ALL ABOUT GOD AND JESUS

The First Commandment - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. �Exodus 20:2�3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-first-commandment-2/- Listen If you or I had written the Ten Commandments, we may have prioritized some over others. For instance, we might say the most important commandments are �you shall not murder� and �you shall not commit adultery� (Exodus 20:13�14 NKJV). After all, no matter how our culture is going, it seems like we could all agree that murder and adultery are wrong. Yet it�s interesting how God began the Ten Commandments: �I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have noother gods before Me� (verses 2�3 NKJV). The first commandment deals with everything. Jesus said, ��And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with allyour strength.� This is the first commandment� (Mark 12:30 NKJV). So, if we get this down, then we�ll have the Ten Commandments working in our lives. If we love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, then we won�t have other gods beforeHim. We won�t bow down before false images of God or take His name in vain. And if we love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, then we�ll set aside a day to worship Him. We won�t steal from others or lie to them or murder them, and so forth.The reality is that if we love God, then we�ll do the right thing. And we�ll want to honor Him in the right way. It all starts with God�s place in our lives because we�ll serve what we worship. If God isn�t number one in your life, then everything else will be in chaos. But if Godis number one in our lives, then everything else will find its proper balance. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OneGod �Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.� (Deuteronomy6:4) This great verse has been recited countless times by Israelites down through the centuries, setting forth their distinctive belief in one great Creator God. The Jews had retained their original belief in creation, handed down from Noah, while the other nationshad all allowed their original monotheistic creationism to degenerate into a wide variety of religions, all basically equivalent to the polytheistic evolutionism of the early Sumerians at Babel. But along with its strong assertion of monotheism, there is also a very real suggestion that this declaration, with its thrice-named subject, is also setting forth the triune God. The name �LORD,� of course, is Yahweh, or Jehovah, the self-existing One whoreveals Himself, while �God� is Elohim, the powerful Creator/Ruler. �Jehovah our Elohim is one Jehovah� is the proclamation. A number of respected Jewish commentators have acknowledged that the verse spoke of a �unified oneness� rather than an �absolute oneness.� The revered book called the Zohar, for example, even said that the first mention was of the Father, the second one the Messiah, and the third the Holy Spirit. The key word �one� (Hebrew achad) is often used to denote unity in diversity. For example, when Eve was united to Adam in marriage, they were said to be �one flesh� (Genesis2:24). Similarly, on the third day of creation, the waters were �gathered together unto one place,� yet this gathering together was called �Seas� (i.e., more than one sea, Genesis 1:9-10). Thus, Israel�s great declaration should really be understood as saying, in effect: �The eternally omnipresent Father, also Creator and Sustainer of all things, is our unified self-revealing Lord.� HMM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- God's Grand Plan 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 It's amazing but true that God's grand plan for your life is far greater than you can imagine. In fact, this earth-bound existence has us so preoccupied with the demands of life that most of us give little thought to what it will mean to be completely sanctified. In the Christian life, sanctification is a three-stage process. At the moment of salvation, God sets us apart for Himself. Then throughout the rest of our earthly life, He works to transform us into the image of His Son. One day, however, there will be a glorious culmination to our sanctification. Presently, we all struggle with sin,but when we die, our spirits and souls will ascend to heaven and be completely sinless. Then we'll see our Savior face to face and experience unimaginable joy. No longer will we struggle with the pride of life or the lusts of the flesh and the eyes (1 John 2:16). However, as great as this will be, it's not yet the final step. Some day in the future, Jesus will descend from heaven, bringing with Him the souls of those who have died in Christ. They will be united with their resurrected bodies, and believers who arestill alive on the earth will be changed (1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-54). Then sanctification will be complete--spirit, soul, and body. This is not a fairy tale, but the believer appointed destiny. God Himself promises to bring it to pass. We'll walk in His presence, spotless and without blame, for all eternity. Knowing this, how will you live today? The promise of salvation isn�t meantjust to give hope, but to spur us on to holy living. ------------------------------------------------------------------- To Be Found in Christ By Hal Lindsey Through the years I have met people who were totally convinced of their own ability to live perfectly righteous lives. They say they were once sinners,but Jesus forgave them of past sins and now they claim to have risen above sin. They admit that a Christian might occasionally sin. But they believe that by fully confessing each sin, they receive new forgiveness. This makes theirsalvation either shaky or nonexistent between the time of the sin and the confession of it. Here�s what they don�t understand. The scripture tells us to confess our sins (see 1 John 1:9), but we can only do that with sins we know about and can remember. Goddoes not base salvation on our ability to remember and confess sins, but on the righteousness of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). Romans 3:23 is one of the most commonly quoted verses among evangelical Christians. �For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.� We caneasily grasp the first part of that verse. We have all sinned. But think for a moment about the second half of that verse. �All� fall short of the glory of God.� Of course, we do. How could we possibly measure upto His glory? The Bible makes it clear that God�s standard of righteousness is Himself. The more we learn about Him and the more we get to know Him, the more we realize how far short we fall. How could we possibly confess all the ways we fall short of Him? People delude themselves into thinking that because they refrain from certain sins, they must be living perfect lives. �I don�t commit murder or adultery.It would never occur to me to shoplift or cheat on my taxes. So, I must be okay.� But James 2:10 says, �Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.� In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus rebuked those who �trusted in themselves that they were righteous.� How can anyone claim his righteousness measures up to God�srighteousness without being guilty of pride and self-glory? Yet they are willing to rest their salvation on their ability to never fall short of God�s incandescent holiness and glory. In Matthew 19:16-26, Jesus illustrated the folly of self-righteousness during His encounter with the rich young ruler. Afterwards, His disciples asked, �Who then can be saved?� Jesus responded with something astounding and wonderful. �With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.� Philippians 3:9 defines real salvation � to �be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faithin Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.� Ephesians 2:8-9 says, �For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works,that no one should boast.� Grace does not give us a license to sin. No believer should say to himself, �I can�t live up to God�s righteousness, so I will sin freely.� That pathleads to pain and destruction. Living that way will send you to God�s woodshed � not a place you want to be � and send you there often. Live like the new being He has made you to be, but don�t brag that you live sinlessly. Humbly recognize that you are cleansed from sin by the bloodof Jesus. He died for all your sins � past, present, and future. And at the time He died for your sins, all of them were still future. Humans struggle against pride, gluttony, lustfulness, unthankfulness, selfishness, and any number of other sins. But Jesus completely covers His followerswith His own righteousness. He wants you to act like the new person He has made you to be, but never trust your salvation to your ability to live a sinless life. Trust your salvation to Jesus. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Sanctification Isn't Passive 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Did you know that God didn't save you just to keep you from hell and get you into heaven? His top priority while you are here on earth is to shape you into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). Butat this stage of our sanctification, He doesn't do it all for us. We have a responsibility to cooperate with Him and actively participate in the process. Yet many Christians have a passive attitude about the life of faith. They tolerate sin and smooth it over with the age-old excuse, "Nobody's perfect!" When you received Christ as your Savior, you took the first step in your walk with Him--a walk that will last the rest of your life. However, you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The Enemy may have lost your soul, but he's going to do everythinghe can to hinder, sidetrack, and discourage you. The last thing he wants is a saint who's on fire for the Lord and useful in the kingdom. But many believers have abdicated their responsibility to live holy lives. In fact, some of them look and act just like the unbelieving world. Sexual immorality is one area of compromise that the apostle Paul addressed specifically, but in truth, we shouldabstain from anything that interferes with godliness. Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn�t be there? If so, you need to drop it now. You don't want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctificationcontinue. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TheFirstborn of Every Creature �Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.