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Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5

God’s love for us has been lavishly poured out to the point of overflowing within our hearts. What does this mean? For me, anyway it has significant meaning. When circumstances arise where there is great sadness, the loss of a loved one for example, it is God’s love for me, that I have found so trustworthy. Let me explain. My last post was on November 20th, I was preparing for the next one around the 25th 0r 26th of November with Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, I thought this was a good time to write about our praise and giving of thanks to the Lord. My mother, who was diagnosed with liver disease earlier this year, had taken a turn for worse, so exactly a week before Thanksgiving, we had to put her in a convalescent care facility, where she was in need of more urgent 24 hour care. My step-father asked if I could be there to help her understand that he cannot do this by himself anymore. A husband’s toughest proclamation in my estimation is his confession to his wife, that after more than 42 years, he can’t care for her anymore in the way she needed. His exact words were, “Remember how we used to walk together? We can’t do that anymore.” I witnessed a husband’s love for his wife.

On my way home from work, I work 24 hour shifts being a firefighter, I received a phone call, My mom had passed away at 6:05am on November 26th two days before Thanksgiving. I could remember how insignificant and how unimportant everything I had to do that day felt compared to this. My mother who had taught me so much about love, was gone. My deepest solace was knowing where she was now. In the presence of Christ. Over all the recent past visits earlier this year, my pressing need became more and more aware to me, of how I made God’s love for her more apparent. By reading the Scriptures to her, by talking about heaven, about what it would be like to be in the presence of God for all eternity became frequent conversations between her and I. Yes, her memory being effected by her dreaded liver disease, made it even more simplified. “Jesus loves you mom!” Her ways of showing love to her family and to everyone who knew her became the repeated theme of all those who came forward to eulogize her life’s impact on their own lives. The Lord begins in someone’s life a relationship with them who often then pours that same love and Christ-like character into another life. I know that is what being a parent is all about, but as I spoke at my mom’s memorial service, it dawned on me, that what I had seen firsthand, and experienced all through my childhood and into adulthood, that not everyone had the same experience with their own parent. I remember saying how easily I could take all of what I experienced for granted, as if everyone received the same type of love in their own lives.

Paul told Timothy, When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:5-7). The significance of a godly mother is what Paul was referring to when he reminded Timothy, who at such a young age had received Christ, and was now being groomed for ministry through his relationship to Paul. It begins somewhere, and usually it comes from a godly home. God has implanted within our hearts evidence that we belong to Him in that we love the One who first loved us: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested towards us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He first loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:7-11). God’s sending His Son gives Christians not only salvation privilege, but obligation to follow this pattern of sacrificial love. Christian love must be self-sacrificing like God’s love. And often seen in a mother’s love.

Beloved friend, The love from parents can shape the life of your children in such a significant way. My father went to be with the Lord on Christmas day in 2010. It is not how we start out in this life that’s important, but  how we finish. Both of my parents finished well, the race marked out for them (Hebrews 12:1-2). My mother’s passing will also have the same impact on my life, where as I have been given such a privilege of sharing the Love of Christ with my own family first, but also with others as well. I thank God for my heritage and for the legacy my parents have left me to further on what God hath started: being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6) our reward for following Christ still awaits us, but as we have been given godly examples to follow, so let us remain steadfast for those who will follow us and let them see the love of Christ in us.

May the Lord bless your walk with Him !

Dedicated to the memory of  Christine M. Sanchez : 7/24/35 — 11/26/13

 

 

For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and a voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.   Hebrews 12:18-24

The people of Israel had a frightening experience of the law at Mount Sinai and the writer of Hebrews is giving us a glimpse, or overview of just some of the things they Israel, encountered with God. The proper approach to a holy God could not have been better stressed than by imposing a death penalty upon those who violated the arbitrary boundaries which God had set around Himself. So strict that even if an animal came near this sacred area, it would be put to death. So we see that the law brings forth death unless it was perfectly upheld, and we know that no one man ever came close to fulfilling God’s law requirements. James said in his epistle, For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2:10), one transgression makes fulfilling the law’s requirements it’s most basic commands—to love God perfectly, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself—impossible. It has been said the definition of sin is to fall short, or miss the mark; but the Bible makes it clear that all unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17), and that all of mankind has sinned against God. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:19-20) So you see, the knowledge of right and wrong is not enough to save us, the law makes sin known, but cannot ever save someone.

