Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
We HAVE to believe this!
We must take it to heart!
O VAIN MAN.
We are incredibly vain, incredibly. We believe more easily in our own works and NOT the works of our faith. We believe in our own vanity more than works of faith. We want to have faith without WORKS. We want to say we believe and have that be everything there is. We want to say 'By grace we are saved through faith and NOT of works' and have that mean that the works of faith are something we should not do! Of course we cannot boast we are saved by our own works! It's ludicrous for us to believe we can save ourselves. Without grace we are lost and there is NOTHING that can change that, nothing at all. We will NEVER be saved by works, never be saved by our own actions. We are only saved by the grace of God, by the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The works that come from faith will be wrought by us through Jesus. He saves us and when He saves us we need to seek to be as He is, be as He told us over and over again in His word. We cannot claim salvation and then ignore our Savior and His admonitions to us.
How can we read the above verses-
Faith without works is dead.
Abraham justified by faith.
Rahab the harlot justified by works.
Faith without works is dead.
How can we read the above verses and turn around and say we do not have to have faith works- work wrought from our faith?
We can't, we just can't.
Our faith will require actions from us and those actions are works, faith works. So if anyone tells us we are not saved by works we can tell them they're right in one sense of the word- we are not saved by our own works committed out of vanity, we are saved by faith and that results in works of faith.
By the grace of God may we have faith works in our lives. When God calls us into action may we listen and obey, committing the works of faith He requires of us, all in His love!
Amen.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Devils also believe
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
What a statement!
It's great that we believe- but even devils believe!
It isn't enough to simply believe. People love to believe that it is enough to simply believe. They take a verse from the Bible here and another there and then they ignore so many others just to keep their precious belief that they do NOT have to do anything other than have faith. Their lives do not have to reflect Christ's, their belief can be a secret belief. They can do as they please, live as they please and as long as they believe Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior then they will be His. People REALLY believe this.
Yes, it is true that without faith we cannot please God.
Yes, it is true that faith is super important.
It's is faith that has us believe in God, but our belief in God must result in actions that God exhorts us through His word to undertake. Devils believe! Devils have faith that Jesus is the Savior, they KNOW He is, the DEVIL himself knows that Jesus is the Savior of mankind. They believe, in fact they believe more than a lot of humans truly believe.
We are told here that it is GOOD that we believe in God, that God exists.
is one.G1520 G1510.2.3
G1510
- Transliteration: Eimi
- Phonetic: i-mee'
- Definition:
1. to be, to exist, to happen, to be present
- Origin: the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb
- TDNT entry: 08:38,2
- Part(s) of speech: Verb
- Strong's: First person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist (used only when emphatic): - am have been X it is I was. See also G1488 G1498 G1511 G1527 G2258 G2071 G2070 G2075 G2076 G2771 G2468 G5600.
This is more than God is one, this is saying that God exists in a very real way.
We are told that it is good that God exists and yet we are told that devils believe, and NOT only do devils believe they tremble.
That work for tremble--
G5425
- Transliteration: Phrisso
- Phonetic: fris'-so
- Definition:
1. to bristle, stiffen stand up
2. to shudder, to be struck with extreme fear, to be horrified
They are horrified, they are fill with fear, they KNOW what it means that God exists! They know what it means that God is real and this means they have a fate that is decided, they will perish! We will share that fate if we only believe as the devils believe. If our belief isn't a reality in our lives, if our Savior isn't a reality to us in all we do then we are in danger.
Time and time again I bring the following verses up…
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
So many believe they are prophesying in Jesus' name.
So many believe they are casting out devils in Jesus' name.
So many believe they are doing many wonderful works in Jesus' name.
So many believe … just as devils believe only the devils aren't deluding themselves with their belief, they fear because they know the power of Jesus and what it means for their future.
Please Lord, help us to believe and from that belief do the works YOU would have us do, please!
Forgive us our unworthiness Lord, help us to know You and please KNOW US.
In Your love!
Amen.
What a statement!
It's great that we believe- but even devils believe!
It isn't enough to simply believe. People love to believe that it is enough to simply believe. They take a verse from the Bible here and another there and then they ignore so many others just to keep their precious belief that they do NOT have to do anything other than have faith. Their lives do not have to reflect Christ's, their belief can be a secret belief. They can do as they please, live as they please and as long as they believe Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior then they will be His. People REALLY believe this.