� (Colossians1:15) A widespread cult heresy based on this verse claims that Jesus Christ was not eternal but merely the first being created�perhaps an angel�before becoming a man. Note, however, that the verse does not say He was the �first created of every creature� but the �first born of every creature,� and there is a big difference. In fact, the very next verse says that �by him were all things created� (v. 16). He was never created, for He Himself is the Creator. �All things were made by him; and without him was not any thingmade that was made� (John 1:3). He is �born� of God, not �made,� the �only begotten Son� of God (John 3:16). �No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosomof the Father, he hath declared him� (John 1:18). The eternal Father is omnipresent, and therefore invisible, inaudible, inaccessible to the physical senses.The eternally existing Son is the �image� of the invisible Father, the One who declares, reveals, embodies His essence. Although He is always �in the bosom of the Father,� yet He is eternally also �the brightness of his glory, and the express image of hisperson� (Hebrews 1:3). He is the eternal, living Word, which was �in the beginning with God� (John1:2), and which �was God� (John 1:1). Thus, the phrase �firstborn of every creature� in our text can be translated literally as �begotten before all creation.� The eternal inter-relationship of the Persons of the Godhead is beyond human comprehension in its fullness, and the terms �Son� and �begotten� are the best human language can do to describe it. Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, is the only begotten, eternally generated Son of the Father, forever shining forth as the image of the otherwise invisible God. HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WithChrist “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid withChrist in God.” (Colossians 3:2-3) The apostle Paul, looking forward to the time when we shall “ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17), wrote: “For I am in a strait betwixt two, havinga desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you” (Philippians 1:23-24). The fact is, however, that we can be “with Christ” even while still abiding in the flesh, as Paul himself emphasized. This is the great principle called positional truth. “Positionally,” we are already “with Christ,” for that is where God sees us and how Herelates to us. He has “raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). Before we could be raised up with Christ, however, we first had to die with Him. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians2:20). God even saw us as buried with Christ when He was buried, and this is the great truth symbolized in our baptism. “We are buried with him by baptism into death” (Romans6:4). “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more” (Romans 6:8-9).He died for us, so our deserved death became His substitutionary death, and His victorious resurrection becomes our own unmerited deliverance from death in eternal resurrection life. This is our position now, and our assured everlasting possession then, forwe are with Christ, who “dieth no more.” This truth is not only a wonderful doctrine, but as we see in our text, a focus for our thoughts, and real incentive for godly living. HMM ------------------------------------- BornAgain Children of God � Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2021/02/born-again-children-of-god.html �Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him ashe is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.�(1st John 3:1-3) Romans 8: 4 �For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.� (Romans 8:4, 15-16) Of all the passages that Paul wrote, Romans chapter 8 remains one of my favorites. And the Apostle John confirms what Paul spoke of in this glorious chapter. The chapteris full of promises to the children of God. When I look at these particular passages, I become almost awe struck at its implications that speak of the plans that God has for each of His children. But let this passages sink in for a moment as you meditate onits deep meaning. �Heirs and joint-heirs with Christ� and we will be �like Christ� is what Paul and John under the Holy Spirit's direction wrote. What does this mean to the believer.? I wrote about this very fact in times past about Church Age saints being adopted into the �family of God�. It's a most glorious promise to those who have accepted the paymentfor their sins, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Besides being our Lord and Savior, our King and our God, Jesus could also be given the title in relationship to other children of God, as our �Big Brother� as He is our �Kinsman Redeemer�. I've heard that expression plenty of times, and I find it very hard to use the term �big Brother� , as I would never speak it to Him as such, since Jesus is God in the flesh,but in the family sense of what God our �Abba� Father has planned along with His Son from the very beginning of time, it is a family relationship that has been planned since before time even began. Jesus became what Adam could not accomplish. He became the perfect man in His life upon this earth and the perfect sacrifice to cover the sins that each of us could notshed to join God the Father in a family unit. In His resurrection, the old body that Jesus dwelt upon this earth became a glorious body, a body of flesh and bone. Jesus was the second Adam from the portals of heaven, as our common ancestor Adam was the firstborn from the earth. When describing the risen Lord, note that there is no mention of blood. Jesus was not alive as we are, in that the blood is the source of life providing oxygen to the cellsof our body. But His life source was the Spirit of God, as ours will be. Note that in scripture, Jesus was able to perform actions that we are not able to perform, such as walk through walls, disappear while men looked upon Him, and rise into the clouds outof the apostles sight and many other actions that John said if they were all recorded, the books of the world could not hold them. Jesus became our redeemer in every sense of the word. He became what we will become, a new creature that will follow the trail He blazed into glory. We will become the sonsof God. We will be heirs of God's promises made to His Son, and by extension, to those of us who believe in the �One whom God hath sent.� (John 6:29b) WHAT DOES HE MEAN HEIRS AND JOINT HEIRS? Just think of what Paul is saying when he says we will be heirs and joint-heirs with our King, our God, and our Savior. What is an heir? In Jewish thinking, being an heirspeaks to adoption into a family. An adoption would make the adopted one legally eligible for an equal share in the father's estate. Now Jesus was intended to be the firstborn among many brethren as Paul wrote further in this chapter v. 29-32: 29 �For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (many brothers and sisters)my emphasis. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?� (Romans 8:29-32) This is beyond my comprehension, but within a finite mind that only grasp in part what Paul is saying that God will give us all things in an equal share all that belongsto our King Jesus. All the rights of a family member will be given in equal parts to each of those who have been called the �children of God�. When we speak of sons or children of God, that is not to say that we will be Gods ourselves, as some so erroneouslybelieve of what Paul is speaking of here. No, we will be Kings and Priest to our God for all eternity. We will be given duties and responsibilities that any family that is headed by a family Patriarch, will work for the family in following the commands andthe will of the Head of the Family. The Head of the family is God our Father, whom we call our Father �Abba�, and God Almighty. But I liken it to the phrase, we will be of the �God Kind�. We cannot begin to know in complete knowledge or begin to comprehendall that God has got planned for us. 9 �But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.�(1st Corinthians2:9-12) God, who is a loving God, a Father to all of His children will and has given good gifts to us this side of eternity in this life. But can you even imagine what God who isinfinite, without limit, and the Creator of all things will bestow on those that love Him in the next life? First in this life, we have been pardoned, our sin washed away by the blood of Jesus and given eternal life and future immortality. �There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.(Romans 8:1-4) We have been separated, called out of this world to the glorious light of our Savior, who saved us and who loved us, before we even loved Him. 6 �For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.�(Romans 5:6-9) Second we have been given an earnest deposit of God's Holy Spirit that seals us as His possession. I liken it to a layaway plan at your local department store. The downpayment has been made and the contract signed for purchase. Along the way, more payments are made for the final purchase price until the day of taking possession of the prize. Paul speaks of this in Ephesians: 13 �In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spiritof promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.� (Ephesians 1:13-14) There is a future reception of more of the fullness of God's Holy Spirit and a future redemption! The Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). The apostle is teaching usthat redemption, like salvation, is a process that has begun but has not yet reached its conclusion. Salvation is irrevocable and God will finish what He has begun. Both of these processes began when we believed and accepted Jesus Christ, but they will notend until we receive God's Spirit in full measure and are glorified in His Kingdom. That will come when we are called either in the removal of God's Church before the Tribulation, or the tribulation saints resurrection and glorification at the end of the Tribulation.This is all part of the 1st resurrection, which Jesus was the beginning of. WE AWAIT OUR REDEMPTION But in the meantime, we must be about our Father's business. As Paul writes that we are not of the flesh, but of the Spirit, as we walk after the things of the Spirit anddo mortify the deeds of the flesh: 7 �Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit thatdwelleth in you.�(Romans 8:7-11) This almost sounds like an impossible task, as we are still mortal. I don't know about you, but I sin everyday, because of my flesh even if it's just a thought. Paul hadthe same problem when he lamented in Romans 7: 14 �For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.� (Romans 7:14-19) But fear not brothers and sisters, Paul gives us the remedy for the sin that dwells in our flesh. �O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.� (Romans 7:24-25) Each of us, who are the called of God battle the forces of evil. Sometimes, because of our mortal flesh, sin has it's way with us in our weakness. But if God's Holy Spiritrest in your spirit, then you, just as I am, are convicted of that sin, sometimes almost immediately. How do you get victory over sin? You put on the whole armor of God. Brethren, we do not war against flesh and blood, but against powers of spiritual darknessand the evil of this world. 10 �Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickednessin high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;� (Ephesians 6:10-18) Even with the armor upon us, and we fight the good fight as we use the weapons God has given us, we still fail, we stumble and fall...it's inevitable, my brethren, becausewe still have the curse upon us, called the flesh and this side of glory we will continue the need to repent. John the apostle wrote what we must do when we sin: �If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.