I Remember You, Lord.

 Joh 6:22  The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 

Joh 6:23  (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 

Joh 6:24  When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 

Joh 6:25  And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 

Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 

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. 

Jesus told those seeking him… Truly you seek me not because you saw the miracles- but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 

A miracle. Bread multiplied miraculously. Enough bread to feed 5000 people. 

 

If you've ever hosted a dinner party you know feeding a lot of people is an endeavor. Of course if all you had to give them was bread, well, not so complex, right? You go to the store grab a few bags of rolls and that's that. Or if you are so inclined you make your own bread for the occasion. It's doable for a dinner party. Now let's imagine a bread party for 100 people, that's a lot of bread. 500 people, wow, you're going to need a lot more bread. 

The miracle of the 5000 being fed is overwhelming. Yet Jesus told some of those who ate of the miracle bread that they didn't care about the miracle aspect, but rather the fact they had someone who could supply them food from out of nowhere. They believed they had someone who could make it so they'd forever have their bellies full. It didn't matter that it was a miracle from God and the ramifications of that fact. All that mattered was they'd be able to eat forever without end if this bread producer would just keep producing bread. Their thoughts were on the TEMPORARY. We all know we are only ever sated temporarily after eating, sooner or later those hunger pangs will start up again no matter how full we were hours, or even a day before. No matter the amount of food we eat, and unless we eat without ceasing, without waiting for hunger to hit, we will feel the need for food again. (Barring medical conditions). 

So, what's my point.  Food only satisfies for so long before you need to eat again. When people lose their appetites they know they need to eat to maintain their existence, it might not be easy, but they do it just to keep on living.

For people in Jesus' day who were perhaps used to surviving on a couple meals a day, barely sustainable meals, a source of endless food was their focus.

Jesus wanted the focus to be on the miracle. God had provided for their hunger that day because they were in the presence of one who was expounding words of eternal life to them.  The eternal source of life everlasting was there in front of them, and they only saw the source of one who sated their temporary hunger. 

There was a lesson being taught- all the words spoken that day were the miracle- the bread was the proof of those words of eternal life. Who could deny the words being spoken by Jesus especially after they ate miracle bread? Apparently almost all of them could deny Jesus' words of eternal life in favor of simply wanting their temporary lives taken care of. 

The fact that Jesus was NOT there to give them endless supplies of physical sustenance is apparent throughout his entire ministry. However, the endless supply of eternal spiritual food preparing one for eternity was available.  The fact that his life alone was a temporary one was made clear by Jesus. He wasn't sent to make their temporary lives easier. He wasn't there to give temporary luxuries so none would know want and deprivation.  

Feeding the 5000 was a lesson being taught, and so few understood. 

The people the next day wanted more food, more miracles to prove their temporary lives would become ones of ease. 

Still not grasping what Jesus said, they asked what they could do to work the works of God.  Were they asking how they too could produce miracle bread? Hadn't they heard Jesus say not to labor for the temporary? 

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 

Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 

Jesus gave them an answer to their question, the work of God was for them to BELIEVE on HIM WHOM HE SENT.  It wasn't for them to become miracle workers, it was for them to BELIEVE what HE was telling them, and His focus was eternal life.

Joh 6:30  They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 

Joh 6:31  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 

Even after being fed miraculously the day before they wanted a SIGN from Jesus so they could believe him. They wanted a food supply, a constant food supply like their forefathers had been given manna.  If Jesus could give them such a sign, that miracle bread produced daily for their needs then sure, they'd believe in Him and what He said.

Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 

Manna, the temporary life sustaining bread wasn't something pointing them to eternal life, it kept them physically living as they learned God's ways. That manna stopped falling when they could provide for their own physical needs. That manna wasn't to sustain eternal life, it was temporary life sustaining. If it had been necessary for eternal life God would have never stopped it from falling, but a full belly isn't the way of eternal life. The Bible even tells us people treat their bellies like their god. They worship their temporary hunger, living to satisfy the god they've made of their stomachs. When we worship our own bellies, we in truth worship a false god, a false idol.  There is danger in temporary food and these people were focused on the temporary. 

Jesus tells them that His Father is giving them the TRUE BREAD from heaven. The true life sustaining necessary sustenance of eternal life, bread that is much more important than what they'd had to eat the day before.

He went on to say--

Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 

Jesus is the bread of God- able to give life to the world,  ETERNAL LIFE. EVERLASTING LIFE. 

Joh 6:34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 

They just didn't get it. Jesus had just told them that the BREAD is HE WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.  It was a HE. And HE was that HE. Still they wanted the BREAD- not Jesus!  They wanted that temporary bread they could consume with their mouths and they wanted it supplied forever.

Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 

Jesus couldn't have spoken any plainer. He tells them again-

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. Those who come to HIM will NEVER hunger, those that believe on HIM will NEVER thirst.

Logically every single one of those inquiring after this bread didn't like that answer. Jesus Himself wasn't made of bread, or for that matter water. Going to Him as they were right now hadn't produced bread and water for them to eat and drink. If he was saying HE was bread and water then something wasn't quite right. They refuse to switch from the material world to the spiritual world and comprehend that Jesus was offering LIFE EVERLASTING- a future life beyond the temporary. He was offering something so much more important than bread that could rot away. 

