03/31/18 SUIT UP AND GO GET'EM
Wooo hooo, I just finished 71 years, which means I have now entered into my 72 year, Praise the Lord. So suit up and go get'em.
Three Passages by which to set our agenda
Ephesians 6:10-19
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 wickedness in 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;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:22-32
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
03/31/18 THE HELLEBRATERS
03/31/18 THE HELLEBRATERS
Never be shocked when others abandon you and celebrate your suffering (Mt. 5:10-12; 2 Tm. 4:14-18; Re. 11:3-12).
PASSAGES...
THE RIGHTEOUS WILL BE PERSECUTED
2 Timothy 3:10-17
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 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.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
JESUS FORETOLD PERSECUTION
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
ALEXANDER THE COPPERSMITH SPEARHEADED ATTACKS ON PAUL
2 Timothy 4:14-18
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
CELEBRATING THE DEATH OF THE TWO WITNESSES
Revelation 11:3-12
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Never be shocked when others abandon you and celebrate your suffering (Mt. 5:10-12; 2 Tm. 4:14-18; Re. 11:3-12).
PASSAGES...
THE RIGHTEOUS WILL BE PERSECUTED
2 Timothy 3:10-17
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 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.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
JESUS FORETOLD PERSECUTION
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
ALEXANDER THE COPPERSMITH SPEARHEADED ATTACKS ON PAUL
2 Timothy 4:14-18
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
CELEBRATING THE DEATH OF THE TWO WITNESSES
Revelation 11:3-12
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
03/31/18 WHATCHAWANNABET
03/31/18 WHATCHAWANNABET
Whachawannabet Alexander's network of nasty accusers didn't celebrate when they lured others into their den of darkness?
Whachawannabet Alexander's network of nasty accusers didn't celebrate when they lured others into their den of darkness?
Friday, March 30, 2018
03/30/18 ACCUSERS ATTACK BELIEVERS
03/30/18 ACCUSERS ATTACK BELIEVERS
After the ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN spreads lies and hatred, even "reasonable" people doubt falsely accused Christians.
After the ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN spreads lies and hatred, even "reasonable" people doubt falsely accused Christians.
03/30/18 NOT A GAME
03/30/18 NOT A GAME
Twisted truth is funny in the game, "TELEPHONE."
In real life, gossip and slander are hateful and hurtful.
Twisted truth is funny in the game, "TELEPHONE."
In real life, gossip and slander are hateful and hurtful.
03/30/18 ANOTHER ONE OF MY POSTS FROM 2013
03/30/18 ANOTHER ONE OF MY POSTS FROM 2013
(and last year)
What should be a child's first and foremost thought when they think about Resurrection Sunday? It should be that Jesus was raised from the dead.
Now, once that becomes the focus, there is no need for, or desire for Ishtar, rabbits and colored eggs.
Jesus should never share the meaning of this celebration with anyone or anything, much less with pagan and corrupt symbolism.
As long as we give children a pagan coated Christianity, they will suck the coating and leave the reality.
If we want our children to become weak Christians, we should water down the message of the cross and the empty tomb.
Maybe we would have more fellow followers of Christ today if the churches in the past had promoted the empty tomb and the hallowed Christ instead of the hollow chocolate bunny.
("OUCH," my response today, March 30, 2018)
(and last year)
What should be a child's first and foremost thought when they think about Resurrection Sunday? It should be that Jesus was raised from the dead.
Now, once that becomes the focus, there is no need for, or desire for Ishtar, rabbits and colored eggs.
Jesus should never share the meaning of this celebration with anyone or anything, much less with pagan and corrupt symbolism.
As long as we give children a pagan coated Christianity, they will suck the coating and leave the reality.
If we want our children to become weak Christians, we should water down the message of the cross and the empty tomb.
Maybe we would have more fellow followers of Christ today if the churches in the past had promoted the empty tomb and the hallowed Christ instead of the hollow chocolate bunny.
("OUCH," my response today, March 30, 2018)
03/30/18 FROM 2013 (still a good post)
03/30/18 FROM 2013 (still a good post)
None of Christs followers in the Bible ever said, "Happy Easter."
They celebrated The Lamb of God (Who died to take away the sins of the world); they did not celebrate a rabbit (a pagan symbol of fertility).
They celebrated The Cross (stained with the blood of atonement); they did not celebrate colored eggs (a pagan symbol of fertility).
They celebrated Jesus (physically raised from the dead); they did not celebrate Ishtar (the pagan fertility goddess).
They did not confuse the children with pagan ideas or blur the work of Christ with pagan symbolism.
It is not a myth,
it is not a religious distinctive.
It is the whole reason for our hope in eternal life.
HE IS RISEN.
None of Christs followers in the Bible ever said, "Happy Easter."
They celebrated The Lamb of God (Who died to take away the sins of the world); they did not celebrate a rabbit (a pagan symbol of fertility).
They celebrated The Cross (stained with the blood of atonement); they did not celebrate colored eggs (a pagan symbol of fertility).
They celebrated Jesus (physically raised from the dead); they did not celebrate Ishtar (the pagan fertility goddess).
They did not confuse the children with pagan ideas or blur the work of Christ with pagan symbolism.
It is not a myth,
it is not a religious distinctive.
It is the whole reason for our hope in eternal life.
HE IS RISEN.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
03/29/18 ROUTE 666 TO THE LAKE OF FIRE
03/29/18 ROUTE 666 TO THE LAKE OF FIRE
I know that the numbering system of Bible passages is not Divinely inspired. But John 6:66 is very interesting.
John 6:66
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
It comes down to this. If a person does not follow Christ and His teachings, then that person is traveling ROUTE 666, the road to eternal separation.
I know that the numbering system of Bible passages is not Divinely inspired. But John 6:66 is very interesting.
John 6:66
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
It comes down to this. If a person does not follow Christ and His teachings, then that person is traveling ROUTE 666, the road to eternal separation.
03/29/18 BEWARE REVISIONISTS
03/29/18 BEWARE REVISIONISTS
The Net is full of "revisionists" history explaining why the word, "Easter" is not related to paganism. But truth is still truth.
The Net is full of "revisionists" history explaining why the word, "Easter" is not related to paganism. But truth is still truth.
03/29/18 WHY NOT RESURRECTION?
03/29/18 WHY NOT RESURRECTION?
If you call it "Easter" instead of "Resurrection" what is your reason?
If it doesn't matter to you, then why not "Resurrection?"
If you call it "Easter" instead of "Resurrection" what is your reason?
If it doesn't matter to you, then why not "Resurrection?"
03/29/18 ASK OTHERS ABOUT "EASTER"
03/29/18 ASK OTHERS ABOUT "EASTER"
Just FYI,
ask children, cultists and sinners
if they say Easter or Resurrection.
(someone commented that it could be a good way to share with someone).
DLG response
In fact, that is where I wanted to go with my post, but I sometimes try to fit it into one of the colorful backgrounds provided by FB. It makes my post more appealing and more likely to get read by some folks.
Yes. I would even suggest that this is a very good way to deliberately bring up the gospel and witness for Christ, and it is not even that "sneaky." Jesus often used this technique to introduce Divine truth to people.
And we should not be surprised when cultists call it resurrection. This is one of the things that causes cults to grow.
The cults sometimes use Biblical terms and address Biblical issues (though they are not being Biblical when they do it), while Christians have been tricked into "sanctifying" pagan concepts and ignoring Biblical teaching.
The cults have often been more interested in what they believe than Christians have been interested in the truth of the Bible.
The cults are often better equipped to mislead people than Christians are to lead people in the truth.
The cults are less concerned with being "disliked" than Christians.
The cults follow their darkness more closely than most Christians follow the light.
The cults make their darkness more approachable and understandable than most Christians do, in presenting the light.
The cults have a deeper understanding of their false doctrines than most Christians have concerning the truth of the Bible.
The cults often spend more time, energy and other resources in spreading their darkness than Christians spend in spreading the light of the gospel.
The cults are motivated (for whatever reason), while most Christians are not even awake. (No pun intended with the word AWAKE).
03/29/18 JESUS PRAYER IN GETHSEMANE
03/29/18 JESUS PRAYER IN GETHSEMANE
(notes from my video)
Not the same message I recently posted about Jesus Was Heard, though it deals with the same subject and there is overlap, but it is a totally different approach and message.
Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane, the prayer that Jesus asked the Father to let This Cup Pass From Me.
A lot of people say that the cup was His death on the cross.
Jesus was asking to be delivered from death, but not death on the cross, but rather, He was asking to be delivered from death in the Garden, which would have kept Him from death on the cross.
We know that He got His prayer answered, therefore the Father granted His request, whatever it was. If His request was to NOT die on the cross, then Jesus did not get His request.
You may respond by saying that Jesus got His OTHER request, which was, "Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done." But the Bible says that the Father always heard Jesus' prayers.
The NEVERTHELESS prayer was a secondary prayer, based on what Jesus did not know, whereas His LET THIS CUP prayer was based on what He did know. He knew it was the Father's will for Him to die on the cross.
John 8:29
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
John 11:42
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
Jesus, and later John said, that God will hear, grant our requests
Matthew 21:22
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Luke 11:9-13
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
John 14:12-14
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 15:7-10
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1 John 3:21-24
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
We may say that we don't always get our prayer requests granted. Maybe we are not meeting the conditions.
There are conditions to having our prayers answered.
BUT JESUS MET ALL CONDITIONS. He always obeyed the Father.
Jesus and the Father were always of one mind; They always agreed. They never disagreed, EVER.
Jesus had preached throughout His ministry that He would go to Jerusalem, suffer, be crucified dead and be raised from the dead. He had said this just before He went to the Garden to pray.
So, why did Jesus go to the Garden? What was He wanting to do in the Garden?
Notice, JUST PRIOR TO His arrest, His trial, His crucifixion, Jesus went to the Garden. He took His disciples with Him and took three of them with Him into the Garden.
You may be thinking, "He went to the Garden to pray that He might escape the cross." NO, NO, there is nothing in the entire passage that says He went to the Garden in order to ask that He should not die on the cross. Not one thing even implies such a thing.