� (1st John 1:6-9) My brothers and sisters in Christ, and all who read this message, it is God's Holy Spirit that cleanses us daily. When we fail, we confess. We are not suddenly lost fromGod's grace, but sin causes loss of fellowship with God our Father. But with remorse and prayerful repentance that relationship is restored, as if the sin never happened. Oh, but some say, �How can God forgive me for I have sinned a great sin?�. I imaginethat is what King David thought when his sin was revealed through Nathan the prophet and David repented of fornication with Bathsheba and indirectly murdering Uriah, her husband by placing him at the front of the battle. What did David do? David repented inanguish for His sin, and that was before God's Holy Spirit was given in it's fullness at Pentecost. David cried out : �Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.� (Psalms 51:1-13) Even David, a man God called �a man after God's own heart� was subject to temptation and sin. King David humbled himself, and did not try to hide his sin from God, but confessedit and asked for forgiveness in tears and anguish. God honors a broken and contrite heart, when it is done in genuine guilt and repentance. And God said that our sin would be as far as the east is from the west, and would remember it no more. Only Jesus and God's Holy Spirit can deliver us from the law of sin found in our flesh. Paul explains this even further in the chapter that I love, Romans 8: 33 �Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.� (Romans 8:33-37) WE NEED JESUS MORE THAN EVER, ESPECIALLY NOW We have evil all around us, and in this day and age, it seems evil is growing exponentially. When I was a little kid, I remember that there were bad people in the worldaround me, and I was warned to not accept candy from strangers, but most people were basically honorable and moral people in the majority. I would have not fathomed at such an early age, to see what I am seeing after almost 70 years of life. But OH, how the world has changed, and not for the better. How can the average person on this planet survive the evil that is becoming common place in this country and evenmore so in other countries around the world? No wonder the suicide rate is growing with people who have lost all hope. Or people who resort to crutches of alcohol, or dangerous drugs (either street drugs, or prescriptions) that rob them of the last shred ofhope and security as they try and escape reality. Unfortunately, I see it all the time in the area of my ministry. People are dying all around us and it seems we can't stop the destruction of people who are determined to bring on their own demise. But every now and then, one is savedfrom the fire. One person is reached that was thought beyond help. And what is the one thing, the one Person who brings them up out of despair? The answer is Jesus Christ. When a person finally sees that they are beyond hope, beyond fighting for themselves,and beyond anything on this earth used as a remedy. Not drugs, not alcohol, not bath salts, not promiscuity, and not main stream religion, because each fails the individual if its root is not anchored in Jesus Christ. When they hit rock bottom, the burdenon their shoulder is weighing them down with their head hanging and the only place to look is up, we pray they see Jesus and someone is there to bring them to a saving knowledge of His mercy and grace. That person must cry out and seek safety from the onlySource of that safety. �I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.� (Psalms 40:1-3) HAVE YOU FOUND MY ROCK, MY SAVIOR? To my unsaved friend out there, I say this. Jesus is the only way in finding safety in this life, leading to the next life. You can search from around the world from LosAngeles to New York City, from the USA to the far reaches of the third world and back, but you will be as you were, EMPTY and unfilled. We each have a void in our spiritual lives that must be filled. As mentioned, some search for it in pleasures of this world,in illicit drugs and alcohol, but in the end, many will attempt suicide because they just cannot cope with what is going on in this world. We all search for a way back to God or their definition of God. They search for peace and a place called Heaven. They put their trust in �religions� and spiritual enlightenmentor many put their trust in themselves and don't think they need God. Oh, how wrong each of them are. That void in your heart, that void in your mind, and that void that is searching for what makes life worth living, is found in only one place, AT THE CROSS.(I call this our God Hole, that must be filled with Jesus Christ). That is where our Savior died, my Savior, your Savior if you would only choose Him and repent of your sins and turn to Him in all humility and repentance. 37 �All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.�(John6:37-40) Jesus further told us the truth, when He said in John chapter 14: 6 �Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.� And there is no one that can separate you from the love of Christ our Lord, when you profess faith and belief in His saving grace, in His blood and resurrection that beganon Calvary's hill and fulfilled at His resurrection from the dead. We are told by Paul the Apostle in closing the chapter that started this message, that no one can separate us from Jesus Christ after we are saved by grace. 38 �For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.�(Romans 8:38-39) I invite you to call upon the Lord Jesus right now. Humble yourself and realize that you can't do it alone anymore. You and I are the same, we are sinners. Only differencethat may be between us, is that I have asked forgiveness of Jesus of my sins and as a faithful and loving God, He has done just that. He can do the same for you if you humble yourself and believe these verses that sum up the whole of the Bible. �For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.�(John3:16-18) 8' But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.� (Romans 10:8-11) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Believe these words of John 3 and Romans 10 in the void found in your heart and mind, and God will make you alongwith many others who have gone on before you...Sons of God and joint heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ...Praise God. This is Pastor Mike Taylor, proclaiming my Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. My God who came in the flesh and is coming again soon. If I can introduce you tomy Savior and provide you with support from God's Word, then give me an email at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com, or visit me for more biblical instruction in Christian living or the way back to God. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a friendly ear, drop me a line...God bless you all, TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET --------------------------------------------------- GuardAgainst Deception - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com Deception is one of the most toxic problems to a Christian�s faith and their walk with the Lord. "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thouunderstand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:1-6. It�s easy to be deceived if you haven�t kept up with Bible study. Seeking the wisdom of God isthe only way to know God�s truth and not be deceived by the lies of Satan. There are many lies out there and it�s easy to be confused if you don�t have a solid foundation built upon the word of God. There are many people who profess to be Christians but aredeceived in their teaching. Many cults call themselves Christian, but don�t teach Biblical truth. The only way to guard against deception is to study Scripture and earnestly pray for discernment. Every Christian must first and foremost, honor God with their lives. That means turning away from the world. When it comes to a choice between the ways of the world andthe way of the Lord, choose wisely. Only Scripture, studied in its entirety, will keep you from being deceived. �NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.� Psalm 119:105. We live in a time when it�s easy to turn on the TV or look on theinternet and find many people who speak words that sound good but are in direct opposition to God�s word. God has never changed, and He never will change. Satan wants you to turn from God and he will befuddle you with half-truths and outright lies in his effortto draw you away from God. Satan is darkness, but Jesus is the Light of the World. �Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.� John 8:12. In orderto understand the Light of God, study His word. Pray for wisdom and the Holy Spirit living in you will open God�s truth to your understanding. Whenever you listen to a Bible teacher, a preacher, or a commentator, look to Scripture in order to test their words. When a person first comes to a saving knowledge of Christ, they cannot possibly have the wisdom that comes from God. A babe in Christ must be fed on the truth of Scripture.Then that person must change their life to fit God�s ways rather than changing God�s words to fit their lifestyles. All Christians must desire to please God. �The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments:his praise endureth for ever.� Psalm 111:10. God�s truth is found in Scripture, from the first verse in Genesis to the last verse in Revelation. Don�t skip reading the Old Testament because you think that only the New Testament matters to a Christian. In Hisfirst incarnation, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law and many, many prophecies; He will fulfill all other prophecies very soon when He returns. All Scripture is God-breathed and we need to understand what�s written there and learn God�s truth. God�s standardsare shown to us by the Law, which required works in order to please God. Jesus did fulfill the Law, and His blood was shed for the once for all sacrifice for our sin. All who believe in Him will find salvation. �For by grace are ye saved through faith; andthat not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:� Ephesians 2:8. Because of that grace our sins are forgiven, but that doesn�t mean we shouldn�t desire to please God. Our way of living needs to conform to God�s truth rather than the ways of the world. Don�tbe deceived by false prophets who speak satanic lies. God doesn�t want anyone to be deceived. "He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly." Proverbs 2:7. Wisdom is found in God�s word, while deceit is found inthe ways of the world. Wisdom comes from God. The question is, how do you get wisdom? First desire it and then ask God. �If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.� James 1:5. God doesn�t want anyone to be deceived by false teachers, but He won�t force His wisdom upon anyone. If you love Him, you should desire to know His ways. He will give you a foundation of knowledgeof His word and you need to build your life on the ways of God. You can�t please God by living a double life�professing your love for Him while living a sinful life. �A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.