Yes, it is true that without faith we cannot please God.
Yes, it is true that faith is super important.
It's is faith that has us believe in God, but our belief in God must result in actions that God exhorts us through His word to undertake. Devils believe! Devils have faith that Jesus is the Savior, they KNOW He is, the DEVIL himself knows that Jesus is the Savior of mankind. They believe, in fact they believe more than a lot of humans truly believe.
We are told here that it is GOOD that we believe in God, that God exists.
is one.G1520 G1510.2.3
G1510
- Transliteration: Eimi
- Phonetic: i-mee'
- Definition:
1. to be, to exist, to happen, to be present
- Origin: the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb
- TDNT entry: 08:38,2
- Part(s) of speech: Verb
- Strong's: First person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist (used only when emphatic): - am have been X it is I was. See also G1488 G1498 G1511 G1527 G2258 G2071 G2070 G2075 G2076 G2771 G2468 G5600.
This is more than God is one, this is saying that God exists in a very real way.
We are told that it is good that God exists and yet we are told that devils believe, and NOT only do devils believe they tremble.
That work for tremble--
G5425
- Transliteration: Phrisso
- Phonetic: fris'-so
- Definition:
1. to bristle, stiffen stand up
2. to shudder, to be struck with extreme fear, to be horrified
They are horrified, they are fill with fear, they KNOW what it means that God exists! They know what it means that God is real and this means they have a fate that is decided, they will perish! We will share that fate if we only believe as the devils believe. If our belief isn't a reality in our lives, if our Savior isn't a reality to us in all we do then we are in danger.
Time and time again I bring the following verses up…
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
So many believe they are prophesying in Jesus' name.
So many believe they are casting out devils in Jesus' name.
So many believe they are doing many wonderful works in Jesus' name.
So many believe … just as devils believe only the devils aren't deluding themselves with their belief, they fear because they know the power of Jesus and what it means for their future.
Please Lord, help us to believe and from that belief do the works YOU would have us do, please!
Forgive us our unworthiness Lord, help us to know You and please KNOW US.
In Your love!
Amen.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Faith by works
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Our Savior healed- bodies, minds, spirits. Our Savior never ignored a need but met it wherever He could. Our Savior did not see a single person in need of healing and pass him or her by. The message of the kingdom of heaven is found in Jesus and His great example to us. No, we do not have the power He had through his connection to the Father, our sins have separated us from God. Jesus was sinless and kept His connection to the Father perfectly. The Father, and the Holy Spirit could work through our Savior because there was NOTHING separating them from Jesus, nothing.
Our Savior could perform miracles because of His perfection. The apostles were given the ability to perform miracles through their connection to Jesus, through the fact He forgave them their sins and they were cleansed by Him. He gave them their power just as God gave power to Jesus and Jesus used NO power of His own. The power the apostles used was Jesus', not theirs, they did NOT manufacture it, they were receptacles for that power and when they received the power they used it as Jesus wanted them to.
Remember this--
Act 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
These men USED Jesus' name but they were NOT connected to Jesus, they did not love Jesus, they did not have any power from Jesus and no authority to act on His behalf. These men had NO faith in our Savior, none. They thought they could simply say the name of Jesus and the power was in merely uttering His name, but they were very wrong. Is there power in Jesus' name? Yes, but there is no power in Jesus' name without a pure love for Him- it's impossible.
Those men who dared to use Jesus' name without any love for Him met with a catastrophe. The evil spirit spoke to them and said- Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you? Paul had the power of Jesus in Him through the love he had for the Savior and the evil spirit knew this. The evil spirit understood the power of God in Jesus, and the evil spirit knew that these men had NO power whatsoever to harm it.
We need to have a faith that has works-- natural works as a result of the faith we possess. We cannot say we have faith and believe in our Savior and then totally ignore all the things Jesus took to heart. We have to live as He lived, love like He loved, care like He cared. We might not have the power that He had, our faith might not be as pure as that of the apostles, but we have to believe and use whatever means we do possess to do the works of faith in Jesus.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
By the grace of God may we show our faith by our works! All through the love of Jesus, all through the love of our Savior, all through His power!
