Time to Awake Out of Sleep.

Wake up!

 

Wake up! Stop sleeping! The chaos all around us sounds the cry of wakefulness, of watchfulness. You say you are awake, does this mean you've not made provisions towards your flesh, towards your self-serving ways? Does this mean you are walking honestly? Does this mean you've put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and no longer strive towards a life void of Him and His ways? 

 

What were His ways when He walked the earth? He HURT NO ONE. Did He show righteous anger at times? Yes. Did He reveal a deep sorrow as well? Yes. Did He know the joy of being one with the Father? Yes. Did He show pity for the sorrowful, the pitiful, the sickly, the diseased, the possessed, the wounded, the sinners in snared? Yes, yes, and yes to all. What Jesus did NOT do was harm anyone, not in any way. Jesus never raised a hand to another to strike them. Jesus never used His words to wound another. Jesus was a man of peace. In righteous anger He overthrew tables laden with wares that should never have been in the temple. In righteous anger He made a scourge and drove out those who should never have desecrated His Father's house. Did He wound any man? There is no record of it. His fury alone drove out the evil ones. Surely if he'd struck any they would have raised a cry against Him and there were plenty who wanted to see Jesus caught up in wrong doing. You can scare people into fleeing quite easily if you have need to. Imagine someone entering a store where you are shopping and they are running around with a whip, yelling for you to get out. You wouldn't stand there waiting to be hurt, you'd run. Jesus endured a lot of suffering unjustly. Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies. Jesus doesn't want us fulfilling the lusts of our flesh- anything that would destroy the love we are to have for one another- the love we would want them to have for us in same situations. We are to love. To love.

Our actions speak for us all the time, more than any word we could ever utter. 

 

We need to wake up out of our sleep, knowing that no matter what the circumstance, no matter what the day, no matter how soon our Savior is to return, that we are ready always, ready now.

 

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.

Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

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

 

Make not provisions for the flesh.

 

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

 

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

 

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

 

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 

Col 3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 

Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 

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

 

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul

 

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

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

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

 

Joh 2:13  And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 

Joh 2:14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 

Joh 2:15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; 

Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. 

 

Do You Have A Cross?

If you believe.

 

If you believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him as Your Savior you will not be conformed to the world.

 

If you pretend to believe in Jesus Christ, or are deceived into thinking you believe in Jesus Christ you will be conformed to the world. Your life will be no different from the lives of others. Your problems will be familiar to others, your joys will be similar to others, your lifestyle will fit in with the norm. You will be indistinguishable from the world in many ways. To know you would not be to know you are a Christ follower. You are conformed to the world. You are liked by many, celebrated by many, loved by many, the world has not rejected you at all. Or perhaps, the rejection of you is of the world in a secular manner. The world accepts a lot of pseudo-Christians because they are of the world conformed in enough ways so as not to upset the status quo.

 

We delude ourselves when we believe we can conform to the world and its standards- it's likes and dislikes- and still belong to Christ. We are living in a time when many call themselves Christ followers and because they are adhering to the standards of world-conformed believers and not Biblical God-standard believers they feel comfortable in their Christianity.

 

Jesus loved all but He had harsh words for many, harsh truths. Jesus never stopped loving all the while He condemned the sin in the sinners, wanting them to turn from the sin not live in it while proclaiming their false truth of belonging to God. Jesus told His followers they would need to take up their crosses and if possible live for Him only to die because they lived for Him. Jesus said that even if a person had everything in the world they ever wanted that it would mean absolutely nothing if that person didn't have Him. We are told that all material things in this life are temporary to eternity. You know darn well that if you died tomorrow that all of your earthly possessions mean nothing to you any longer. No possession you cherish will died with you, and even if someone else you love dies with you, when you're dead you are not with them. The sleep you enter is a solitary sleep. When the last trump sounds and the dead in Christ rise - only then will we be reunited with loved ones who are also raised in Christ. If we lose being in Christ we've lost everything and nothing else truly matters.

 

Following Christ means following Christ with our cross.

 

Do you have a cross?

 

Do you deny yourself?

 

Do you love the world and its possessions?

 

Daily cross bearing. Daily choosing. Daily self-denying. Daily following.

 

The cross of self-denial, of not living to selfish ends, but living for others.

 

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 

Mat 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

Mat 16:27  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works

 

Joh 12:25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 

Joh 12:26  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. 

 

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

 

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 

2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 

2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 

2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 

2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 

 

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 

 

Mar 10:21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 

 

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

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

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

 

 

Spirit Over Flesh

Do You Have the Spirit of Christ?

 

If you have the Spirit of Christ you have the Spirit of God in you.

 

The Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.

 

The same Spirit… the EXACT same Spirit will DWELL in us.

 

Think about that for a long moment. THE SAME SPIRIT THAT RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD- WILL DWELL IN US!

 

You cannot BELONG to Christ without having the SPIRIT of CHRIST in you. You cannot be Christ follower without the SPIRIT in you.

Do NOT call yourself a CHRISTIAN unless you have the SPIRIT in you.

 

And IF you have the SPIRIT of CHRIST in you then you will…THROUGH the HOLY SPIRIT mortify the deeds of your body.

 

If you INSIST on living after the flesh you will die eternally.

 

We will suffer.

 

Christ suffered.

 

We must resist unto blood- STRIVING AGAINST SIN.

 

THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT we must live.

 

Can we recognize what is of the SPIRIT and what is of the FLESH?

 

If we can differentiate between the things of the Spirit and things of the flesh then aren't we accountable for the choices we make between them?