Good news—As opposed to Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Mosaic law which was foreboding and terrifying, Mount Zion here is not the earthly one in Jerusalem, but God’s heavenly home, which is inviting and gracious. No one could please God on Sinai’s terms, which is perfection, that perfect fulfillment of the law of God: For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them” (Deuteronomy 27:26) But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith” (Habbakkuk 2:4), Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5). Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” Deuteronomy 21:23), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:10-13). Mount Zion, unlike the Old Testament law, is accessible to all who come to God by faith through His Son, Jesus Christ.

General assembly, Church of the firstborn, just men made perfect—These all relate to the gathering of God’s people in heaven. There will be an innumerable amount of angels in a festive gathering around God’s throne. The firstborn is Jesus Christ, the “church” is the believers who are fellow heirs with Christ, who is our preeminent One among many brethren (Romans 8:17). These “Just Men” are made perfect because they are the Old Testament saints who received the promises from God, spoken through the prophets and went to their graves believing: For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:25-26).  They are distinctive in that they are separate from the “Church of the firstborn,” who are the New Testament believers.

Jesus the Mediator—Christ’s offering of Himself completely satisfied the requirements of the law of God. Abel’s sacrifice was pleasing to God because it was offered in faith and obedience, but it had no atoning power. Only through Jesus Christ’s shed blood alone was sufficient to cleanse our confessed sins to God (1 John 1:9). The sacrifice of Christ brought redemption, complete forgiveness, and  salvation. The blood of Abel’s sacrifice only brought a temporary covering, but Christ’s blood shedding sacrifice of Himself, bought for us, as He paid the price in full,  our redemption and eternal salvation.

Beloved friend, Is your name registered in heaven? There is still time you know. Has God been speaking to you lately? About turning your life over to Him, and that the reason is because He loves you. He wants only what is best for you. Did you know that God only wants what is best for you? Your life and my life is very special to Him. So much so, that He would offer up His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins. He has made a way for us to come boldly to His throne room of grace (Hebrews 4:16),  that we might obtain His mercy and forgiveness, along with His grace of unmerited favor in our time of need. We should all be forever grateful, and thankful to God for His Son, our Mediator, our Redeemer who lives, for our salvation and gift of eternal life. Don’t you want that for your own life? Or for the lives of your loved ones?

May the Lord bless your walk with Him today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually be fore Me.  Isaiah 49:14-16

There are times in our walk when we may wonder if God really cares about me. Here in our text He assures us that we are not forgotten. And that we are His beloved child now and He will not forsake what is His own. David wrote in Psalm 27, When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the Lord will take care of me (v.10). I don’t know what it is like to be an orphan, but I’m convinced that the Lord is very much aware these precious ones. I remember once of leaving my youngest son at school one time. I was outside at the school waiting for our kids to come out, and in the mix of all the kids walking about we had four at the time, plus a neighbor kid we would drive home, I just thought we were all in the car ride of two blocks home? But as soon as we pulled in the driveway, in became apparent, “Oh no!” I remember letting our older kids out and rushing back to the school, only to see this woman, another parent who was waiting with us, handing my son to the school’s office attendant, I heard her say, “I know he has a lot of kids, so he should be back soon!” My failure to remember our son, didn’t mean that I didn’t care, but that I just forgot to make sure He was with us in the car ride home. God will not ever know where any of us are at in our walk with Him. When He called for Adam, in the Garden of Eden, He knew where he was at, He wanted to bring to attention that it was he, Adam that was hiding from God, and not the other way around. Our sin interrupts our fellowship with God, and our guilt and shame cause us to hide from Him, even though we are never hidden from His sight. It is comforting to know that not because my earthly parents had forsaken me, nor that my sins have kept me from turning to the loving arms of my Father in heaven. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord    (Romans 8:39-40). Nothing in life’s path from beginning to end, can separate us from Christ’s love for us.