In Him Always!!!!!!!
Amen!
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Our Savior healed- bodies, minds, spirits. Our Savior never ignored a need but met it wherever He could. Our Savior did not see a single person in need of healing and pass him or her by. The message of the kingdom of heaven is found in Jesus and His great example to us. No, we do not have the power He had through his connection to the Father, our sins have separated us from God. Jesus was sinless and kept His connection to the Father perfectly. The Father, and the Holy Spirit could work through our Savior because there was NOTHING separating them from Jesus, nothing.
Our Savior could perform miracles because of His perfection. The apostles were given the ability to perform miracles through their connection to Jesus, through the fact He forgave them their sins and they were cleansed by Him. He gave them their power just as God gave power to Jesus and Jesus used NO power of His own. The power the apostles used was Jesus', not theirs, they did NOT manufacture it, they were receptacles for that power and when they received the power they used it as Jesus wanted them to.
Remember this--
Act 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
These men USED Jesus' name but they were NOT connected to Jesus, they did not love Jesus, they did not have any power from Jesus and no authority to act on His behalf. These men had NO faith in our Savior, none. They thought they could simply say the name of Jesus and the power was in merely uttering His name, but they were very wrong. Is there power in Jesus' name? Yes, but there is no power in Jesus' name without a pure love for Him- it's impossible.
Those men who dared to use Jesus' name without any love for Him met with a catastrophe. The evil spirit spoke to them and said- Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you? Paul had the power of Jesus in Him through the love he had for the Savior and the evil spirit knew this. The evil spirit understood the power of God in Jesus, and the evil spirit knew that these men had NO power whatsoever to harm it.
We need to have a faith that has works-- natural works as a result of the faith we possess. We cannot say we have faith and believe in our Savior and then totally ignore all the things Jesus took to heart. We have to live as He lived, love like He loved, care like He cared. We might not have the power that He had, our faith might not be as pure as that of the apostles, but we have to believe and use whatever means we do possess to do the works of faith in Jesus.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
By the grace of God may we show our faith by our works! All through the love of Jesus, all through the love of our Savior, all through His power!
In Him Always!!!!!!!
Amen!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Mercy rejoices against judgment
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
If we show no mercy- we will receive no mercy.
If we show mercy- we will receive mercy.
We are judged with mercy and without mercy and it depends upon us which we will receive.
Much like the Lord's teaching prayer- we are forgiven only as we forgive.
We cannot expect to treat others horrifically and be shown mercy, we just can't. We can't expect to be mean, to be spiteful, to be selfish, to be demanding, to be ornery, to be all that is contrary to love and then expect to receive love.
So many say that God forgives us- even the most horrible among us- but they forget to say that God forgives us and expects in us a change. True repentance brings true change, yes?
How awful do we view men who beat women? We find it appalling how many women will say over and over again that the man didn't mean to do it, that he's sorry and he'll change- only to have him turn around and do it again. We want these women to leave the abusive men don't we? Also, the woman who abuses the man- and do NOT make the mistake of thinking this doesn't happen it does more than we care to imagine. We make judgment calls and yet forget to judge ourselves in our own sins. Our sins we view as lesser offenses and not so appalling. I'm NOT advocating having anyone stay in an abusive relationship but I think we need to realize how often our relationship to God is shaped in the same vein- an abusive relationship.
We offend God over and over and He forgives us, allowing us to remain with Him over and over. Yet in our Lord's teachings we know that there has to be true repentance, yes? A true seeking of forgiveness, right? A growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord.
Yet how many people reading this right now have sins that so easily beset them? How man people consider themselves wretched people because they only seem to fail over and over again to meet the high standard of perfection set?
We KNOW God's word tells us we must forgive to be forgiven, that we must show mercy to receive mercy. Even as we might be caught in a web of our sins, tangled in sins that seem to be thorns in our sides that only go deeper and deeper the more we try to remove them, we MUST show others compassion, forgiveness, mercy. What we find incredibly hard to forgive in ourselves we must forgive of others. Where we fail to give mercy to our own failings we MUST show mercy to others in theirs! Just because we fail to receive from ourselves or from others, does NOT mean we should fail to give.
