Jesus, wonderful, wonderful Jesus.
He was famous to some, he was infamous to others, he was sent of God to earth as a babe knowing life as a created being, becoming a creature, and yet the creator.
John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Stepping out of endless time and space into a finite body, giving up the infinite and taking on the body whose sole purpose has become to live for a short while then deteriorate until death. Taking off perfection and putting on a cloak of flesh prone to cold, to heat, to sickness, accidents. Living forever painless and yet taking on a body subject to pain.
How many people would truly trade places with an animal? We see movies where people turn into dogs and such, but in reality, how many would choose to leave their humanity behind and become an ant? You shake your head and say no way, it would have to be a being like me- that's what Jesus did. He didn't become something unlike Himself, we are made in the image of God and part of us is spirit so we can relate to the spiritual, whereas an ant hasn't the thought processes, or anything spiritual to relate to us with. I can't argue with that. What I can say is would you find the most downtrodden of all people, a person abused daily, suffering hunger and thirst constantly, living life with nothing but pain and heartache, would you find that person and trade places with them? You can't say they are not like you, that you couldn't relate to them, you could. You'd feel their pain and understand their heartache. Would you trade places? On a much grander scale beyond anything we can fully comprehend, Jesus took on human form leaving His spiritual self and became a man. It wasn't some little ruler domination game either, testing to see how the little people live and then hurrying back to a life without any of the pain of being sin proned as humans became after the fall in Eden.
It wasn't curiosity that caused Jesus to shed his non-corporeal form and become corporeal. It was love.
Jesus offered salvation from the beginning.
A contingency plan was in place, a plan that no one wants to have to use, hoping the first plan would work without a hitch. The hitch came and the contingency plan was needed. That is why Moses could point the way to the Messiah coming, that is why the prophets of old could prophesize of the savior, that is why the books of the Bible available during Jesus' life here on earth, what we know as the Old Testament tell of Jesus' coming and suffering, a savior who would have to die to save.
That is why John the Baptist could herald the way of the coming Lord and bore witness of Jesus, all because His arrival was a plan in place from the beginning and unfortunately it became necessary to be enacted after man chose sin over God.
Jesus said...
John
{5:32} There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
**
He's speaking of John the Baptist that he bore witness of Him and that witness of Him was- true.
John
{5:33} Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
**
Witness unto the truth.
Jesus said that John bore witness of Him, that he bore witness to the truth.
Jesus is the truth, this is something that can never be forgotten or trivialized. It can't be thought of in an abstract way, but must be realized fully.
Jesus IS THE TRUTH!
Is life messed up and confusing to you? All around you is there pain and heartache? Do you grieve for the life you are living and the life you know isn't supposed to really be this way? Are you grasping at things to bring you some measure of peace? Are you shoving aside the things that prick your heart and conscience? Do you really want the truth or would you rather remain without the truth, living a lie of false and very temporary happiness that isn't even partially good the majority of the time? We can cling tight to things that give us temporary happiness because the truth is too much to handle, but the lies will never save us. The lies will never give us peace everlasting. The lies will destroy us forever, you who are will be no more, and while part of you might think that's a good thing- to not be, to no longer exist in any way, shape, or form, to be blotted from existence is something most of us simply cannot understand because we do exist. The truth is found in Jesus, the truth all about life now and everlasting. The truth is there to embrace or deny.
Jesus went on to say...
John
{5:34} But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
{5:35} He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
**
John the Baptist was brilliant and rejoicing in the light of his brilliance as he herald the coming of the Lord was something many did without qualm.
John
{5:36} But I have greater witness than [that] of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
**
While John was a wonderful witness, he was just that, a witness to the truth, he was not truth himself.
John
{5:37} And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
{5:38} And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
{5:39} Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
{5:40} And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
{5:41} I receive not honour from men.
{5:42} But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
**
What's all this? Jesus knows that because He didn't come in a kingly, majestic form to rule with His greatness as some imagined a Son of God doing, because He didn't wrap Himself in glorious earthly trappings and insist men bow down to Him, because of all that, people would not believe He was the Messiah. The love of God is so totally and completely not how mankind envisions love, equating love and kingship with power and domination. God NEVER EVER wanted to rule man out of fear and domination. God NEVER EVER wanted to be dictator, controlling all life and all action. Oh, He could if that's what He wanted, but He's not like that! God is love. God wanted people to love Him out of love and reverence as their creator, but He wasn't about to force the worship, what's forced isn't love.
Jesus knew that people filled with sin and darkness couldn't, wouldn't, didn't want to believe that the God they worshipped was there to serve and not be served. That went against all they imagined.
John
{5:43} I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
{5:44} How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that [cometh] from God only?
**
It's easier for people to follow and believe in someone that glories in the honor bestowed upon them by others, than a humble servant, God revealing love to all of mankind.
John
{5:45} Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] that accuseth you, [even] Moses, in whom ye trust.
{5:46} For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
{5:47} But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
**
In truth, Moses was given the laws, all of them. Two Commandments contain the harmony and fullness of the Ten Moral Laws given. Love God. Love Man. The sacrificial system of laws given pointed to Christ and His great sacrifice. Other laws given were to guide to and in harmony with the moral laws.
Love.
Truly we cannot believe in Jesus and all He's done, if we can't believe in Moses and that Moses was too led by God- and this is something Jesus Himself said plainly.
John
{5:46} For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
{5:47} But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
**
The truth is Jesus. John bore witness of the Truth, of Jesus. Moses wrote of Jesus, of the Truth.
We need the Truth, not falsehoods no matter how soothing to our ears they may be.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
We need the Truth, not falsehoods no matter how soothing
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Worship in Spirit and Truth
Woman of Samaria talking with Jesus--
John
{4:20} Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
{4:21} Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
{4:22} Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
{4:23} But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
{4:24} God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
{4:25} The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
{4:26} Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
How often are children raised to adulthood in a certain religious faith and they continue on in that faith like their forefathers, just because it's the way they were raised? It's part of their family tradition, it's part of who they are and it doesn't seem to matter that there could be something else out there. The woman from Samaria said that the mountain her forefathers worshipped at was good enough for them, and so it's good enough for her- basically. There is a contention that worshipping at Jerusalem is the only way to obtain salvation and yet to this woman it wasn't. How did Jesus answer her?