We can get an idea of why He went to the Garden from Hebrews 4 and 5, since that gives us more information about His praying in the Garden than any other passage.
Hebrews 4:14-16
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.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The High Priest of Israel would make blood sacrifice for the sins of the people, but first he would make sacrifice for his own sins.
Jesus made sacrifice for us, as the High Priest, and also as the Sacrifice and also as the Altar. Jesus did not make sacrifice for His own sins because Jesus did not have sin. He was a man, He was human, but He was without sin. This is fundamental to the Christian faith.
IN HEBREWS 5 (there is no chapter 15), in 5:1-3 we are told that the high priest made sacrifice for himself and for the people of Israel.
Hebrews 5:5-7 tells us that Jesus was chosen to be High Priest. Jesus was not part of the Levitical priesthood, He was not part of the Aaronic priesthood. Jesus was chosen aside from natural lineage.
In verse 6 we see that Jesus was likened to Melchisedec, who predated the Aaronic priesthood. There is no record of the father or mother or the origin or the destiny of Melchisedec. Likewise, Jesus had not beginning, no ending.
In verse 7 we are told that Jesus, during His earthly ministry, offered prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears to Him Who was able to save Him.
This passage aligns this prayer with His High Priestly office. Jesus is High Priest, without beginning and without end.
Jesus was heard when He prayed to be saved from death. BUT WHAT DEATH?
People say that He was in the Garden praying because of the burden of carrying the sins of the world or the fear of dying on the cross. IT DOES NOT SAY THIS.
This passage does say He was praying;
it does put Him in His High Priestly office;
it does say that His prayer was heard.
If His prayer was to escape the cross, then His prayer was not heard, because He did not escape the cross. This contradicts the passage.
People say He went to the Garden because He was burdened with the prospect of being the sin bearer, the prospect of death on the cross.
I believe He was burdened, as the sin bearer, as the High Priest, with the spiritual needs of the disciples, of the Church. He went to the Garden to pray for His followers. He could have also been praying for Himself to fulfill all that the Father wanted Him to in His death, but He did not go to the Garden to pray for deliverance from the cross, and He did not turn from the cross while praying in the Garden. IT DOES NOT SAY THAT.
You may ask where I get this.
Well, that is what High Priests do. They pray for the people.
That is what loving parents and family members do. They pray for loved ones.
Jesus did not go to the Garden to pray for escape from the cross. Where does it say such a thing? It is not said before the Garden. Everything before the Garden was commitment to go to the cross, to do the Father's will, to fulfill His mission. EVERYTHING.
Jesus did not change His mind about His mission while He was praying in the Garden. If He did, then where and when did such a monumental shift take place?
Jesus was at the Garden praying. He had talked to the disciples often, concerning their faith and relationship with Him and His plan to die on the cross and be raised again. They had shown their weakness and failure by backing out from time to time and they had boasted that they would not back out, only to back out.
Jesus was praying for His disciples. He actually told them to pray. He went to pray, and at some point He came to them and found the sleeping. He told them to pray, because He was so wrung out in His prayer battle that He was in great sorrow and on the verge of dying. HE WAS ABOUT TO DIE IN THE GARDEN. They went back to sleep and He went back to prayer.
Jesus returned again to the disciples and was bleeding through the pores of His skin. He was about to die as He battled in the Garden. Again He told the disciples to pray; pray that they would not enter into temptation. His concern was for them, though He was about to die.
As a parent, you know what it is to pray for your child if they hare in a drastic situation. You pray more energetically, more vigorously, more emotionally, more determinedly, more sorrowfully for your child than you ever prayed for yourself.
Jesus went to the Garden to pray for His disciples, the Church and for His own ability to finish His sacrificial death. He did not go there to escape the cross.
Jesus did not change His mind, before the Garden, about dying on the cross. He did not change His mind, while in the Garden, about dying on the cross. That would have been disobedience to the Father. That would have been breaking unity with the Father. He and the Father had always been of one mind, one purpose, they always agreed.
If Jesus backed away from the cross, WHERE AND WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?
If Jesus came back His plan to die on the cross, WHERE AND WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?
Some folks blame His falling away from the eternal plan of God because He was human. NO, it was not just a human frailty to reject the cross, it was a rebellion against the will of the Father, and against His own commitment.
Jesus, as a man, did have weaknesses, infirmities, but He never sinned.
Jesus did not turn from the cross. He did not ask the Father to change His mind, His plan, His only way of salvation. IT DID NOT HAPPEN.
Jesus was in the Garden praying for His disciples, the world, the Church. He did not go to the Garden to get out of going to the cross.
Jesus was not praying in the Garden, and then suddenly decide that He did not want to go to the cross.
However, in His praying He was so spent in supplication, spent in spiritual battle with darkness that He was about to die. It was becoming evident that He might not make it out of the Garden and therefore He would not be able to make the sacrifice for sins.
This is where we see the humanity of Jesus. Not in trying to escape the cross, but in His weakened physical condition it looked like He would not make it to the cross. Though He held on to the cross as long as He could, His life was slipping away.
Jesus was under attack. Satan had always wanted to kill Jesus before the cross, beginning with Herod's decree to kill the infants. Satan wanted to kill Jesus on various occasions and this might be his last opportunity before the cross.
Jesus said He was sorrowful unto death. It was not hyperbole or a cute colloquialism, IT WAS AN APPARENT FACT. He was about to die.
This spiritual battle in the Garden was so violent that angels were sent to strengthen and minister to Jesus. This is why Jesus prayed, Let this cup pass from me, let this hour pass from me.
Mark 14:33-36
33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
If Jesus sought to escape the cross, because of His humanness, He needs to apologize to Peter because when Peter spoke against His death on the cross, Jesus called Peter Satan and reproved Peter for savoring the things of the world rather than the tings of God.
If Jesus was turning from the cross in the Garden, He was doing the same thing that Peter did.
Jesus never showed remorse for His "human lapse." Jesus never apologized for calling Peter, "Satan."
JESUS DID NOT TRY TO ESCAPE THE CROSS.
"His prayer was heard, in that He feared."
The Father did not hear Jesus because He feared the cross.
The Father did not save Jesus from death on the cross, because Jesus did not ask to be saved from death on the cross.
The Father saved Him from death in the Garden.
JESUS LEARNED OBEDIENCE... (vs 8-10)
NO. He did not learn to obey the Father about going to the cross because that was never the issue. The passage does not say He learned to be obedient by surrendering to the cross, while in the Garden.
The passage says that He learned obedience.
The Divine nature of the Son of God did not have to learn obedience.
The Divine nature of Jesus always existed, the human nature of Jesus had not always existed.
There is only One Son of God, but the Son of God has two natures. He is Divine and He is human.
The Human nature of the Jesus had to learn obedience.
It is not that the human nature of Jesus had ever been disobedient. He had to learn obedience, even when it would be costly.
Jesus, being on the verge of death, continued to fight against death and tried to reach the cross. But it was becoming more evident that He probably would not make it out of the Garden alive.
Jesus prayed, to the end, that He would survive the Garden, BUT, He realized He was about to die. In His human weakness, in His human infirmity He did not know what was about to happen, and in desperation He cried out one more time, asking that the Father save Him from death in the Garden, NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE BE DONE.
This is where He learned complete trust. He wanted the Father's will, even if it conflicted with everything He knew and understood concerning His mission. This surrender to the Father concerning the unknown is what perfected Him as the Author of eternal salvation.
(notes from my video)
Not the same message I recently posted about Jesus Was Heard, though it deals with the same subject and there is overlap, but it is a totally different approach and message.
Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane, the prayer that Jesus asked the Father to let This Cup Pass From Me.
A lot of people say that the cup was His death on the cross.
Jesus was asking to be delivered from death, but not death on the cross, but rather, He was asking to be delivered from death in the Garden, which would have kept Him from death on the cross.
We know that He got His prayer answered, therefore the Father granted His request, whatever it was. If His request was to NOT die on the cross, then Jesus did not get His request.
You may respond by saying that Jesus got His OTHER request, which was, "Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done." But the Bible says that the Father always heard Jesus' prayers.
The NEVERTHELESS prayer was a secondary prayer, based on what Jesus did not know, whereas His LET THIS CUP prayer was based on what He did know. He knew it was the Father's will for Him to die on the cross.
John 8:29
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
John 11:42
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
Jesus, and later John said, that God will hear, grant our requests
Matthew 21:22
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Luke 11:9-13
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
John 14:12-14
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 15:7-10
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1 John 3:21-24
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
We may say that we don't always get our prayer requests granted. Maybe we are not meeting the conditions.
There are conditions to having our prayers answered.
BUT JESUS MET ALL CONDITIONS. He always obeyed the Father.
Jesus and the Father were always of one mind; They always agreed. They never disagreed, EVER.
Jesus had preached throughout His ministry that He would go to Jerusalem, suffer, be crucified dead and be raised from the dead. He had said this just before He went to the Garden to pray.
So, why did Jesus go to the Garden? What was He wanting to do in the Garden?
Notice, JUST PRIOR TO His arrest, His trial, His crucifixion, Jesus went to the Garden. He took His disciples with Him and took three of them with Him into the Garden.
You may be thinking, "He went to the Garden to pray that He might escape the cross." NO, NO, there is nothing in the entire passage that says He went to the Garden in order to ask that He should not die on the cross. Not one thing even implies such a thing.
We can get an idea of why He went to the Garden from Hebrews 4 and 5, since that gives us more information about His praying in the Garden than any other passage.
Hebrews 4:14-16
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.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The High Priest of Israel would make blood sacrifice for the sins of the people, but first he would make sacrifice for his own sins.
Jesus made sacrifice for us, as the High Priest, and also as the Sacrifice and also as the Altar. Jesus did not make sacrifice for His own sins because Jesus did not have sin. He was a man, He was human, but He was without sin. This is fundamental to the Christian faith.
IN HEBREWS 5 (there is no chapter 15), in 5:1-3 we are told that the high priest made sacrifice for himself and for the people of Israel.
