Parental love.
Love of the long waited for.
Love of a dream come true.
Have you ever had a goal in life one you had to work towards? The goal coming into sight is an amazing thing isn't it? Something ordinary often isn't as cherished as much as something out of the ordinary. By nature the unexpected happiness, the unexpected reward, the dream come true after feeling that it never would and yet always hoping, is something remarkable and treated as such. A man working all his life to own a brand new car finally able to buy it years and years later will generally cherish it above a man who gets a new car every year.
For parents wishing and hoping for a child only to never have it happen brings a certain resignation after the nature of life takes the chance of it happening away from them.
Then suddenly having that child, just how cherished do you imagine that child would be? Come on we can imagine it.
Talk about being loved.
Gen. {22:1} And it came to pass after these things, that God didtempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said,Behold, [here] I [am. ]{22:2} And he said, Take now thyson, thine only [son] Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get theeinto the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burntoffering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
'Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest'
Our brains want to cease to comprehend this request from a loving God.
Sure we know the story, we know the outcome already before we continue but tell the story to one who doesn't and see what they think of a God that would ask someone to make a human sacrifice of their beloved son, heck, even if they'd been asked to sacrifice an unloved son just think how outrageous it is to our sense of right and wrong.
In some cultures human sacrifice was the norm, but this wasn't one of them.
Yes, since the beginning of man's sin God required a living sacrifice because the wages of sinning can be nothing other than death. Animals were sacrificed animals we had to recognize were dying in place of us so that our sinfulness didn't keep us from God. So if animals were always sacrificed and acceptable to God, why would he now ask for a child to be sacrificed?
We have so many questions we don't hesitate to cry out to God asking him why this, why that, or why not this and that. We question God at every turn. We get to a situation where something is just too hard for us to do and we tell God it's too hard and we expect Him to understand our weakness, to forgive us our inability to rise to the task. We can't comprehend all that God may want of us and we tell ourselves a *loving* God wouldn't ask anything too hard for us to do- and that's true. So if God asks us to do something we know it's not too hard, we are choosing not to do it for whatever weakness exists in us. I suppose the fact that God doesn't *talk* with us as He did with Abraham might be a good thing if we realize just how weak we really are, how faithless.
What made Abraham so faithful? He trusted God without doubt. There wasn't any great discourse of doubt, no pleading to God to change things, to ask something else. Abraham trusted God implicitly.
Hebrews {11:17} By faith Abraham,when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that hadreceived the promises offered up his only begotten [son,]{11:18} Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seedbe called: {11:19} Accounting that God [was] able to raise[him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he receivedhim in a figure
To Abraham God's asking him to do this thing wasn't crazy. Abraham instantly looked beyond the act and held fast to the promises of God. He held fast to God's greatness. He'd walked with God for many, many years and God had never steered Him wrong. God may have said things that confused him, but just because Abraham's timeline wasn't the same as God's didn't make God's words to be lying words. It would have been easy to assume such because the natural order of things needed to be suspended for God's promise to come true. Who more apt to suspend the natural order than God though? The Creator of all things has all things in His hands to do with as He pleases.
Abraham witnessed the miracle of Isaac's birth. An old dried up womb was brought back to life to birth Isaac. A miracle and nothing short of it. For a man who witnessed such a thing by the promise of God, being asked to sacrifice that same miracle child by God could only mean one thing- God had different plans, His ways were past understanding and yet to be followed regardless. Abraham by faith knew God promised an innumerable amount of offspring through Isaac and that if Isaac's death was required to accomplish this then God knew what He was doing. There was no doubt. Abraham didn't have to understand. He hadn't understood God's waiting to give Sarah the promise child so why should he understand this next thing? Some how, some way God would do as He promised and Abraham knew it wasn't for him to have to comprehend or question, just believe.
Faith.
Pure faith.
Loving a child and being asked to kill that child- we call crazy, insane, ludicrous and with good reason when we live in a world of insanity, with child murderers often claiming God told them to do this same thing.
The difference here being, God asked Abraham to do so and God ONLY did so as a test. God would NEVER demand the life of a child, God does not find the sacrificing of humans acceptable. The ONLY sacrifice He finds pleasing is a contrite spirit...
Psalms {51:17} The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and acontrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Isaiah {66:2}For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those[things] have been, saith the LORD: but to this [man] will Ilook, [even] to [him that is] poor and of a contrite spirit, andtrembleth at my word. {66:3} He that killeth an ox [is as if]he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, [as if] he cut off adog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, [as if he offered]swine's blood; he that burneth incense, [as if] he blessed anidol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their souldelighteth in their abominations. {66:4} I also will choosetheir delusions, and will bring their fears upon them;because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, theydid not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose[that] in which I delighted not.
Death was never something God enjoyed, never something He wanted to happen. Yes, it was necessary, but it was not in and of itself pleasing to God. What was pleasing to God was the spirit in which a sacrifice was made and any spirit that delights in the killing for the killing's sake wasn't pleasing to Him at all.
Abraham's faith enabled him to please God.
Faith can be tested in ways we can't imagine.
It is my prayer that God strengthen me, strengthens us, to pass any test of faith we might come up against. My faith is weak. I believe and yet I need help with my unbelief. May the Lord's grace and mercy be mine as promised by faith through no strength of my own, but through my Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Cleanse and Purify
Ex. 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
**Caught up into slavery, lives nothing but hardship.
Slavery by definition is --slavery (slâ..ve-rê, slâv..rê) nounplural slaveries
1. The state of one bound in servitude as the property of a slaveholder or household. See synonyms at servitude.2. a. The practice of owning slaves. b. A mode of production in which slaves constitute the principal work force.3. The condition of being subject or addicted to a specified influence.4. A condition of hard work and subjection: wage slavery.(Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary)
Being bound in servitude.
Property of another.
Hard work and subjection 1 (1. Being in a position or in circumstances that place one under the power or authority of another or others)
By nature we are not meant to be owned. We are born and raised and in each of us rests a sense of self that demands the right to answer only to ourselves and not another man.
With God as our only master, our Creator, our Redeemer, with God as the only one we are to worship and bow down to it is no wonder that doing so at the demand of another creates within us a sense of powerlessness, a sense of wrongness.
We can be servants and have a master we answer to, but the master is to be just and not demand worship from us. A demand to serve isn't the same as a demand to worship.
Still, within the heart of most servants, of most slaves beats the desire to be the one served rather than the one serving. Servants are used to do hard work, menial labor, they are to do that which the master doesn't want to do.
A lady of a manor may enlist the aid of servants because she does not wish to do that which a servant will do, for whatever reason.
Slavery under the hand of one who is evil is much different than slavery under the hand of one who is just and good, fair and honest.
In our modern world slavery still exists but not like it did before 1865. Slavery today is mostly hidden.
Christ tells us to be servants - Mark {9:35} And he satdown, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If anyman desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, andservant of all.