There was going to come a time when the mountain and Jerusalem wouldn't be the place to worship the Father.
Do you know how odd that had to seem to the woman to hear?
There was contention over which place, not that neither would be the place and here this 'man' was telling her it wouldn't matter, he was telling her she didn't even know what she worshipped. He knew what he worshipped and yes, salvation was coming through the Jews- he was Jewish, but that didn't matter. True worshippers will be those worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth, those are the worshippers the Father wants . God is a Spirit, and His worshippers have to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
It makes so much sense doesn't it?
People who would seek a personal relationship with God need to worship Him in spirit and in truth. All the traditions of man mean nothing at all. All the rituals performed, all the memorized verses recited they mean so little because they are 'things', actions wrought and the action God wants is a spirit to spirit connection in truth.
The leap of faith that soars beyond the boundaries of scientific logic, the unexplainable essence within us, the part of us that separates us from the other living creatures is our spiritual need of reasoning beyond the explainable. Our ability to have faith in the Spirit of God, to have faith in the Father, and in the Son of God. God wants us to worship Him in spirit with the part of us that goes beyond the flesh, beyond explanation.
The time comes, and is, true worshippers....TRUE worshippers worship the Father in spirit and truth and that spirit and truth is found within us, not in a mountain, not in a city, not in another human being, but in ourselves. It is the relationship we form on a personal level with God, by the grace of Jesus Christ and that is the truth.
They that worship Him...MUST worship Him in spirit and truth.
We know the truth is found it the salvation that Jesus Christ offers to us all and we cannot even get close to the Father without accepting the sacrifice of His Son. Spirit and truth.
Don't think you have to go to a church, that you need to seek out a minister, that you have to find some fancy clothes, or that you need to get a special cup, don't think you have to perform rituals and find God anywhere but between you and God in a relationship forged through the Spirit, made possible by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Men would have you believe there are many obstacles in the path between you and God. Satan will erect road block after road block to prevent a person from that path we need to remember God would not make it impossible to be with Him, we make it impossible by allowing Satan to use his many tricks to make it seem that God is unattainable. Satan would have us forget the cross, and Jesus coming to make God very attainable. As long as we're caught up in traditions, as long as we don't seek to worship God in Spirit and Truth, Satan is happy. So much of what people think matters in life, doesn't matter.
What's that saying? In the end you can't take anything with you. You come into the world without a thing and you'll leave it the same way. Our relationship with God is the only thing worth pulling out all stops to forge. The relationship formed in Spirit and Truth.
If you think about it, when we form relationships with each other we are basing them on what we perceive to be the truth told to us by one another. The relationship itself isn't something you can hold in the palm of your hand, but it exists in spirit. There might be outward evidences that exist because of a spiritual bond proclaimed, but when all is said and done, it is the belief of togetherness that keeps people together. The faith of togetherness.
On a much grander level we need our relationship with the Father forged in Spirit and Truth, in faith, believing in the togetherness created by God, making it possible through His Son.
Amen.
John
{4:20} Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
{4:21} Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
{4:22} Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
{4:23} But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
{4:24} God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
{4:25} The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
{4:26} Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
How often are children raised to adulthood in a certain religious faith and they continue on in that faith like their forefathers, just because it's the way they were raised? It's part of their family tradition, it's part of who they are and it doesn't seem to matter that there could be something else out there. The woman from Samaria said that the mountain her forefathers worshipped at was good enough for them, and so it's good enough for her- basically. There is a contention that worshipping at Jerusalem is the only way to obtain salvation and yet to this woman it wasn't. How did Jesus answer her?
There was going to come a time when the mountain and Jerusalem wouldn't be the place to worship the Father.
Do you know how odd that had to seem to the woman to hear?
There was contention over which place, not that neither would be the place and here this 'man' was telling her it wouldn't matter, he was telling her she didn't even know what she worshipped. He knew what he worshipped and yes, salvation was coming through the Jews- he was Jewish, but that didn't matter. True worshippers will be those worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth, those are the worshippers the Father wants . God is a Spirit, and His worshippers have to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
It makes so much sense doesn't it?
People who would seek a personal relationship with God need to worship Him in spirit and in truth. All the traditions of man mean nothing at all. All the rituals performed, all the memorized verses recited they mean so little because they are 'things', actions wrought and the action God wants is a spirit to spirit connection in truth.
The leap of faith that soars beyond the boundaries of scientific logic, the unexplainable essence within us, the part of us that separates us from the other living creatures is our spiritual need of reasoning beyond the explainable. Our ability to have faith in the Spirit of God, to have faith in the Father, and in the Son of God. God wants us to worship Him in spirit with the part of us that goes beyond the flesh, beyond explanation.
The time comes, and is, true worshippers....TRUE worshippers worship the Father in spirit and truth and that spirit and truth is found within us, not in a mountain, not in a city, not in another human being, but in ourselves. It is the relationship we form on a personal level with God, by the grace of Jesus Christ and that is the truth.
They that worship Him...MUST worship Him in spirit and truth.
We know the truth is found it the salvation that Jesus Christ offers to us all and we cannot even get close to the Father without accepting the sacrifice of His Son. Spirit and truth.
Don't think you have to go to a church, that you need to seek out a minister, that you have to find some fancy clothes, or that you need to get a special cup, don't think you have to perform rituals and find God anywhere but between you and God in a relationship forged through the Spirit, made possible by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Men would have you believe there are many obstacles in the path between you and God. Satan will erect road block after road block to prevent a person from that path we need to remember God would not make it impossible to be with Him, we make it impossible by allowing Satan to use his many tricks to make it seem that God is unattainable. Satan would have us forget the cross, and Jesus coming to make God very attainable. As long as we're caught up in traditions, as long as we don't seek to worship God in Spirit and Truth, Satan is happy. So much of what people think matters in life, doesn't matter.