Hebrews 5:5-7 tells us that Jesus was chosen to be High Priest. Jesus was not part of the Levitical priesthood, He was not part of the Aaronic priesthood. Jesus was chosen aside from natural lineage.
In verse 6 we see that Jesus was likened to Melchisedec, who predated the Aaronic priesthood. There is no record of the father or mother or the origin or the destiny of Melchisedec. Likewise, Jesus had not beginning, no ending.
In verse 7 we are told that Jesus, during His earthly ministry, offered prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears to Him Who was able to save Him.
This passage aligns this prayer with His High Priestly office. Jesus is High Priest, without beginning and without end.
Jesus was heard when He prayed to be saved from death. BUT WHAT DEATH?
People say that He was in the Garden praying because of the burden of carrying the sins of the world or the fear of dying on the cross. IT DOES NOT SAY THIS.
This passage does say He was praying;
it does put Him in His High Priestly office;
it does say that His prayer was heard.
If His prayer was to escape the cross, then His prayer was not heard, because He did not escape the cross. This contradicts the passage.
People say He went to the Garden because He was burdened with the prospect of being the sin bearer, the prospect of death on the cross.
I believe He was burdened, as the sin bearer, as the High Priest, with the spiritual needs of the disciples, of the Church. He went to the Garden to pray for His followers. He could have also been praying for Himself to fulfill all that the Father wanted Him to in His death, but He did not go to the Garden to pray for deliverance from the cross, and He did not turn from the cross while praying in the Garden. IT DOES NOT SAY THAT.
You may ask where I get this.
Well, that is what High Priests do. They pray for the people.
That is what loving parents and family members do. They pray for loved ones.
Jesus did not go to the Garden to pray for escape from the cross. Where does it say such a thing? It is not said before the Garden. Everything before the Garden was commitment to go to the cross, to do the Father's will, to fulfill His mission. EVERYTHING.
Jesus did not change His mind about His mission while He was praying in the Garden. If He did, then where and when did such a monumental shift take place?
Jesus was at the Garden praying. He had talked to the disciples often, concerning their faith and relationship with Him and His plan to die on the cross and be raised again. They had shown their weakness and failure by backing out from time to time and they had boasted that they would not back out, only to back out.
Jesus was praying for His disciples. He actually told them to pray. He went to pray, and at some point He came to them and found the sleeping. He told them to pray, because He was so wrung out in His prayer battle that He was in great sorrow and on the verge of dying. HE WAS ABOUT TO DIE IN THE GARDEN. They went back to sleep and He went back to prayer.
Jesus returned again to the disciples and was bleeding through the pores of His skin. He was about to die as He battled in the Garden. Again He told the disciples to pray; pray that they would not enter into temptation. His concern was for them, though He was about to die.
As a parent, you know what it is to pray for your child if they hare in a drastic situation. You pray more energetically, more vigorously, more emotionally, more determinedly, more sorrowfully for your child than you ever prayed for yourself.
Jesus went to the Garden to pray for His disciples, the Church and for His own ability to finish His sacrificial death. He did not go there to escape the cross.
Jesus did not change His mind, before the Garden, about dying on the cross. He did not change His mind, while in the Garden, about dying on the cross. That would have been disobedience to the Father. That would have been breaking unity with the Father. He and the Father had always been of one mind, one purpose, they always agreed.
If Jesus backed away from the cross, WHERE AND WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?
If Jesus came back His plan to die on the cross, WHERE AND WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?
Some folks blame His falling away from the eternal plan of God because He was human. NO, it was not just a human frailty to reject the cross, it was a rebellion against the will of the Father, and against His own commitment.
Jesus, as a man, did have weaknesses, infirmities, but He never sinned.
Jesus did not turn from the cross. He did not ask the Father to change His mind, His plan, His only way of salvation. IT DID NOT HAPPEN.
Jesus was in the Garden praying for His disciples, the world, the Church. He did not go to the Garden to get out of going to the cross.
Jesus was not praying in the Garden, and then suddenly decide that He did not want to go to the cross.
However, in His praying He was so spent in supplication, spent in spiritual battle with darkness that He was about to die. It was becoming evident that He might not make it out of the Garden and therefore He would not be able to make the sacrifice for sins.
This is where we see the humanity of Jesus. Not in trying to escape the cross, but in His weakened physical condition it looked like He would not make it to the cross. Though He held on to the cross as long as He could, His life was slipping away.
Jesus was under attack. Satan had always wanted to kill Jesus before the cross, beginning with Herod's decree to kill the infants. Satan wanted to kill Jesus on various occasions and this might be his last opportunity before the cross.
Jesus said He was sorrowful unto death. It was not hyperbole or a cute colloquialism, IT WAS AN APPARENT FACT. He was about to die.
This spiritual battle in the Garden was so violent that angels were sent to strengthen and minister to Jesus. This is why Jesus prayed, Let this cup pass from me, let this hour pass from me.
Mark 14:33-36
33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
If Jesus sought to escape the cross, because of His humanness, He needs to apologize to Peter because when Peter spoke against His death on the cross, Jesus called Peter Satan and reproved Peter for savoring the things of the world rather than the tings of God.
If Jesus was turning from the cross in the Garden, He was doing the same thing that Peter did.
Jesus never showed remorse for His "human lapse." Jesus never apologized for calling Peter, "Satan."
JESUS DID NOT TRY TO ESCAPE THE CROSS.
"His prayer was heard, in that He feared."
The Father did not hear Jesus because He feared the cross.
The Father did not save Jesus from death on the cross, because Jesus did not ask to be saved from death on the cross.
The Father saved Him from death in the Garden.
JESUS LEARNED OBEDIENCE... (vs 8-10)
NO. He did not learn to obey the Father about going to the cross because that was never the issue. The passage does not say He learned to be obedient by surrendering to the cross, while in the Garden.
The passage says that He learned obedience.
The Divine nature of the Son of God did not have to learn obedience.
The Divine nature of Jesus always existed, the human nature of Jesus had not always existed.
There is only One Son of God, but the Son of God has two natures. He is Divine and He is human.
The Human nature of the Jesus had to learn obedience.
It is not that the human nature of Jesus had ever been disobedient. He had to learn obedience, even when it would be costly.
Jesus, being on the verge of death, continued to fight against death and tried to reach the cross. But it was becoming more evident that He probably would not make it out of the Garden alive.
Jesus prayed, to the end, that He would survive the Garden, BUT, He realized He was about to die. In His human weakness, in His human infirmity He did not know what was about to happen, and in desperation He cried out one more time, asking that the Father save Him from death in the Garden, NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE BE DONE.
This is where He learned complete trust. He wanted the Father's will, even if it conflicted with everything He knew and understood concerning His mission. This surrender to the Father concerning the unknown is what perfected Him as the Author of eternal salvation.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
03/28/18 SOME OF THE SCRIPTURE THAT FORMED ME ALONG THE WAY
03/28/18 SOME OF THE SCRIPTURE THAT FORMED ME ALONG THE WAY
These passages were not a "one and done and let's move on" encounter. These passages made monumental changes in my life, and they continue to be mainstays in my life and ministry. The were not found and left behind. They are foundational to a life of faithfulness and growth. These verses (for the most part) are arranged according to the order in which they became a major focus in my life. This list covers my Bible college years (1965-1969) and the first several years of my pastoral ministry (1969-1976).
I. HOLINESS of Heart and Life.
I had been saved and called to the ministry since I was three years old, but I had never been in a church that taught purity of heart and the victorious life. After being at Bible college for a few weeks I realized that I did not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I heard and sought this life of clean hands and pure heart. Here are some of the verses that set my course in those days.
Matthew 6:33 (my earliest motto verse).
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 5:6, 8
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Hebrews 12:14 (this same verse would guide me in peace making ministry).
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Ephesians 5:25-27 (this passage also directed my view of marriage and family).
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
1 John 3:2-3 (I began to see that only the pure in heart will go in the rapture).
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 as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Psalms 24:3-4
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
James 4:7-8 (holiness is essential to a victorious life).
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Romans 12:1-2 (this passage would become a foundational truth in my pastoral ministry)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
II. MINISTRY STUDIES
Early in my studies, God spoke to me very clearly about being grounded in the Bible, and reaching the lost through personal witness and ministry. I began to see and appreciate the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit in the work of ministry.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (commitment to His word is essential)
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 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.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (being faithful does not guarantee acceptance).
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Romans 1:14 (as Wesley said, "The world is my parish.")
14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
1 Timothy 4:11-13 (I am sent by God to do God's work in God's way).
11 These things command and teach.
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
III. PERSECUTION
During my freshman year I started reading books about men and women who had dedicated and given their lives for Christ (past and present, foreign and domestic). I wanted my life to count for Christ, no matter the place or the cost.
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
2 Timothy 3:10-13
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived
IV. MINISTRY
Finishing Bible college and beginning pastoral ministry focused my attention on how I needed to edify the believers, evangelize the lost in my community and around the world.
1 Timothy 4:15-16
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Joshua 1:5-9
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
1 Timothy 2:1-6
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
2 Timothy 2:1-4
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Matthew 16:17-19
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
V. PEACE
I had to address the relationship, which exists between a believer and the State. It was a simple civil situation, but it caused me to examine the Biblical view of Christians living under godless rule. I was never taught the Biblical vew of being a peacemaker. Being a peacemaker is not to be confused with pacifism. There is a Biblical directive to the people of God to be peacemakers and a Biblical directive to the State to be the peace keeper. My studies took me to the most basic of Christian truths concerning obedience to the State and obedience to God.
Matthew 5:9
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Romans 13:1-7
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
VI. MINISTRY CONFLICTS
As I preached and led people in way of God, I encountered resistance and rejection at every level of church life and it was not just a personality conflict with me. I had encountered confrontations while ministering through my college years, but this was within the local body and it was destructive and vindictive. I needed to find God's directive, concerning how to deal with it. Of course, love and reconciliation was the goal, but sometimes the discipline was very difficult. I learned quickly that God does not play with sin in the church.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
NOTE...
I became very familiar with Biblical church discipline and followed it as faithfully as I understood it. But people generally do not like discipline in life and they hate it in the church.