� James 1:8. Don�t deceive yourself intothinking that there are special circumstances in your life that make your sin OK with God. We must move away from sin and not try to justify our life-choices by using a double standard. Many people will try to deceive you, but you can�t please God by livingcontrary to His word. We are living in the last days. That�s a fact, but it�s another area that you can easily be deceived about if you haven�t studied prophecy. The urgency of spreading God�struth to the unsaved has never been stronger. Everyone must hear the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ before death, but as the last days of earth�s history are rapidly approaching, there�s a double urgency to spread the Gospel. The deception offalse teachers is evidence that time is short. Jesus said deception will get stronger as time comes to an end. �And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not thereforeafter them.� Luke 21:8. It�s up to you to be sure that you don�t fall for deception. There are many lies that are passed off as Christianity, such as Mormonism, but their teachings are in direct opposition to Scripture. One of the worst lies that Satan spewsis that all paths lead to heaven. Search the Scriptures to see for yourself that faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross is the only way to salvation. Don�t be deceived and be sure you have answers to defend your faith. The Apostle Paul had some wise words for a young pastor named Timothy. He urged Timothy to stand firm on the truth he had been taught and not be deceived by the evil peoplewho tried to deceive believers even in those days. �But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.� 2 Timothy 3:13-15. Timothy had been taught Scripture since childhood and Paul urged him not to waiver from thetruth of God�s word. If you�re tempted to follow a teacher who supports a �name it and claim it� theology, or �all roads lead to heaven� or �Jesus and Satan are brothers�, get away quick before you are deceived by their lies. Study Scripture and let God�sword be the lamp that lights your ways. Don�t be deceived about the times in which we live. The end is coming quickly. Many people say that every generation thought they were the last, but these people haven�tstudied prophecy and speak in ignorance. There are some end time lies that are very deceptive. Some would have you believe that Christians have replaced Israel. That�s a lie. God�s covenant with Abraham was forever, and an honest study of Daniel�s end timesprophecy will teach you that those last days are about Israel returning to God and recognizing Jesus as their Messiah. Some would have you believe that God will have Christians go through the Tribulation or at least part of it. That�s a lie. You can studyRevelation to see that Christians are not on earth during Daniel�s 70th week. We are called to Heaven at the beginning of Revelation chapter 4 and are in Heaven in chapters 4 and 5. Chapter 6 and the following chapters describe the seven years of the GreatTribulation, at the end of which the nation of Israel will call on Jesus as their Messiah. Some deceived teachers see the Tribulation Saints (those who come to faith in Jesus during those final 7 years) as a part of the Ekklesia. Those brave believers willhave come to faith after the Rapture and will face death unless they deny Christ. Deception has always been strong, but there will come a time when God will have had enough of our rebellious nature and will send a strong delusion. �And for this cause God shallsend them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.� 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12. We can see that people are ripe for deception today. I�ve often wondered howpeople will so easily be deceived, but as I�ve watched the deception during the last few years in American history, and the fiasco and deception in the last Presidential election, I can see that gullible people who have no firm foundation in Christ are easilyswayed to believe anything that the satanically fueled proponents of liberal politics, media censorship, and the one world order say. Some of the deceived even call themselves Christians. Be sure that you�re not one of those who believe lies and are deceived. Turn off the TV, put down the video games, get off the phone, and pick up your Bible. Study Scripture.The only way to guard against deception is to study, believe, and live God�s word. God bless you all, Nathele Graham ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Most Important Decision - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org The Lord isn�t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyoneto repent. �2 Peter 3:9 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/your-most-important-decision/- Listen The most important decision that you�ll ever make is far more important than what career path you choose or whom you marry, as important as those decisions are. No, the most important decision that you�ll ever make is what you will do with Jesus Christ who died on the cross for your sin. He paid for every wrong you�ve ever committed,and He rose from the dead. Now He stands at the door of your life and knocks. He says that if you�ll hear His voice and open the door, He will come in. The question is, will you open the door? Or, will you pretend that you don�t see Him? To refuse to open the door when He�s clearly there knocking is a rejection. So youcan either open the door and ask Christ to come in, or you can leave the door closed and effectively say to Him, �I don�t want You in my life.� Is that what you want to do? Jesus said, �He who is not with Me is against Me� (Matthew 12:30 NKJV). Your choice today is saying �yes� or �no� to Jesus. And here�s the resultof your choice: Heaven or Hell. Hell is real, and the last thing God wants is for anyone made in His image to spend eternity in this horrible place created for the devil and his angels. You will have topractically climb over Jesus to get there. But if you are determined, then God will allow you to pursue the course you want. And you�ll have no one to blame but yourself on that final day. Instead, what God wants is for you to be forgiven. God wants you to go to Heaven. He wants a relationship with you, a friendship with you. And He wants it to start now. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Resurrection: Our New Body 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 What a scene will occur at the sounding of the Lord�s trumpet! The �dead in Christ� will emerge from their resting places all over the earth and soar into the sky; these saints� resurrected bodies will reunite with their spirits, which will have beenresiding in heaven with Jesus. Close behind them will follow believers who haven�t yet departed this life�at that moment, they�ll miraculously be changed as they are �caught up . . . to meet the Lord in the air� (1 Thess. 4:16-17). The description sounds extraordinary, but in fact, the plan is practical. We�re going to need a body with which to enjoy the new heaven and new earth that Jesus is preparing for His followers. However, earthly flesh and bones will not do. They age, break,and succumb to sin. So God promised to transform our humble structures into glorious bodies like the one Christ had after His resurrection. Common temptations and limitations will be gone. In addition, our physical substance will be altered so that we arenot restricted by time and space. Remember, Jesus didn�t bother with doors (John 20:19)! Our new bodies will be suited for the environment where we are to dwell forever�an ageless eternity in which all of our needs are perfectlymet. Each believer will still be him- or herself. Friends and family long separated will recognize one another; our personalities will be unchanged, except that we�ll be absolutely sinless. At last, you and I will be the persons that God intends for us to be.And we�ll be housed in a body fashioned like that of Christ�perfect, sinless, and complete. ------------------------------------------------------------------ NotThis Man �Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.� (John18:40) Unfortunately, this is the attitude of every generation toward its Creator and Redeemer. Jesus Christ �was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not� (John1:10-11). �Not this man!� they cried, and still cry today. �We will not have this man to reign over us� (Luke 19:14). Even in a nation founded as a Christian nation,the name of Jesus Christ is banished from the schools, ignored in the halls of government, and blasphemed on the streets. And whom did they choose instead of �this man�? They preferred Barabbas, who was not only a robber, but also a revolutionary and murderer (Luke 23:19). Today,they idolize the atheist Darwin, or the robber Lenin, or the revolutionary Mao, or the murderer Hitler, or any one of a thousand antichrists; but they will not have Christ. What, then, will they do with Christ? �Away with him, away with him, crucify him� (John 19:15) was the cry even of the religious leaders during His lifehere on Earth, and it is little different today. �Ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you,� proclaimed Peter (Acts3:14). �The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ� (Acts 4:26). The rejection of Christ today is often more subtle, but it is just as real. Rulers, industrialists, scientists, educators, and commentators all say in deed, if not in word, that �[they] will not have this man to reign over [them]� (Luke19:14). �But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name� (John 1:12). HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Entrance Exam The popular belief is "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). While this is true enough in its own right, it leaves out a great deal of biblical instruction about what God wants us to do with our lives between baptism and our glorious entrance into His Kingdom. Other just-as-true scriptures tell us that we have to meet His expectations, His standards, which are high and rigorous. And rightfullyso, as the rewards are stunning! Jesus tells us in Matthew 13:43, "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (see Romans 8:17). Only a relative few can meet His standards because they are complex, extensive, and demanding. This fact is one reason "many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew22:14). For God's called, they are easy to understand but difficult in terms of execution, even with the help of His Spirit in us. For instance, note the instruction of the apostle Peter: But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. . . . Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble. (IIPeter 1:5-7, 10; see Galatians 5:22-23) That is a significant challenge! So, it is good to review these things on occasion, to examine ourselves, to determine whether we are still standing tall, albeit humbly, before God, continuing to grow in His righteousness. We will do this by noting the passages in which Godtells us what kind of person He will�or will not�allow to enter His Kingdom. They will make up a kind of entrance exam against which we can evaluate ourselves. To Nicodemus, Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Belief, repentance, baptism, and receipt of the Holy Spirit are requirements for salvation. With God's special calling and the gift of His Spirit, He sets us apart to come to know His way and plan, and eventually, to undergo completeregeneration at His coming (see Titus 3:5; Matthew 19:28). All along the way, we must put on the New Man, the character of our Lord (see Ephesians 4:17-24; Colossians 3:10-17). Further, Jesus teaches in Luke 6:20: "Blessed are you poor: for yours is the kingdom of God." If His statement refers to those who are financially needy, it would mean that all the poor of the world would receive a free pass into God's Kingdom! However, this is not the case. He is speaking directly to His disciples, then and now. Matthew 5:3 contains a parallel saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." When used this way, "poor" means that, in comparison to God, we reckon that we are spiritually impoverished, without resources. We are weak, powerless, and spiritually bankrupt. Being poor in spirit isthe attitudinal launching point for all the characteristics of love and godliness that please the Father. When we are poor in spirit, we recognize our spiritual need, which causes us to draw close to Him. Jesus also tells His disciples in Mark 10:15: "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Little children are teachable and eager to learn, mild, humble, and free from obstinance and preconceived notions. Christ islooking for the ability to accept freely and eagerly what God teaches. Acts 17:11 judges the Bereans to be noble because they searched the Scriptures daily, not to prove Paul's teachings were wrong, but to determine the truth of what they had heard and if they themselves were aligned with them. Christ lays out another point of examination in Luke 9:62: "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." He is not dispensing farming advice. However, farming is hard work, too difficult for some, and so they find an easier, more enjoyable way of earninga living. Similarly, some whom God has called find the difficulties of the Christian life�one of self-sacrifice�too challenging, and they turn back and lose their reward. The prime illustration of this turning back is Lot's wife. She looked back, probably longingly, at a way of life in Sodom that God was about to destroy, rebelling against the explicit instruction in Genesis 19:17 not to look back. This has a firm application for us today, those living at the end of the age. As He said about Sodom, God has promised to destroy the corrupt world we live in. We must keep our eyes on our magnificent goal, move toward it,and endure. However, our path often brings us into tribulation, that is, circumstances that seem to want to squeeze, crush, and break us. Standing up to one such experience is not easy, yet the Bible says that we can expect many tribulations! Luke writes in Acts 14:22 that Paul and Barnabas told new converts, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." This warning was among the last things Jesus also told His disciples before His arrest: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John16:33). These difficult circumstances "perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle" us (I Peter 5:10). The same apostle writes that God called us to this sometimesharsh life "because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that [we] should follow in His steps" (I Peter 2:21). He, too, was made "perfect through sufferings"(Hebrews 2:10). If we wish to be like Him, we have to overcome as He did. Patience or endurance goes hand in glove with tribulation and is just as necessary for entrance to the Kingdom. Paul writes in II Thessalonians 1:4-5: [W]e ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdomof God, for which you also suffer . . .. The writer of Hebrews concurs: "For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise" (Hebrews 10:36). Our everyday battle is against corruption of all sorts. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:5: "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" (many other disqualifying sinful practices are listed in I Corinthians 6:9-10; 15:50; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:7-8; 22:14-15). He exhorts us in I Timothy 6:11, "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness." The apostle James puts our purpose in a nutshell: "Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" (James2:5). We are selected and approved by God specifically to develop our faith in Him and love for Him, and we do this by striving to meet the high standards God sets throughout His Word for those who will enter His Kingdom. Trying to meet all of God's standards�in essence, to be like Christ�is neither simple nor easy. It can result in an arduous, painful life, as His did. Thank God for His grace and help in time of need (Hebrews4:16)! Yet, if we make a sincere effort to overcome and grow, we have this sure promise: ". . . if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior JesusChrist" (II Peter 1:11). - Mike Fuhrer --------------------------------------------------------------------- Why Jesus Came: He Is Greater Than the Ashes By Debbie McDaniel “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaimthe year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise insteadof a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61:1-3 Throughout the Bible and ancient practices, ashes have often been the symbol of deep repentance and grief. As the days of Lent are acknowledged each year, we see all around us the visual reminders of ashes on foreheads, and are reminded of this one Truth, “…for dust you are and to dust you will return." Genesis 3:19 Not exactly a nice thought to get your day going. But the reality of it all sinks in deep. Because, as many of us know, life is not always “happy.” Sometimes, it’s difficult. We feel pain, loneliness, even deep grief and despair. You may understand if… - You’ve ever lost a loved one or had to say good-bye too soon, left to journey through dark days of grief, wondering if you’d ever be able to carry on without them at your side… - You’ve ever received a hard diagnosis, faced the fear of the unknown, and felt the effects of disease and pain… - You’ve ever set at the bedside of a dying friend, and held a hand that once was strong, whose life had been cut short from the ravages of cancer… - You’ve ever been to a funeral for a sweet baby, or a precious child, and watched endless tears flow from hurting souls of a Mama and Daddy…. - You’ve ever been deeply wounded, betrayed, abused, or mistreated… It’s true, life is not always easy. It deals harshly sometimes, it seems unfair, and we may wonder where God is, or why He didn’t stop that difficult event or illness from happening. Job was there too. This righteous man who loved and honored God. Yet he lost everything. It crumbled around him, all he held dear. And he knew without God, he was nothing. And we find him in the beginning of the book of Job, “…he sat in the ashes.” Job 2:8 Daniel was there. He and the people had suffered under captivity, he prayed to God on behalf of his people, that God would have mercy. He repented, and confessed his own sin, his deep need for Him. He knew where true strength and help came from, “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” Daniel 9:3 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Serving Christ Matthew 25:34-40 Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success? Does your energy revolve around your family members? Perhaps your ambition is to change the world for the better. All of these aims�even the last one, which sounds so selfless�are futile. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment is serving Christ. As His followers, we should model our life after His. And Mark10:45 tells us that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.� We honor Him by doing likewise. Yet, sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when we consider the amazing ways that other believers are serving the Lord. With God on His side, King David led great armies into war. Today, there are evangelists who speak to tens of thousands, and many lives are saved. How could anything we do compare to accomplishments like these? And while comparisons may discourage us, Christians use other excusesfor not trying�such as a lack of experience or having the wrong personality for the task. But God�s call for each person is unique. He will provide the words, ability, and circumstances so that you can achieve what He wants done. Remember, our Father is the one who makes the difference. We are merely tools, and we�re blessed to be used by Him. EL: Are you demonstrating your love for the Lord by serving others? Live in such a way that each evening you can tell Him, �Lord, as best I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today.� -------------------------------------------------------------------- My Two Voices by John UpChurch �The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?� Jeremiah 17:9 I never read the Bible alone. Instead, there�s a squeaky voice tucked away in my head that likes to tag along. For the most part, it hums along in time with the steady cadence of Scripture, just waiting. But when somethingchallenging pops up, something that pushes against the way I�m living, the tiny warble begins. Brace yourselves because I�m taking you inside here. Me: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires The Warbler: You don�t need to worry about that. It says �old self.� You�re all brand-spanking new in here. Just ignore that. Me: to be made new in the attitude of your minds The Warbler: See. That�s totally you�new times two. Nothing left in here but soapy clean suds. Me: and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. The Warbler: Being like God? Yeah, right! That�s impossible. Not what that verse means. You can only do what you can do. Don�t worry about it. Next! Me: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. The Warbler: Oh, man! You�re a truthfulness beast of awesome. Me: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. The Warbler: That doesn�t mean you have to be nice all the time. Do you really want people stomping all over you? You�ve gotta push back and give them some smack when they need it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- In the Twinkling of An Eye - by pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2021/02/in-twinkling-of-eye.html 47 �The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Deathis swallowed up in victory.� (1st Corinthians 15:47-54) The above opening verses describe a reality that many of us will experience, I believe soon in this time of the end of this age. It describes the 'Harpazo� or the forcefulremoval of the church from this earth in a instant, or the twinkling of an eye. Some people just cannot wrap their minds around such a concept. Many don't believe what the Bible shows us to be truth. Paul was the first to make this known to the world, as it had never been taught before Paul called it a �mystery� or something not revealed in the past. The prophet Isaiahapproached the doctrine in chapter 26, when he described the coming of the Lord to those in his time period. 