What's that saying? In the end you can't take anything with you. You come into the world without a thing and you'll leave it the same way. Our relationship with God is the only thing worth pulling out all stops to forge. The relationship formed in Spirit and Truth.
If you think about it, when we form relationships with each other we are basing them on what we perceive to be the truth told to us by one another. The relationship itself isn't something you can hold in the palm of your hand, but it exists in spirit. There might be outward evidences that exist because of a spiritual bond proclaimed, but when all is said and done, it is the belief of togetherness that keeps people together. The faith of togetherness.
On a much grander level we need our relationship with the Father forged in Spirit and Truth, in faith, believing in the togetherness created by God, making it possible through His Son.
Amen.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Let Us Live in the Light, the Truth, In Jesus!
John
{3:18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
{3:19} And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
{3:20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
{3:21} But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
What do sinners and roaches have in common? They both hate the light. No, that isn't some weird joke that misses the mark on the humor scale, it's the truth.
Loving darkness.
What other things love darkness?
Not all nocturnal creatures are bad, not even roaches are bad, they don't have the choice between being good and evil to classify them as being bad. We don't like roaches because they're breeders of filth and creepy, and disgusting, but they're not evil.
Only men and angels can be evil, beings of higher intelligence, beings that can actually choice to do either right or wrong, good or evil.
We associate the light with good things don't we? It's daytime, we can see everything around us clearly nothing is readily hidden from our sight. Most people work during the day. Before electricity nearly all people worked during the day and the night was for sleeping.
Just like we associate the colors of day and night with good and evil, light and dark, white and black. How many brides are married in a black wedding gown? White is the symbol of purity to many. This isn't to say we exclusively believe this. Many people like to buck the system for shock value and many customs come about in different ways.
What doesn't change is the Bible and the Bible says this...
John
{3:18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
{3:19} And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
{3:20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
{3:21} But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Those who don't believe in Jesus as the Son of God are condemned. The condemnation is light came to the world and men loved darkness.
Why did they love darkness?
Because their deeds were evil.
Everyone that does evil hates light, they don't come out into the light because they're fearful of their evil ways being seen.
It's safe to say that darkness is a concealer.
You shine light on anything its no longer concealed.
You take away the darkness and replace it with light you can see clearly into even the corners of a room. If I shine a flashlight under my bed all those little dark loving dust bunnies will be seen. If a man comes to fix my stove he's going to pull it out from it's normal position and light is going to shine on everything that has been in darkness beneath it. If I open a closet I can hunt about for an article of clothing and the chances of pulling out the wrong thing are great if I don't have light in there.
We need light to see things. We need light if we're to take away the darkness. We need Jesus who is the light to take away the darkness of sin in us. We can't hide anything from Jesus. We can choose not to follow Him and remain in darkness that's always our option, but if you choose to follow Jesus, Son of God, your life is open to Him and all your deeds are readily seen, you can't hide anything and hope that Jesus won't see it, He sees all, He is the light that shines on our lives, on our hearts, He wants our lives to be illuminated brilliantly in His glow and any sins we have to be confessed and forsaken.
Those who want to keep sin in their lives live in darkness, not light and you know what? I think some of them, no, I think a lot of people think they are living in the light of Jesus' love when in truth they're on a night and day pattern with Him. For part of the time they seemingly live in the daylight and yet they have night in their lives that falls down around them where they hide their sins. They're deceived into thinking they're truly following Christ when the truth is, even the light they have in the daytime is artificial and not the true Light that Lighteth the World.
I think it'd be very wise of us all to examine the light source we are basking under.
'But he that doeth truth....'
Doeth truth!
Does truth!
Doing the truth!
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
If we're doing the truth we want to come to the light. We want our lives to be an open book. We want all to know and see that our lives are being lived in God with nothing to hide.
If you're not doing the truth you are doing evil.
Jesus is the truth, His life is the truth, there wasn't any darkness in Jesus at all, none, He had nothing to hide.
Jesus full of grace and truth came to us so we may obtain grace and live in truth.
If we obtain grace and accept the truth of Jesus and yet we don't live in that truth, our lives aren't manifesting the truth, we are hiding the truth we've received and if we're hiding the truth we're concealing it, and if we're concealing the truth it is in darkness not the light, and if it is in darkness it is evil and... if it is evil, it is condemned.
We need to walk in truth.
Live in truth.
What sort of light to you live under? The true light of Jesus? The artificial light of Satan? We all live under one or the other. Satan deceives, that's his job so to speak. He wants people to believe they are in the light of Jesus but really being under his light, which in truth is darkness. Satan's light doesn't go into the dark recesses, the hidden corners, it doesn't shine under the bed or into the back of the closet, it only goes so far and makes people feel secure enough that they don't think about those dark places because they're scary and evil lurks in them, who wants to go into the dark scary places? No one really, not these places where it's impossible to take Jesus because wherever Jesus goes He bring light. You can't have Jesus in the dark places and remain hidden. He's the Light. If you have Jesus wherever you are will be light, will be truth. If you find yourself in any dark places caught up in something you'd rather Jesus not see, remember, He's not with you as you dwell in that darkness of sin. If you let Him into your life that sin will be revealed to Him, by Him and it's amazing because He helps us recognize the sin in our lives and gives us His Holy Spirit to help us resist the sin so we can live in the light of Him.
Remember this--
Luke
{18:10} Two men went up into the temple to pray; the onea Pharisee, and the other a publican.
{18:11} The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are,] extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
{18:12} I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
{18:13} And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
{18:14} I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
One man was filled with sin and couldn't even see it in himself. Another admitted he was a sinner and asked for mercy.
We have to recognize the sin, admit the sin, ask for forgiveness, receive the Grace of God, and then walk in the truth, walk in the light.
Go and sin no more... how often should we forgive...forever.
Yes, we are humans and we are prone to sin, but there is One we believe in who never sinned, One who promises us His Holy Spirit, One who give us His mercy and grace, bringing truth to us, bringing light to our lives so we don't have to live in darkness. Let's live in the Light, live in Truth, which is living in Jesus.
Amen.