Sometimes Biblical discipline requires a type of "cutting off." If a person will not repent and reconcile with those they have violated, then that person cannot be part of a local body. This cutting off or shunning is an act of love and mercy, not punishment or vengeance. However, it is easy for Satan to stir up discord, in spite of the facts. Sometimes church discipline results in the offender being "turned over to Satan" so that they will learn not to sin. Sadly, even this does not reach many of those who are in rebellion.
Being faithful to discipline and to love at the same time takes God's leading, enabling, love and courage. I have lost friends and family because I chose to follow the Biblical standards of reconciling discipline.
The following two passages show the kind of division and damage brought about by those who will not accept Biblical discipline and steps of reconciliation. Sadly, when a rebel persists in his rebellion and refuses Biblical correction often cause the same kinds of attacks and losses mentioned in these passages.
2 Timothy 4:14-18
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17-20
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE PASSAGES AND ISSUES THAT INFLUENCED MY LIFE OF MINISTRY OVER A PERIOD OF 50 YEARS.
The way of God is not always easy, but it is always right. My losses in life, which go along with surrender to God, have been and still are great. The real losses have been friends and family, people I served and still love to this day. My views on many social and Biblical issues have separated me from my friends and neighbors, and even from other believers. But I would not choose a different way, because the way of God is always the right way.
These passages were not a "one and done and let's move on" encounter. These passages made monumental changes in my life, and they continue to be mainstays in my life and ministry. The were not found and left behind. They are foundational to a life of faithfulness and growth. These verses (for the most part) are arranged according to the order in which they became a major focus in my life. This list covers my Bible college years (1965-1969) and the first several years of my pastoral ministry (1969-1976).
I. HOLINESS of Heart and Life.
I had been saved and called to the ministry since I was three years old, but I had never been in a church that taught purity of heart and the victorious life. After being at Bible college for a few weeks I realized that I did not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I heard and sought this life of clean hands and pure heart. Here are some of the verses that set my course in those days.
Matthew 6:33 (my earliest motto verse).
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 5:6, 8
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Hebrews 12:14 (this same verse would guide me in peace making ministry).
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Ephesians 5:25-27 (this passage also directed my view of marriage and family).
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
1 John 3:2-3 (I began to see that only the pure in heart will go in the rapture).
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 as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Psalms 24:3-4
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
James 4:7-8 (holiness is essential to a victorious life).
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Romans 12:1-2 (this passage would become a foundational truth in my pastoral ministry)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
II. MINISTRY STUDIES
Early in my studies, God spoke to me very clearly about being grounded in the Bible, and reaching the lost through personal witness and ministry. I began to see and appreciate the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit in the work of ministry.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (commitment to His word is essential)
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 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.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (being faithful does not guarantee acceptance).
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Romans 1:14 (as Wesley said, "The world is my parish.")
14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
1 Timothy 4:11-13 (I am sent by God to do God's work in God's way).
11 These things command and teach.
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
III. PERSECUTION
During my freshman year I started reading books about men and women who had dedicated and given their lives for Christ (past and present, foreign and domestic). I wanted my life to count for Christ, no matter the place or the cost.
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
2 Timothy 3:10-13
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived
IV. MINISTRY
Finishing Bible college and beginning pastoral ministry focused my attention on how I needed to edify the believers, evangelize the lost in my community and around the world.
1 Timothy 4:15-16
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Joshua 1:5-9
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
1 Timothy 2:1-6
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
2 Timothy 2:1-4
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Matthew 16:17-19
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
V. PEACE
I had to address the relationship, which exists between a believer and the State. It was a simple civil situation, but it caused me to examine the Biblical view of Christians living under godless rule. I was never taught the Biblical vew of being a peacemaker. Being a peacemaker is not to be confused with pacifism. There is a Biblical directive to the people of God to be peacemakers and a Biblical directive to the State to be the peace keeper. My studies took me to the most basic of Christian truths concerning obedience to the State and obedience to God.
Matthew 5:9
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Romans 13:1-7
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
VI. MINISTRY CONFLICTS
As I preached and led people in way of God, I encountered resistance and rejection at every level of church life and it was not just a personality conflict with me. I had encountered confrontations while ministering through my college years, but this was within the local body and it was destructive and vindictive. I needed to find God's directive, concerning how to deal with it. Of course, love and reconciliation was the goal, but sometimes the discipline was very difficult. I learned quickly that God does not play with sin in the church.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
NOTE...
I became very familiar with Biblical church discipline and followed it as faithfully as I understood it. But people generally do not like discipline in life and they hate it in the church.
Sometimes Biblical discipline requires a type of "cutting off." If a person will not repent and reconcile with those they have violated, then that person cannot be part of a local body. This cutting off or shunning is an act of love and mercy, not punishment or vengeance. However, it is easy for Satan to stir up discord, in spite of the facts. Sometimes church discipline results in the offender being "turned over to Satan" so that they will learn not to sin. Sadly, even this does not reach many of those who are in rebellion.
Being faithful to discipline and to love at the same time takes God's leading, enabling, love and courage. I have lost friends and family because I chose to follow the Biblical standards of reconciling discipline.
The following two passages show the kind of division and damage brought about by those who will not accept Biblical discipline and steps of reconciliation. Sadly, when a rebel persists in his rebellion and refuses Biblical correction often cause the same kinds of attacks and losses mentioned in these passages.
2 Timothy 4:14-18
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17-20
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE PASSAGES AND ISSUES THAT INFLUENCED MY LIFE OF MINISTRY OVER A PERIOD OF 50 YEARS.
The way of God is not always easy, but it is always right. My losses in life, which go along with surrender to God, have been and still are great. The real losses have been friends and family, people I served and still love to this day. My views on many social and Biblical issues have separated me from my friends and neighbors, and even from other believers. But I would not choose a different way, because the way of God is always the right way.
03/28/18 PRIORITIZE
03/28/18 PRIORITIZE
Continued study of Theology helps,
But I don't allow it to warp my view of Truth.
(God above Theologians; Bible above Theory).
Continued study of Theology helps,
But I don't allow it to warp my view of Truth.
(God above Theologians; Bible above Theory).
03/28/18 CHEERLEADERS NEEDED
03/28/18 CHEERLEADERS NEEDED
Level of performance rises as people are encouraged (in any area). We all need to cheer for others, and we all need cheering.
Level of performance rises as people are encouraged (in any area). We all need to cheer for others, and we all need cheering.
03/28/18 EVERYONE SUFFERS
03/28/18 EVERYONE SUFFERS
LONE WOLFING when TEAMING is available is the wrong choice, for the wolf, the team and the objective.
LONE WOLFING when TEAMING is available is the wrong choice, for the wolf, the team and the objective.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
03/27/18 FOR ONE AND ALL
03/27/18 FOR ONE AND ALL
A house built on sand will fall in a storm.
Likewise a faith that is built on error is bound to fail under trial.
This is true for individuals and a churches.
We need to make sure...
We are part of a Bible teaching, preaching ministry,
We personally have a solid foundation in God's word,
We are preparing future pastors and leaders in this faith, which God has given to His Church.
Matthew 7:21-27
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 12:48-50
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
A house built on sand will fall in a storm.
Likewise a faith that is built on error is bound to fail under trial.
This is true for individuals and a churches.
We need to make sure...
We are part of a Bible teaching, preaching ministry,
We personally have a solid foundation in God's word,
We are preparing future pastors and leaders in this faith, which God has given to His Church.
Matthew 7:21-27
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 12:48-50
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
09/27/18 BEWARE
09/27/18 BEWARE
Knowing something does not make us expert.
Expert knowledge does not insure understanding.
Understanding is not wisdom.
Remember my previous post.
"A little (or abundant) knowledge is a dangerous thing." Even about God. We need God's word (truth) and God's Spirit (wisdom).
While the gospel is simple enough for anyone, even a child, to grasp, we must realize that the truths of God and the teachings of the Bible are not child's play, but rather they are the teachings of God concerning the most lofty thoughts in the human realm.
God invites us to come to His throne boldly, but we must be humble in order to receive the light of God into our lives.
Truth, knowledge, understanding, wisdom are various facets of God's revelation. God is Spirit and God's truth is communicated to spiritual people. Being spiritual (in the truest sense, in the Christian sense) requires the regenerating and enlightening work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
While all believers are ambassadors of Christ, God calls and gifts and anoints certain people to do certain ministries in the body of Christ, and God specifically uses those who choose to submit to God's melting, molding and moving.
The further people move from God; the slower people respond to God; the less spiritually minded believers become, the less light will be comprehended, which will cause the darkness to thicken in our society and the light in the Church will become darkness.
God is Spirit and He is truth and He is seeking people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The same directive that Jesus gives to a new follower is applicable to the oldest saint in the church.
Luke 9:23-24
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Knowing something does not make us expert.
Expert knowledge does not insure understanding.
Understanding is not wisdom.
Remember my previous post.
"A little (or abundant) knowledge is a dangerous thing." Even about God. We need God's word (truth) and God's Spirit (wisdom).
While the gospel is simple enough for anyone, even a child, to grasp, we must realize that the truths of God and the teachings of the Bible are not child's play, but rather they are the teachings of God concerning the most lofty thoughts in the human realm.
God invites us to come to His throne boldly, but we must be humble in order to receive the light of God into our lives.
Truth, knowledge, understanding, wisdom are various facets of God's revelation. God is Spirit and God's truth is communicated to spiritual people. Being spiritual (in the truest sense, in the Christian sense) requires the regenerating and enlightening work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
While all believers are ambassadors of Christ, God calls and gifts and anoints certain people to do certain ministries in the body of Christ, and God specifically uses those who choose to submit to God's melting, molding and moving.
The further people move from God; the slower people respond to God; the less spiritually minded believers become, the less light will be comprehended, which will cause the darkness to thicken in our society and the light in the Church will become darkness.
God is Spirit and He is truth and He is seeking people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The same directive that Jesus gives to a new follower is applicable to the oldest saint in the church.