But while serving is all well and good, slavery isn't just serving. It's being under another's power, another who can do with us as they please to cause us harm and hardship.
The Egyptians enslaved God's chosen people. The slavery was horrific, bitter, and truly something appalling. The Egyptians began killing the children of the Israelites because the Israelites were so prolific and they wanted to keep their numbers down some. Killing the children! Murdering innocents. There wasn't anything the Israelites could do to stop their masters from killing their children- they were enslaved to the master and if they even tried to rebel they were killed as well.
Death, hardship, anguish was a way of life for the Israelites and they wanted to be free. Could they worship God as He wanted to be worshipped, as man was created to worship Him? No. The Egyptians had their own gods and they weren't the One and Only true God, the God of the Israelites. Fully in bondage they desired freedom and yet after it was given them they had this to say--Ex. 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
They would rather have DIED with full bellies in Egypt as slaves than died free of hunger.
Death either way was inevitable, but they'd rather die without hunger.Rather die in Egypt where they were captive, where they were slaves, where their children were murdered, where they answered to hard task masters, where they were not allowed to WORSHIP God. Much rather die without any hardship, without any deprivation. Seems normal and logical? A choice many would make?
Maybe.
I know recently I watched a Navy Seals training on tv and it amazed me the hardships the men had to endure to become Navy Seals. As they followed them from week to week and let you get to know various men who were going through it all, it stunned me at how most of those they'd singled out ended up dropping out during Hell week, during the worst of the worst they were put through. In the end it was amazing to see each of those that managed to make it through, knowing some very rugged individuals gave up while some of the smaller men were able to stick through it all. One of the men said it depends on how bad you want it and that's true. It has to be true because their punishments, their exceptionally rigorous training exercises were the same for them all. Some made it, most didn't. Why? Other than it being the sheer desire, why did only 18 out of 83 make it through training?
The hardship was worth it.
The instructors at one point were talking and said Hell Week is only five days long because those left after five days would literally let you work them to death rather than given in, they're that devoted to sticking it all out.
It amazed me but I could see the truth in it by the determination during their suffering to make it through. At that point in the training they were totally at the mercy of their instructors to live or die as they determined, they trusted in them of course to keep them alive- killing trainees wasn't something the Navy could really do and that trust that the Navy would keep them from dying even when they felt as if they might was amazing. These men didn't HAVE to endure the hardship, many didn't, most didn't. When the decision to opt out of hardship or endure through it exists it isn't surprising that the majority opt out of hardship.Jesus said broad is the way that leads to destruction and many will take that way, while narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few would take that way.
Hardship.
Life itself is hard no matter the circumstances.
Each and every one of us has a hard life in our own way. We all have our obstacles to overcome and we all have our hills to climb, our valleys to walk through. No one is exempt from these things and the mistake we often make is thinking that some are exempt, that some don't have it as hard as we do.
Another mistake is thinking that the future won't hold hardships just because we haven't had many now. To say my life has been wonderful and easy is a marvelous thing to be able to utter.
No matter the guise of the attacks we face on our faith, whether they come by being penniless, or being rich, we will all face the choice the Egyptians in the wilderness faced.
We will all have our own private little hell weeks to endure and we really are given an opportunity to opt out. To go the broad way.
We can murmur and complain and die in the wilderness for our rebellion, it's our choice.
We have to ask ourselves if we are willing to take on the hardships of following the will and the commands of God. They're not easy. We don't have to LIKE doing things.
Jesus was asked by a rich young man what he had to do to get to heaven and Jesus told him he had to love God and love his fellow man, and the rich young man said that he does that already- so what did Jesus tell him? Did He pat him on the back and tell him 'good job you have eternal life', no. He told him to sell all he has and give it to the poor. This was something the rich young man never expected! He could love God and love his fellow man, but...but part with all his riches?! This was something he didn't like and yet he was told to do it. Right and wrong are right and wrong whether or not we approve of what is right and what is wrong.
When we have unjust laws we try to make them just.
God's laws are just and because we might not like them, doesn't mean they aren't just and we can change them to suit us better.
No, it's not easy and we're told it's not easy.
We have a decision to make and we have to make it constantly in all we do, in every part of our life. Are we going to follow God, or follow man, follow God or follow ourselves?
There's a few lyrics of a song that comes to mind- 'Please forgive me I know not what I do.. please forgive me I can't stop loving you'
And it makes me think about the 'I know not what I do part...' Can I really say that, when I'm asking for forgiveness I obviously know I've done or am doing something wrong.
We know what we do.
We know the choices we make and we know that they're not always the right ones and yes, we have to ask for forgiveness often, daily, several times a day. If we sin knowingly we need to confess and repent- repentance being - 'To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.' Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Confess and repent.
James {5:16} Confess your faults one to another,and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. Theeffectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Luke {24:45} Then opened he theirunderstanding, that they might understand the scriptures,{24:46} And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus itbehoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the thirdday: {24:47} And that repentance and remission of sinsshould be preached in his name among all nations,beginning at Jerusalem. {24:48} And ye are witnesses ofthese things.
Mark {1:14} Now after thatJohn was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preachingthe gospel of the kingdom of God, {1:15} And saying, Thetime is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repentye, and believe the gospel.
Mark {6:12} And they went out, andpreached that men should repent.Acts {3:19} Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that yoursins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shallcome from the presence of the Lord
Psalms {32:5} I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I nothid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; andthou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Matt. {3:6} And were baptized of him inJordan, confessing their sins.
*******Luke {24:47} And that repentance and remission of sinsshould be preached in his name among all nations,beginning at Jerusalem
Repentance and remission of sins...
We need to repent, and we need to do so because any sin we have separates us from God.
Will it be easy? No.
Is it possible? Yes. Only in Christ.
We can all say with Paul-- Romans {7:24} O wretched man thatI am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?{7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So thenwith the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with theflesh the law of sin.
The law of sin says we are helpless and we can't save ourselves. The law of God needs to be served and Jesus will make it possible for us to be saved.
Praise God, all thankfulness to God, all praise, and all honor, by His most holy Son, now and forever.
Don't let us be like the Egyptians who long for death captive to sin, rather than long for death free of sin trusting in Jesus through any an all hardships we may have to endure.
James {4:7} Submit yourselvestherefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.{4:8} Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts,[ye] double minded.
Resist.
Draw nigh.
Cleanse, purify.
1 Pet. {5:6} Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty handof God, that he may exalt you in due time: {5:7} Casting allyour care upon him; for he careth for you. {5:8} Be sober,be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaringlion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: {5:9}Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the sameafflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in theworld. {5:10} But the God of all grace, who hath called usunto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye havesuffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,settle [you. ]{5:11} To him [be] glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Amen.Amen.Amen.