{3:18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
{3:19} And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
{3:20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
{3:21} But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
What do sinners and roaches have in common? They both hate the light. No, that isn't some weird joke that misses the mark on the humor scale, it's the truth.
Loving darkness.
What other things love darkness?
Not all nocturnal creatures are bad, not even roaches are bad, they don't have the choice between being good and evil to classify them as being bad. We don't like roaches because they're breeders of filth and creepy, and disgusting, but they're not evil.
Only men and angels can be evil, beings of higher intelligence, beings that can actually choice to do either right or wrong, good or evil.
We associate the light with good things don't we? It's daytime, we can see everything around us clearly nothing is readily hidden from our sight. Most people work during the day. Before electricity nearly all people worked during the day and the night was for sleeping.
Just like we associate the colors of day and night with good and evil, light and dark, white and black. How many brides are married in a black wedding gown? White is the symbol of purity to many. This isn't to say we exclusively believe this. Many people like to buck the system for shock value and many customs come about in different ways.
What doesn't change is the Bible and the Bible says this...
John
{3:18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
{3:19} And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
{3:20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
{3:21} But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Those who don't believe in Jesus as the Son of God are condemned. The condemnation is light came to the world and men loved darkness.
Why did they love darkness?
Because their deeds were evil.
Everyone that does evil hates light, they don't come out into the light because they're fearful of their evil ways being seen.
It's safe to say that darkness is a concealer.
You shine light on anything its no longer concealed.
You take away the darkness and replace it with light you can see clearly into even the corners of a room. If I shine a flashlight under my bed all those little dark loving dust bunnies will be seen. If a man comes to fix my stove he's going to pull it out from it's normal position and light is going to shine on everything that has been in darkness beneath it. If I open a closet I can hunt about for an article of clothing and the chances of pulling out the wrong thing are great if I don't have light in there.
We need light to see things. We need light if we're to take away the darkness. We need Jesus who is the light to take away the darkness of sin in us. We can't hide anything from Jesus. We can choose not to follow Him and remain in darkness that's always our option, but if you choose to follow Jesus, Son of God, your life is open to Him and all your deeds are readily seen, you can't hide anything and hope that Jesus won't see it, He sees all, He is the light that shines on our lives, on our hearts, He wants our lives to be illuminated brilliantly in His glow and any sins we have to be confessed and forsaken.
Those who want to keep sin in their lives live in darkness, not light and you know what? I think some of them, no, I think a lot of people think they are living in the light of Jesus' love when in truth they're on a night and day pattern with Him. For part of the time they seemingly live in the daylight and yet they have night in their lives that falls down around them where they hide their sins. They're deceived into thinking they're truly following Christ when the truth is, even the light they have in the daytime is artificial and not the true Light that Lighteth the World.
I think it'd be very wise of us all to examine the light source we are basking under.
'But he that doeth truth....'
Doeth truth!
Does truth!
Doing the truth!
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
If we're doing the truth we want to come to the light. We want our lives to be an open book. We want all to know and see that our lives are being lived in God with nothing to hide.
If you're not doing the truth you are doing evil.
Jesus is the truth, His life is the truth, there wasn't any darkness in Jesus at all, none, He had nothing to hide.
Jesus full of grace and truth came to us so we may obtain grace and live in truth.
If we obtain grace and accept the truth of Jesus and yet we don't live in that truth, our lives aren't manifesting the truth, we are hiding the truth we've received and if we're hiding the truth we're concealing it, and if we're concealing the truth it is in darkness not the light, and if it is in darkness it is evil and... if it is evil, it is condemned.
We need to walk in truth.
Live in truth.
What sort of light to you live under? The true light of Jesus? The artificial light of Satan? We all live under one or the other. Satan deceives, that's his job so to speak. He wants people to believe they are in the light of Jesus but really being under his light, which in truth is darkness. Satan's light doesn't go into the dark recesses, the hidden corners, it doesn't shine under the bed or into the back of the closet, it only goes so far and makes people feel secure enough that they don't think about those dark places because they're scary and evil lurks in them, who wants to go into the dark scary places? No one really, not these places where it's impossible to take Jesus because wherever Jesus goes He bring light. You can't have Jesus in the dark places and remain hidden. He's the Light. If you have Jesus wherever you are will be light, will be truth. If you find yourself in any dark places caught up in something you'd rather Jesus not see, remember, He's not with you as you dwell in that darkness of sin. If you let Him into your life that sin will be revealed to Him, by Him and it's amazing because He helps us recognize the sin in our lives and gives us His Holy Spirit to help us resist the sin so we can live in the light of Him.
Remember this--
Luke
{18:10} Two men went up into the temple to pray; the onea Pharisee, and the other a publican.
{18:11} The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are,] extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
{18:12} I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
{18:13} And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
{18:14} I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
One man was filled with sin and couldn't even see it in himself. Another admitted he was a sinner and asked for mercy.
We have to recognize the sin, admit the sin, ask for forgiveness, receive the Grace of God, and then walk in the truth, walk in the light.
Go and sin no more... how often should we forgive...forever.
Yes, we are humans and we are prone to sin, but there is One we believe in who never sinned, One who promises us His Holy Spirit, One who give us His mercy and grace, bringing truth to us, bringing light to our lives so we don't have to live in darkness. Let's live in the Light, live in Truth, which is living in Jesus.
Amen.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Grace and Truth, Jesus
John
{1:14} And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
{1:15} John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. {1:16} And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
{1:17} For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
{1:18} No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
The Word was made flesh.
So very, very miraculous.
John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
In the beginning...
Genesis
{1:1} In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
{1:2} And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
In the beginning of ALL things God created heaven and the earth.
We search for our roots as if by finding out our ancestry we might discover we're related to someone important. We search it an without finding a noble of any sort we realize how humble our family line has been. We go back as far as we can and are amazed at the paths taken the branches of the huge tree that have gone off on their merry way never to be thought of as family again. Born in 1400, this one married that one and had five children, your path lies in the last of those five children and yet you have relation to the other four by blood ties. On down to 2000, six hundred years later and you realize that you have so many relatives it's almost easier to think that maybe a few aren't related to you in some way, rather than there are a few who are. Why all this bother about ancestry? Well, in the beginning...