Luke 9:23-24
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
03/27/18 GOD'S WORD and SPIRIT
03/27/18 GOD'S WORD and SPIRIT
"A little (or abundant) knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Even about God.We need God's word (truth) and God's S
pirit (wisdom).
Colossians 3:12-17 (filled with word)
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Ephesians 5:17-21 (filled with Spirit)
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
"A little (or abundant) knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Even about God.We need God's word (truth) and God's S
pirit (wisdom).
Colossians 3:12-17 (filled with word)
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Ephesians 5:17-21 (filled with Spirit)
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
03/27/18 I HAVE BELIEVED, TAUGHT AND PREACHED THIS FOR DECADES
03/27/18 I HAVE BELIEVED, TAUGHT AND PREACHED THIS FOR DECADES
(maybe for a half of a century)
I cannot remember ever believing that Jesus prayed to escape the cross, but rather that Jesus prayer in the Garden was for the Father to save Him from death in the Garden so that He would be able to make it to the cross and die as the Lamb of God, Who would take away the sins of the world. To my best remembrance, I have held this same position since my Bible College days in the 1960s.
I have been amazed that almost all of the writing and preaching I have heard on this subject has supported the idea that Jesus was shrinking from the cross. As far as I know, as a young person I was unaware that anyone believed that Jesus was trying to avoid, escape, sidestep the cross. However, as the years have passed, I realize that almost everyone I meet, whether pastor or parishioner, whether highly educated or not, regardless of their doctrinal background, believes that Jesus was praying to avoid, to escape death on the cross. I have always been bewildered at such a thought. Though I have disagreed with their point of view, I never allowed that to be a point of division.
I think that I was first introduced to this subject during my college days, but it was decades before I realized how widespread the idea of Jesus fearing the cross had become. During that time I found very few people who held my beliefs about Jesus' prayer in the Garden. Through the years, since Bible College days, I preached often and taught lessons concerning this subject, until I finally wrote an article (decades ago), a rather extensive and detailed article, explaining the Biblical position that Jesus did not fear the cross and He could not have been trying to avoid or escape the cross.
It was not until the past few years that I came across anyone else who held the same understanding that I hold. In fact, one of the articles was written by a well know author. This other person's article was written more recently than my article and in fact it was almost like reading my own article. I never met this other writer, but we may have been introduced to this position by the same Christian scholar from the sixties. I am not saying or suggesting that the other person got his ideas from me anymore than I am saying I wrote my article from any other source than the Bible itself. I am saying that the arguments I offer are so self evident in the Scriptures that they naturally are interrelated and would lend themselves to any serious writer.
I am presently reworking my article, "DID JESUS TRY TO ESCAPE THE CROSS?" I will share it when I am finished. In the mean time I will probably post snippets and observations from my article.
(maybe for a half of a century)
I cannot remember ever believing that Jesus prayed to escape the cross, but rather that Jesus prayer in the Garden was for the Father to save Him from death in the Garden so that He would be able to make it to the cross and die as the Lamb of God, Who would take away the sins of the world. To my best remembrance, I have held this same position since my Bible College days in the 1960s.
I have been amazed that almost all of the writing and preaching I have heard on this subject has supported the idea that Jesus was shrinking from the cross. As far as I know, as a young person I was unaware that anyone believed that Jesus was trying to avoid, escape, sidestep the cross. However, as the years have passed, I realize that almost everyone I meet, whether pastor or parishioner, whether highly educated or not, regardless of their doctrinal background, believes that Jesus was praying to avoid, to escape death on the cross. I have always been bewildered at such a thought. Though I have disagreed with their point of view, I never allowed that to be a point of division.
I think that I was first introduced to this subject during my college days, but it was decades before I realized how widespread the idea of Jesus fearing the cross had become. During that time I found very few people who held my beliefs about Jesus' prayer in the Garden. Through the years, since Bible College days, I preached often and taught lessons concerning this subject, until I finally wrote an article (decades ago), a rather extensive and detailed article, explaining the Biblical position that Jesus did not fear the cross and He could not have been trying to avoid or escape the cross.
It was not until the past few years that I came across anyone else who held the same understanding that I hold. In fact, one of the articles was written by a well know author. This other person's article was written more recently than my article and in fact it was almost like reading my own article. I never met this other writer, but we may have been introduced to this position by the same Christian scholar from the sixties. I am not saying or suggesting that the other person got his ideas from me anymore than I am saying I wrote my article from any other source than the Bible itself. I am saying that the arguments I offer are so self evident in the Scriptures that they naturally are interrelated and would lend themselves to any serious writer.
I am presently reworking my article, "DID JESUS TRY TO ESCAPE THE CROSS?" I will share it when I am finished. In the mean time I will probably post snippets and observations from my article.
Monday, March 26, 2018
03/26/18 JESUS WAS HEARD
03/26/18 JESUS WAS HEARD
(notes from a video I did concerning Hebrews 5:7)
Hebrews 5:7
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
During the time of Jesus earthly life and ministry. Jesus still has a human body, because His resurrected body was glorified, as we will also be glorified in our resurrected bodies.
Jesus faced extreme trials, which depleted His physical strength, such as His time of testing in the wilderness (Mt. 4:1-11), His prayer in the Garden (Mt. 26:36-39; Lk. 22:39-45), and His beating and crucifixion (Mk. 15:33-37).
Jesus had faced violent mobs and Satanic attacks before, trying to keep Him from the cross. In fact, Satan probably tried to have the baby Jesus aborted. We know that Herod tried to kill the infant Jesus. Satan tried to kill Jesus during the wilderness temptations. Jesus always escaped assassination. But in the Garden He thought He was about to die. This appeared to be an attack He would not escape or survive (Mk. 14:34), at which time Jesus called on the Father to let THIS CUP pass from me.
While "cup" is a term used in reference to the death of Christ on the cross, it was also used in other situations. When Jesus realized He was about to die in the Garden, He cried out to the Father to LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME. Jesus did not want to die in the Garden. Jesus wanted to make it to the cross, in order to be the promised Sacrifice.
Jesus, as a man, was not turning from His lifelong mission of death on the cross. Jesus, as the eternal God was not turning from His eternal mission to die on the cross. He feared (a natural and normal fear) that He body would not survive the Garden. He feared (in His weakened state and in His emotional upheaval (sweating drops of blood) that He would not make it to the cross.
It was at this time Jesus prayed, asking the Father to let this cup pass from Him.
Our passage in Hebrews 5:7 says that He was heard. Not only did the Father hear Jesus, the Father granted Jesus request. The cup of death passed from Jesus in the Garden. He was so physically tormented and spent that the angels came to Him, strengthening Him.
The Father saved Jesus from physical death in the Garden and granted Him His intended goal of dying on the cross.
Even on the cross Satan tried to thwart the plan of God by tempting Jesus to come down from the cross. Jesus could have called the angels to His side, but He did not.
Even after Jesus was buried the devil tried to hide the facts of the death and resurrection by spreading the lie that Jesus had been stolen away by His disciples.
Jesus feared death in the Garden, not death on the cross.
(notes from a video I did concerning Hebrews 5:7)
Hebrews 5:7
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
During the time of Jesus earthly life and ministry. Jesus still has a human body, because His resurrected body was glorified, as we will also be glorified in our resurrected bodies.
Jesus faced extreme trials, which depleted His physical strength, such as His time of testing in the wilderness (Mt. 4:1-11), His prayer in the Garden (Mt. 26:36-39; Lk. 22:39-45), and His beating and crucifixion (Mk. 15:33-37).
Jesus had faced violent mobs and Satanic attacks before, trying to keep Him from the cross. In fact, Satan probably tried to have the baby Jesus aborted. We know that Herod tried to kill the infant Jesus. Satan tried to kill Jesus during the wilderness temptations. Jesus always escaped assassination. But in the Garden He thought He was about to die. This appeared to be an attack He would not escape or survive (Mk. 14:34), at which time Jesus called on the Father to let THIS CUP pass from me.
While "cup" is a term used in reference to the death of Christ on the cross, it was also used in other situations. When Jesus realized He was about to die in the Garden, He cried out to the Father to LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME. Jesus did not want to die in the Garden. Jesus wanted to make it to the cross, in order to be the promised Sacrifice.
Jesus, as a man, was not turning from His lifelong mission of death on the cross. Jesus, as the eternal God was not turning from His eternal mission to die on the cross. He feared (a natural and normal fear) that He body would not survive the Garden. He feared (in His weakened state and in His emotional upheaval (sweating drops of blood) that He would not make it to the cross.
It was at this time Jesus prayed, asking the Father to let this cup pass from Him.
Our passage in Hebrews 5:7 says that He was heard. Not only did the Father hear Jesus, the Father granted Jesus request. The cup of death passed from Jesus in the Garden. He was so physically tormented and spent that the angels came to Him, strengthening Him.
The Father saved Jesus from physical death in the Garden and granted Him His intended goal of dying on the cross.
Even on the cross Satan tried to thwart the plan of God by tempting Jesus to come down from the cross. Jesus could have called the angels to His side, but He did not.
Even after Jesus was buried the devil tried to hide the facts of the death and resurrection by spreading the lie that Jesus had been stolen away by His disciples.
Jesus feared death in the Garden, not death on the cross.
03/26/18 A STRONG DEFENSE IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD
03/26/18 A STRONG DEFENSE IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD
As long as we are walled in and the gates are securely locked, we should not have to worry about an unwanted intrusion. Sadly, this is the stance people take against God, His word, His Spirit, His messengers.
In fact, in the face of a whole world that was shutting God out, we read this from the days of Noah,
Genesis 6:3
3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
The longer people resist being transformed from what they should not be and resist being conformed to what they should be, the less likely they are to ever be invaded by God and His power and His influence.
People don't mind being transformed, as long as it does not take away their favorite flaws and they don't mind being conformed to the image of Jesus, as long as it does not cost them too much. Come to think of it, this is exactly what God does do when He transforms and conforms us.
Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 8:29
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.
As long as we are walled in and the gates are securely locked, we should not have to worry about an unwanted intrusion. Sadly, this is the stance people take against God, His word, His Spirit, His messengers.