19 �Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shallcast out the dead. 20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more coverher slain.� (Isaiah 26:19-21) I've noticed that as you read Isaiah, much of the words the prophet writes lines up with the prophecy that John wrote in the final book of your Bible or Revelation of JesusChrist. But until Paul fleshed out the concept and actually addressed the coming of the Lord for His church, then many people who read the Old Testament couldn't see what Isaiah was saying. A FIRST CENTURY BELIEF I've spoken of the doctrine that was believed in the 1st Century church but was squashed in the Middle Ages by the ruling theocracy of a �church� whose main goal was powerand authority over other men. The doctrine was revived in the 19th century, as the Reformation gave men the ability to discern through God's Holy Spirit what the Words of God written actually meant. This doctrine was written for our time, not when it was written,as we are the last generation before Jesus comes again. I've always believed that the Bible clearly teaches a Pre-Trib (HARPAZO) rapture of the church, not because I look for a so called �great escape� as some scoff, but becauseI embrace the belief that it is �Victory in Jesus� and that the church is not appointed to wrath that falls on this earth starting in Revelation chapter 6 all the way through chapter 19 of the destruction in Divine retribution of those who are in rebellionagainst Almighty God and God judges them as His patience has come to an end. The Bible clearly teaches a Pre-Tribulation rapture that puts the last days and the Tribulation into context that is consistent with the overall flow of Bible prophecy. That is the only reason I teach and believe in the removal of God's church prior to the Tribulation as it makes no difference to me if someone else does not believe in thedoctrine and embraces another point of view, as the timing of the rapture plays no role in our salvation. Of all the doctrines of the Bible, this one is hotly contested among �brethren� who do not believe what they read, or fail to discern the meaning of theWords. We are saved by faith through grace and the person believes that He is coming again, as promised, and will keep all of the many other promises that are spelled out in yourBible, including being an Advocate before the Righteous Judge of all the earth. The believers faith is in the scripture that I so love to quote and believed as a small boy that God the Father sent His Son into the world to save all who come to Him. 16 �For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.� (John 3:16-18) But,( there's that word) the timing of the rapture of the Church is central to the understanding of the overall BIG picture of the last days. We are in the last days and it is a different era than the coming Tribulation period. The �last days� are used throughout the whole of the Bible in the context of the �ChurchAge� that we are now coming to the end of the period known also as the �Age of Grace�. It all began at Pentecost when the newly indwelt by the Holy Spirit apostles rushed from the upper room to the street proclaiming the salvation of God and the populationthought they were drunk. "Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye thatdwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But THIS IS THAT WHICH was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass IN THE LAST DAYS saithGod, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" (Acts 2:13-17) The last days that we speak of is the Age of the Church that we are living in and near at its end, whereas the 70th week of Daniel prophecy is called the �Time of Jacob'sTrouble also known as the Tribulation. These are two different �dispensations� of God and it is central to the understanding of the times that we now live in. The apostle Paul referred to this age, as the �dispensation of the grace of God�. 2 �If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)� (Ephesians 3:2-4) Paul called the conclusion of this present time the �Dispensation of the fullness of times�. 9 �Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.� (Ephesians 1:9-12) DISPENSATIONS OF THE BIBLE During our current dispensation, believers are indwelt by God's Holy Spirit as the Apostle John reminds us: 2 �Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it shouldcome; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.� (1st John 4:2-4) Note the context of what John speaks of? The spirit of anti-Christ is already in the world, even in John's day, but this spirit cannot overcome the Church saints, becauseHe Who dwells in us (The Holy Spirit) is greater than the spirit of anti-Christ. But this same prophet, writing of the same Anti-Christ who will come in the flesh during the Tribulation will over come the saints says: "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to OVERCOME them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (Revelation 13:7) Since the Apostle John wrote both passages, and they cannot be simultaneously true, the flow of the Bible is interrupted if the Church Age is concurrent with the Tribulation. I've spoken of this in past messages, that if the 'Anti-Christ' is given power to overcome the saints, will he also be given power to overcome the Holy Spirit? Since Johntells us that He (Jesus) had overcome the world, the Anti-Christ cannot overcome those who have God's Holy Spirit, but John tells us that he will overcome the saints. So the only explanation is that those who are saints in the Tribulation are not sealed withGod's Holy Spirit and are not the church, but Tribulation saints. The Holy Spirit will still be moving, but each saint must guard their salvation to the very end as they will not be sealed with a guarantee of their salvation. This is showing that God has not given the Anti-Christ power over Himself, the Holy Spirit of God. That leaves two possibilities apart from the Pre-Tribulation rapture inan analysis of the passage. The first is that Jesus lied to us, that He would come to us and never leave us and we would always have the Comforter, that is until the tribulation comes and the Comforterwould be withdrawn from the Church or the vessels He indwells and leaves them on their own to battle the Anti-Christ. Now we know that Jesus is God and does not lie, and He said He would NEVER leave us or forsake us. So strike that possibility. The apostle Paul makes that clear that the Holy Spirit will be withdrawn back to Pre-Pentecostal manifestations on the earth, before the �WICKED' is revealed: 6 �And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.� (2nd Thessalonians 2:66-10) The Holy Spirit is the power of God holding back complete evil overtaking this world, and He indwells each believer who has come to Christ Jesus and proclaimed by faith,their Savior. For when the Holy Spirit indwelled believers are removed, then Satan will be allowed to attempt to destroy all mankind and receive worship for himself. For a pre-Trib Rapture to be a false doctrine means our generation was chosen out of all others in Church history to face the greatest spiritual trial the world has everknown -- without the Comforter that Jesus promised would indwell us until He comes. That is a biblical contradiction. The second possibility is that John was either lying or mistaken when he said the spirit of antichrist cannot overcome indwelt believers. In either case, the promises of Scripture are broken. Since we know that Scripture cannot be broken, and that Jesus never lied, as He was sinless, then the only possibleexplanation is that the Pre-Tribulation rapture is the Truth of God's Word. THOSE WHO DON'T BELIEVE. In all my years in the ministry, I have heard every explanation of why the belief in a pre-Tribulation rapture of the church is nothing but a �great escape� and scoff thatit is a false doctrine. Those who misunderstand the clear meaning of God's Word have not had their eyes opened to the words of Paul as I have spoken of this great Mystery, that only Paul reveals the truths of �Grace through Faith� and the �Harpazo or raptureof the church� which until the Apostle Paul had never been spoken of in the Words of your Bible. That is why in each case, Paul calls it a �mystery� or something that had been hidden. I believe the One who opened the �mystery� to Paul was none other than ourLord Jesus when Paul was in the wilderness for 3 years being taught before he even showed himself to the other apostles in Jerusalem. But its opponents will spare no effort to 'prove' that it is a false doctrine, as if the timing of the Rapture were somehow of eternal significance. It is not. The eternal significance of the Rapture is this: 14 �For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.� (1st Thessalonians 4:14-18) POINT AND COUNTER-POINT Now with these two opposite opinions clearly in view, let us try and pull this all together by starting with the Words of Jesus in Matthew: 3 �And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming,and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.� (Matthew 24:3-6) Jesus warned that there will be one who comes in his own name and will deceive many, as most of Israel will be fooled: "I am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." (John 5:43) Even today, Israel has been looking for a �political messiah� much as they did in the time of Jesus that would rid them of the Roman occupation and today, to give them �peaceand security� in their own land from their enemies that surround them. There will come a man, possibly soon, who will give them what they have been longing for, at least temporarily, and will receive him as their �messiah�. They have never believed up to this point that they needed a �spiritual Messiah� to save them from their sins, as they had the Law of Moses, even though we know the lawkills and no one is able to keep the law perfectly. Jesus was the only �Man/God� on earth who ever did. It is why the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, as they were looking for a warrior King, much like King David to destroy the Romans. Jesus just didn'tfit their pre-conceived notions of who their �Messiah� would be, as they needed a warrior, not a suffering servant who came to die for the sins of the world. So if one looks at the coming Anti-Christ, should you be so unfortunate to actually see him in the flesh, then if he is standing on the ground, instead of meeting you inthe air, then you will know that he is an imposter, no matter what magic trick he performs to attempt to deceive you. In summary, the Pre-Tribulation rapture is NOT a �great escape� for the church, is a necessary evacuation of the Holy Spirit's restraining influence and allowing Satan tohave full sway of men and women upon the earth to deceive and destroy them. So since the Holy Spirit resides in each of the Church members, or the body of Christ as a deposit of future glorification, then with the Holy Spirit being withdrawn, so will everybeliever that has His Spirit residing within our spirit. If you remove the doctrine and the removal of God's people from this earth in the coming rapture of the church, then the chronology of Bible prophecy is thrown into chaos. Although the doctrine of the rapture of the church has no �salvation value� as we are saved by �Grace through Faith� not of works, lest any man should boast, it has no eternalconsequences to anyone that they must believe in the Pre-Tribulation rapture. They can believe or choose not to believe in this doctrine, as it has no salvation attached to it. I find no particular need to convert a believer to my own understanding of thelast days. BUT, I stress the doctrines, as those who have not come to faith in Jesus Christ will be faced with the coming horror known as the Tribulation and the even more destructive Great Tribulation that will destroy nigh 80-90% of all mankind. Prophecyis a great witnessing tool to those who are lost. I believe those who are found in Christ, when the trumpet sounds and they realize that they are being taken to meet Jesus Christ in the air will be as I am, raising my handsand praising God, knowing that they have been wrong to reject the doctrine. I have people in my own family who fear the coming tribulation and what will happen to their children and other loved ones. Sadly, they have no blessed Hope of being removed from thisplanet before the wrath of God falls upon all who are left. 10 �Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon theearth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.