There is a beginning and an end of so many things in our lives that realizing how miniscule our life is in the grand scheme can be a bit troublesome. Here we are, God's grandest of creations and the heaven and the earth have outlasted so many of us. It wasn't supposed to be this way, we weren't suppose to have an end.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness and darkness comprehended it not. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters.
The Spirit moved within Mary's womb.
The Spirit brought into being that which God desired to create.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were together in Creation.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were together in Salvation.
When the Spirit moved within Mary's womb and brought to life the human that would be Jesus, Son of God, given to that babe was grace and truth. Grace to save, truth to bear witness to all that is holy and good, bearing witness to God, to love. Truth along with Grace was brought to us. We weren't given just grace. Jesus wasn't full of just grace and that was the end of it. He didn't come to just dole out grace to people, that would leave them floundering.
Like taking a drug addict out of his drug environment and getting him all cleaned up then sticking him back into the same environment without once telling him about how he could defeat the drugs in the environment. Without empowering the drug addict with the knowledge necessary to keep from the drugs there is little point in cleaning him all up.
Jesus who is so much greater than we are knew that with grace had to come truth. With grace there has to be more if those who seek His grace and find it are left without truth to follow they have nothing to keep them from their past life lived without grace. There is nothing to stop them from living a life in sin. Jesus said on more than one occasion-- 'Go and sin no more.'
That's where the truth comes into play so fully. The forgiveness is given to us by grace, we cannot do a single thing to earn it we can only accept it into our hearts. To go and sin no more we need truth with that grace. The truth is brought by Jesus as well and that truth is His life, His total devotion to his Father, to loving His Father and loving His neighbor. This is the truth.
It sounds too easy, too simple, and yet Jesus told more than one person that they were close to heaven by believing the truth, by believing the commandments of God to be loving God and loving your fellow man, all the other laws rested upon those. Too simple and yet the truth. The Pharisees did a bang up job of complicating things so fully that people were left without hope and only put on shows of godliness. Satan complicates things in any way he can, back then and now. As long as confusion is in play then people aren't holding to the simple truth, they're mucking things up with complications. We need Jesus sent to us full of grace and truth. We can't forget that ever. Grace and truth, Jesus.
May the Lord help us as we seek His Grace always and hold fast to His truth forever.
Amen.
{1:14} And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
{1:15} John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. {1:16} And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
{1:17} For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
{1:18} No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
The Word was made flesh.
So very, very miraculous.
John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
In the beginning...
Genesis
{1:1} In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
{1:2} And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
In the beginning of ALL things God created heaven and the earth.
We search for our roots as if by finding out our ancestry we might discover we're related to someone important. We search it an without finding a noble of any sort we realize how humble our family line has been. We go back as far as we can and are amazed at the paths taken the branches of the huge tree that have gone off on their merry way never to be thought of as family again. Born in 1400, this one married that one and had five children, your path lies in the last of those five children and yet you have relation to the other four by blood ties. On down to 2000, six hundred years later and you realize that you have so many relatives it's almost easier to think that maybe a few aren't related to you in some way, rather than there are a few who are. Why all this bother about ancestry? Well, in the beginning...
There is a beginning and an end of so many things in our lives that realizing how miniscule our life is in the grand scheme can be a bit troublesome. Here we are, God's grandest of creations and the heaven and the earth have outlasted so many of us. It wasn't supposed to be this way, we weren't suppose to have an end.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness and darkness comprehended it not. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters.
The Spirit moved within Mary's womb.
The Spirit brought into being that which God desired to create.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were together in Creation.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were together in Salvation.
When the Spirit moved within Mary's womb and brought to life the human that would be Jesus, Son of God, given to that babe was grace and truth. Grace to save, truth to bear witness to all that is holy and good, bearing witness to God, to love. Truth along with Grace was brought to us. We weren't given just grace. Jesus wasn't full of just grace and that was the end of it. He didn't come to just dole out grace to people, that would leave them floundering.
Like taking a drug addict out of his drug environment and getting him all cleaned up then sticking him back into the same environment without once telling him about how he could defeat the drugs in the environment. Without empowering the drug addict with the knowledge necessary to keep from the drugs there is little point in cleaning him all up.
Jesus who is so much greater than we are knew that with grace had to come truth. With grace there has to be more if those who seek His grace and find it are left without truth to follow they have nothing to keep them from their past life lived without grace. There is nothing to stop them from living a life in sin. Jesus said on more than one occasion-- 'Go and sin no more.'
That's where the truth comes into play so fully. The forgiveness is given to us by grace, we cannot do a single thing to earn it we can only accept it into our hearts. To go and sin no more we need truth with that grace. The truth is brought by Jesus as well and that truth is His life, His total devotion to his Father, to loving His Father and loving His neighbor. This is the truth.
It sounds too easy, too simple, and yet Jesus told more than one person that they were close to heaven by believing the truth, by believing the commandments of God to be loving God and loving your fellow man, all the other laws rested upon those. Too simple and yet the truth. The Pharisees did a bang up job of complicating things so fully that people were left without hope and only put on shows of godliness. Satan complicates things in any way he can, back then and now. As long as confusion is in play then people aren't holding to the simple truth, they're mucking things up with complications. We need Jesus sent to us full of grace and truth. We can't forget that ever. Grace and truth, Jesus.
May the Lord help us as we seek His Grace always and hold fast to His truth forever.
Amen.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
One Truth One God!
Mark
{12:28} And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first
commandment of all?
{12:29} And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
{12:30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first
commandment.
{12:31} And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
{12:32} And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
{12:33} And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
{12:34} And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
The truth.
One God.
So why do so many want to say there are many gods? Why is there such a revival of worshipping 'goddesses'? Why do we to worship the son, the moon, the stars they are only things. Why are people invoking nature as if nature itself could help them? Why do people go to 'dark magic' calling upon satan himself to be their god? Lies! It's all lies and they believe in them desperately. They believe on them and they say others should as well, and they cry out that their way is the best way, the true way. They are filled with deception, believing in lies thinking them truth.