Jesus continued--

Joh 6:36  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 

Joh 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 

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

Joh 6:39  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 

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. 

Such detail! Such truth! Jesus was telling them that in the LAST DAY that He would raise up those who are HIS. In the LAST DAY He will raise them up to EVERLASTING LIFE.  He wanted them to understand beyond their temporary lives to their eternal lives. People lived and died and yet there was so much more. There would be in the LAST DAY a rising up of all who are Jesus' to everlasting life, this implied a need for being raised up.  They needed to be raised to everlasting life because they could not raise themselves to it, it wasn't automatically given to them. A LAST DAY would come and on that day JESUS was the way to being raised.  

They still didn't get it. 

Joh 6:41  The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 

Joh 6:42  And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 

Suddenly their minds switched from -give us this eternal food and drink so we aren't hungry or thirsty, you miracle worker. You gave us food yesterday, we want more. We know you can give us food, so do it all the time. They switched from that mind set to the fact Jesus said HE was the bread that came down from heaven.   What? Uhn? This stumped them completely. They knew Jesus. They knew he was born and raised by Joseph and Mary. They'd seen his parents, they'd seen him growing like any other person.  So HOW could he have come down from heaven?  They understood manna being rained down from heaven, but not this man, this man whose family they knew, coming down from heaven. It was ludicrous. 

Jesus had so much more to say…

Joh 6:43  Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Joh 6:45  It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 

Joh 6:46  Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 

Joh 6:47  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 

Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life. 

Joh 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 

Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The prophets who they all believed in, wrote that they shall be taught of God. Jesus told them yes, their forefathers ate heaven sent bread, manna, but they are dead now. That heaven sent bread for their physical sustenance did not give them life everlasting. Jesus himself was the way to  life everlasting, there was no other way. They had to Believe Him, believe that HE was the real bread they needed. The miracle worker was the source of life, not the physical bread. But just like in Moses' day they needed that bread to live, and they needed HIM to live. He was going to DIE so they would have access to living forever. He was going to give his life - the life that was, like theirs, sustained by bread. He was going die, for them to live. He wanted them to understand the truth of what He was telling them. He was sent by God, they saw the miracle(s) He could perform that no other had ever done before, they had all the proof they needed to recognize Him as the true source of eternal life- the eternal bread. And HE would give up His life  so they would forevermore have a way to life everlasting.  The bread- a metaphor He wanted them to understand. They needed MORE THAN THE BREAD THEY ATE THE DAY BEFORE! Look beyond the temporary, look to the eternal! His flesh- he would give that up for them. 

 

Joh 6:52  The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 

Still they refused to comprehend. No, Jesus wasn't holding out his arms and telling them to bite him and take some of his flesh to eat. It was a METAPHOR. They had the miracle of bread being supplied to them the day before. He could also supply them with eternal life, eternal bread it would be found in Him, His life, His death and YES, they could have this life eternal too, through HIM. There was no other way they could get it, none. 

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 

Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 

Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 

Joh 6:58  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 

Joh 6:59  These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

His flesh, His blood--- eat and drink -- GET YOUR LIFE FROM HIM! No other way. You had to have HIM as your source of LIFE ETERNAL! If you don't have HIM as your source of life eternal you will have eternal death. EAT, DRINK- get LIFE from JESUS! He died to make this possible! To take Him literally is to deny the truth of His entire message, and that is what MANY did. They were confounded because they refused to see the metaphoric message He was giving to them. He wasn't instituting cannibalism!!! How ludicrous an idea! Metaphorically it all makes sense, perfect sense.

At the last supper He didn't rip off pieces of his flesh and tell them to eat it. He didn't let his blood pour into a cup and pass it around. BREAD and WINE- SYMBOLICALLY taken in REMEMBRANCE of Jesus giving His LIFE so we could live!  

The many couldn't comprehend what Jesus was saying, they thought Him a mad man. Coming from heaven when they knew he was born on earth like any man. Eating his flesh and drinking his blood, crazy talk.  Even though it was they who introduced the manna, the bread, the eating of that bread they still refused to take the step necessary to understand Jesus was the source of eternal life, something so much more important than their bellies.  

Joh 6:60  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 

Joh 6:61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 

Joh 6:62  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

IN HIS OWN WORDS HE EXPLAINS PLAINLY.

The flesh profiteth nothing! THE WORD THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU- THEY ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE!    

Spirit and life!

He wanted them to understand He was being metaphoric and still, they refused to understand. 

Joh 6:64  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 

Joh 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 

He told them outright, some of you believe not. He knew that even one among his Apostles would betray him because of unbelief.

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 

Joh 6:67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 

Joh 6:69  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 

Joh 6:70  Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 

Joh 6:71  He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. 

Jesus tried so hard to get people to believe, he did all he could do. But the blind would remain blind, yet he would give sight to those who would see. 

Mat 26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 

This bread represents his body.

Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 

Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 

This wine represents his blood.

Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 

It was the fruit of the vine, not his real blood, never real blood. Jesus used so many symbols, parables and so on. Those who seek truth can see this, those who seek tradition cannot. 