� (Revelation 3:10-11) Our Risen Lord proclaims to the Apostle John when speaking of the coming Tribulation that He will remove each of us from this planet, not through the Tribulation as somebelieve, but completely away from the time and space of this coming event. I have proclaimed in the past of the Greek Word that tells us this in the phrase �will keep thee� which states to be forcefully removed from point A to point B away from the time periodor place. But those who fear the coming Tribulation who do not have the assurance that �we are not appointed to wrath�. 8 �But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.� (1st Thessalonians 5:8-11) Yes, my reader, Jesus is coming soon and will catch many believers asleep, and the whole world will wonder where millions of people have gone to. The left behind leadershipwill attempt plausible excuses and explanations of what has happened, but they speak falsely and attempt to blind the masses to the �snatching away� of the Church of the Living God who has been their blessed Hope. 11 �For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.� (Titus 2:11-14) To re-emphasize I must restate that salvation is given by God as a gift of His grace. It is through faith in the finished work of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, when Heshed His blood on a Roman instrument of death, the cross. His shed blood if full payment for our sins, and His resurrection is our guarantee of our future glorification to be just like Him. �Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him ashe is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.� (1st John 3:1-3) SO WHY TEACH THE RAPTURE? But I have said all this to answer the question, �Why teach a pre-tribulation rapture of the church?� Because without this doctrine that draws the Bible's prophecy intoa coherent chronology of events, then Bible prophecy has no context, as without it, it makes no sense. I believe God has been most clear in the concept of the removal of the Church and I warn those who are playing church, warming a pew, or use the church asnothing but a social event, have missed the message of salvation and are doomed to endure, or most likely die in the coming Tribulation. Those whose eyes are opened by God's Holy Spirit feel the dread of being cast into the tribulation without God. And those who do eventually find God in the coming periodof �Jacob's trouble� will most likely die a martyrs death. I warn those who are lost in their sins and have not made Jesus Christ, Lord of their life, changed their mind about God, repented of their sins, and asked Jesus into their heart and lives that thereis coming a time that I would not want my worst enemy to endure. Not them and not you. The obligation to preach the Word of God in prophecy looking forward to the coming of our Lord for His Church and the beginning of the Tribulation is what I have been calledto do. As a minister of Christ I can do no other. Search your Bible, and be a good Berean and find out if what I have said is true. Ask God to lead you into all Truth...as Jesus said �Thy Word is Truth�. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2nd Timothy 2:15) We are to study diligently, as it is our insurance of not being fooled by false teachers or false prophets and succumb to end time deception that Jesus said would be a signof our times. As a Watchman on the Wall, I plead with you to look to Jesus now, the Author and Finisher of our faith. The Harpazo of the Church, (rapture) is close, even at the door, as Jesus will someday soon burst through the clouds and cry with a loud voice �Come up hither�.....WILL YOU BE READY? 8 �But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.�(Romans 10:8-13) This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying you find Jesus before the Trumpet calls. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com,of visit me online for more biblical messages from the Word of God. God bless you all. TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TheLimited Knowledge of Jesus �But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son,but the Father.� (Mark13:32) This verse has always been difficult to understand. If Jesus was God, how could He be ignorant of the time of His second coming? Indeed He was, and is, God, but He also was, and is, man. This is a part of the mystery of the divine/human nature of Christ. Inthe gospel record, we see frequent evidences of His humanity (He grew weary, for example, and suffered pain), but also many evidences of deity (His virgin birth, His resurrection and ascension, as well as His perfect words and deeds). He had been in glory with the Father from eternity (John17:24), but when He became man, �in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren� (Hebrews2:17), except for sin. As a child, He �increased in wisdom and stature� like any other human (Luke2:52). Through diligent study (as a man), He acquired great wisdom in the Scriptures and the plan of God. After His baptism and the acknowledgment from heaven of His divine Sonship (e.g., Matthew 3:16-17), He increasingly manifested various aspects of His deity, but He still remained fully human. With respect to the time of the end, this depends in some degree on human activity. For example, He said that �the gospel must first be published among all nations� (Mark13:10), and only God the Father could foresee just when men will have accomplished this. Although the glorified Son presumably now shares this knowledge, in His self-imposed human limitations He did not. In no way does this compromise His deity. In our own finite humanity, we cannot comprehend fully the mystery of the divine/human nature of Christ, but He has given us more than sufficient reason to believe His Word! HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IsGod Only Love? https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2021/03/is-god-only-love.html 7 �Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.� (1st John 4:7-10) Most people agree that for salvation a Christian needs more than just a theoretical knowledge of God. Over the course of our lives, we increase our knowledge of Him throughlife's varied experiences. We also come to a greater understanding by studying God's Word. In both areas we can be snared by a major problem that traps many religious people in this world: emphasizing one of His attributes at the expense of others. I have a Roman Catholic friend who lives in France, who is focused on this one attribute of God, that God is love, and since God is a loving God, all is good, and I fearthat he believes that a loving God will not send anyone to a burning hell. He hasn't come right and said it that I can recall, but is definitely �hung up� on this one attribute and cannot see other attributes of the God we serve. God is not one dimensional. Though we should study each of His attributes and think on them separately, we should not separate them from the complete personality that Godis. Why? It distorts the model we are to imitate and grow into, and it can radically alter our expectations of what He will do. If He does not do what we expect, we are liable to become grieved because God "let us down." For instance, the Bible emphasizes that God is merciful and full of grace. We are very thankful that God is a merciful and loving God, but God is much more than one or twodimensions of His character. We should not make the mistake besides all of the many attributes that are what our God is, we should not overlook the fact the God is also just. If we do, His mercy can become a justification for failure to overcome besettingsins. Neither God's mercy nor justice can be separated from all that He is. Both are harmoniously applied to each situation and person He judges. SOME OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD God is also a God of compassion. Some see God as so compassionate that He disregards the causes of some horrible problems and trials we endure in this life. If God actedin such a manner, flaws with painful results would go uncorrected. Make no mistake about it, God will discipline those He loves. 5 �And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked ofhim: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.� (Hebrews 12:5-8) Some so erroneously believe that God created His creation and then just walked away. God is very much involved with the plan to redeem mankind and nothing escapes His gazeor His knowledge. Still others construe God's sovereignty so that it is greatly diminished His goodness and portrays Him as rigid and inflexible. This kind of person lives with a guilt-ridden,fearful and discouraged life, thinking he will never please Him. 6 �But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.� (Hebrews11:6) But probably the most familiar of God's attributes is found in the scripture used to open this message in 1st John 4:8 �God is love�. John states a fact, not a definitionof God's essential nature. If John had declared that love is what God is, we would be forced to conclude that God is what love is. Literally, if God is love, then literally, love is God and we are forced to worship love as the only True God. This would meanthat God and love are identical. Fortunately for mankind, the Bible reveals that God is a multidimensional personality and not only just love. If we eliminate the idea of God's complex personality, denying all of His other attributes, save one, the remainingattribute becomes God, and is a very subtle form of idolatry. This is NOT only what God the Father is, or our Lord Jesus Christ. THE WHOLENESS OF GOD The wholeness of God is a concept that we must come to understand, that God is more than one or two attributes. It's an important subject because some have become enslavedto words. We must give greater weight to meanings. The Bible speaks that God is love and light. 