Inscribed on the palms of My hands— The nail pierced hands of Jesus is the one trait of Jesus Christ that will be visible when we see Him in heaven. It will still be visible in His glorified state. When Christ appears to the disciples after His resurrection note what He tells them, Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst of them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord (John 20:19-20). Jesus knew they would have doubts by now, the tomb has been discovered to be empty, and reports of His sighting by some of the women, so He showed them the proof they needed, His nail pierced hands, and side where the spear was thrust in Him. The night before His death, Jesus tells His disciples, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I” (John 14:27-28). The Lord’s great love for us and reminder to us is not only His nail pierced hands, but by the fact that He has purchased us by shedding His own blood for us on the cross. It is with that significant act, that has brought to us His peace. Paul wrote in Colossians Ch.1, For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross (Col. 2:19-20).

Beloved friend, Jesus Christ is our Prince of Peace. He suffered a death that was rightly ours. He invites anyone in this life to come to Him, so that He may give you this peace. It is not fickle like what we see the world wants to offer us. There shall be no world peace on this earth until the Prince of Peace returns to it which is what He has promised to do. His nailed pierced hands and feet, and side are all reminders to us of how much He loves you and me. Don’t let your hearts be troubled by what this life or world brings about. The God of the universe is in complete control over His church, His body of believers that come to Him from all walks of life. We shall be with Him one day in heaven, His Father’s house, in which He has gone ahead to prepare a place for Him. If there is anyone out there who feels that God has forsaken you, that is not true! The Bible says, “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” (Romans 3:4)  God indeed does care for you, and loves you with an everlasting love. Not like this world which is so superficial and certainly not of divine influence. We have a choice. “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)  The Bible allows us to apply truth to every circumstance of our lives. Don’t let anyone tell you that there is no hope left. As long as there is breath in you, there is an opportunity of eternal life for you. He will not forget you. Praise the Lord!

May the Lord bless your walk with Him today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.  2 Timothy 2:1-4

With the threat of legalism spreading in the church, with their thought that “you can work yourself into divine favor.” Paul tells Timothy, his son in the faith, “Be strong in the grace” that is in Christ Jesus. Paul had led Timothy to Christ during his first missionary journey, and here is one of Paul’s many reminders of how Timothy is to show his courage and trust in the Lord’s grace and mercy for his ministry. Not much has changed over the course of time, today’s ministry leaders need the same courage and to rely upon the same grace that is found in Christ the Lord. During Timothy’s many years under the tutelage of Paul, he had heard divine truth which had been revealed by God, and now he was to take what he had heard and commit them to faithful brethren who will be able to teach others. This is the discipling of men in the truths of the gospel, rightly divided truths that make ordinary men into Christians and followers of Christ. Then in turn, will go forward and teach others these same truths. All of which is the divine working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men, sent to us by the Lord Jesus Christ after His ascension to God.

Again we don’t have to reinvent the wheel here. These same tried and true methods of conversion are still how church growth appears, and how maturity can be seen in the lives of Christians today. From Paul to Timothy to faithful men with proven spiritual character, to others, encompasses four generations of godly leaders fulfilling their calling. That process of spiritual reproduction which began the early church, is to continue until the Lord returns.

A good soldier—The metaphor of the Christian life is warfare against the “evil world system”, that is, what the fallen sinful nature is all about, being under the power and influence of Satan himself, who wants to destroy the church of Jesus Christ. We’re in a real battle, a tough battle against spiritual powers of darkness, who are on constant assault against those in Christ. This why Paul can say to Timothy, as well to us, “endure hardness” as a “good soldier.” Jesus said to His disciples in a warning to watch for His coming, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:34-36). In order to be ready for Christ’s return, the Christian ought to prepare himself with vigilant prayer, that is truly seeking after Christ and His will for you. A good soldier in Christ disciplines himself to avoid the snares that are set against Christians, to avoid catching us unaware. Some of which have to do with the deceitfulness of riches.

No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life—Just as a soldier is called to duty and is no longer considers himself a “civilian,” being a soldier completely severs off his or her former way of life, to live that life of a soldier. A good soldier of Jesus Christ refuses to allow the things of this life to distract or take away what He is in Christ. He has made a commitment to follow and be pleasing to Him who has enlisted him. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and to take up our cross which is death to self, and live a life worthy of His calling. This means I must be seeking first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and the things of this life and what things I have need of will be added (Matthew 6:33).