These are GOD'S WORDS-
1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
This mercy we are told to extend to others if we have hope to receive mercy means so much more than we can truly imagine.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
We need to receive mercy desperately, and as such we MUST show mercy towards others in all things.
Please Lord, help us stop abusing You in our sins, help us to show mercy and forgiveness to others in big things and in all the many small things. Help us Lord without You we are lost.
In Your love!!!!!!!
If we show no mercy- we will receive no mercy.
If we show mercy- we will receive mercy.
We are judged with mercy and without mercy and it depends upon us which we will receive.
Much like the Lord's teaching prayer- we are forgiven only as we forgive.
We cannot expect to treat others horrifically and be shown mercy, we just can't. We can't expect to be mean, to be spiteful, to be selfish, to be demanding, to be ornery, to be all that is contrary to love and then expect to receive love.
So many say that God forgives us- even the most horrible among us- but they forget to say that God forgives us and expects in us a change. True repentance brings true change, yes?
How awful do we view men who beat women? We find it appalling how many women will say over and over again that the man didn't mean to do it, that he's sorry and he'll change- only to have him turn around and do it again. We want these women to leave the abusive men don't we? Also, the woman who abuses the man- and do NOT make the mistake of thinking this doesn't happen it does more than we care to imagine. We make judgment calls and yet forget to judge ourselves in our own sins. Our sins we view as lesser offenses and not so appalling. I'm NOT advocating having anyone stay in an abusive relationship but I think we need to realize how often our relationship to God is shaped in the same vein- an abusive relationship.
We offend God over and over and He forgives us, allowing us to remain with Him over and over. Yet in our Lord's teachings we know that there has to be true repentance, yes? A true seeking of forgiveness, right? A growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord.
Yet how many people reading this right now have sins that so easily beset them? How man people consider themselves wretched people because they only seem to fail over and over again to meet the high standard of perfection set?
We KNOW God's word tells us we must forgive to be forgiven, that we must show mercy to receive mercy. Even as we might be caught in a web of our sins, tangled in sins that seem to be thorns in our sides that only go deeper and deeper the more we try to remove them, we MUST show others compassion, forgiveness, mercy. What we find incredibly hard to forgive in ourselves we must forgive of others. Where we fail to give mercy to our own failings we MUST show mercy to others in theirs! Just because we fail to receive from ourselves or from others, does NOT mean we should fail to give.
These are GOD'S WORDS-
1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
This mercy we are told to extend to others if we have hope to receive mercy means so much more than we can truly imagine.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
We need to receive mercy desperately, and as such we MUST show mercy towards others in all things.
Please Lord, help us stop abusing You in our sins, help us to show mercy and forgiveness to others in big things and in all the many small things. Help us Lord without You we are lost.
In Your love!!!!!!!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Law of liberty
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Judged by the law of liberty. The law of freedom.
Definition:
1. liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation
2. fancied liberty
a. licence, the liberty to do as one pleases
3. true liberty is living as we should not as we please
True liberty is LIVING as we should NOT as we please.
The law of liberty. The law of our freedom exists. We live everyday with laws that are supposed to be geared towards keeping our physical freedom, don't we? Here in the United States we call it the land of the free and we do that because for the most part we are free- aren't we? No dictating ruler can snap their fingers and enslave us, right? It's a criminal act to take away our freedom unless we break the law, a law set up to keep us safe and respectably living among others, yes? So we know what it is like to have our freedom threatened and yet we know what it's like to have our freedom protected- it all depends on which side of the law you want to be on, doesn't it? If you want to break the law the law becomes a law of bondage, a law of restriction. If you want to keep the law it is a law of freedom, of protection.
The law of liberty, the law of freedom. The whole law. The moral law of God - the Ten Commandments, the Ten Laws.