1Co 11:23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

Do this- take bread, eat it, remember His body broken for us.

1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 

Do this- take the wine, drink it, remember his resurrected life. 

1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 

We remember! We show that we remember by these symbolic actions. Jesus is life eternal, life everlasting!

Bread for five thousand, bread for a day,

Bread for eternity, your every word spoken.

Bread for remembrance, Bread of Life.

Bread for the belly, can't satisfy.

Bread for the spirit, everlasting, ever living.

Bread, Jesus, your body once bruised, once broken. 

Bread, your words devoured.

Yes, I remember you often, your sacrifice, your life, you dying and being raised up for me. I remember you.

Crucified With Christ

 

The Jewish religion began with God calling a man out from heathenism, out from his family, his way of life, away from the false gods his people were known to worship. This man, Abram, obeyed the voice of God. From that point on all the way to the birth of Jesus, these people, descendants of Abram, whose name was changed by God to Abraham, were called to a different way of life than others. 

They were called to be God focused, not self-focused. They were called to look beyond themselves and their earthly life. They were called to a life of hardship, of hunger, cold, pain. They were called to walk entirely by faith and not sight. So often they wanted to return to the warmth, the ease, the fulness of their bellies. Day after day, they wanted the quenching of their thirst at the first thought of need. They couldn't understand why they were call to a life of sacrifice, of suffering and yet beholden to Abram they journeyed with him, and that was only the beginning of those called chosen of God.

The history of those people called by God to be His chosen is rife with backsliding and betrayal, and still God remained a part of them. Just like the Gentiles, who as a majority refused God and his ways, the Jewish people constantly refused God and his ways too, only they substituted their own ways and called them God's.  They kept the title of being God's chosen and perverted that title over and over. 

Among those of the corrupted people, God was always able to find a faithful few. Those faithful few were called from their darkness shrouded religion into the light of truth. They exposed the apostasy among God's chosen and called for change. Change didn't always come. Punishments were enacted. Then maybe after a brief reprieve of repentance, once more the dark overshadowed the light. The cycle was seemingly endless. History shows very bright spots among the constant corruption and those bright spots served as beacons to those who truly sought God.

Then the Messiah was born. God Himself in flesh. And God Himself revealed  the corruption among those He'd chosen to be His people. He showed them that they'd lost sight of God. They'd taken a ceremonial system meant to teach sacrifice and forgiveness and perverted it through their avarice, through their pride and self-serving. The system meant to point to God had been twisted. They made sin a simple matter. Go on sin, then sacrifice--- wash, rinse, and repeat over and over again. Yes sin, we've got you covered here just buy this expensive animal and we'll do the rest and you are free to go, guilt free. 

The entire ceremonial service was corrupt.  The lambs slain to atone for the people's sins no longer had them realizing the depths of their transgressions. Mere ritual, by rote, a performance enacted with strict precision- day after day after day.

The Messiah, for three years of His ministry set out to show His people the truth. He did it slowly, step by step His love stripped back the façade of a hard-hearted, cold, calculating system that would no longer be necessary. The backsliding people were condemned along with their phony claim to godliness. The truth of God's love, of His forgiveness was made plain and abhorred by those whose hearts were evil continuously. The individualization of a person's relationship with God was brought to light. The knowledge that the Messiah came to open the way to life eternal was revealed. No, the Messiah was not to be a world dominating leader with an army of soldiers. No, the Messiah was not to destroy all those who were not among the chosen people, or bring those people into subjugation under the chosen ones. The Messiah came and shouted truth as He lived love for all to see. 

Instead of a chosen people from a world filled with people, instead of an elite society keeping all the riffraff out, the Messiah told the chosen people that their heartless, soulless, loveless existence was not God's way, and they were no longer God's chosen people, they could come out of that old way of life.

No longer would there be a single chosen people among the many. No longer would one race of people lay claim to God's preference. There would be the Messiah and any who would believe in Him and the love of God revealed to a broken world.

Not Jewish? No worries. A new and better way through Christ says that your ethnicity doesn't matter, your heart does, the truth does. 

Today, however, we've formed many offshoots of the Way of Christ.  

Ask yourself, why did Christ Himself tell us that few will find Him?

Why did Christ Himself say that many will think they are His, but they won't be?

Why did Christ Himself reveal that there would still be a broad way that many would travel taking them away from Him, and a narrow way for true followers?

The corruption of Christ's way began very shortly after Christ's death. 

Satan wasn't going to sit idle while Christ's conquering Him took place. He knew the fight was decided, the outcome of the war known. He knew He'd lost and his death sentence passed. He also understood that while he lived the rest of his existence on death row that he could still take as many of the humans that Christ died for with him.  In fact, he wanted them all! 

Corrupting the truth was a given for Satan who had nothing at all to lose. He was going to snatch as many people as he could, knowing everyone he laid claim to would break a piece of the Savior's heart.

Satan was down, but not out, able to created endless havoc from his death bed, from his jail cell. And…  today, this very moment, he has filled the world with his trophies and continues to add to them daily.