**Caught up into slavery, lives nothing but hardship.
Slavery by definition is --slavery (slâ..ve-rê, slâv..rê) nounplural slaveries
1. The state of one bound in servitude as the property of a slaveholder or household. See synonyms at servitude.2. a. The practice of owning slaves. b. A mode of production in which slaves constitute the principal work force.3. The condition of being subject or addicted to a specified influence.4. A condition of hard work and subjection: wage slavery.(Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary)
Being bound in servitude.
Property of another.
Hard work and subjection 1 (1. Being in a position or in circumstances that place one under the power or authority of another or others)
By nature we are not meant to be owned. We are born and raised and in each of us rests a sense of self that demands the right to answer only to ourselves and not another man.
With God as our only master, our Creator, our Redeemer, with God as the only one we are to worship and bow down to it is no wonder that doing so at the demand of another creates within us a sense of powerlessness, a sense of wrongness.
We can be servants and have a master we answer to, but the master is to be just and not demand worship from us. A demand to serve isn't the same as a demand to worship.
Still, within the heart of most servants, of most slaves beats the desire to be the one served rather than the one serving. Servants are used to do hard work, menial labor, they are to do that which the master doesn't want to do.
A lady of a manor may enlist the aid of servants because she does not wish to do that which a servant will do, for whatever reason.
Slavery under the hand of one who is evil is much different than slavery under the hand of one who is just and good, fair and honest.
In our modern world slavery still exists but not like it did before 1865. Slavery today is mostly hidden.
Christ tells us to be servants - Mark {9:35} And he satdown, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If anyman desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, andservant of all.
But while serving is all well and good, slavery isn't just serving. It's being under another's power, another who can do with us as they please to cause us harm and hardship.
The Egyptians enslaved God's chosen people. The slavery was horrific, bitter, and truly something appalling. The Egyptians began killing the children of the Israelites because the Israelites were so prolific and they wanted to keep their numbers down some. Killing the children! Murdering innocents. There wasn't anything the Israelites could do to stop their masters from killing their children- they were enslaved to the master and if they even tried to rebel they were killed as well.
Death, hardship, anguish was a way of life for the Israelites and they wanted to be free. Could they worship God as He wanted to be worshipped, as man was created to worship Him? No. The Egyptians had their own gods and they weren't the One and Only true God, the God of the Israelites. Fully in bondage they desired freedom and yet after it was given them they had this to say--Ex. 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
They would rather have DIED with full bellies in Egypt as slaves than died free of hunger.
Death either way was inevitable, but they'd rather die without hunger.Rather die in Egypt where they were captive, where they were slaves, where their children were murdered, where they answered to hard task masters, where they were not allowed to WORSHIP God. Much rather die without any hardship, without any deprivation. Seems normal and logical? A choice many would make?
Maybe.
I know recently I watched a Navy Seals training on tv and it amazed me the hardships the men had to endure to become Navy Seals. As they followed them from week to week and let you get to know various men who were going through it all, it stunned me at how most of those they'd singled out ended up dropping out during Hell week, during the worst of the worst they were put through. In the end it was amazing to see each of those that managed to make it through, knowing some very rugged individuals gave up while some of the smaller men were able to stick through it all. One of the men said it depends on how bad you want it and that's true. It has to be true because their punishments, their exceptionally rigorous training exercises were the same for them all. Some made it, most didn't. Why? Other than it being the sheer desire, why did only 18 out of 83 make it through training?
The hardship was worth it.
The instructors at one point were talking and said Hell Week is only five days long because those left after five days would literally let you work them to death rather than given in, they're that devoted to sticking it all out.
It amazed me but I could see the truth in it by the determination during their suffering to make it through. At that point in the training they were totally at the mercy of their instructors to live or die as they determined, they trusted in them of course to keep them alive- killing trainees wasn't something the Navy could really do and that trust that the Navy would keep them from dying even when they felt as if they might was amazing. These men didn't HAVE to endure the hardship, many didn't, most didn't. When the decision to opt out of hardship or endure through it exists it isn't surprising that the majority opt out of hardship.Jesus said broad is the way that leads to destruction and many will take that way, while narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few would take that way.
Hardship.
Life itself is hard no matter the circumstances.
Each and every one of us has a hard life in our own way. We all have our obstacles to overcome and we all have our hills to climb, our valleys to walk through. No one is exempt from these things and the mistake we often make is thinking that some are exempt, that some don't have it as hard as we do.
Another mistake is thinking that the future won't hold hardships just because we haven't had many now. To say my life has been wonderful and easy is a marvelous thing to be able to utter.
No matter the guise of the attacks we face on our faith, whether they come by being penniless, or being rich, we will all face the choice the Egyptians in the wilderness faced.
We will all have our own private little hell weeks to endure and we really are given an opportunity to opt out. To go the broad way.
We can murmur and complain and die in the wilderness for our rebellion, it's our choice.
We have to ask ourselves if we are willing to take on the hardships of following the will and the commands of God. They're not easy. We don't have to LIKE doing things.
Jesus was asked by a rich young man what he had to do to get to heaven and Jesus told him he had to love God and love his fellow man, and the rich young man said that he does that already- so what did Jesus tell him? Did He pat him on the back and tell him 'good job you have eternal life', no. He told him to sell all he has and give it to the poor. This was something the rich young man never expected! He could love God and love his fellow man, but...but part with all his riches?! This was something he didn't like and yet he was told to do it. Right and wrong are right and wrong whether or not we approve of what is right and what is wrong.
When we have unjust laws we try to make them just.
God's laws are just and because we might not like them, doesn't mean they aren't just and we can change them to suit us better.
No, it's not easy and we're told it's not easy.
We have a decision to make and we have to make it constantly in all we do, in every part of our life. Are we going to follow God, or follow man, follow God or follow ourselves?
There's a few lyrics of a song that comes to mind- 'Please forgive me I know not what I do.. please forgive me I can't stop loving you'
And it makes me think about the 'I know not what I do part...' Can I really say that, when I'm asking for forgiveness I obviously know I've done or am doing something wrong.
We know what we do.
We know the choices we make and we know that they're not always the right ones and yes, we have to ask for forgiveness often, daily, several times a day. If we sin knowingly we need to confess and repent- repentance being - 'To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.' Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
Confess and repent.
James {5:16} Confess your faults one to another,and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. Theeffectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Luke {24:45} Then opened he theirunderstanding, that they might understand the scriptures,{24:46} And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus itbehoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the thirdday: {24:47} And that repentance and remission of sinsshould be preached in his name among all nations,beginning at Jerusalem. {24:48} And ye are witnesses ofthese things.
Mark {1:14} Now after thatJohn was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preachingthe gospel of the kingdom of God, {1:15} And saying, Thetime is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repentye, and believe the gospel.
Mark {6:12} And they went out, andpreached that men should repent.Acts {3:19} Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that yoursins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shallcome from the presence of the Lord
Psalms {32:5} I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I nothid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; andthou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Matt. {3:6} And were baptized of him inJordan, confessing their sins.