A person who robs someone might proudly say at least they didn't kill someone, but it doesn't make them any less guilty of robbery. A person who commits adultery might proudly say at least they didn't rob someone, but they are still guilty. A person who hates God might say at least they don't kill, steal, or commit adultery, yet they are still guilty. Are you getting the point here? We might never steal, kill, commit adultery, lie, covet, take God's name in vain, worship any other God, honor our mother and father, bow down to statues, but we feel it's perfectly fine to worship God on a day of our choosing - that God will most certainly overlook that broken law because in essence we are worshipping Him on a day, just not the seventh. We honestly believe that God is more than willing to bend this one law that He's left a lot of leeway in this law for us to interpret it as we desire. Do we believe that God meant we could steal little unimportant things and it's okay, just so long as we don't steal important pricey things? No, we don't believe that for a moment. Did God mean it's fine to not honor your parents on occasion just so long as you honor them the majority of the time? You get where I'm going with this, God made His laws without being wishy washy. God gave us these laws as a rule of living in Him, living how He expects us to live. The covenant He made was one of love, and the realization that it'd be impossible for us to keep His perfect law of liberty brought with it- forgiveness, for when we would fail to obey. Our Savior kept this perfect law of liberty, He fulfilled it in ALL ways without faltering in a single point. And it's because of His life of perfection that we too can claim a life of perfection- through HIM. We must rely upon Him in ALL things. We must honor that perfect law of liberty, giving respect to God's moral laws in all ways and when we fall short we need to ask for forgiveness and cling to the only one who can forgive us, our Savior.
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
There is no patting ourselves on the back for keeping most of the laws of God. There is no reward for picking and choosing what we find acceptable as a law and what we don't. The same moral law that gives us the command not to murder - which we ALL really can comprehend without any faltering- is the same moral law that gives us the commandment to worship God -setting aside the seventh day for worship. There was a reason God grouped those ten moral laws together, a reason we can try to pick apart to fit our own agenda but in the end it is ONLY God's agenda that matters, not ours. God never meant for those laws to separate. In fact Jesus grouped them into the laws of loving God and mankind.
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Jesus knew that out of love for God the first four of the ten moral commandments would be kept, just as He knew that the last six of the ten moral commandments would be kept if we love our neighbor as we would be loved. He said- ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.
Can you imagine truly LOVING God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind? Also can you imagine truly loving others and YOU desire to be loved? The same respect, the same caring, the same kindness, the same thoughtfulness and understanding you long for- loving others that way- loving ALL others that way?
Just imagine it, how wondrous it must be!
Why in the world would God EVER want to do away with His moral law? Why? There is absolutely NO reason in heaven or earth that God would want to do away with His moral law, none. God created the PERFECT moral law- a law without flaw, a law of liberty. Yes, He did make a law that was done away with- a ceremonial law, but NEVER did He do away with His moral law and it really astounds me that people think He did away with His moral law, it's just so incredibly hard to comprehend why He would ever do away with His moral law, or why He would even want to.
Only those who believe in the freedom to break laws, only those who truly feel free when they are breaking laws- are the ones who can comprehend it because they do not want to love God with all their minds, their souls, their hearts and they most assuredly do not want to love others as they would be loved.
By the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR may we be HIS FULLY! Loving God with all our heart, souls, and minds!
In His forgiving love!
Amen.
Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Judged by the law of liberty. The law of freedom.
Definition:
1. liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation
2. fancied liberty
a. licence, the liberty to do as one pleases
3. true liberty is living as we should not as we please
True liberty is LIVING as we should NOT as we please.
The law of liberty. The law of our freedom exists. We live everyday with laws that are supposed to be geared towards keeping our physical freedom, don't we? Here in the United States we call it the land of the free and we do that because for the most part we are free- aren't we? No dictating ruler can snap their fingers and enslave us, right? It's a criminal act to take away our freedom unless we break the law, a law set up to keep us safe and respectably living among others, yes? So we know what it is like to have our freedom threatened and yet we know what it's like to have our freedom protected- it all depends on which side of the law you want to be on, doesn't it? If you want to break the law the law becomes a law of bondage, a law of restriction. If you want to keep the law it is a law of freedom, of protection.
The law of liberty, the law of freedom. The whole law. The moral law of God - the Ten Commandments, the Ten Laws.