Just as the corrupted chosen people of God so long ago before Christ's appearance were in a constant state of backsliding and repentance, so holds true today of Christ's chosen people.  Instead of a single group of people among many in the world, that kept turning their backs on God. Today we have a world full of people, with many supposedly the true chosen who keep turning their backs on God. Some blatantly, others under the guise of false worship. 

Like the Jews of old who believed they'd forever be God's chosen and all others left out, there are Christian churches today that believe they are the only chosen church and all others are left out.  With both churches- the Jewish before Christ and the Christian after Christ- they believe in proselyting. They believe that people can come into their church, their ways, and be converted, and then they'll be God's people, but they don't believe anyone can truly be God's without them, not in the long run.

Few there be.

Narrow the way.

Not a single true follower of Christ wants to be among the many on the broad path caught under the delusion they are Christ's.  But to ignore these truths is self-deception.

Are you a follower of truth as it is found in Christ Jesus? Or are you a follower of the truth as it is found in traditions of man who claim to follow Christ Jesus?

How many Jewish people in Christ's day, in the Apostle's day, were under the delusion they were God's chosen still? How many of those people held fast to the traditions of man claiming God's favor? How many were completely sincere in their belief as they let themselves be led down the broad road? How many were utterly convinced in their hearts that they were following God and His way, only to die believing lies? They never accepted Christ or His sacrifice. They never listened to His words. They never followed His way, or His truth. They never kept the heart of the commandments AND had the testimony of Jesus. The never loved Jesus and therefore kept his commandments out of that love. They never saw the LOVE in the commandments that Christ alone revealed. They never picked up their own crosses and followed Him.  They were clinging to traditions of men under the guise of it being God's way. They were deceived because they refused the truth. They were blinded because they didn't want to see. They held fast to their personal beliefs, not God's. Their love was corrupt and self-serving, a feel-good religion without the truth- all the truth. They snatched a truth here and there and made that their religion while shunning the rest of the truth- allowing themselves to be deceived.

We are crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live, but not us, rather Christ in us. We die daily to all things but Christ and His way. Christ is the truth, the way, the life. We believe and ask for help for our unbelief- truly wanting help towards that end. We love Him and therefore keep His commandments. We know not one little dot of an i, or a tiny cross of a t, will be done away with from the Royal Law, the Moral Law, not a single one of those Ten Commandments that Christ's expounded upon as He kept them all. We cry out, God forbid that we glory in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! Christ by whom the world is crucified to us, and us to the world. 

The cross, the sacrifice of innocent blood, the death of a God, the end of Sin. The cross of suffering and death. The cross of a life without blemish yet still blamed.  A cross where we crucify ourselves along with the innocent One. We live a life leading only to the cross. We glory in that cross and ALL it represents- Christ's sacrifice so we might live a life eternal with Him.

Gal 6:14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 

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. 

 

 

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Patience 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.

What commandments of God are the saints keeping? We talk a lot about the faith of Jesus- people comprehend faith is hoping for salvation through the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Faith is the substance of things HOPED for the evidence of things NOT seen. We hope for salvation through our Savior, we don't see this, we can't see it, it is a belief through hope that we know we have a Savior, Jesus.

So, what commandments of God are the saints keeping, and in keeping they obtain patience in the waiting, in the hoping?

There is much made by those of my beliefs (and rightly so) about the seventh day Sabbath, that Sabbath God was talking about when He gave us the Royal Law, the Ten Commandments.

Why is there much made about it? Because God knew people would FORGET about this commandment in particular. He prefaced it with the word- REMEMBER. Throughout the entire Bible we know the Sabbath is forever on the Seventh day. In a world where we have a seven day week, we know the seventh day is our Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. The Jewish people who were God's chosen people before others were grafted in and became followers of the Jew, Jesus Christ and His Way, have always known which day the Sabbath is upon, it's never changed. When Christ died He reinforced the Sabbath day of Rest by remaining in the tomb. When He rose He did NOT say anywhere, at any time, to anybody that there is a new Sabbath day. He didn't! It's not in the Bible and something that monumental- the changing of a Royal Law, the changing of the day of the week upon which Jesus himself, and his followers kept and continued to keep, would have been a HUGE deal! Just as if He changed any other of the ten commandments. He didn't, there was no need to.

Some people like to say it was changed by the apostles, it wasn't. Yes, they conducted WORK upon the first day of the week, gathering together as they did on other days as well, but they never once instituted plainly something as important as a change to a Sabbath law. Think about it LOGICALLY please, for one moment. If one of the Ten Commandments that were a part of their lives since way back at there being given, were to be changed there would be such an uproar by those who didn't follow the Way of Jesus, that it would have been mentioned all over the place, in many, many writings- not just the Bible writings, but historical records. The headline would read-- The Followers of the Way of Jesus Have Stated the Sabbath Day Has Been Changed to the First Day of the Week!!!! Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Such a happening would rock the entire land of Israel and its people and wouldn't have been crouched it vague texts with even vaguer interpretations.