*******Luke {24:47} And that repentance and remission of sinsshould be preached in his name among all nations,beginning at Jerusalem
Repentance and remission of sins...
We need to repent, and we need to do so because any sin we have separates us from God.
Will it be easy? No.
Is it possible? Yes. Only in Christ.
We can all say with Paul-- Romans {7:24} O wretched man thatI am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?{7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So thenwith the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with theflesh the law of sin.
The law of sin says we are helpless and we can't save ourselves. The law of God needs to be served and Jesus will make it possible for us to be saved.
Praise God, all thankfulness to God, all praise, and all honor, by His most holy Son, now and forever.
Don't let us be like the Egyptians who long for death captive to sin, rather than long for death free of sin trusting in Jesus through any an all hardships we may have to endure.
James {4:7} Submit yourselvestherefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.{4:8} Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts,[ye] double minded.
Resist.
Draw nigh.
Cleanse, purify.
1 Pet. {5:6} Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty handof God, that he may exalt you in due time: {5:7} Casting allyour care upon him; for he careth for you. {5:8} Be sober,be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaringlion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: {5:9}Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the sameafflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in theworld. {5:10} But the God of all grace, who hath called usunto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye havesuffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,settle [you. ]{5:11} To him [be] glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Amen.Amen.Amen.
Friday, January 16, 2009
God is...
Matthew {3:9} And think not to say within yourselves,We have Abraham to our father for I say unto you, thatGod is able of these stones to raise up children untoAbraham.
God is--
--able to raise children from stones.
Mark {12:29} And Jesus answered him,The first of all the commandments [is,] Hear, O Israel; TheLord our God is one Lord: {12:30} And thou shalt love theLord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, andwith all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the firstcommandment.
God is--
--is one Lord.
Luke{17:21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for,behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
God is--
--within you.
John {3:33} He that hath received his testimony hath set to hisseal that God is true.
God is--
--true.
Acts {10:34} Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of atruth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: {10:35}But in every nation he that feareth him, and workethrighteousness, is accepted with him.
God is--
--no respector of persons.
Romans {11:23} And they also, if they abide not still inunbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them inagain.
God is--
--able to graff them in again.
Romans {14:4} Who art thou that judgestanother man’s servant? to his own master he standeth orfalleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to makehim stand.
God is--
--able to make him stand.
1 Cor. {1:25}Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and theweakness of God is stronger than men.
God is--
--wiser than men.
God is--
--stronger than men.
1 Cor. {14:33}For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as inall churches of the saints.
God is--
--not the author of confusion, but of peace.
Gal. {6:7} Be not deceived; God is not mocked: forwhatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap
God is--
--not mocked.
Hebrews {11:16} Butnow they desire a better [country,] that is, an heavenly:wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for hehath prepared for them a city.
God is--
--not ashamed to be called their God.
1 John {1:5} This then is the message which we have heard ofhim, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him isno darkness at all
God is--
--light and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John {3:20}For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart,and knoweth all things.
God is--
--greater than our heart.
1 John {5:9} If we receive the witness of men, the witness ofGod is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hathtestified of his Son.
The witness of God is--
--greater.
1 John {4:8} He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
God is--
--love.
1 John {4:16} And we have known and believed the love thatGod hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in lovedwelleth in God, and God in him.
God is--
--love.
God is able to raise children from stones, is one Lord, within you, true, no respector of persons, able to graff them in again, able to make him stand, wiser than men, stronger than men, not the author of confusion, but of peace, not mocked, not ashamed to be called their God, light and in him is no darkness at all, greater than our heart, greater, love, love.
God.
God is so much.
God is our everything.
With God- nothing is impossible, nothing.
Luke {18:26} And they that heardit said, Who then can be saved? {18:27} And he said, Thethings which are impossible with men are possible withGod.
Impossible with men, are possible with God.
We have to hold fast to that belief, hold it tight because it's true.
To us so much seems impossible, but with God nothing is. Our hope truly has to be with God, not with ourselves. We can't depend on ourselves for salvation, or to please God, or to do any good outside of God. God is love. We don't have a clue what love is if we don't know God. We need God if we desire love in our lives- to be loving, to be all God would have us to be. God is love. Man isn't love in and of himself. God is love and God in us can be love.
May God bless us all with His love, by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
God is--
--able to raise children from stones.
Mark {12:29} And Jesus answered him,The first of all the commandments [is,] Hear, O Israel; TheLord our God is one Lord: {12:30} And thou shalt love theLord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, andwith all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the firstcommandment.
God is--
--is one Lord.
Luke{17:21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for,behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
God is--
--within you.
John {3:33} He that hath received his testimony hath set to hisseal that God is true.
God is--
--true.
Acts {10:34} Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of atruth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: {10:35}But in every nation he that feareth him, and workethrighteousness, is accepted with him.
God is--
--no respector of persons.
Romans {11:23} And they also, if they abide not still inunbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them inagain.
God is--
--able to graff them in again.
Romans {14:4} Who art thou that judgestanother man’s servant? to his own master he standeth orfalleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to makehim stand.
God is--
--able to make him stand.
1 Cor. {1:25}Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and theweakness of God is stronger than men.
God is--
--wiser than men.
God is--
--stronger than men.
1 Cor. {14:33}For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as inall churches of the saints.
God is--
--not the author of confusion, but of peace.
Gal. {6:7} Be not deceived; God is not mocked: forwhatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap
God is--
--not mocked.
Hebrews {11:16} Butnow they desire a better [country,] that is, an heavenly:wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for hehath prepared for them a city.
God is--
--not ashamed to be called their God.
1 John {1:5} This then is the message which we have heard ofhim, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him isno darkness at all
God is--
--light and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John {3:20}For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart,and knoweth all things.
God is--
--greater than our heart.
1 John {5:9} If we receive the witness of men, the witness ofGod is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hathtestified of his Son.
The witness of God is--
--greater.
1 John {4:8} He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
God is--
--love.
1 John {4:16} And we have known and believed the love thatGod hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in lovedwelleth in God, and God in him.
God is--
--love.
God is able to raise children from stones, is one Lord, within you, true, no respector of persons, able to graff them in again, able to make him stand, wiser than men, stronger than men, not the author of confusion, but of peace, not mocked, not ashamed to be called their God, light and in him is no darkness at all, greater than our heart, greater, love, love.
God.
God is so much.
God is our everything.
With God- nothing is impossible, nothing.
Luke {18:26} And they that heardit said, Who then can be saved? {18:27} And he said, Thethings which are impossible with men are possible withGod.
Impossible with men, are possible with God.
We have to hold fast to that belief, hold it tight because it's true.
To us so much seems impossible, but with God nothing is. Our hope truly has to be with God, not with ourselves. We can't depend on ourselves for salvation, or to please God, or to do any good outside of God. God is love. We don't have a clue what love is if we don't know God. We need God if we desire love in our lives- to be loving, to be all God would have us to be. God is love. Man isn't love in and of himself. God is love and God in us can be love.