The truth first and foremost is that there is only ONE God!
The truth is we are to love the one and only true God with all our heart, with all our understanding, with all our soul.
Truth.
People can flounder and grasp at lies and coat the lies in a false truth all they want and it will never become the truth.
One truth.
One God.
Loving God first, and loving our neighbor second. Loving our neighbors as we would be loved.
The truth.
All that means more than any other sacrifices we could make. It means more than any show of works we could ever do. The richest showing is meaningless and holds no sway with God, there is no buying God's favor in any way at all. The poorest of the poor who loves God and his neighbor is the richest with God. This is truth.
The truth is every man can believe in the truth, it's not out of the reach of any. It doesn't take fine clothes, large offerings of money, it doesn't take beauitiful hair dos, fancy sculpted nails, fine leather shoes... none of the things men call riches on earth, none of the things held in high esteem here mean anything at all. Those who are rich in material possessions will find it the hardest to find the truth because they are so caught up in the thing people praise and not the things God praises.
The truth.
Jesus told the scribe that he wasn't far from the kingdom of God.
The truth.
We need the truth.
One God to love.
Loving your fellowman.
It is grace and truth that saves.
The grace Jesus offers us all is a saving grace. The truth Jesus offers is a saving truth.
By our Lord and Savior's grace and mercy may we all hold fast to the truth, the only truth in Him.
Amen.
{12:28} And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first
commandment of all?
{12:29} And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
{12:30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first
commandment.
{12:31} And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
{12:32} And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
{12:33} And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
{12:34} And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
The truth.
One God.
So why do so many want to say there are many gods? Why is there such a revival of worshipping 'goddesses'? Why do we to worship the son, the moon, the stars they are only things. Why are people invoking nature as if nature itself could help them? Why do people go to 'dark magic' calling upon satan himself to be their god? Lies! It's all lies and they believe in them desperately. They believe on them and they say others should as well, and they cry out that their way is the best way, the true way. They are filled with deception, believing in lies thinking them truth.
The truth first and foremost is that there is only ONE God!
The truth is we are to love the one and only true God with all our heart, with all our understanding, with all our soul.
Truth.
People can flounder and grasp at lies and coat the lies in a false truth all they want and it will never become the truth.
One truth.
One God.
Loving God first, and loving our neighbor second. Loving our neighbors as we would be loved.
The truth.
All that means more than any other sacrifices we could make. It means more than any show of works we could ever do. The richest showing is meaningless and holds no sway with God, there is no buying God's favor in any way at all. The poorest of the poor who loves God and his neighbor is the richest with God. This is truth.
The truth is every man can believe in the truth, it's not out of the reach of any. It doesn't take fine clothes, large offerings of money, it doesn't take beauitiful hair dos, fancy sculpted nails, fine leather shoes... none of the things men call riches on earth, none of the things held in high esteem here mean anything at all. Those who are rich in material possessions will find it the hardest to find the truth because they are so caught up in the thing people praise and not the things God praises.
The truth.
Jesus told the scribe that he wasn't far from the kingdom of God.
The truth.
We need the truth.
One God to love.
Loving your fellowman.
It is grace and truth that saves.
The grace Jesus offers us all is a saving grace. The truth Jesus offers is a saving truth.
By our Lord and Savior's grace and mercy may we all hold fast to the truth, the only truth in Him.
Amen.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Speak the Truth
Zechariah
{8:16} These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates
{8:17} And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
These are the things you should do--
Speak everyone the truth to his neighbor. Speaking the truth should be easy enough right? Speaking it to everyone. Because who is our neighbor? Everyone. Speaking truth, not speaking any lies at all.
Execute judgment of truth and peace in your gates. Judgment with truth and peace as the standard where you dwell. Truth and peace.
Let no one think of evil in their hearts against his neighbor, against his fellowman.
Why do we do that? Why do we think evil again each other? Why?
We do it, tabloids are filled with evil things thought against others. Newspapers are full of it, our courts are full of it as well as our jails. Filled to overflowing our jails hold people who have thought evil against another. Our great financial institutions are run by those constantly thinking evil against others, money being the only important thing. So much evil thought against others it seems endless. And what about us as individuals? Our are thoughts loving towards those we live with, let alone the strangers that are our neighbors. What would happen if in spite of how we are treated we treat others with love? Seriously, what would happen?
We're not to even imagine evil in our hearts against our neighbors, meaning we're not even to think of any evil- let alone commit it.
We aren't to love any lies, not a single one.
Evil- realized and imagined against others as well as lying, God hates those things, HATES them.
When I was growing up I was taught to never say hate, that saying hate was very bad, very wrong. Of course that went hand in hand with hating others, not things. I was to never hate anyone, never say it, it would be the worse kind of thing to say especially to someone. I was to hate no one and this is a good thing, I'm not complaining. Hate is a strong word, there isn't another word that means so much to show how awful something is to you.
hate (hât) verb
1. a. To feel hostility or animosity toward. b. To detest.
2. To feel dislike or distaste for: hates washing dishes.
Hate is the opposite of love.
One extreme to the other, with many little areas in between leading one way or another, little dislike making its way toward full blown hate, a little liking heading towards full blown love.
God hates.
God loves.
God is love.
So how can love, hate?
Love can hate all that isn't loving, because all that would destroy love, is worth hating.
Think of it as a gardener of a beautiful garden who loves his garden so much, it's all beauty and all good without any evil in it at all. The love is pure and right, it is what life should have been, what life will be. Into the garden steals destroying insects ravaging the beauty. That which destroys is to be hated because it has ruined the beauty. Sin has done that, and it is right to hate sin, to hate evil. Good cannot embrace the evil deed and call it good because it ultimately destroys.
God, just like that gardener, only wants the beauty of life to remain and therefore has to hate invading evil that would destroy the beauty.
We must love each other even when we're hated. We must love the sinner but detest and hate the sin they commit, just as we have to hate the sin we commit. We have to seek forgiveness from the only one able to forgive sin, seek to walk in Him, to walk in the Spirit not after our sins.