Yes, Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week, and we celebrate that in the Lord's supper where He told us once again to do something in REMEMBERANCE OF HIM. He had plenty of opportunity right then and there to tell us to worship Him on this new Sabbath day, to remember the NEW Sabbath day in His remembrance, but He didn't!!! He broke bread and drank wine and told us to do the same to remember His death and resurrection. He gave his body and his blood for us, his life and we have no choice but to remember His dying. His giving of that body and blood which caused His death wasn't the end of it. No one can think of Jesus' dying on the cross without being reminded of what?? That He didn't stay dead! The huge mind-blowing truth- He was RAISED from the dead!!!

Can you ever take part in the Lord's Supper without being reminded of that? Do you ever eat the bread of remembrance or drink the wine of remembrance without knowing death didn't hold Him? How? We remember He died and automatically have to remember He lives! His death was necessary, His rest in the grave on the Sabbath was necessary, and His resurrection on the first day of the week was necessary for Salvation's entire plan. You don't divorce one part from the other, you just don't. How sad it would be to as often as we can, take part in the Lord's Supper if all we did was keep Jesus in the grave after His death and thought no more of Him except of Him dying and dead.

God, died for us. And it's incomprehensible why we are so important, that we are worth so much to Him. We can never forget His, the greatest of all Sacrifices that lead to His Resurrection. Let us always remember this in the way HE, HIMSELF instituted and that was not by changing the day of rest, the Sabbath.

No man, no Apostle, no prophet, no king can change God's Royal Law, not one.

Going back to the fact the Saints of God will keep the commandments of God we have to note that it means ALL of them.

You can't just keep the Sabbath and go out and steal, lie, having other gods before God, speak of God uselessly. You can't keep nine but not ten, or eight and not two, or one and not nine commandments. You have to keep them ALL if you are a saint of God. And we keep them through HIS power, through the Holy Spirit's power as we SUBMIT our wills and our desire to be followers of the Way of Jesus Christ! We live as Jesus lived! Loving and doing good on the Sabbath- the SEVENTH day Sabbath, the only weekly Sabbath He even kept.

Isa_66:23  And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

Don't you think, Jesus, who quoted about Himself from the book of Isaiah would have realized that He needed to make a day change very plain, especially in light of the fact worshipping God on the Sabbath would be something His people would do forever even in the world made new?

Men throughout many years have offered a reward to people to prove from the Bible and the Bible only the Sabbath day was changed from the seventh to the first day- NO ONE has ever claimed the reward.

I keep going back to the Sabbath, but I do want to reiterate that ALL the Commandments are to be kept, none to the exclusion of any other.

May God help us, may God the Holy Spirit guide us and enable us to do what we cannot do for ourselves, teach us to do the will of God in all things! We would be among the saints who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, PLEASE! All through the name of our Lord, our Savior, Jesus the Messiah! AMEN!

Put on your armor

 2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 

2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 

2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

Paul, an Apostle of Christ, tells us that in HIS day there were false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

FALSE apostles, DECEITFUL workers, men who pretended to be the apostles of Christ.

The church was new, he was writing this approximately 24 year after Christ died, that is how young the church was at that time.  Paul was inspired of the Holy Spirit to write about the false apostles, the deceitful workers, why?  Because it is the reality of our existence. Satan was alive and well and tempting Christ while Christ was alive. He didn't stop. 

Christ's adversary, Satan, has never hit the pause button, but has kept on doing what he does- deceive, mislead, lie. He does all he can do to keep each and every single person from God. We are foolish if we believe otherwise.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things unseen, the Bible tells us so. Faith is hoping in Christ our Redeemer even if we don't see Him.  We don't have faith in the unseen Satan because we have no hope in him. It takes faith to believe in Christ Jesus, to believe in God. And as soon as we believe in God we have no choice whatsoever but to believe in his adversary's existence.  It's impossible to believe in God without believing in Satan.

I recall off and on a conversation I had with someone once, I've written about this in the past too, but here I go again. I had a particularly trying day and I happened to say that I hate how Satan messes with me.  The person looked at me and shook their head and proceeded to tell me that people use Satan as an excuse for their own bad behavior, they want to have someone else to blame for their actions. My having a bad day didn't mean Satan was causing it. I had to take responsibility for my own part in the day and yes, things go wrong it doesn't mean there is an evil entity causing things to go wrong.  

Well, I listened to that person and if memory serves I told them that I believe Satan is the cause of all the evil in the world. I believe Satan will do all he can to cause us misery. I believe when I have particularly trying days, that Satan wants my mind off Christ and the hope I have in my Savior. I don't blame Satan for my sins, I have only myself to blame for my bad actions. Satan isn't an excuse for me to say- the Devil made me do it, and I'm not responsible. Satan is the root cause of all evil and he wants all of us to join him in that evil. When I sin and join him in the evil, I need to seek forgiveness and repent recognizing that I did wrong. 

Recognizing there is a force behind the evil doesn't excuse me at all. God is greater than Satan. For every temptation there is a way out of that temptation.  