May God bless us all with His love, by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Not With Observation
Luke {17:20} And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation
*Isn't that a fascinating sentence?
Demanded by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come.
It's not unique wanting to know, it's as old as Jesus the wanting to know when Jesus will come again. The Pharisees asked Jesus Himself when it would happen and what did He tell them? Something we ALL need to take to heart.
'The kingdom of God cometh NOT with observation.'
Yes, we are to watch and that indicates observation but what are we told to watch for?
Mark {13:32} But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man,no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, butthe Father. {13:33} Take ye heed, watch and pray: for yeknow not when the time is. {13:34} [For the Son of man is]as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gaveauthority to his servants, and to every man his work, andcommanded the porter to watch. {13:35} Watch yetherefore: for ye know not when the master of the housecometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or inthe morning: {13:36} Lest coming suddenly he find yousleeping. {13:37} And what I say unto you I say unto all,Watch.
We are to watch the signs given, but even then we don't KNOW when it will be because only the Father knows.
Like a servant porter told to watch- he had to be on watch ALWAYS.
We have to watch ourselves. We have to watch our actions. We have to watch and make sure that we NEVER stop watching for our Master's return.
So while yes, we are told of many signs and we are to watch them, we aren't to keep our eyes focused on just the signs, just the current events pointing to the inevitable end. If all we do is note that the world is getting worse and worse and such and we don't WATCH ourselves to be ready, what good is it?
The Pharisees DEMANDED to know when the kingdom of God should come.
We can't be like them. We can't demand to know, we have to trust in Jesus' words which tell us that it will come 'NOT with observation.'
Watch and know, watch and pray, watch ourselves and our readiness.
You know whether or not you're sleeping on watch. That guard on duty knows then he's drowsy he can feel his head getting heavy, his eyes closing, his breathing start to even out. The responsibility of the guard is to stay awake and find ways to keep himself awake. We have to find ways to rouse ourselves to our duty to watch and stay awake.
Yes, there is a parable of the ten virgins where they ALL fall asleep and yet five prepared by having extra oil ready, and five didn't prepare.
We have to be prepared and ready for Christ. It is our duty to be ready by watching, by waiting, by studying, by praying, by looking for His coming while not demanding to know when. It will not come with observation.
Luke{17:21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
How true. Our readiness for God, our readiness for Christ's return doesn't rest on anything outside of us, it doesn't rest on any outward circumstances but rather it rests on us loving, seeking, trusting, believing in God's mercy and grace for us.
We can't allow ourselves to get caught up in the when, we just can't. If we get so caught up in the when we are going to miss out on everything. Our wanting to know, our desire to know is a good thing in proper perspective. Knowing the facts, knowing that things are unfolding as we were told they would be are all good things. But we have to be ready or all the watching will mean nothing if we're not ready and we can't delay our getting ready- waiting for some *closer* sign of His return. We could die tomorrow and have no need of any more signs.
We have to be ready always, not wait to get ready.
May God help us to learn of His love more fully and make it a reality to us all.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and always.
Amen.
*Isn't that a fascinating sentence?
Demanded by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come.
It's not unique wanting to know, it's as old as Jesus the wanting to know when Jesus will come again. The Pharisees asked Jesus Himself when it would happen and what did He tell them? Something we ALL need to take to heart.
'The kingdom of God cometh NOT with observation.'
Yes, we are to watch and that indicates observation but what are we told to watch for?
Mark {13:32} But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man,no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, butthe Father. {13:33} Take ye heed, watch and pray: for yeknow not when the time is. {13:34} [For the Son of man is]as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gaveauthority to his servants, and to every man his work, andcommanded the porter to watch. {13:35} Watch yetherefore: for ye know not when the master of the housecometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or inthe morning: {13:36} Lest coming suddenly he find yousleeping. {13:37} And what I say unto you I say unto all,Watch.
We are to watch the signs given, but even then we don't KNOW when it will be because only the Father knows.
Like a servant porter told to watch- he had to be on watch ALWAYS.
We have to watch ourselves. We have to watch our actions. We have to watch and make sure that we NEVER stop watching for our Master's return.
So while yes, we are told of many signs and we are to watch them, we aren't to keep our eyes focused on just the signs, just the current events pointing to the inevitable end. If all we do is note that the world is getting worse and worse and such and we don't WATCH ourselves to be ready, what good is it?
The Pharisees DEMANDED to know when the kingdom of God should come.
We can't be like them. We can't demand to know, we have to trust in Jesus' words which tell us that it will come 'NOT with observation.'
Watch and know, watch and pray, watch ourselves and our readiness.
You know whether or not you're sleeping on watch. That guard on duty knows then he's drowsy he can feel his head getting heavy, his eyes closing, his breathing start to even out. The responsibility of the guard is to stay awake and find ways to keep himself awake. We have to find ways to rouse ourselves to our duty to watch and stay awake.
Yes, there is a parable of the ten virgins where they ALL fall asleep and yet five prepared by having extra oil ready, and five didn't prepare.
We have to be prepared and ready for Christ. It is our duty to be ready by watching, by waiting, by studying, by praying, by looking for His coming while not demanding to know when. It will not come with observation.
Luke{17:21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
How true. Our readiness for God, our readiness for Christ's return doesn't rest on anything outside of us, it doesn't rest on any outward circumstances but rather it rests on us loving, seeking, trusting, believing in God's mercy and grace for us.
We can't allow ourselves to get caught up in the when, we just can't. If we get so caught up in the when we are going to miss out on everything. Our wanting to know, our desire to know is a good thing in proper perspective. Knowing the facts, knowing that things are unfolding as we were told they would be are all good things. But we have to be ready or all the watching will mean nothing if we're not ready and we can't delay our getting ready- waiting for some *closer* sign of His return. We could die tomorrow and have no need of any more signs.
We have to be ready always, not wait to get ready.
May God help us to learn of His love more fully and make it a reality to us all.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and always.
Amen.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Understanding Love
“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? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”- 1 John 4:20-21
Is it easier to love God than our brother isn't it?
In some respects it is, in others maybe not.
We look at our brothers in different ways. They're just people like we are. They're sinners like we are. They're undeserving as we all and just as needy as we are, they are us in a lot of ways.
Love others as yourself, as you would be loved not conditional upon your thinking you are an amazing, wonderful, deserving person. If you hate yourself are you to still love your brother? Or is hating yourself license to hate others?
That can't be right can it?
Do we like others in proportion to how much we like ourselves?
I know people who think they are the most wonderful things in all the world and people should almost literally bow down to their superiority and you know what- they generally don't seem all that loving towards others.
To me it almost seems the more self-love there is the more conceit there is and the more contempt for others.
Two opposite extremes perhaps. Hating yourself and the world around you, loving yourself to the point you can love no others. There has to be a middle ground and I believe that middle ground is found in loving others as we desire to be love.