In fact, in the face of a whole world that was shutting God out, we read this from the days of Noah,
Genesis 6:3
3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
The longer people resist being transformed from what they should not be and resist being conformed to what they should be, the less likely they are to ever be invaded by God and His power and His influence.
People don't mind being transformed, as long as it does not take away their favorite flaws and they don't mind being conformed to the image of Jesus, as long as it does not cost them too much. Come to think of it, this is exactly what God does do when He transforms and conforms us.
Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 8:29
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.
03/26/18 STILL THE SAME, HEHEHE
03/26/18 STILL THE SAME, HEHEHE
This is from two years ago. Still true, still funny
(3/25/16)
EVERY SUNDAY
So a Greek friend wished me a good service on Easter Sunday (in two days). Then with a gleam in his eye he invited me to his church, "for real Easter." (Eastern Church has different religious calendar).
I told him we celebrated last week. With a quizzical look on his face, he said, "Really?"
I responded, "Yes. WE CELEBRATE HIS RESURRECTION EVERY SUNDAY."
This is from two years ago. Still true, still funny
(3/25/16)
EVERY SUNDAY
So a Greek friend wished me a good service on Easter Sunday (in two days). Then with a gleam in his eye he invited me to his church, "for real Easter." (Eastern Church has different religious calendar).
I told him we celebrated last week. With a quizzical look on his face, he said, "Really?"
I responded, "Yes. WE CELEBRATE HIS RESURRECTION EVERY SUNDAY."
Sunday, March 25, 2018
03/25/18 DESTINED FOR THE CROSS
03/25/18 DESTINED FOR THE CROSS
Jesus had a date with destiny.
He had a rendezvous with death.
He would not be denied The Cross.
Till He breathed His dying breath.
(D.L.G.)
Today we remember Christ entering Jerusalem (HIS LIFE'S GOAL WAS TO BE CRUCIFIED AND RISE FROM THE DEAD).
Read this passage, recounting His determination to go to the cross just days before His prayer in the Garden and His crucifixion.
Not only do we see His resolve at this point, we never see Him change His mission or His mind. If Jesus tried to avoid, escape the cross while in the Garden, if He had feared the cross or being the sacrifice on the cross while in the Garden, then this passage was a mockery of His resolve. But this passage is not a mockery or a contradiction to His prayer in the Garden. Jesus never wavered in His commitment to die on the cross.
Early In Passion Week
As Jesus was entering Jerusalem on the week of His impending death, He stated there would be no salvation given to others if He did not die. Notice the verses I have designated with a star "*".
John 12:21-36
21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
* 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
* 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
* 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
* 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
*** 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
* 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
* 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
* 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
*33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
* 34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
* 35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
DLG note… Notice in vs. 27 that Jesus scoffed the idea of turning from the cross. Jesus voiced the absurd idea of asking to be spared death on the cross, and then He scorned the idea by stating the obvious, which confirmed that HE CAME FOR THIS PURPOSE.
Though commentators vary on their view of this passage, the passage itself gives sound evidence against Christ shrinking from the cross. It boldly flies in the face of Christ avoiding the cross.
Notice these points.
He confirmed His intention to die (as a seed) so that others could receive life;
He declared His intention to die on the cross;
JESUS DECLARED THAT HE CAME FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE TO DIE ON THE CROSS;
He prayed for the Father to glorify His Name through His obedience to die on the cross;
In answer to Jesus' prayer, the Father promised to glorify Jesus;
Jesus announced Satan's defeat;
Jesus' manifesto to die on the cross;
Jesus called others to follow Him.
Jesus had a date with destiny.
He had a rendezvous with death.
He would not be denied The Cross.
Till He breathed His dying breath.
(D.L.G.)
Today we remember Christ entering Jerusalem (HIS LIFE'S GOAL WAS TO BE CRUCIFIED AND RISE FROM THE DEAD).
Read this passage, recounting His determination to go to the cross just days before His prayer in the Garden and His crucifixion.
Not only do we see His resolve at this point, we never see Him change His mission or His mind. If Jesus tried to avoid, escape the cross while in the Garden, if He had feared the cross or being the sacrifice on the cross while in the Garden, then this passage was a mockery of His resolve. But this passage is not a mockery or a contradiction to His prayer in the Garden. Jesus never wavered in His commitment to die on the cross.
Early In Passion Week
As Jesus was entering Jerusalem on the week of His impending death, He stated there would be no salvation given to others if He did not die. Notice the verses I have designated with a star "*".
John 12:21-36
21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
* 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
* 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
* 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
* 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
*** 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
* 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
* 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
* 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
*33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
* 34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
* 35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
DLG note… Notice in vs. 27 that Jesus scoffed the idea of turning from the cross. Jesus voiced the absurd idea of asking to be spared death on the cross, and then He scorned the idea by stating the obvious, which confirmed that HE CAME FOR THIS PURPOSE.
Though commentators vary on their view of this passage, the passage itself gives sound evidence against Christ shrinking from the cross. It boldly flies in the face of Christ avoiding the cross.
Notice these points.
He confirmed His intention to die (as a seed) so that others could receive life;
He declared His intention to die on the cross;
JESUS DECLARED THAT HE CAME FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE TO DIE ON THE CROSS;
He prayed for the Father to glorify His Name through His obedience to die on the cross;
In answer to Jesus' prayer, the Father promised to glorify Jesus;
Jesus announced Satan's defeat;
Jesus' manifesto to die on the cross;
Jesus called others to follow Him.
03/25/18 PRETTY CLEAR FOLKS
03/25/18 PRETTY CLEAR FOLKS
BASED on the word of God (which commands us to obey, enables us to obey, holds us accountable for our obedience),
Rather than being based on the word of man (which does not trust, follow, obey God),
Or being based on the word of Satan (which says that sin will not separate us from God or bring us death),
AND allowing for the possibility that a believer can obey God, even one time (which requires the grace of God and indicates that obedience is possible), then
Is a believer more likely to obey God by being told that he can obey or that he cannot obey?
Is a believer more likely to obey God by believing that he can obey God or believing that he cannot obey God?
Is a believer more likely to obey God by listening to preaching that requires obedience or preaching that does not require obedience?
Is a believer more likely to obey God if he fellowships with other believers who believe in victorious, obedient living or with people who do not believe in victorious, obedient living?
AS I SAID, PRETTY CLEAR FOLKS
Romans 6:15-23
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 7:1
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
BASED on the word of God (which commands us to obey, enables us to obey, holds us accountable for our obedience),
Rather than being based on the word of man (which does not trust, follow, obey God),
Or being based on the word of Satan (which says that sin will not separate us from God or bring us death),
AND allowing for the possibility that a believer can obey God, even one time (which requires the grace of God and indicates that obedience is possible), then
Is a believer more likely to obey God by being told that he can obey or that he cannot obey?
Is a believer more likely to obey God by believing that he can obey God or believing that he cannot obey God?
Is a believer more likely to obey God by listening to preaching that requires obedience or preaching that does not require obedience?
Is a believer more likely to obey God if he fellowships with other believers who believe in victorious, obedient living or with people who do not believe in victorious, obedient living?
AS I SAID, PRETTY CLEAR FOLKS
Romans 6:15-23
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 7:1
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
03/25/18 LOOK AT THE TREASURES I FOUND ON THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
03/25/18 LOOK AT THE TREASURES I FOUND ON THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
John 10:17-18 (Jesus said)
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Jesus explicitly said that the Father loved Him BECAUSE He was giving His life, in order that He would take it up again. (See Jn. 15:10 below).
This is another indication that Jesus did not balk at dying on the cross. The Son would never do anything that interfered or interrupted the Father's love.
WOW
There was a special or specific love, a noteworthy love that the Father had for the Son BECAUSE He was going to give His life on the cross.
From the beginning, the Son intended to rise from the dead, in fact, He intended to raise Himself from the dead.
Just as Jesus laid down His own life, He also raised Himself from the dead.
Jesus had power within Himself to raise Himself from the dead.
Remember, Jesus had already said that He would raise His body after three days (Jn. 2:19-21).
The New Testament constantly says that God raised up His Son from the dead. Since Jesus said He would raise Himself from the dead and since Jesus did raise Himself from the dead, therefore Jesus is God.
(also remember, the Holy Spirit is God, and the Scriptures say that the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead).
Romans 8:11
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 that dwelleth in you.
The Son gave His life willingly (and He took it up willingly), in agreement, in obedience to the command of the Father.
To refuse or to ask for the Father to change His plan would have been disobedience to the only plan of salvation. Jesus never turned from following the will of the Father and He never hesitated in obeying the Father. Jesus never wanted to do anything other than die on the cross for the sins of the world and to raise Himself for our justification.
1 Corinthians 15:16-21
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep (died) in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept (died).
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Doing the will of the Father, keeping His commandments not only pleases God, it secures the love of God.
John 15:10
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Jude 1:19-21
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
1 John 3:22-24
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
John 10:17-18 (Jesus said)
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Jesus explicitly said that the Father loved Him BECAUSE He was giving His life, in order that He would take it up again. (See Jn. 15:10 below).
This is another indication that Jesus did not balk at dying on the cross. The Son would never do anything that interfered or interrupted the Father's love.
WOW
There was a special or specific love, a noteworthy love that the Father had for the Son BECAUSE He was going to give His life on the cross.
From the beginning, the Son intended to rise from the dead, in fact, He intended to raise Himself from the dead.
Just as Jesus laid down His own life, He also raised Himself from the dead.
Jesus had power within Himself to raise Himself from the dead.
Remember, Jesus had already said that He would raise His body after three days (Jn. 2:19-21).
The New Testament constantly says that God raised up His Son from the dead. Since Jesus said He would raise Himself from the dead and since Jesus did raise Himself from the dead, therefore Jesus is God.
(also remember, the Holy Spirit is God, and the Scriptures say that the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead).
Romans 8:11
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 that dwelleth in you.
The Son gave His life willingly (and He took it up willingly), in agreement, in obedience to the command of the Father.
To refuse or to ask for the Father to change His plan would have been disobedience to the only plan of salvation. Jesus never turned from following the will of the Father and He never hesitated in obeying the Father. Jesus never wanted to do anything other than die on the cross for the sins of the world and to raise Himself for our justification.