A person who robs someone might proudly say at least they didn't kill someone, but it doesn't make them any less guilty of robbery. A person who commits adultery might proudly say at least they didn't rob someone, but they are still guilty. A person who hates God might say at least they don't kill, steal, or commit adultery, yet they are still guilty. Are you getting the point here? We might never steal, kill, commit adultery, lie, covet, take God's name in vain, worship any other God, honor our mother and father, bow down to statues, but we feel it's perfectly fine to worship God on a day of our choosing - that God will most certainly overlook that broken law because in essence we are worshipping Him on a day, just not the seventh. We honestly believe that God is more than willing to bend this one law that He's left a lot of leeway in this law for us to interpret it as we desire. Do we believe that God meant we could steal little unimportant things and it's okay, just so long as we don't steal important pricey things? No, we don't believe that for a moment. Did God mean it's fine to not honor your parents on occasion just so long as you honor them the majority of the time? You get where I'm going with this, God made His laws without being wishy washy. God gave us these laws as a rule of living in Him, living how He expects us to live. The covenant He made was one of love, and the realization that it'd be impossible for us to keep His perfect law of liberty brought with it- forgiveness, for when we would fail to obey. Our Savior kept this perfect law of liberty, He fulfilled it in ALL ways without faltering in a single point. And it's because of His life of perfection that we too can claim a life of perfection- through HIM. We must rely upon Him in ALL things. We must honor that perfect law of liberty, giving respect to God's moral laws in all ways and when we fall short we need to ask for forgiveness and cling to the only one who can forgive us, our Savior.
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
There is no patting ourselves on the back for keeping most of the laws of God. There is no reward for picking and choosing what we find acceptable as a law and what we don't. The same moral law that gives us the command not to murder - which we ALL really can comprehend without any faltering- is the same moral law that gives us the commandment to worship God -setting aside the seventh day for worship. There was a reason God grouped those ten moral laws together, a reason we can try to pick apart to fit our own agenda but in the end it is ONLY God's agenda that matters, not ours. God never meant for those laws to separate. In fact Jesus grouped them into the laws of loving God and mankind.
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Jesus knew that out of love for God the first four of the ten moral commandments would be kept, just as He knew that the last six of the ten moral commandments would be kept if we love our neighbor as we would be loved. He said- ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.
Can you imagine truly LOVING God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind? Also can you imagine truly loving others and YOU desire to be loved? The same respect, the same caring, the same kindness, the same thoughtfulness and understanding you long for- loving others that way- loving ALL others that way?
Just imagine it, how wondrous it must be!
Why in the world would God EVER want to do away with His moral law? Why? There is absolutely NO reason in heaven or earth that God would want to do away with His moral law, none. God created the PERFECT moral law- a law without flaw, a law of liberty. Yes, He did make a law that was done away with- a ceremonial law, but NEVER did He do away with His moral law and it really astounds me that people think He did away with His moral law, it's just so incredibly hard to comprehend why He would ever do away with His moral law, or why He would even want to.
Only those who believe in the freedom to break laws, only those who truly feel free when they are breaking laws- are the ones who can comprehend it because they do not want to love God with all their minds, their souls, their hearts and they most assuredly do not want to love others as they would be loved.
By the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR may we be HIS FULLY! Loving God with all our heart, souls, and minds!
In His forgiving love!
Amen.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Jesus said... Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
One day in seven, yet on all those days, on each of those seven days - ALL the commandments must be followed. The fourth commandment tells us to set aside the seventh day as our Sabbath. Can we keep the fourth commandment on those other six days? I cannot actually keep the Sabbath on any other day than the commandment requires but… on the other six days I can REMEMBER to keep the Sabbath day that will be coming. Not a single day should go by that we aren't keeping all of God's commandments and that includes the fourth commandment. The fifth commandment calls for us to honor our mother and father- so does this exempt the parentless from having to keep that commandment? It's impossible for them to, right? Or is there such a thing as a 'heart keeping' of ALL the commandments that we don't want to really think too much about? People can come up with plenty of loopholes. Others can say they honor the eighth commandment and do not steal- and yet perhaps they've not had an opportunity to steal- are they still keeping that commandment without the opportunity to break it?
Keeping the heart of the law given to us- is obeying it in all things, it's a constant acceptance of the moral laws of God and an understanding that when we LOVE God we are keeping His commandments. When we love our fellow man - every single one of them even those we believe we have a right to despise the most- then we are keeping God's commandments.
Jesus' life was a living testament to how we are to live- us following in His footsteps.
Do the standards you possess on a daily basis reveal your position as a follower of Christ? Can a person assess your six day weekly life outside of the Sabbath keeping and know you are Christ's?