Time and again we see movies we call sappy those that have happy ever after endings after much drama, many tears and anguish, lives in the gutter brought up out of the gutter. We want the same but realism often tells us our circumstances won't change miraculously. We might feel like we're in a hopeless situation and often times we are because life isn't a dream. Those who rise above are the few.
God wants us to rise above, to reach out to him.
The way we count success isn't the way God counts success.
Apart from God we are nothing and we try to be something but we flounder. We can create amazing worlds for ourselves and yet apart from God they are worthless.
How are we to love our brothers? How are we to love others? How are we to act?
We are to love God and love others and to do that we have to know what love is. The Bible tells us God is love. So we are to act as God does. God cares for others in such an amazing way it's all but incomprehensible to us.
“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? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”- 1 John 4:20-21
With love as the common denominator it has to be amazingly important.
Is love something we have automatically or is it something we cultivate?
Love is something I think I'll study for a bit.
May God help us as we seek to understand love, as we long to be loving to our fellow man, as we desperately seek to love Him most of all.
By His Grace and Mercy now and always.
Amen.
Is it easier to love God than our brother isn't it?
In some respects it is, in others maybe not.
We look at our brothers in different ways. They're just people like we are. They're sinners like we are. They're undeserving as we all and just as needy as we are, they are us in a lot of ways.
Love others as yourself, as you would be loved not conditional upon your thinking you are an amazing, wonderful, deserving person. If you hate yourself are you to still love your brother? Or is hating yourself license to hate others?
That can't be right can it?
Do we like others in proportion to how much we like ourselves?
I know people who think they are the most wonderful things in all the world and people should almost literally bow down to their superiority and you know what- they generally don't seem all that loving towards others.
To me it almost seems the more self-love there is the more conceit there is and the more contempt for others.
Two opposite extremes perhaps. Hating yourself and the world around you, loving yourself to the point you can love no others. There has to be a middle ground and I believe that middle ground is found in loving others as we desire to be love.
Time and again we see movies we call sappy those that have happy ever after endings after much drama, many tears and anguish, lives in the gutter brought up out of the gutter. We want the same but realism often tells us our circumstances won't change miraculously. We might feel like we're in a hopeless situation and often times we are because life isn't a dream. Those who rise above are the few.
God wants us to rise above, to reach out to him.
The way we count success isn't the way God counts success.
Apart from God we are nothing and we try to be something but we flounder. We can create amazing worlds for ourselves and yet apart from God they are worthless.
How are we to love our brothers? How are we to love others? How are we to act?
We are to love God and love others and to do that we have to know what love is. The Bible tells us God is love. So we are to act as God does. God cares for others in such an amazing way it's all but incomprehensible to us.
“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? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”- 1 John 4:20-21
With love as the common denominator it has to be amazingly important.
Is love something we have automatically or is it something we cultivate?
Love is something I think I'll study for a bit.
May God help us as we seek to understand love, as we long to be loving to our fellow man, as we desperately seek to love Him most of all.
By His Grace and Mercy now and always.
Amen.
The Choice is Ours.
Isaiah {65:17} For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. {65:18} But be ye glad and rejoice for ever [in that] which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.{65:19} And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.{65:20} There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner [being] an hundred years old shall be accursed. {65:21} And they shall build houses, and inhabit [them;] and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.{65:22} They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree [are] the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. {65:23} They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they [are] the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. {65:24} And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. {65:25} The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust [shall be] the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD
Promises.
To be fulfilled? Left unfulfilled? Conditional? Unconditional?
God did make promises to those who would be His elect people and yet over and over and over His elect would abandon Him. They'd have a crisis of faith and in that crisis turn to other gods.
When we make promises to people often they are conditional too, aren't they?
We promise we'll do something as long as the one we are promising will do something first.
Usually what we are promising is an incentive for those we are making the promise to, so they'll be more inclined to follow through on their end of things.
I know I've promised my children to reward them if they completed certain things within a certain time. You can bet they learned early on that I meant what I said when they failed to follow through on their end of things and therefore what I'd promised never came to pass. What good is a promise if it's not kept? No good at all, its empty and pointless.
When it comes to relationships between men and women promises are often made aren't they? A marriage ceremony is based on promises. Those promises are meant to be kept and if they aren't then consequences follow.
God promised to make a covenant with His chosen people and He did make the covenant. That covenant was conditional. If the covenant is kept then the promises would be kept, if the covenant was broken the promises are null and void.
God asked NOTHING that was impossible. He didn't ask men to sprout wings and fly and He'd be their God. He asked them primarily to have NO other gods before Him, none!
Time and again the promise was broken, the covenant broken.
While God included a way for people to be forgiven and still be His people and did not just destroy them outright, He never promised there would be no consequences to the sinning. Maybe there would not be eternal death, but sin is something by its very nature that brings about ruin in one way or another.
These verses in Isaiah talk of a new heaven and a new earth, they talk of an idyllic setting for a way of life and yet the promise was for the future and it was a promise that was made upon the condition of God's elect- truly being His elect.
Seriously, just as we can make promises of a grand future for someone and yet that someone turns their back on us, are we inclined to still offer that grand future for them? Not in that way, maybe in another way and there too based on whether or not they have a true love for us, a love that is full of faith and truth.
We can't look for the idealized life here in this world now. Sin has permeated this earth, the entire globe in every continent so completely that there isn't a way for any sort of idealize life to exist here and now, not truly, not without death and heartache of any sort.
Our hope is in Christ's return.
We need to be His elect.
We need to hold fast to Him and His righteousness. By His grace and mercy we are saved and we will be with Him.
The choice is ours. We can keep the promise to be God's elect by the grace of God through Jesus' sacrifice, or we can choose another path- God forbid.
May God help us one and all to be His and that His will be done, now and forever.
Amen.
Promises.
To be fulfilled? Left unfulfilled? Conditional? Unconditional?
God did make promises to those who would be His elect people and yet over and over and over His elect would abandon Him. They'd have a crisis of faith and in that crisis turn to other gods.
When we make promises to people often they are conditional too, aren't they?
We promise we'll do something as long as the one we are promising will do something first.
Usually what we are promising is an incentive for those we are making the promise to, so they'll be more inclined to follow through on their end of things.
I know I've promised my children to reward them if they completed certain things within a certain time. You can bet they learned early on that I meant what I said when they failed to follow through on their end of things and therefore what I'd promised never came to pass. What good is a promise if it's not kept? No good at all, its empty and pointless.
When it comes to relationships between men and women promises are often made aren't they? A marriage ceremony is based on promises. Those promises are meant to be kept and if they aren't then consequences follow.
God promised to make a covenant with His chosen people and He did make the covenant. That covenant was conditional. If the covenant is kept then the promises would be kept, if the covenant was broken the promises are null and void.