Beloved friend, This is Veterans Day weekend, when we honor the life and the memory of our servicemen and women who served our country and for some gave their lives for our country. I will always be grateful for their service and sacrifice. When I enlisted in U.S. Air Force, I was told by a friend’s father, that the Air Force would be your father and mother, and brother and sister to me. I found that to be exceptionally true. It was during this time that I gave my life to Christ, at the age of nineteen. Nearly thirty-five years later, I have found that a Christian in Christ, like a good soldier, endures the hardships of trials and persecutions, but endures this never alone. The Lord is always with us, and He has placed us into His body of fellow believers, another family who is like yourself that has your back, that will love you and affirm you when you need it most. Likeminded soldiers in the Lord who are encouraging one another as we look to our Lord’s return. Yes, it is important to honor those who gave so much of themselves for our nations freedom, but for us as Christian’s, we give honor and all the glory to Him, who enlisted us. Jesus Christ, our strong tower in whom the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). Our security relies upon His manifest perfections of faithfulness, power, mercy, and wisdom, on which the righteous and good soldiers of Jesus Christ, rely upon for our security. A person who honors God with his or her whole life will remain steadfast and ready for battle, and enabled to endure through storms of life.

May the Lord bless your walk with Him!

H.B. K.J.T.

 

 

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!.” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and You will raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.  John 2:13-22

Jesus journeying to Jerusalem for the Passover was annual custom for every devout Jewish male over the age of 12 years old (Exodus 23:14-17). During the celebration of Passover, worshipers came from all over Israel and the Roman Empire to Jerusalem. And because many traveled such great distances, it became inconvenient to bring their animal sacrifices with them. So here in our text, we find the ever opportunistic Jewish merchants setting up shop in the temple as their way of seeing the chance provide a necessity for profit. Along with them, you had money changers who took advantage of these travelers who had to pay a temple tax as well as purchase an animal sacrifice, and it could only be in Jewish or Tyrian coinage because of its high purity of silver. They would exchange their foreign currency at a higher rate for their needed proper currency. Exploitation was the result of their practices which the Lord dealt with swiftly.

As John records this cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus ministry, the synoptic gospels record a temple cleansing at the end of Jesus ministry, during the Passover right before His crucifixion (Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-46). The historical circumstances and literary contexts of the two temple cleansings differ so much that it was probably two different temple cleansings Jesus performed. For the Jewish nation never widely accepted Jesus’ ministry, and as a whole never recognized Him as their Messiah (Matthew 23:37-39). When the holiness of God and His worship was what was being overlooked, Jesus took fast action, the “all” indicates the He drove out not only these men, but their animals as well. Jesus was forceful but never cruel. He was deliberate as well as accurate in His perception in what He saw. What can we learn from this correction? Does anything in your life need to be addressed? How we worship the Lord is a very critical part of our relationship to God. Is it reverent enough so as to know that being in God’s presence as He inhabits our praises, is truly what every believer should be seeking after every day. Jesus told the Samaritan woman that God the Father is seeking true worshipers, who worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). We should marvel that Jesus was able to disperse such large crowds without ever inciting a riot for which Roman soldiers who were placed on guard during the Passover in the Antonia Fortress overlooking the temple would have swiftly reacted.

Jesus by His actions declares His deity, He had called the temple, His Father’s house and the disciples had remembered the scripture, “The zeal of the Father’s house has eaten Him up” (Psalm 69:9). The Jews were seeking a sign from Him showing by what authority He had taken on Himself by purging the marketplace in the temple. In Matthew chapter 12, he writes that certain scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus and said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (vv.38-41). This is similar when Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” They did not understand what He was saying, and had misinterpreted in thinking that He was referring to the temple that He had just cleansed. At the trial of Jesus, the authorities charged Him with making a threatening statement against the temple, revealing how they totally missed Jesus revealing Himself as their promised Messiah, and His resurrection. Paul the apostle wrote in 2 Corinthians, For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1). Paul was contrasting our earthly bodies with our spiritual bodies. Earthly house, or tent a metaphor of our physical body. A building from God, Paul’s metaphor for the believer’s resurrected, glorified body. We too one day will exchange our temporary earthly body, for a new and prepared for us by God resurrected and glorified body.