3 �That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.� (1st John 1:3-5) The Bible also speaks of our Jesus as being the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 6 �Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.� (John 14:6-7) We understand the words in the same sense as when we say of a man, "He is kindness itself." Of course, we do not suggest that kindness and the man are identical, and noone misunderstands our intention. Because any man is more than just kindness, even the best man. So it is even more so with a infinite God we serve. The words "God is love" mean that love is an essential attribute of God. Love is something true of God, but it is not all of God. He has many other attributes. He is self-existent,eternal, merciful, full of grace, immutable, just, omnipotent, omniscient and many more things besides, but the greatest of all is God is Holy.. Because God is Holy and immutable, He always acts as God, and because He is a whole and perfect personality, Henever suspends one of His attributes to exercise another. God is not man, with all of his imperfections. God is truth and never acts out of irritation, resentment, suddenly moody, or acts on a whim. He always acts in light of allthe facts. King David declared in the Psalms: 7 �The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.� (Psalm 19:7-11) David also proclaimed further in another chapter in the Psalms : 5 �Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.� (Psalm 105:5,7) The beauty, harmony, balance and providence evident throughout the earth are witnesses of the wisdom, unity, harmony, and yes, the love in which He always acts. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God proclaims: 23 �Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.� (Jeremiah 9:23-24) HOW DO WE COME TO KNOW GOD AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT? �These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.� (John 17:1-3) So how important is it to know God? As mentioned here, eternal life is knowing God. It implies an intimate relationship with God that matures over a lifetime. Each party knows each other well, as familiarly as marriage partners. 1 �Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rainunto the earth.� (Hosea 6:1-3)(Hosea speaks of the age of Grace and the coming Millennial reign of Christ) my interpretation. So what of our God? Can we know Him. Yes, through His only begotten Son, can we come to know a loving, but fearfully powerful God? 6 �For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.� (Romans 5:6-10) God loved us so much, that He sent His only Son, to die in our place.... �For God so loved the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17, God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but the world through Him might be saved. 18, He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.� (John 3:16-18) �caps my emphasis� The question was, �how can we come to know God?� The Apostle John gave a quick and concise way we can know God and know Him intimately...through His Son.. �Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.� (1st John 2:23) �Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.� (Romans 5:1-9) GOD IS JUST AND WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE With all the attributes spoke briefly about an all power God, and our soon coming King, God is not some grandfatherly type living in the sky who is nothing but love, love,love. Although He embodies this attributes, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. 8 �Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.� (Proverbs 9:8-10) One might wonder why fear is included. It is because fear represents the specific attitude required to make the best use of God's law and bring the sinner to convictionthrough the Holy Spirit. Know this, reader. We don't come to God because we love God..we come to Him because we love ourselves. Love for Him comes later when we realize what He has done for us. As a small boy, I didn't come to God out of love, but realizingthat I needed a Savior to cleanse me of my sins...I knew Jesus died on a old rugged cross, so that I might live forever. Falling in love with God came later, when I studied how much He loved me first, before I knew how to love Him. 10 �As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11, There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12, They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.� (Roman 3:10-12) There is an element of fear to realize that we are in rebellion against God because of our sinful nature. Fear brings Godly conviction and I've seen men shake uncontrollablywith the power of God upon them, as they are under God's conviction of their sins. The choice of life or death, darkness or light, eternity in heaven or in hell, drives those under this conviction to a Godly realization of their vulnerability to a Holy Godwho will judge them, even though He loves them. Paul speaks of this along with the Apostle Peter: 5 �But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) 6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? (Roman 3:5-6) And Peter wrote: 5 �Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.� (1st Peter 4:5-6) In addition, remember that wisdom is a right application of knowledge and understanding. If fear is not present, we will not even start to build towards faith, hope, andlove. Godly fear gets us jump-started, gets us going to do what is right. GOD IS LONG SUFFERING, BUT.... Although God is a loving God, He is patient and not willing that any of His creation perish. �The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward,not willing that any should perish, but that all should cometo repentance.� (2nd Peter 3:9) But even a long suffering King of the Universe, patience does eventually run out. We have many instances found in your Bible of a long suffering God. Like when God gavethe inhabitants in Canaan 400 years to change and repent, but sent Israel into the Promise Land and commanded them during their Exodus to destroy them: �These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the Lord God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live uponthe earth. 2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every greentree: 3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the namesof them out of that place� (Deuteronomy 12:2-3) Just showing the fear of God and what God has done to bring His wrath on unrepentant mankind should give anyone pause and have reverence, and a Godly fear of an AlmightyGod who when He has finally run out of patience, will utterly destroy those who are in rebellion against Him. I know this will upset my Catholic friend who I debate on a local forum, but God is not only a God of love, He is also a God of judgment in His righteousindignation. But let us speak of the coming wrath that God will unleash on mankind in the near future. THE WRATH OF A LOVING GOD 23 � To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speakethfrom heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.� (Hebrews 12:23-29) (my emphasis) There is a huge amount of verses in your Bible that speaks of the attributes of a Holy God. Yes, God is love, but He is also greatly to be feared. God will pass judgmenton the whole of mankind and destroy all rebellion on this earth what is called the coming Tribulation. The final book of your Bible speaks of the wrath of God. You know that God of love? Although He is not willing any should perish, God gives you a choice.It's called your own freewill. God does not coerce anyone into loving Him or obeying Him...He gives us a choice of heaven or hell. He doesn't send anybody to hell...you do. John sees the ultimate fate of all who refuse the free offer of grace and mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ: 11 �And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged outof those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.� (Revelation 20:11-15) Eternal separation from a Holy God, devoid of all love, joy, peace, happiness, comfort and being a part of a Holy Family for all eternity, now that is what I deem a literalhell, besides the physical torment. GOD IS LOVE, YES, BUT HE IS SO MUCH MORE We admire good qualities in others and wish we had them. But we realize that the same people who have these good qualities lack others. Our God, though, has every good qualityto the ultimate degree, and every attribute works in perfect and faithful harmony. Studying God in His wholeness should teach us humility, caution in speech and action and a deep reverence of Him. Too often God's superiority overwhelms us when we compareit to our own state. Though we are imperfect and limited in this life, we should not undervalue our current level of growth. Don't allow God's incomparable perfection to derail your progress. Growth in godly character and personality is our calling�we areto be like Him! Human life is a beginning: God made us in His image and is transforming us into the image of His Son. This process requires our cooperation in striving to "put on the newman who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Colossians 3:10). This is His will. And in bringing us to His perfection, He reveals His whole nature so we can know it and allow Him to reproduce it in us. To my friend, the Catholic online, God is love, that is true...BUT our God is a consuming FIRE. May we possess a Godly fear and reverence and not reject so great a salvationthrough Jesus Christ our Lord. God is calling all of mankind to repent, but some will not. The coming Tribulation is where God will deal with all who have failed to repent of their sins and call uponthe only NAME that is above every name in true repentance of their sinful deeds, and that is Jesus Christ, the ONLY begotten Son of God. 8 �But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.� (Romans 10:8-13) I have often told my congregation that each of us were born for one purpose, besides living our own lives, but given a choice of what each of us will do with the God/Man,Jesus Christ. Will each of us submit our own pride in a humble and a contrite heart, knowing that we can't save ourselves, or let demonic pride cause us to reject a Holy God who stepped out of glory for one purpose and that was to save you, and me? God calls each of us sometime during our lives. What will your answer be? 6 �Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.� 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart........ 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.� (Hebrews 4:6-7, 12-14) Our God is love, but a Consuming Fire. Don't make that eternal mistake of ignoring the calling of God's Holy Spirit for the salvation of your soul through the only Way backto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying you know the REAL God in Spirit and in Truth. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at , pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com , God bless you all, TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET --------------------------------------------------------------------