We are to love God and have no other God's before Him. People can't necessarily see that love of God. They might just think you're a good person. We aren't to have any idols, we aren't to worship statues of stone or otherwise, so people can't see us bowed down before a giant statue of God outside our house- it can't exist. Not taking God's name in vain, not using God's name senselessly isn't something a person will necessarily notice in you- it's not a prerequisite to conversations to do so. Honoring your mom and dad, well people generally are nice to their parents and honoring them isn't a strictly Jesus ordered command- even atheists will honor their parents. Not murdering, stealing, committing adultery- well most people do NOT broadcast this sort of behavior, right? We expect people in our society not to kill or steal, it doesn't mean they are Christ's because they choose not to kill, steal, or commit adultery. The same goes for lying and coveting, even pagan practitioners will say lying and coveting are wrong. All these commandments kept are not necessarily kept because a person loves God. However… choosing to set aside a whole DAY for God, the day HE chose for us to set aside for HIM, this can't be interpreted any other way can it? Can an atheists set aside a day of worship for GOD? No, not and remain an atheist. Can a pagan set aside a day to worship GOD and NOT appear to be God's? No. To set aside a day to worship GOD is to reveal your belief in GOD for ALL to see. I'm not talking setting aside an hour or two for God on a day He hasn't chosen, but setting aside an entire day to worship God, the day God chose, the seventh in our weekly count of seven days in a week.
This is something we need to contemplate a bit- our love of God in keeping HIS laws of love.
We keep them always, we don't set aside certain commandments on certain days. We don't set aside keeping the fourth commandment on the first through sixth days of the week. We live our lives towards keeping that day of worship, that commandment is always a part of our lives all seven days a week just as all the others should be.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 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:
Exo 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.
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Praise God for His perfection, for His righteousness, for His grace, for His mercy, for His love in all these things.
Forgive us undeserving ones Lord, please, forgive us.
In You Lord!
Amen
Keeping the heart of the law given to us- is obeying it in all things, it's a constant acceptance of the moral laws of God and an understanding that when we LOVE God we are keeping His commandments. When we love our fellow man - every single one of them even those we believe we have a right to despise the most- then we are keeping God's commandments.
Jesus' life was a living testament to how we are to live- us following in His footsteps.
Do the standards you possess on a daily basis reveal your position as a follower of Christ? Can a person assess your six day weekly life outside of the Sabbath keeping and know you are Christ's?
We are to love God and have no other God's before Him. People can't necessarily see that love of God. They might just think you're a good person. We aren't to have any idols, we aren't to worship statues of stone or otherwise, so people can't see us bowed down before a giant statue of God outside our house- it can't exist. Not taking God's name in vain, not using God's name senselessly isn't something a person will necessarily notice in you- it's not a prerequisite to conversations to do so. Honoring your mom and dad, well people generally are nice to their parents and honoring them isn't a strictly Jesus ordered command- even atheists will honor their parents. Not murdering, stealing, committing adultery- well most people do NOT broadcast this sort of behavior, right? We expect people in our society not to kill or steal, it doesn't mean they are Christ's because they choose not to kill, steal, or commit adultery. The same goes for lying and coveting, even pagan practitioners will say lying and coveting are wrong. All these commandments kept are not necessarily kept because a person loves God. However… choosing to set aside a whole DAY for God, the day HE chose for us to set aside for HIM, this can't be interpreted any other way can it? Can an atheists set aside a day of worship for GOD? No, not and remain an atheist. Can a pagan set aside a day to worship GOD and NOT appear to be God's? No. To set aside a day to worship GOD is to reveal your belief in GOD for ALL to see. I'm not talking setting aside an hour or two for God on a day He hasn't chosen, but setting aside an entire day to worship God, the day God chose, the seventh in our weekly count of seven days in a week.
This is something we need to contemplate a bit- our love of God in keeping HIS laws of love.
We keep them always, we don't set aside certain commandments on certain days. We don't set aside keeping the fourth commandment on the first through sixth days of the week. We live our lives towards keeping that day of worship, that commandment is always a part of our lives all seven days a week just as all the others should be.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 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:
Exo 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.
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Praise God for His perfection, for His righteousness, for His grace, for His mercy, for His love in all these things.
Forgive us undeserving ones Lord, please, forgive us.
In You Lord!