1Co_10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Satan's temptations are awful, miserable to deal with! I'm not creating my temptations. Not that I can't. I can put myself into situations where I know I will be tempted and that is very, very wrong. But as a rule if I'm doing my best not to sin. I'm trying to rely upon Christ for my salvation, for my life now and in the future. When temptations start appearing all over the place, it's not me creating them. There are so many temptations that when you think you've got one beaten, ten more pop up.  Yesterday my patience may have been severely tried and I succumbed to unjustified anger, today I may have been very tempted to engage in gossip that served no purpose whatsoever. There are so many sins, and so many thing we don't even realize are sins because society says they're okay. I am an imperfect being who will struggle against sinning. I have an invisible adversary that will constantly harass me. 

No, I probably didn't go into this much detail with the person I had the conversation with, but I tried to explain how I viewed things. I ended up telling the person I hoped they didn't think I was blaming my guilt on Satan, I have to answer for my own sins. I'd be the first to admit how imperfect and sinful I am, but I believe the cause of all sin in the world is Satan. Just because I think he's the cause doesn't mean I can escape the consequences of my actions. In the end, only Christ can save me, I can't save myself, I have to believe He will save me. 

Did the person understand what I was saying? I don't know. I continued to say things like- Satan was really trying to get to me today, and the person never again said anything about it after our conversation. 

My Bible, God's Holy Word, tells me to put on armor to battle the invisible foes. God knows the evil is real, God knows Satan is real. God knows Satan uses people against people if he can. Jesus fought the wiles of Satan's temptations, so why wouldn't I have to?  I wouldn't need armor if I weren't expected to fight.

I'll say it again…we can't believe in God and not believe in the reality of Satan. 

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 

2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 

2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

Men were transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. They were playacting at being Christ's apostles and deceiving people, 24 years or thereabouts after Christ's died.  Men haven't stopped transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ, play acting at being Christ's apostles and deceiving people…1,970 years later. We shouldn't be surprised either about these deceivers dressed in religious careers. We shouldn't marvel at all, why? Because Satan HIMSELF does the same thing, making himself appear as an angel of light!  Those who choose to follow the ways of Satan, even if they refuse to call themselves Satan's followers, but delude themselves they are somehow righteous; they will get their just reward in the end. Their deception will be unmasked.  

There are many ministers of Satan pretending to be ministers of righteousness. We live in a sinful world and we will continue to live in a sinful world until Christ returns.

And yes, yesterday Satan was working overtime around me and I teetered and tottered almost falling into the trap he was laying, but I prayed when I realized what was happening, I prayed hard and praise GOD the situation resolved.  This is truth (often daily truth, often several times a day truth) I'm in a war and I need my armor and weapons-- praying always!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Purified Through Truth

 Purified your souls in obeying the truth

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently

Let's break this down-

How do you purify your soul? You purify it by…

Obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.

You obey the truth through the Spirit, this is how it is done. Obeying TRUTH. That truth then leads you to…

unfeigned love of the brethren.

Therefore you…

love one another with a pure heart fervently.

Obeying truth leads to love. We know God is love, and Jesus, as one of the Gods we serve said that He is …the way, the TRUTH, the life.

People get confused and believe they can love without obeying truth. They've separated love into its own entity beyond truth. They claim love is Jesus, so love as Jesus loves but they don't comprehend that Jesus lived a life of PURE TRUTH. Jesus lived truth, because He is truth. Now, what is this truth that is Jesus? First what does the word truth even mean?

It means the state of being true. True means in accordance with fact or reality. A fact is something proved true. Reality means things as they actually exist.

Obeying truth, the reality of Jesus and all that He is in every facet.

Recently I had a discussion with someone about Jesus and the Royal Law, the Ten Commandments, and how Jesus didn't do away with a single one of them, they were all a part of His truth. He did clarify them, the ones that people were finding a bit difficult such as adultery, and murder. What had to be clarified about these? The fact that in your mind and in your heart you can sin without committing the actual act of adultery or murder. Fantasizing about sex outside of your marriage is, in truth, adultery. Desiring to murder someone is holding the hatred inside without letting it out and it is as if you had murdered them.

People say, "No! That's not true! I may have wanted to have sex with that other person, but I didn't I stopped myself from doing it. I wanted to kill that person, but I restrained myself because I knew it was wrong. I did not sin, I did not commit adultery or murder!" They are correct in that they did not physically go through with the acts of sin, BUT unless they repented of those lusts that they indulged in their minds and STOPPED altogether lusting to have sex outside their marriage or murder someone, it's still consuming a part of their heart.

Recognizing our sins in our thoughts is very important! If people recognize the sin in their thoughts more there would be a lot less physical actions towards those sins.

How many actual adulterers spend a lot of time fantasizing about committing adultery only to end up actually doing it, and the same with murder. How many people get consumed by murdering someone- planning it over and over, telling themselves they wouldn't do it, and there is no harm in thinking about it, but then the line is crossed over into the physical action? By definition, murder is planned. When a person allows themselves to hate without censure consoling themselves with the fact they aren't sinning in action, they are only fooling themselves.

Jesus told us we can sin in our thoughts and indulging our thoughts of sin is in fact… a sin.