1 Corinthians 15:16-21
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep (died) in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept (died).
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Doing the will of the Father, keeping His commandments not only pleases God, it secures the love of God.
John 15:10
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Jude 1:19-21
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
1 John 3:22-24
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
03/24/18 RECONCILIATION MUST BE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WORD
03/24/18 RECONCILIATION MUST BE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WORD
It is easy to use legitimate authority to do wrong. It takes love, faithfulness, submission, sacrifice to do the right thing.
Church discipline is not easy, or fun for the true child of God, but it is essential for personal and corporate purity and unity. Some people use Biblical standards of reconciliation as a whip, to punish and torment others or to keep order in group through fear. Cults often do this.
However, there is such a thing as Biblical steps of reconciliation for those who have sinned overtly and often against individual Christians or against the local church at large. GOD DETAILS THE STEPS OF RECONCILIATION.
To sidestep or explain away the word of God is to condemn the unrepentant offender to a false hope, and it puts other Christians (as well as sinners) in jeopardy. The people who take a Biblical position will often be hated and lied about and turned against. In fact, loving, faithful, obedient, self denying believers and churches will often be called cultic if they follow the revelation of God.
Be Biblical, no matter what the cost.
It is easy to use legitimate authority to do wrong. It takes love, faithfulness, submission, sacrifice to do the right thing.
Church discipline is not easy, or fun for the true child of God, but it is essential for personal and corporate purity and unity. Some people use Biblical standards of reconciliation as a whip, to punish and torment others or to keep order in group through fear. Cults often do this.
However, there is such a thing as Biblical steps of reconciliation for those who have sinned overtly and often against individual Christians or against the local church at large. GOD DETAILS THE STEPS OF RECONCILIATION.
To sidestep or explain away the word of God is to condemn the unrepentant offender to a false hope, and it puts other Christians (as well as sinners) in jeopardy. The people who take a Biblical position will often be hated and lied about and turned against. In fact, loving, faithful, obedient, self denying believers and churches will often be called cultic if they follow the revelation of God.
Be Biblical, no matter what the cost.
Friday, March 23, 2018
03/23/18 HAHAHA
03/23/18 HAHAHA
Well, ya reckon I have upset chucky taze, peter cottontail and the queen of heaven?
Well, ya reckon I have upset chucky taze, peter cottontail and the queen of heaven?
03/23/18 DOOR TO DOOR DISTRIBUTION OF DAMNABLE DARKNESS AND DOCTRINES OF DECEPTION
03/23/18 DOOR TO DOOR DISTRIBUTION OF DAMNABLE DARKNESS AND DOCTRINES OF DECEPTION
Here are photos of the four panels of JW propaganda pamphlet I was given, which invited me to a COMMEMORATION OF THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST.
This is what you offer when you have a Jesus that did not rise from the dead.
Front panel of the invitation pamphlet from the JWs, or as I call them, Watchtower Witnesses (because they don't really witness for Jehovah God of the Bible).
(page 2) Second panel of JW pamplet. Yes, Jesus died, BUT THE JWs DO NOT BELIEVE HE ROSE AGAIN, therefore this is a false narrative. The death of Jesus, without the resurrection is a misrepresentation of the Person, Life, Nature, Ministry and Mission of Jesus Christ of the Bible.
ALSO NOTE the JWs claim to tell us Who the real Jesus is. Yet they constantly deny...
Jesus is God (John 1:1-4 among many places).
Jesus is the One Who raised Himself from the dead because He is God (John. 2:18-22).
Jesus was raised from the dead physically, He was not just a disembodied spirit, as the JWs claim (Luke 24:36-49).
(page 3) The third panel boldly says that they annually commemorate the DEATH OF JESUS. However, the Bible points out that without the resurrection, the death is only a death and not a saving act of God.
Back panel of the pamphlet. Notice the WHAT is A commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ. It is not a celebration of His resurrection, because JWs do not believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus, though the Bible clearly declares His physical resurrection. And this is just the beginning of Watchtower false doctrines.
They showed up at my children's houses here in Beaufort and one of the false witnesses invited them to either come celebrate or commemorate the death of Christ. TOOOOOO WEIRD FOR ME. I can't even imagine that kind of blindness.
Here are photos of the four panels of JW propaganda pamphlet I was given, which invited me to a COMMEMORATION OF THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST.
This is what you offer when you have a Jesus that did not rise from the dead.
Front panel of the invitation pamphlet from the JWs, or as I call them, Watchtower Witnesses (because they don't really witness for Jehovah God of the Bible).
(page 2) Second panel of JW pamplet. Yes, Jesus died, BUT THE JWs DO NOT BELIEVE HE ROSE AGAIN, therefore this is a false narrative. The death of Jesus, without the resurrection is a misrepresentation of the Person, Life, Nature, Ministry and Mission of Jesus Christ of the Bible.
ALSO NOTE the JWs claim to tell us Who the real Jesus is. Yet they constantly deny...
Jesus is God (John 1:1-4 among many places).
Jesus is the One Who raised Himself from the dead because He is God (John. 2:18-22).
Jesus was raised from the dead physically, He was not just a disembodied spirit, as the JWs claim (Luke 24:36-49).
(page 3) The third panel boldly says that they annually commemorate the DEATH OF JESUS. However, the Bible points out that without the resurrection, the death is only a death and not a saving act of God.
Back panel of the pamphlet. Notice the WHAT is A commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ. It is not a celebration of His resurrection, because JWs do not believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus, though the Bible clearly declares His physical resurrection. And this is just the beginning of Watchtower false doctrines.
They showed up at my children's houses here in Beaufort and one of the false witnesses invited them to either come celebrate or commemorate the death of Christ. TOOOOOO WEIRD FOR ME. I can't even imagine that kind of blindness.
03/23/18 JESUS SHOULD NOT BE CALLED SATAN
03/23/18 JESUS SHOULD NOT BE CALLED SATAN
ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE FALSE NOTION THAT JESUS TRIED TO AVOID THE CROSS
If Jesus tried to avoid the cross, He owed Peter an apology.
(you don't really think Jesus should be called Satan, do you?)
Remember this...
Matthew 16:21-28
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE FALSE NOTION THAT JESUS TRIED TO AVOID THE CROSS
If Jesus tried to avoid the cross, He owed Peter an apology.
(you don't really think Jesus should be called Satan, do you?)
Remember this...
Matthew 16:21-28
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
03/22/18 JESUS NEVER TRIED TO AVOID THE CROSS.
03/22/18 JESUS NEVER TRIED TO AVOID THE CROSS.
His struggle in the Garden was to escape impending death before He could get to the cross.
A brief statement concerning Jesus approach to the cross. I actually have an article that is over 17,000 words long, which explains why Jesus did not fear or try to escape or avoid the cross. Jesus never prayed for deliverance from the cross, He prayed that He would not die before the cross, because He had always been (ALWAYS) committed to going to the cross.
(see following article I wrote)
11/11/17 FOLLOW UP
As I have been reworking my article, which states that Jesus did not fear or try to avoid the cross, I had some other thoughts about it. (No, I have not changed my mind).
When Did Jesus Change His Mind BACK To Being A Willing Sacrifice? (of course, He didn't change it BACK, because He never changed it to begin with)
If it is true (which it is not) that Jesus, for whatever "reason," prayed and asked the Father to save Him from the cross, then when did He change His mind "back" to that of a willing sacrifice for sin?" I don't know of a passage where we are told that Jesus changed His mind BACK about dying on the cross. (Of course, neither do I know of a passage that tells us Jesus ever really wanted to avoid the cross.) But, if He did pray, asking the Father to spare Him the death on the cross, we have some more problems.
When Did Jesus Repent Of His REBELLION? (I know, this is absurd)
If Jesus changed His mind by not wanting to die on the cross (contrary to the eternal will and plan of God, and
contrary to His own commitment throughout all eternity as God the Son, and
contrary to His own testimony during His earthly ministry),
then when did Jesus repent of His desire to abandon the will of God? I know it is a stupid question, since it would indicate that Jesus was not a fit sacrifice for sin. Still, if we are going to say that Jesus was not of one mind with the Father on this issue, then we must know when He came back to the original plan.
So, Jesus Was Not Of One Mind With The Father? (don't blame me, I never said Jesus tried to avoid the cross)
Also, if Jesus did not change His mind BACK, so that He BECAME willing (again) to go to the cross, then He only went to the cross because it was the Father's will, rather than His own will. If this is true, then Jesus was obedient in action, but He was not in one accord with the Father. This of course is as absurd as the other false scenarios. It might be argued that Jesus was always WILLING to do the will of the Father, but He did not WANT to do the will of the Father. And I suppose this will not bother some folks, but it is not the understanding that I have concerning Jesus.
Actually, these thoughts were not even in my article (though they probably will be now). These are just some thoughts I had when I reread my previous post about Christ not wanting to go to the cross. I hope you don't judge my position based on these impromptu thoughts. I hope you will read my article when I post it. I believe I have some very good arguments, that should at least be considered.
By the way, I do understand that deeply dedicated Bible believers, who are much smarter than I am, may not agree with my viewpoint. I have actually had a very well respected and scholarly preacher in my pulpit one time who stated that Jesus prayed to avoid the cross. I do not think he even knew my position, or that he was being controversial. I just sat there and enjoyed the rest of his message. I was not worried about my congregation, because I knew that they had been given both sides of the argument. My posting is not meant to divide, but to inform and hopefully to enlighten.
His struggle in the Garden was to escape impending death before He could get to the cross.
A brief statement concerning Jesus approach to the cross. I actually have an article that is over 17,000 words long, which explains why Jesus did not fear or try to escape or avoid the cross. Jesus never prayed for deliverance from the cross, He prayed that He would not die before the cross, because He had always been (ALWAYS) committed to going to the cross.
(see following article I wrote)
11/11/17 FOLLOW UP
As I have been reworking my article, which states that Jesus did not fear or try to avoid the cross, I had some other thoughts about it. (No, I have not changed my mind).