Amen
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Love thy neighbor
Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Poor of this world.
We lament our poorness don't we? We spend days, nights, weeks, months, years of our lives wishing and longing to be rich- or at least richer than we are so we don't have to scrimp and save, barely getting by. So much of our time is spent longing for more than we possess. So much time Satan steals from us as he insinuates that our poorness in worldly goods is something to be ashamed of, something to fix, something to abhor, something to hate. Yet we are told by God that the POOR are chosen to be RICH in faith- and HEIRS of the KINGDOM, the poor who LOVE HIM have this promise. The rich who love God will also be heirs and yet very few rich people even feel they have a need of God. Very few rich people will see God's kingdom…
Luk 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Rich men have such an awesome responsibility to help the poor that it becomes incredibly overwhelming. They lose sight of the point where they should help even if it means losing their own riches and becoming poor themselves.
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world.
Rich in faith.
Heirs of the kingdom promised to them that love him.
Jas 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Jas 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
But people despise the poor and being poor. When a person is poor it is a sign of failure- failure to be more than poor. The poor really are despised- and under a guise of pity people might help them a bit, yet that fear of being poor themselves rears its ugly head all too often. You'll get so many people saying they do not despise the poor at all yet the majority of those would not give up all their riches and become poor- to become like those they say they pity. They despise them and do not want to be like them, they despise the idea of being truly poor.
People who belong to God are oppressed by others, those others blaspheme the name of God. We cannot be like them we just can't! We cannot despise the poor, we cannot have respect of people on the level that the earthly do, on the level that our natural person strives to do.
We only have hope through CHRIST, ONLY THROUGH CHRIST!
Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
The ROYAL LAW according to Scripture…
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Lev 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Fulfilling the royal law.
If we do NOT love our neighbors then we are respecting people in the sense we are judging them and we are sinning.
Oh to love others as we would be loved…treat others as we would be treated. We are given so many incredible reasons NOT to love others by the things they say and do to us. No matter how horrific we are to LOVE them. It is this seemingly impossible feat that we are to accomplish and we ONLY can do this through the GRACE of our LORD, through HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, HIS LOVE!
Please Lord, Please….
Poor of this world.
We lament our poorness don't we? We spend days, nights, weeks, months, years of our lives wishing and longing to be rich- or at least richer than we are so we don't have to scrimp and save, barely getting by. So much of our time is spent longing for more than we possess. So much time Satan steals from us as he insinuates that our poorness in worldly goods is something to be ashamed of, something to fix, something to abhor, something to hate. Yet we are told by God that the POOR are chosen to be RICH in faith- and HEIRS of the KINGDOM, the poor who LOVE HIM have this promise. The rich who love God will also be heirs and yet very few rich people even feel they have a need of God. Very few rich people will see God's kingdom…
Luk 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Rich men have such an awesome responsibility to help the poor that it becomes incredibly overwhelming. They lose sight of the point where they should help even if it means losing their own riches and becoming poor themselves.
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world.
Rich in faith.
Heirs of the kingdom promised to them that love him.
Jas 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Jas 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
But people despise the poor and being poor. When a person is poor it is a sign of failure- failure to be more than poor. The poor really are despised- and under a guise of pity people might help them a bit, yet that fear of being poor themselves rears its ugly head all too often. You'll get so many people saying they do not despise the poor at all yet the majority of those would not give up all their riches and become poor- to become like those they say they pity. They despise them and do not want to be like them, they despise the idea of being truly poor.
People who belong to God are oppressed by others, those others blaspheme the name of God. We cannot be like them we just can't! We cannot despise the poor, we cannot have respect of people on the level that the earthly do, on the level that our natural person strives to do.
We only have hope through CHRIST, ONLY THROUGH CHRIST!
Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
The ROYAL LAW according to Scripture…
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Lev 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Fulfilling the royal law.
If we do NOT love our neighbors then we are respecting people in the sense we are judging them and we are sinning.
Oh to love others as we would be loved…treat others as we would be treated. We are given so many incredible reasons NOT to love others by the things they say and do to us. No matter how horrific we are to LOVE them. It is this seemingly impossible feat that we are to accomplish and we ONLY can do this through the GRACE of our LORD, through HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, HIS LOVE!
Please Lord, Please….
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