God asked NOTHING that was impossible. He didn't ask men to sprout wings and fly and He'd be their God. He asked them primarily to have NO other gods before Him, none!
Time and again the promise was broken, the covenant broken.
While God included a way for people to be forgiven and still be His people and did not just destroy them outright, He never promised there would be no consequences to the sinning. Maybe there would not be eternal death, but sin is something by its very nature that brings about ruin in one way or another.
These verses in Isaiah talk of a new heaven and a new earth, they talk of an idyllic setting for a way of life and yet the promise was for the future and it was a promise that was made upon the condition of God's elect- truly being His elect.
Seriously, just as we can make promises of a grand future for someone and yet that someone turns their back on us, are we inclined to still offer that grand future for them? Not in that way, maybe in another way and there too based on whether or not they have a true love for us, a love that is full of faith and truth.
We can't look for the idealized life here in this world now. Sin has permeated this earth, the entire globe in every continent so completely that there isn't a way for any sort of idealize life to exist here and now, not truly, not without death and heartache of any sort.
Our hope is in Christ's return.
We need to be His elect.
We need to hold fast to Him and His righteousness. By His grace and mercy we are saved and we will be with Him.
The choice is ours. We can keep the promise to be God's elect by the grace of God through Jesus' sacrifice, or we can choose another path- God forbid.
May God help us one and all to be His and that His will be done, now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
End of the Sanctuary Study
We're going to wrap up the current study on the Sanctuary today, but not call it finished because there might be more we need to delve into.
Rounding this off with a Watch Paper snippet from 2003--
'By limiting the final ministry of Christ to the Most Holy Place is to ignore the typical significance of the movements of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.
To fail to focus on the final ministry depicted as transpiring in the Court is to severe the climax of the Three Angels' Messages from the sanctuary to which the first angel directed attention - "the hour of the judgment of Him is come" (Rev. 14:7; Gr.)
These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Not only is the final atonement typified in the sanctuary service, but prophets of God saw, in visions given to them, activities related to that day.
One command given in the instructions for the Day of Atonement was that the High Priest must wear the holy linen garments (Lev. 16:4).Ezekiel in vision saw that the man with a writer's inkhorn by his side was "clothed in linen" (9:2, 3, 11).He received instructions to place a mark on those that sigh and cry for the abominations committed in Jerusalem while standing "beside the brazen altar." He who was enthroned above the cherubim had moved to "the threshold of the house" to give this command. In the final ministry the One on the throne unites with the One clothed in linen.This follows the type of Leviticus 16:18 - the mingled blood of goat and bullock for the cleansing of the Altar.
In Zechariah 3, the "men of wonder" (v. 8; margin) are those whom the Lord has "caused (their) iniquity to pass from (them)" and whom He has clothed "with a change of raiment" (v. 4).
This is a part of the final conflict between Christ and Satan (v. 1-2) which will be resolved in the "court."
We have been reminded that: Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day of atonement." (Testimonies Vol 5, p. 472)'
--- (2003 Aug) WWN William Grotheer
*******
The final conflict.
Where will we all be during the final conflict?
Will we recognize the final conflict?
The Bible tells us that people will be marrying and taken unaware-
Matthew {24:36} But of that day and hour knoweth no [man,] no,not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. {24:37} Butas the days of Noe [were,] so shall also the coming of theSon of man be. {24:38} For as in the days that were beforethe flood they were eating and drinking, marrying andgiving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into theark, {24:39} And knew not until the flood came, and tookthem all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of manbe. {24:40} Then shall two be in the field; the one shall betaken, and the other left. {24:41} Two [women shall be]grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.{24:42} Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour yourLord doth come.
'They knew not until the flood came...'
It's a logical question to ask will we recognize the final conflict.
People like to believe there will be some major happening that will convince them that NOW is the time to be ready. That it's coming! A nuclear bomb explodes- it's time! A war breaks out between two major world power countries! There is an infectious disease outbreak that kills millions! An earthquake totally destroys a major city and millions of people! You name it, insert your catastrophe here and what you think it will take for YOU to believe the final conflict is under way.
By the time many get an inkling it'll be too late- they knew not until the flood came. They knew then didn't they. The flood began and they knew they had time to recognize the truth of their situation and then what happened? '...knew not until the flood came and took them all away...' They weren't saved at the last moment because they recognized the truth of their situation finally. They were taken away, they were killed, they died, they weren't saved.
We can't wait, it's a mistake to wait for anything. You could die in the next moment and die not being ready because you're waiting for something. We have to be ready while we are waiting, not waiting to get ready.
The suddenness of the end will take the majority unaware- just like the analogy of someone standing next to you disappearing before your eyes, you'll definitely be shocked by that wouldn't you? Poof, it happens!
If you're expecting someone to disappear it's not surprising.
We have to watch so we are ready because we don't know the exact time.
If we're watching for Christ to return, we're not going to be surprised by Him coming, but ready.
If we were waiting for the flood, when it came we wouldn't be surprised. Just like a news forecast predicting a storm. We're not surprised when it's there. But if we're not listening to the news to hear the predicting, or if we ignore what's being said and blow it off, then yes we are surprised when the storm hits.
What's all this to do with the Sanctuary service and the Atonement?
When we look at the services and correlate them to the ministry of Christ we have to know what's what- let's reread the last snippet from the thought paper by Grotheer.
*
'By limiting the final ministry of Christ to the Most Holy Place is to ignore the typical significance of the movements of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.
To fail to focus on the final ministry depicted as transpiring in the Court is to sever the climax of the Three Angels' Messages from the sanctuary to which the first angel directed attention - "the hour of the judgment of Him is come" (Rev. 14:7; Gr.)
These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Not only is the final atonement typified in the sanctuary service, but prophets of God saw, in visions given to them, activities related to that day.
One command given in the instructions for the Day of Atonement was that the High Priest must wear the holy linen garments (Lev. 16:4).Ezekiel in vision saw that the man with a writer's inkhorn by his side was "clothed in linen" (9:2, 3, 11).He received instructions to place a mark on those that sigh and cry for the abominations committed in Jerusalem while standing "beside the brazen altar." He who was enthroned above the cherubim had moved to "the threshold of the house" to give this command. In the final ministry the One on the throne unites with the One clothed in linen.This follows the type of Leviticus 16:18 - the mingled blood of goat and bullock for the cleansing of the Altar.
In Zechariah 3, the "men of wonder" (v. 8; margin) are those whom the Lord has "caused (their) iniquity to pass from (them)" and whom He has clothed "with a change of raiment" (v. 4).
This is a part of the final conflict between Christ and Satan (v. 1-2) which will be resolved in the "court."
We have been reminded that: Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day of atonement." (Testimonies Vol 5, p. 472)'
*
Where are we now? We know that the Times of the Gentiles has been fulfilled, that in 1980 after a series of probation periods the time for the corporate judgment was up and the judging moved to the individual. Soon, so very soon as the judging is made there will be declared those who will have a mark placed on them- a seal of God and those who will embrace the beast and receive his mark. The cleansing will be complete, and there will be those who are clothed in Christ's Righteousness and those who are left in filthy rags.