When Did Jesus Change His Mind BACK To Being A Willing Sacrifice? (of course, He didn't change it BACK, because He never changed it to begin with)
If it is true (which it is not) that Jesus, for whatever "reason," prayed and asked the Father to save Him from the cross, then when did He change His mind "back" to that of a willing sacrifice for sin?" I don't know of a passage where we are told that Jesus changed His mind BACK about dying on the cross. (Of course, neither do I know of a passage that tells us Jesus ever really wanted to avoid the cross.) But, if He did pray, asking the Father to spare Him the death on the cross, we have some more problems.
When Did Jesus Repent Of His REBELLION? (I know, this is absurd)
If Jesus changed His mind by not wanting to die on the cross (contrary to the eternal will and plan of God, and
contrary to His own commitment throughout all eternity as God the Son, and
contrary to His own testimony during His earthly ministry),
then when did Jesus repent of His desire to abandon the will of God? I know it is a stupid question, since it would indicate that Jesus was not a fit sacrifice for sin. Still, if we are going to say that Jesus was not of one mind with the Father on this issue, then we must know when He came back to the original plan.
So, Jesus Was Not Of One Mind With The Father? (don't blame me, I never said Jesus tried to avoid the cross)
Also, if Jesus did not change His mind BACK, so that He BECAME willing (again) to go to the cross, then He only went to the cross because it was the Father's will, rather than His own will. If this is true, then Jesus was obedient in action, but He was not in one accord with the Father. This of course is as absurd as the other false scenarios. It might be argued that Jesus was always WILLING to do the will of the Father, but He did not WANT to do the will of the Father. And I suppose this will not bother some folks, but it is not the understanding that I have concerning Jesus.
Actually, these thoughts were not even in my article (though they probably will be now). These are just some thoughts I had when I reread my previous post about Christ not wanting to go to the cross. I hope you don't judge my position based on these impromptu thoughts. I hope you will read my article when I post it. I believe I have some very good arguments, that should at least be considered.
By the way, I do understand that deeply dedicated Bible believers, who are much smarter than I am, may not agree with my viewpoint. I have actually had a very well respected and scholarly preacher in my pulpit one time who stated that Jesus prayed to avoid the cross. I do not think he even knew my position, or that he was being controversial. I just sat there and enjoyed the rest of his message. I was not worried about my congregation, because I knew that they had been given both sides of the argument. My posting is not meant to divide, but to inform and hopefully to enlighten.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
03/22/18 TRUTH AND DECEPTION
03/22/18 TRUTH AND DECEPTION
Jesus died once (Rome is wrong).
He resurrected physically (JWs are wrong).
Making full atonement on the cross (LDS is wrong).
Rome (Romanism, the Roman Catholic religion) teaches that Jesus dies, literally, when the Roman priest pronounces the Mass. They believe that the Bread and the Cup become the actual body and blood of Jesus and that Jesus is sacrificed on the altar and at the hands of the priests.
BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES Jesus died once and only once for the sins of the world.
Hebrews 10:10-14
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
(see also, He. 9:7-25)
The Watchtower religion (so called Jehovah's Witnesses) teaches that Jesus died, but did not rise again physically from the dead and they deny that Jesus said He would raise Himself from the dead physically.
BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES Jesus said He would raise Himself from the dead physically
John 2:18-22
18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
THE BIBLE ALSO TEACHES that Jesus actually did rise again physically from the dead.
(throughout New Testament)
Luke 24:36-49
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
1 Corinthians 15:1-9
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
(all of chapter 15)
LDS (Mormons, so called "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints") teaches that the atonement was made in the Garden, where, they falsely teach, that Jesus sought to escape the cross. They also teach the lie that atonement for sin is a combination of Jesus PLUS Mormon Temple rites, and our own good works.
BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES Jesus made atonement for our sins through His death on the cross. Remember, His death is of no saving value aside from His physical resurrection.
(This truth of atonement is found throughout the New Testament)
Romans 5:6-11
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.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
1 Peter 3:18
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Jesus died once (Rome is wrong).
He resurrected physically (JWs are wrong).
Making full atonement on the cross (LDS is wrong).
Rome (Romanism, the Roman Catholic religion) teaches that Jesus dies, literally, when the Roman priest pronounces the Mass. They believe that the Bread and the Cup become the actual body and blood of Jesus and that Jesus is sacrificed on the altar and at the hands of the priests.
BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES Jesus died once and only once for the sins of the world.
Hebrews 10:10-14
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
(see also, He. 9:7-25)
The Watchtower religion (so called Jehovah's Witnesses) teaches that Jesus died, but did not rise again physically from the dead and they deny that Jesus said He would raise Himself from the dead physically.
BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES Jesus said He would raise Himself from the dead physically
John 2:18-22
18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
THE BIBLE ALSO TEACHES that Jesus actually did rise again physically from the dead.
(throughout New Testament)
Luke 24:36-49
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
1 Corinthians 15:1-9
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
(all of chapter 15)
LDS (Mormons, so called "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints") teaches that the atonement was made in the Garden, where, they falsely teach, that Jesus sought to escape the cross. They also teach the lie that atonement for sin is a combination of Jesus PLUS Mormon Temple rites, and our own good works.
BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES Jesus made atonement for our sins through His death on the cross. Remember, His death is of no saving value aside from His physical resurrection.
(This truth of atonement is found throughout the New Testament)
Romans 5:6-11
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.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
1 Peter 3:18
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
03/21/18 CELEBRATE HIS DEATH???
03/21/18 CELEBRATE HIS DEATH???
Jehovah's Witnesses (falsely so-called) invite folks to,
"COME CELEBRATE THE DEATH OF JESUS,"
since their false Jesus did not rise from the dead.
DON'T BE DECEIVED.
2 Corinthians 11:2-5
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
Jehovah's Witnesses (falsely so-called) invite folks to,
"COME CELEBRATE THE DEATH OF JESUS,"
since their false Jesus did not rise from the dead.
DON'T BE DECEIVED.
2 Corinthians 11:2-5
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
03/21/18 E-1, E-2, E-3
03/21/18 E-1, E-2, E-3
THIS REALLY IS WORTH READING (even if I did write it).
I recently explained, to the youth in our church, the different levels or divisions of Evangelism and Missions.
Recently, I have been teaching and preaching from the book of Acts. Believers are sent to be witnesses in...
Jerusalem (our own, nearby, homogeneous society),
Judea (other folks like us, separated by a short geographical distance),
Samaria (people separated by distance and who are of a different culture, or language),
Uttermost Parts of the World (people separated by distance, culture, language, world view).
Remember, EVANGELIZING is the ministry of "publishing the good news" to the unsaved, unconverted, unreached, regardless of their response.
Types of Evangelism (or Missions) are categorized by the E-Scale. The E-Scale is based on the number and kinds of barriers that must be crossed in order to share the gospel with another person.
E-0 Evangelizing people who are already favorable to the gospel message and are part of your homogeneous profile (and may be part of your church).
E-1 Evangelizing people who are near neighbors who are homogeneously the same, but do not know the gospel.
E-2 Evangelizing people who are of a similar, but different culture, possible language barrier. This could be ministering to racially different groups in the same community or the same culture/language in another part of the world.
E-3 Evangelizing people who are totally unfamiliar with the gospel (maybe hostile to Christianity or your own culture), separated by greater distance, language, world view. We usually think of this level as Foreign Missions.
It is with this understanding of Evangelism that I made my previous post.
It is valid to spend your time, talents and treasures in a local church by becoming an integral, active part of that church, or by investing yourself as a support ministry to that church.
I UNASHAMEDLY SAY, I have the vision of God to reach local and distant people, but I need others with various skills, who will will share my dreams.
These principles are true, not only for me and my ministry, but for other men of God who are dong a great work, yet needing more workers.
Those who know me, know that I am not advocating anyone take from their local church in order to minister to or with a missions or other ministry program. Be sure your local church is where God wants you, your treasure, your time, your talent, your soul, your family, your friends, your ministry. But be ready to reach beyond your own world by serving through other, viable and worthy ministries.
Acts 6:1-10
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
THIS REALLY IS WORTH READING (even if I did write it).
I recently explained, to the youth in our church, the different levels or divisions of Evangelism and Missions.
Recently, I have been teaching and preaching from the book of Acts. Believers are sent to be witnesses in...
Jerusalem (our own, nearby, homogeneous society),
Judea (other folks like us, separated by a short geographical distance),
Samaria (people separated by distance and who are of a different culture, or language),
Uttermost Parts of the World (people separated by distance, culture, language, world view).
Remember, EVANGELIZING is the ministry of "publishing the good news" to the unsaved, unconverted, unreached, regardless of their response.
Types of Evangelism (or Missions) are categorized by the E-Scale. The E-Scale is based on the number and kinds of barriers that must be crossed in order to share the gospel with another person.
E-0 Evangelizing people who are already favorable to the gospel message and are part of your homogeneous profile (and may be part of your church).
E-1 Evangelizing people who are near neighbors who are homogeneously the same, but do not know the gospel.
E-2 Evangelizing people who are of a similar, but different culture, possible language barrier. This could be ministering to racially different groups in the same community or the same culture/language in another part of the world.
E-3 Evangelizing people who are totally unfamiliar with the gospel (maybe hostile to Christianity or your own culture), separated by greater distance, language, world view. We usually think of this level as Foreign Missions.
It is with this understanding of Evangelism that I made my previous post.
It is valid to spend your time, talents and treasures in a local church by becoming an integral, active part of that church, or by investing yourself as a support ministry to that church.
I UNASHAMEDLY SAY, I have the vision of God to reach local and distant people, but I need others with various skills, who will will share my dreams.
These principles are true, not only for me and my ministry, but for other men of God who are dong a great work, yet needing more workers.
Those who know me, know that I am not advocating anyone take from their local church in order to minister to or with a missions or other ministry program. Be sure your local church is where God wants you, your treasure, your time, your talent, your soul, your family, your friends, your ministry. But be ready to reach beyond your own world by serving through other, viable and worthy ministries.
Acts 6:1-10
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
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