 

We are weak in the flesh, but Christ in us is strong to the Spirit.

 

Our hope is CHRIST, not ourselves. Our hope is CHRIST IN US, not ourselves. The HOLY SPIRIT who raised CHRIST from the dead has the power to raise us from what would lead us to eternal death. Our hope is NOT in any power we wrongly think we might possess. Our hope is in CHRIST, our hope is in the HOLY SPIRIT, our hope is in GOD OUR FATHER.

 

By grace we are saved, availing ourselves of that grace we are enabled to choose the SPIRIT over the flesh. FAITH. Never on our own can we prevail over the flesh, never. Our striving, our mortifying is all done THROUGH the HOLY SPIRIT.

 

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

Heb_12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

He Abides In Us- By the Spirit.

1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

 

Commanded to believe.

Commanded to believe on a name.

Commanded to believe on the name of God's Son.

Commanded to believe on the name Jesus Christ.

Commanded to love one another.

 

If we believe as we are commanded, if we love as we are commanded we DWELL in HIM, and HIM in US.

 

We KNOW that Jesus Christ ABIDES IN US- by the SPIRIT which He has given us.

 

1Jn 4:13  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 

 

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

Luk 11:13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? 

 

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 

 

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

 

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

 

Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

 

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

 

Eph 1:17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 

Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

 

Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

 

2Ti 1:14  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. 

 

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

 

Jud 1:19  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 

Jud 1:20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 

 

An Inheritance Incorruptible.

Inheritance.

 

How many of us would just love to have a rich inheritance? I think most of us would welcome an inheritance of a sizable portion. Did you know that the richest inheritance in existence is available for all of us to inherit. I'm serious.

 

It's NOT an earthly inheritance though, it's a heavenly inheritance and NO it is NOT guaranteed to everyone by a long, long shot. Satan has deceived a vast majority by letting them believe they automatically make it to heaven by merely believing Jesus exists and died for them. They have that knowledge and they think it entitles them to salvation no matter what they do. Are they correct? It's very possible, I could be wrong, I know I'm very fallible. However I read that not everyone will be saved- right from our Savior own lips.

 

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.

 

Did you read that? He that DOETH the will of Jesus' Father. That is an action word! DOETH. Those that DO something, actively do something- the WILL of the Heavenly Father.

 

Feast on the following words of God-- feast!

 

1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1Pe 1:4 To an INHERITANCE INCORRUPTIBLE, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

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.

 

Joh_6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

 

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

 

Joh 7:17  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 

 

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 

 

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

 

1Jn 3:22  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 

1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 

1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 

 

 

Purified By Our Living Hope.

We shall be like him- if we have THIS HOPE- we PURIFY ourselves.

Hope.

Without hope it is impossible to please God.

Heb_11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Did you notice I said without HOPE and the verse above says without FAITH?

Here's why-

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

Faith IS the SUBSTANCE of THINGS HOPED FOR.

Hope.

We want to know how to live a life pleasing to God, a life acceptable to God, and the only way we can do this is through the HOPE that we will be LIKE HIM one day. 

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

NOW we are the sons of God.  We don't know what we will be, but we DO KNOW when Christ comes again WE WILL BE LIKE HIM.  This is our HOPE. Christ 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

YOU and I are followers of JESUS CHRIST, and as such the LORD JESUS CHRIST IS OUR HOPE. Our Lord Jesus Christ will purify us - He is our HOPE. We will one day be pure as He is pure- purified by HIM.

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 is the hope that purifies us!

Christ must be real to us, living in us, our HOPE. We cannot hope in anything else, Christ alone will save us. Eternity is our future, not this world.

We purify ourselves by letting Christ in our lives a living hope.

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 

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. 

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

Mercy Not Judgment.

Jas 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

Do not judge harshly based on outward appearance.

Jas 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

Jas 2:3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

Jas 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

This is truth. So often we just look at a person and we make assumptions based upon their appearances. We tend to believe that people who are dressed nicely and are well groomed are somehow inherently better than those who are dressed in tattered and torn clothing and are unkempt, unwashed.  We stop far short of getting to know a person in our judging and this has made us so far from being Christlike it's not funny. The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ goes beyond judging people quickly.

Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Jas 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

Jas 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

God has CHOSEN the poor of this world who are RICH in faith to be His heirs.

God has CHOSEN those who love HIM.

God is not caught up in the wealth a person possesses. God looks upon the hearts, and all too often the hearts of the rich are filled with haughtiness, filled with boasting, filled with self-importance, filled with disdain. The rich will often oppress the poor in many ways, believing their superiority entitles them to a better life, more respect. God sees the heart!

Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

The ROYAL LAW- the TEN COMMANDMENTS- to fulfil them- to keep them means we are to LOVE our NEIGHBORS as IF THEY WERE US! LOVE how we would want to be LOVED.

If we do not treat a person as if they were US, or HOW we'd want to be treated in a perfect world, then we are SINNING.

SINNING. It is a huge deal for us to treat other people harshly, judgmentally,

Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

GUILTY of all the law if you do not keep ALL the law.

Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

There WILL be judgment there is NO getting around that, none.

We will be judged WITHOUT mercy if we've shown no mercy!

We will be judged WITH mercy if we've shown mercy!

We need to love our LORD and SAVIOR and if we love Him we will keep HIS commandments, all of them, every single one. We will keep them through the power of our Lord, through the Holy Spirit. We will LOVE GOD, we will LOVE EACH OTHER!

All by His grace now and forever!!!!!!!