Remember this--These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Are we going to be among those who are 'eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, {24:39} And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away'
Or are we going to be among those who yes... eat, drink, marry, but live our lives knowing that Christ is coming, that the flood is on its way. We don't live our day to day lives under the pretense that Christ isn't coming, that we shouldn't be ready and waiting, watching and praying.
May our Lord and Savior by His grace and mercy help us to be ready for His return, help us to be among those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus, forever watching, praying and waiting, hoping.
Amen.
Rounding this off with a Watch Paper snippet from 2003--
'By limiting the final ministry of Christ to the Most Holy Place is to ignore the typical significance of the movements of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.
To fail to focus on the final ministry depicted as transpiring in the Court is to severe the climax of the Three Angels' Messages from the sanctuary to which the first angel directed attention - "the hour of the judgment of Him is come" (Rev. 14:7; Gr.)
These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Not only is the final atonement typified in the sanctuary service, but prophets of God saw, in visions given to them, activities related to that day.
One command given in the instructions for the Day of Atonement was that the High Priest must wear the holy linen garments (Lev. 16:4).Ezekiel in vision saw that the man with a writer's inkhorn by his side was "clothed in linen" (9:2, 3, 11).He received instructions to place a mark on those that sigh and cry for the abominations committed in Jerusalem while standing "beside the brazen altar." He who was enthroned above the cherubim had moved to "the threshold of the house" to give this command. In the final ministry the One on the throne unites with the One clothed in linen.This follows the type of Leviticus 16:18 - the mingled blood of goat and bullock for the cleansing of the Altar.
In Zechariah 3, the "men of wonder" (v. 8; margin) are those whom the Lord has "caused (their) iniquity to pass from (them)" and whom He has clothed "with a change of raiment" (v. 4).
This is a part of the final conflict between Christ and Satan (v. 1-2) which will be resolved in the "court."
We have been reminded that: Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day of atonement." (Testimonies Vol 5, p. 472)'
--- (2003 Aug) WWN William Grotheer
*******
The final conflict.
Where will we all be during the final conflict?
Will we recognize the final conflict?
The Bible tells us that people will be marrying and taken unaware-
Matthew {24:36} But of that day and hour knoweth no [man,] no,not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. {24:37} Butas the days of Noe [were,] so shall also the coming of theSon of man be. {24:38} For as in the days that were beforethe flood they were eating and drinking, marrying andgiving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into theark, {24:39} And knew not until the flood came, and tookthem all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of manbe. {24:40} Then shall two be in the field; the one shall betaken, and the other left. {24:41} Two [women shall be]grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.{24:42} Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour yourLord doth come.
'They knew not until the flood came...'
It's a logical question to ask will we recognize the final conflict.
People like to believe there will be some major happening that will convince them that NOW is the time to be ready. That it's coming! A nuclear bomb explodes- it's time! A war breaks out between two major world power countries! There is an infectious disease outbreak that kills millions! An earthquake totally destroys a major city and millions of people! You name it, insert your catastrophe here and what you think it will take for YOU to believe the final conflict is under way.
By the time many get an inkling it'll be too late- they knew not until the flood came. They knew then didn't they. The flood began and they knew they had time to recognize the truth of their situation and then what happened? '...knew not until the flood came and took them all away...' They weren't saved at the last moment because they recognized the truth of their situation finally. They were taken away, they were killed, they died, they weren't saved.
We can't wait, it's a mistake to wait for anything. You could die in the next moment and die not being ready because you're waiting for something. We have to be ready while we are waiting, not waiting to get ready.
The suddenness of the end will take the majority unaware- just like the analogy of someone standing next to you disappearing before your eyes, you'll definitely be shocked by that wouldn't you? Poof, it happens!
If you're expecting someone to disappear it's not surprising.
We have to watch so we are ready because we don't know the exact time.
If we're watching for Christ to return, we're not going to be surprised by Him coming, but ready.
If we were waiting for the flood, when it came we wouldn't be surprised. Just like a news forecast predicting a storm. We're not surprised when it's there. But if we're not listening to the news to hear the predicting, or if we ignore what's being said and blow it off, then yes we are surprised when the storm hits.
What's all this to do with the Sanctuary service and the Atonement?
When we look at the services and correlate them to the ministry of Christ we have to know what's what- let's reread the last snippet from the thought paper by Grotheer.
*
'By limiting the final ministry of Christ to the Most Holy Place is to ignore the typical significance of the movements of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.
To fail to focus on the final ministry depicted as transpiring in the Court is to sever the climax of the Three Angels' Messages from the sanctuary to which the first angel directed attention - "the hour of the judgment of Him is come" (Rev. 14:7; Gr.)
These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Not only is the final atonement typified in the sanctuary service, but prophets of God saw, in visions given to them, activities related to that day.
One command given in the instructions for the Day of Atonement was that the High Priest must wear the holy linen garments (Lev. 16:4).Ezekiel in vision saw that the man with a writer's inkhorn by his side was "clothed in linen" (9:2, 3, 11).He received instructions to place a mark on those that sigh and cry for the abominations committed in Jerusalem while standing "beside the brazen altar." He who was enthroned above the cherubim had moved to "the threshold of the house" to give this command. In the final ministry the One on the throne unites with the One clothed in linen.This follows the type of Leviticus 16:18 - the mingled blood of goat and bullock for the cleansing of the Altar.
In Zechariah 3, the "men of wonder" (v. 8; margin) are those whom the Lord has "caused (their) iniquity to pass from (them)" and whom He has clothed "with a change of raiment" (v. 4).
This is a part of the final conflict between Christ and Satan (v. 1-2) which will be resolved in the "court."
We have been reminded that: Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day of atonement." (Testimonies Vol 5, p. 472)'
*
Where are we now? We know that the Times of the Gentiles has been fulfilled, that in 1980 after a series of probation periods the time for the corporate judgment was up and the judging moved to the individual. Soon, so very soon as the judging is made there will be declared those who will have a mark placed on them- a seal of God and those who will embrace the beast and receive his mark. The cleansing will be complete, and there will be those who are clothed in Christ's Righteousness and those who are left in filthy rags.
Remember this--These messages are to produce a people "who keep [not "are trying to keep"] the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (verse 12).
Are we going to be among those who are 'eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, {24:39} And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away'
Or are we going to be among those who yes... eat, drink, marry, but live our lives knowing that Christ is coming, that the flood is on its way. We don't live our day to day lives under the pretense that Christ isn't coming, that we shouldn't be ready and waiting, watching and praying.
May our Lord and Savior by His grace and mercy help us to be ready for His return, help us to be among those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus, forever watching, praying and waiting, hoping.
Amen.
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