of Jesus Christ, now and forever!!!!!!!

Amen.

You Shall Not Enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Keep Out!  Not Allowed! Do Not Enter!

Those are all things we do NOT want to hear when it comes to the kingdom of heaven, right?

Too many people believe that it is impossible for God to refuse anyone admittance to heaven. And that's true in a sense. God will not refuse anyone who truly desires Him over all. We keep ourselves out, we tack up those signs not God. We will not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven if we are choosing self over God. We make the choice.

Satan would have us believe that it is God who is keeping us out because of too rigid a set of standards He has. Satan wants us to believe we have to work our way into heaven, all the while telling us it is impossible to be good enough according to God.

God's standard is love, pure love, love unfeigned and we get in our own way of being able to accept that love. 

Mat_5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

We are told by Jesus that OUR righteousness has to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.  What is our righteousness-

Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

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

Rom_3:22  Even the righteousness OF GOD which is by faith of JESUS CHRIST unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference

Rom_3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare HIS righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God

Rom_5:17  For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the GIFT of righteousness shall reign in life BY ONE, JESUS CHRIST)

Rom_5:18  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ONE the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Rom_10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.

1Co_1:30  But of him are ye in CHRIST JESUS, who of God is MADE UNTO US wisdom, and RIGHTEOUSNESS, and sanctification, and redemption

Gal_5:5  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH.

2Pe_1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD AND OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

The scribes and Pharisees were refusing Jesus, they did not want to know Him, they did not want to hear the truth Jesus came to bring to them. The scribes and Pharisees believed they had all the answers themselves and that Jesus was a blasphemer, a liar, a fake. The scribes and Pharisees believe they had righteousness of their own and had no need of Jesus or any righteousness He claimed to have.  If we believe as the scribes and Pharisees believed then we are in essence saying we believe we have our own righteousness and do not need Jesus' righteousness at all.

Jesus had this to say-

Mat 23:2  Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 

Mat 23:3  All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 

Mat 23:4  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 

Mat 23:5  But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 

Mat 23:6  And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 

Mat 23:7  And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 

The scribes and Pharisees talked a good game, but there was no love in them at all. Their love was a love of self not a love of God.

Mat 23:23  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 

Mat 23:24  Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 

Mat 23:25  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 

Mat 23:26  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 

Mat 23:28  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 

Mat 23:29  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 

Mat 23:30  And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 

Mat 23:31  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 

Mat 23:32  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 

Mat 23:33  Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 

Mat 23:34  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 

Mat 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 

Mat 23:36  Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 

Is it any wonder at all that unless we LOVE as JESUS loved, unless we LOVE JESUS and have HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS we will NOT enter the kingdom of heaven!

The kingdom of heaven is LOVE of OTHERS! GOD'S LOVE. It is NOT SELF-LOVE! We are to LOVE GOD and LOVE OTHERS before ALL thought of ourselves and we FALL SO FAR SHORT OF THIS! Jesus and Jesus alone can supply what we LACK it is HIS LOVE that can LOVE like we cannot! Please, Lord, please let Your righteousness be ours, because we have NONE! We would enter the kingdom of heaven through You and only through You! We have no hope of entering the kingdom of heaven by our merits, by our righteousness, we have none, they are like filthy rags. Please be our righteousness! Please!

Persecuted.

Mat_5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

In a perfect world no one is persecuted for righteousness' sake… no one. Ideally no one is unjustly accused or judged. Yet in our very imperfect world righteousness has been turned into unrighteousness so that it is extremely easy to be persecuted for righteousness' sake. We accuse people of wrongly judging the actions of the unrighteous so that they in turn become those thought to be righteous and the truly righteous are persecuted.

Satan has been playing the long game, not the short game. Satan knows he's lost the entire war but can still fool many people, in truth, the majority of people into believing in his lies. The Bible tells us this…

Mat_24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

IF it were possible- even the very elect will be deceived.

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 

Many are walking the path of destruction.

Few are walking the path of life.

Joh 16:2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 

Deceived. Thinking you are doing God's work but in truth…you are not.

Love is not shaking hands and embracing evil and calling it good and acceptable just be it exists and is a part of our lives. Being born with sin tendencies does not mean we must embrace our sin tendencies and call them righteous. You might be born with the heart of a coveting person- do you embrace that coveting and call it a good thing? Another might be born with a heart filled with self-gratification through lust, should they tell themselves that it was the way they were born so it must be a good thing? There could be a heart of a murderer in another, a thief in yet another and these are all things we agree are not acceptable yet if one person can say their sin tendencies are acceptable why shouldn't another be able to do so? When we call the unrighteousness' righteous we have nothing to stand on when all the unrighteous want their unrighteousness' called righteous. Where does it end? It doesn't end until our Savior say it is finished and the evil will remain forever evil and the just forever just.

Being persecuted for righteousness' sake, having tribulation in this world, this is the lot of those few finding the narrow path leading to life, this is the way of the elect, and yet… Satan would have us confused and deceived even on this so that we believe we are God's and our way is right because we are persecuted.

Our hope, our faith must be in God, it must be in the righteousness of Christ.

Whether we are caught up and unjustly accused or allowed to live peacefully we must seek salvation through Christ constantly. We must take our lives to Him and His word and live according to HIS word and no other's.

Mat_5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Persecution comes in many ways, do not be fooled. Spiritual persecution is real, and we have spiritual armor to possess and protect us.

In all ways, Lord, protect us from all EVIL. Do not let us be deceived! Open our blind eyes with the precious eye salve of you truth, cloth us in the white robes of YOUR righteousness, give us the riches of the gold that has been tried in the fire of faith- we would be YOURS all by YOUR power through YOUR love.  Thank you, Lord Jesus! Thank you.

Priceless Blessing- the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mat_5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Poor- we equate this word with lacking. If you are poor you are considered to be lacking money. If you are poor in learning, you are considered to be a slow learner or one incapable of learning, lacking the ability to learn. If you are a poor listener, it is assumed you lack the ability to listen and comprehend what another is saying. If you are poor in anything you are lacking something. So is this verse supposed to mean those lacking the spirit in their lives? If so, this isn't consistent with the teachings of Christ. In truth, this verse is said to mean the person is humbled, lacking arrogance- which is a good thing. If you're poor in the ability to deceive then you could be said to lack the ability of deception which is a GOOD thing, not a bad thing. There are things we can lack in and it be the best thing for us- it all depends upon how you are looking at things, right? The poor in spirit- those who are humble and meek truly do have a quality that would make their relationship with God foremost in their lives and therefore they would be blessed with the kingdom of heaven.  Also, if we take the word poor and apply it to monetary situations we know a lack of money can be a good thing when we consider how incredibly difficult and all but impossible it will be for the rich to get into the kingdom of heaven. I've never personally seen or know of anyone who has seen a camel go through an eye of a needle.

Luk_18:25  For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Blessed are the poor in many ways when we think of eternity and not our temporary existence we live now.  Easy for me to say as I sit in my splendor of riches (compared to the truly poor), but very difficult for those enduring the deprivations of being poor and suffering from the consequences of being such.

Blessed…how? With the kingdom of heaven. Such a blessing is priceless. May we all be blessed with the kingdom of heaven, all through the grace and mercy, the forgiveness and righteousness of our Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ now and forever!