Jesus also went on to tell the rulers in the church of his day that they had put too many restrictions on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was meant to be a blessing not a burden, not nitpicking at every single action committed. They had the audacity to believe healing someone on the Sabbath was wrong! Jesus told them it was a good thing to do on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a beautiful institution given to mankind out of love and the rules and regulations went far beyond what God intended in the lessens He was teaching us of love. Loving Him and loving others.

Are the Ten Commandments truth that Jesus lived? Yes, they are. They are a part of the revelation of His love.

As a parent we put restrictions on our children to protect them, restrictions with consequences should those restrictions be ignored. We don't put restrictions on our children because we hate them and want them to suffer. We do it because we love them and want to teach them things that are good for them because they are unable as children to comprehend the things that could be harmful to them.

We are forever Children of God and He too wants to protect us, to teach us, to guide us. To say the guidelines have been done away with would be ludicrous, especially when they were guidelines Jesus himself endorsed.

People confuse the doing away with 'laws' and not being 'under the law' as meaning the Ten Commandments are obsolete. Ceremonial laws were in place that were definitely done away with when we learned that only through Jesus we are save by grace and not offering our own sacrifices as if that can save us.

Laws exist so that the punishment is known for the ones who would break the laws. Those keeping the laws and not desiring to break them, and have no reason to fear any punishment. I don't live a life in fear of being caught stealing- because I don't steal. Because I don't steal doesn't mean the law should be abandon. The law is there for everyone to know there are consequences to their actions should they choose to disobey. You aren't guilty of being a thief if you've never stolen anything, you aren't under that law, it's not pointing you out to be guilty- because you're not.

Obeying the truth- nothing but the truth- all the truth that is Jesus, living love, that is Jesus. Don't strip Jesus' life down to his living as he pleased without any regard to anyone or anything. Jesus lived his life as His declared Father could approve and He lived it perfectly, resisting every single temptation He encountered and not consenting to a single one.

Love. Obeying the truth through the Spirit--- causing unfeigned love of other, causing true, genuine love for others, loving each other with a pure heart fervently! God is love! He loves us fervently.

1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

We KNOW we love the children of God WHEN we love God and KEEP his commandments! Not my words, God's word!

Luke {10:25} And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

{10:26} He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

{10:27} And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy

mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

{10:28} And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Thou has answered RIGHT, THIS DO and thou shalt live!

1 John {4:7} Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

{4:8} He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

{4:9} In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

{4:10} Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.

{4:11} Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

{4:12} No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

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

{4:14} And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world.

{4:15} Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

{4:16} And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

{4:17} Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

{4:18} There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

{4:19} We love him, because he first loved us.

{4:20} If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

{4:21} And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

What do you suppose would happen if suddenly there was no profit at all in being a doctor? No profit at all. What if being a doctor earned you about as much as your average grocery clerk? Stay with me here, this is all hypothetical and we're not going to get into the cost of education and all that. Right now, all the doctors in the world have been forgiven all their educational debts so that's not an issue, neither is malpractice insurance, that's all gone too. They have no extraordinary debts or costs to pay out, no more than your average grocery clerk. How many people do you suppose would become doctors if there were no money in it? If it weren't for the prestige and wealth? How many?

It's easy to see today when you're shoved into a waiting room packed with people and have to wait hours just to get shoved into another room alone to wait some more. And then the doctor comes in and spends more time fiddling with their little computer looking at your records and fussing about than they do looking at you. Oh yes, it's easy to see that hurrying up and trying to diagnose you, the answer a pill or two, a blood test or four, a urine test here and a x-ray there, let's just see what's what as quick as possible there are many more cattle needing to be herded through the place before the day is over. Are we even real to these people? Maybe I'm being harsh, or maybe not harsh enough. All I know is it makes me wonder how many people go into the physician field solely for monetary reasons and in truth they care very little about the people they'll be treating.

I know we like to think that not many do that, and you may be thinking me totally wrong because you've got the best, most caring doctor ever, but the truth is it's not like that for everyone.

Loving your brother.

Love meaning caring more for them than yourself.

How often does that happen?

I saw evidence of it not too long ago when my daughter (2008) who has a bad back and numerous health issues started pushing the car of a stranded woman to help her out. I was floored. I was a little angry too, how dare she do such a thing, didn't she know she could hurt herself more! She obviously felt helping the stranded woman was more important than worrying about her health. Stupid? I wanted to think so, but in truth isn't that what's important? Helping others and not caring about yourself?

All too often thoughts of self comes first- how does *this situation* affect me? Will I like this? Will it be an inconvenience to me? Do I have other plans? What's this to me? Self first, and if all is satisfactory on my end then maybe I can think of someone else.

God help me. God help us. Love has nothing to do with self. Nothing. Love has everything to do with others. Everything.

Love God. Love others.

There is No commandment to love yourself.

That ol' love others as yourself, doesn't mean loving yourself, it means love others as YOU would want to be loved.

If we had to love ourselves first and love others that way it would only be an obstacle especially for those that concentrate on loving themselves before they love others, there is nothing selfless in loving yourself. No, I'm not saying hate yourself. I'm saying self is important truly only in the sense that we do all we can to remain healthy and such so that we may respect our lives because God loves us and would have us love others. We're not here on earth to serve ourselves, but to serve God and others.