Proverbs {8:13} The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
John {3:20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. {3:21} But he that doeth truth
cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Heb. {1:9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
1 John
{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.
Zechariah
{8:16} These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates
{8:17} And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Speak truth, live truth and peace, don't think evil of others, don't love lies, the Lord hates evil, hates lies.
If we could do all this through the power and love of Jesus, through His grace and mercy, through the Holy Spirit how wonderful it would be, how marvelous.
May God's love dwell in us, may we love all God loves and hate all God hates. Love all that is good and hate all that is evil. Have mercy on the sinner, but hate the sin committed, by others and in ourselves as Jesus would have us do.
By His grace, His love.
Amen.
{8:16} These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates
{8:17} And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
These are the things you should do--
Speak everyone the truth to his neighbor. Speaking the truth should be easy enough right? Speaking it to everyone. Because who is our neighbor? Everyone. Speaking truth, not speaking any lies at all.
Execute judgment of truth and peace in your gates. Judgment with truth and peace as the standard where you dwell. Truth and peace.
Let no one think of evil in their hearts against his neighbor, against his fellowman.
Why do we do that? Why do we think evil again each other? Why?
We do it, tabloids are filled with evil things thought against others. Newspapers are full of it, our courts are full of it as well as our jails. Filled to overflowing our jails hold people who have thought evil against another. Our great financial institutions are run by those constantly thinking evil against others, money being the only important thing. So much evil thought against others it seems endless. And what about us as individuals? Our are thoughts loving towards those we live with, let alone the strangers that are our neighbors. What would happen if in spite of how we are treated we treat others with love? Seriously, what would happen?
We're not to even imagine evil in our hearts against our neighbors, meaning we're not even to think of any evil- let alone commit it.
We aren't to love any lies, not a single one.
Evil- realized and imagined against others as well as lying, God hates those things, HATES them.
When I was growing up I was taught to never say hate, that saying hate was very bad, very wrong. Of course that went hand in hand with hating others, not things. I was to never hate anyone, never say it, it would be the worse kind of thing to say especially to someone. I was to hate no one and this is a good thing, I'm not complaining. Hate is a strong word, there isn't another word that means so much to show how awful something is to you.
hate (hât) verb
1. a. To feel hostility or animosity toward. b. To detest.
2. To feel dislike or distaste for: hates washing dishes.
Hate is the opposite of love.
One extreme to the other, with many little areas in between leading one way or another, little dislike making its way toward full blown hate, a little liking heading towards full blown love.
God hates.
God loves.
God is love.
So how can love, hate?
Love can hate all that isn't loving, because all that would destroy love, is worth hating.
Think of it as a gardener of a beautiful garden who loves his garden so much, it's all beauty and all good without any evil in it at all. The love is pure and right, it is what life should have been, what life will be. Into the garden steals destroying insects ravaging the beauty. That which destroys is to be hated because it has ruined the beauty. Sin has done that, and it is right to hate sin, to hate evil. Good cannot embrace the evil deed and call it good because it ultimately destroys.
God, just like that gardener, only wants the beauty of life to remain and therefore has to hate invading evil that would destroy the beauty.
We must love each other even when we're hated. We must love the sinner but detest and hate the sin they commit, just as we have to hate the sin we commit. We have to seek forgiveness from the only one able to forgive sin, seek to walk in Him, to walk in the Spirit not after our sins.
Proverbs {8:13} The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
John {3:20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. {3:21} But he that doeth truth
cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Heb. {1:9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
1 John
{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.
Zechariah
{8:16} These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates
{8:17} And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Speak truth, live truth and peace, don't think evil of others, don't love lies, the Lord hates evil, hates lies.
If we could do all this through the power and love of Jesus, through His grace and mercy, through the Holy Spirit how wonderful it would be, how marvelous.
May God's love dwell in us, may we love all God loves and hate all God hates. Love all that is good and hate all that is evil. Have mercy on the sinner, but hate the sin committed, by others and in ourselves as Jesus would have us do.
By His grace, His love.
Amen.
Friday, October 17, 2008
This is Truth
Micah
{7:19} He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. {7:20} Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Long after Jacob, long after Abraham, the minor prophet Micah between 735-710 BC according to historians, made his prophecies. When did Abraham live? 2000 BC to 1825 BC according to historians. That's a long, long time between Micah's time and Abraham's. When Micah says- 'Thou wild perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham' what is is declaring?
We know God's mercy and truth go hand in hand, that the truth endures forever. Let's read just some of the many verses proving this truth beyond a doubt--
1 Chronicles
{16:34} O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.
**
Mercy forever!
Psalms {106:1} Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalms {111:3} His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever
**
His righteousness forever!
Psalms {111:10} The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
**
His praise forever!
Psalms {117:1} O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
{117:2} For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
**
Truth forever!
Psalms {119:160} Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, LORD, throughout all generations.
memorial (me-môr´ê-el, -mor´-) noun
Abbr. mem.
1. Something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to celebrate or honor the memory of a person or an event.
2. A written statement of facts or a petition presented to a legislative body or an executive.
When we have a memorial celebration what does it have to entail?
Who are we giving the memorial for.
What did they do that makes us memorialize them?
Where did they do this?
Right?
Those of us living in the United States have a memorial day in honor of those who have fought and died for our country, for freedom. There are memorials in our nation's capital- Lincoln, Washington, Vietnam, a National Cemetery located along a path called Memorial Drive.
We're familiar with memorials we give them for our own loved ones to honor them.
One thing I've always found very fascinating.
God's memorial.
Can you find it on earth? Is there a physical location for His memorial? Some might say the temple in Jerusalem, but surely God wouldn't have His memorial destroyed. His memorial would have to stand the test of time and endure forever, this is God we're talking about. Our gracious, most wonderful God took His memorial out of the physical realm in the sense it isn't an object at all. It's not a stone plaque, it's not a statue, what stone, what statue, what building could hold something so marvelous? What earthly thing could ever be worthy of being a memorial to God?
Exodus {3:15} And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
God's name.
And here... read this...