Mark {8:35} For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

John {15:9} As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

{15:10} If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

{15:11} These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full.

{15:12} This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

{15:13} Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

{15:14} Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command

1 John {3:16} Hereby perceive we the love [of God,] because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.

{3:17} But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

{3:18} My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

{3:19} And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him

Amen. (Revised from Nov. 29, 2008)

If God Can Forgive Us We Must Forgive Ourselves

 

C. S. Lewis, “I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.”

Letter to Miss Beckenridge, April 19,1951

The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis. Volume III: Narnia, Cambridge, and Joy 1950–1963. Ed. Walter Hooper. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 2007: 109.

*******

As the evil we've committed becomes more apparently evil to us, so too does the temptation to despair of ever being without the weight of that evil. Despair tries to lure us into a place of hopelessness, of no longer believing. We begin to think that our evil selves can never be forgiven, we're just too evil for that to happen.  

What we are doing is recognizing that we are powerless. Despair wants us to let that powerlessness we feel makes us despondent.  Christ wants us to let that powerlessness make us feel DEPENDENT upon Him, and His ability to forgive us. 

We must allow ourselves to comprehend the depths of Christ's ability to forgive us. He is the power in our lives, we are powerless in and of ourselves. We aren't going to gain our own powers outside of Christ's to fix ourselves, not ever. Christ will forever be the power that forgives and brings hope to our hopelessness. 

If you begin to fall prey to hopelessness try to recognize at once that you are looking to yourself for hope and not to Christ, where your ONLY hope exists. 

So, how do we truly believe in Christ's forgiveness when Satan and his minions are constantly reminding us of how very awful our sins are? I read once somewhere that Satan only brings up the sins that are forgiven already, because he doesn't want us to notice any sins we haven't asked forgiveness for. He'll terrorize us with our forgiven sins, why? Because as already mentioned, he wants to bring us to despair, to hopelessness that will keep us from truly believing in Christ's forgiveness.

To not forgive ourselves is in reality believing that Christ can't forgive us. 

It's only through HIS forgiving us that we are able to forgive ourselves. You will never find true forgiveness in and of yourself, without Christ forgiving you first. You forgiving yourself means nothing. 

If Christ has forgiven you, and you've forgiven yourself because He has, it won't mean that you won't feel the weight of that sin ever again. Satan will try to make sure we feel the weight, hoping to lead us eventually down his path. Satan won't stop trying to tempt us to take our eyes off God and put them on ourselves. 

What better way is there for Satan than to hold up the horrors of our past in front of us, slapping a sticker on them that reads - UNFORGIVEN. Satan wants us to believe because we see the sin in our memories, because we feel the weight of that sin, that it isn't forgiven.  

To God, our sins are GONE once they are truly repented of, and forgiveness is sought, all by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Yes, I said those sins are gone. The punishment that sin stands for no longer exists, it's been paid in full.  This is FAITH. And it is faith in Christ's righteousness, NOT OURS.

To think we have any power within us to forgive ourselves and make ourselves whiter then snow, is ludicrous. 

When we say we are forgiving ourselves what we are really saying is … we accept and believe Christ forgives us and that is more than enough.

Don't forget God forgives us our sins as we forgive others. The Lord's Prayer doesn't read- He forgive us our sins as we forgive ourselves. 

C.S. Lewis stating…  “I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.”

… is speaking truth, because GOD forgives us first and we accept that we are forgiven by Him, or else, we are negating God's forgiveness and trying to find another way to be forgiven, our own way. 

We must forgive others as completely as we want God to forgive us- giving those who have sinned against us to God to judge while we step back out of the picture completely. We forgive them because we ourselves need forgiveness.  We tell them that we are sinners too, just like they are. They are in need of God's forgiveness, just like we are.

If we had no sin at all in our lives we could condemn them, we would not have to forgive them… but our sins have condemned us, and we need forgiveness.  We recognize we are sinners and our seemingly white lying sinning, might be more deep down evil than their blatant sins that seem atrocious on a level of depravity we are sickened by.  

Sinners one and all. We MUST forgive those who sin against us if we are to believe Christ can forgive us our sins.  That sin, all sin, warrants death. The wages of sin is death-- all sin. 

The gift of God is eternal life through, Jesus Christ our Lord.    Romans 6:23

If you really believe God has forgiven you, then you must believe in that forgiveness,  not hold onto to your sins believing you aren't forgiven, because if you do then you are calling God a liar. 

Choosing not to forgive yourself is making yourself a god thinking you should have the power to forgive yourself.

When Satan gift wraps our forgiven sins in a box- our terrible, horrific, awful, disgusting, disgraceful, incomprehensible sins, and hands that box to us, we have to rip off the wrapping paper, open it up, hold it upside down, shake it and watch nothing fall out as we tell Satan, it's empty- our sins are forgiven. 

We might have to do that several times a day for who knows how long. Satan won't stop trying to use our forgiven sins against us, not ever. 

After showing Satan that empty box, pull out your gift box from God and tell Satan, God's gift supersedes any gift of his, God's gift is FORGIVENESS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.  

Cling to the gift of God tightly and never let go!