{20:8} Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
{20:9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work
{20:10} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates
{20:11} For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Remember- that's what a memorial is for right? Remembering.
The sabbath of the Lord thy God. This is who we're remembering, right? God, our Lord.
What did He do that needs remembering? The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them.
He's our Creator.
A perpetual memorial has been given to us and given to us all on a weekly basis as well it should be for One so great as God. God deserves a memorial that is more often than once a year, once every few months, or even once a month, this is GOD we are talking about. Our Creator! And for those of you rebelling at the thought that a creature should worship his creator, why? Why rebel? Our very existence is owed to God.
Our world has twisted things so much that honoring and respecting those we should has become something weak and loathsome, something odd and strange because it takes away from SELF worship. A lot of children today don't know how to respect their elders, why? Because they don't feel they should have to. They are self absorbed and their own desires matter more than anything else. Self has taken them over completely. It's a sad, sad state of affairs.
I really love this verse- Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
God's name is His memorial and God has set aside time for us to honor Him, a time memorialized to Him and He is worthy!
Continuing on with God's mercy and truth enduring forever, just read this whole chapter Psalms 136 and note the reoccuring theme-
**
Psalm 136
{136:1} O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:2} O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:3} O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:4} To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:5} To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:6} To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:7} To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:8} The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:9} The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:10} To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:11} And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:12} With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:13} To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:14} And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:15} But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:16} To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:17} To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:18} And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:19} Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:20} And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:21} And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:22} Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:23} Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:24} And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:25} Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:26} O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
**
An entire chapter!
Our Creator, our Redeemer! His mercy endures forever!
1 Peter {1:25} But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
**
The word of God endures forever, and Jesus is that Word.
John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
{1:6} There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
{1:7} The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
{1:8} He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
{1:9} That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
{1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
{1:11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
{1:12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
{1:13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
{1:14} And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
{1:15} John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. {1:16} And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
{1:17} For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
{1:18} No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Micah
{7:19} He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. {7:20} Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
God will forgive us through the grace and mercy of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and this...
is...
the...
TRUTH.
Amen.
{7:19} He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. {7:20} Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Long after Jacob, long after Abraham, the minor prophet Micah between 735-710 BC according to historians, made his prophecies. When did Abraham live? 2000 BC to 1825 BC according to historians. That's a long, long time between Micah's time and Abraham's. When Micah says- 'Thou wild perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham' what is is declaring?
We know God's mercy and truth go hand in hand, that the truth endures forever. Let's read just some of the many verses proving this truth beyond a doubt--
1 Chronicles
{16:34} O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.
**
Mercy forever!
Psalms {106:1} Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalms {111:3} His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever
**
His righteousness forever!
Psalms {111:10} The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
**
His praise forever!
Psalms {117:1} O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
{117:2} For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
**
Truth forever!
Psalms {119:160} Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, LORD, throughout all generations.
memorial (me-môr´ê-el, -mor´-) noun
Abbr. mem.
1. Something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to celebrate or honor the memory of a person or an event.
2. A written statement of facts or a petition presented to a legislative body or an executive.
When we have a memorial celebration what does it have to entail?
Who are we giving the memorial for.
What did they do that makes us memorialize them?
Where did they do this?
Right?
Those of us living in the United States have a memorial day in honor of those who have fought and died for our country, for freedom. There are memorials in our nation's capital- Lincoln, Washington, Vietnam, a National Cemetery located along a path called Memorial Drive.
We're familiar with memorials we give them for our own loved ones to honor them.
One thing I've always found very fascinating.
God's memorial.
Can you find it on earth? Is there a physical location for His memorial? Some might say the temple in Jerusalem, but surely God wouldn't have His memorial destroyed. His memorial would have to stand the test of time and endure forever, this is God we're talking about. Our gracious, most wonderful God took His memorial out of the physical realm in the sense it isn't an object at all. It's not a stone plaque, it's not a statue, what stone, what statue, what building could hold something so marvelous? What earthly thing could ever be worthy of being a memorial to God?
Exodus {3:15} And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
God's name.
And here... read this...
{20:8} Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
{20:9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work
{20:10} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates
{20:11} For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Remember- that's what a memorial is for right? Remembering.
The sabbath of the Lord thy God. This is who we're remembering, right? God, our Lord.
What did He do that needs remembering? The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them.
He's our Creator.
A perpetual memorial has been given to us and given to us all on a weekly basis as well it should be for One so great as God. God deserves a memorial that is more often than once a year, once every few months, or even once a month, this is GOD we are talking about. Our Creator! And for those of you rebelling at the thought that a creature should worship his creator, why? Why rebel? Our very existence is owed to God.
Our world has twisted things so much that honoring and respecting those we should has become something weak and loathsome, something odd and strange because it takes away from SELF worship. A lot of children today don't know how to respect their elders, why? Because they don't feel they should have to. They are self absorbed and their own desires matter more than anything else. Self has taken them over completely. It's a sad, sad state of affairs.
I really love this verse- Psalms {135:13} Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
God's name is His memorial and God has set aside time for us to honor Him, a time memorialized to Him and He is worthy!
Continuing on with God's mercy and truth enduring forever, just read this whole chapter Psalms 136 and note the reoccuring theme-
**
Psalm 136
{136:1} O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:2} O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:3} O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:4} To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:5} To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:6} To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:7} To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:8} The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:9} The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:10} To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:11} And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:12} With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:13} To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:14} And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:15} But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:16} To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:17} To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:18} And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:19} Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:20} And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:21} And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:22} Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:23} Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
{136:24} And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:25} Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
{136:26} O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
**
An entire chapter!
Our Creator, our Redeemer! His mercy endures forever!
1 Peter {1:25} But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
**
The word of God endures forever, and Jesus is that Word.
John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
{1:4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
{1:5} And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
{1:6} There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
{1:7} The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
{1:8} He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
{1:9} That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
{1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
{1:11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
{1:12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
{1:13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
{1:14} And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
{1:15} John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. {1:16} And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
{1:17} For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
{1:18} No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Micah
{7:19} He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. {7:20} Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
God will forgive us through the grace and mercy of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and this...
is...
the...
TRUTH.
Amen.
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