Beloved friend, Jesus Christ taught that the coming of Himself as the promised Messiah would not be without signs, interpreted by the Old Testament prophets, and given so that Israel would know their Messiah had come. But they choose not to believe in these signs, and written Scriptures, and in His own statements about who He was. Jesus declared that the only sign that would be given to the doubting world would be the resurrection of Himself. Paul asserted without the resurrection we have no gospel, but are still in our sins, and the most pitiable of all men (1 Corinthians 15:13-19). You know if you are a Christian today, you will be doubted as to why do I need a Savior? We liken it to their own misinterpretation of the signs given to them. The misunderstanding of Scripture reading, and the fact that Satan will not let them go without a fight. It seems so unfair with the way the this whole world system wants its life to be without the knowledge of God, and His Word. It’s as though they would rather go living without certainty that beyond this life is eternal life that will be with the Lord, or without Him. When we share our faith, let it be all about the cross and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and most of all, How God the Father did not end His story there at Calvary’s cross, but rather with a glorious resurrection three days later, that was biblically prophesied, and accurately ordered. So that we can have the power of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead, now be our source of power. To be His witnesses to a doubting world yet, cannot deny the witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ because of His followers who are living testimonies of His love and mercy working in us a powerful testimony of saving grace. Your body is the temple of the living God, who is now at work in you. And one day will raise you up into His glorious body He has prepared for you. Can you think of any more assurance in this life? Our unstable world would love to have this same assurance if they would only believe. Jesus’ ascension into heaven was God’s witness to the world about His Son.

May the Lord bless your walk with Him!

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!  Matthew 23:23-24

Garden herbs, not really the kind of farm produce that the tithe was designed to cover (Leviticus 27:30). But the Pharisees meticulously weighed out a tenth of every herb, and gave God His due. And yet, Jesus points out they’re omitting completely the important things of judgment: of love in showing mercy, and faith in God and not themselves. Majoring in the minor things and skipping over the more important matters. These were the weightier matters and moral principles of the law. God forbid if we ever come to the place of self sufficiency. No matter what state of condition my heart is in, I cannot ever think that I’m above my need of the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness through His grace for me. We should all be relying completely upon His grace and mercy for our lives. Then we will better be able to fulfill the law that God has for us without neglecting the more important principles which is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5). Jesus saved His most critical statements for those whose pride had blinded them from the real relationship God is seeking from us, not based on our own merits, like feeble attempts at upholding the law, but rather through humility and the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 22:4). “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The opposite of self-sufficiency is poor in spirit with the deep humility of recognizing one’s utter spiritual bankruptcy.

The Bible teaches us that we can have confidence in judgment>Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). The apostle John here is not talking of sinless perfection, but rather mature love marked by confidence in the face of judgment. And because Jesus was God’s Son in whom He was well pleased on earth; (Matthew 17:5) and we are in Christ, so God the Father sees us as liken to His beloved Son. What I see that’s crept into the church is this sort of behavior. Trying to keep the law condemns us, for true law deals with inward attitudes. Those who still are struggling with the thought, “I can only make it to heaven by achieving a certain level of goodness,” But what is the standard? What does God require from us? “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). The standard for the person who wants to be right with God is nothing short of absolute perfection—not meticulously trying to weigh out every good deed, so it will weigh more than every bad deed. Even being sincere isn’t enough. Clearly those who believe they can earn eternal life by their good works have a distorted understanding of the holiness of God and what it means to be right with God.

Forgiveness—In the parable of the two debtors, Jesus points out a very genuine starting ground for us all to learn from, While in the house of a Pharisee named Simon, whose own opinion and thoughts were superior to that of others, especially of this woman from the city who was a sinner who stood behind Jesus, and began to wash His feet with her tears. Then wiped them with the hair of her head; then she kissed His feet and anointed them with fragrant oil (Luke 7:36-38). Now when the Pharisee spoke within himself said, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what of manner woman this is who was touching Him, for she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39). Jesus knew Simon’s thoughts. His thinking was that this woman who was so convicted of her sins and knowing Jesus came to bring us out of our bondage to sin, saw Him as her Messiah, and would let nothing stop her from showing her love for Him in all humility and gratitude. But all Simon saw was by her touching Jesus, He should know that this would make Him ceremonial unclean. Again neglecting the weightier matters of the law of love and mercy. Jesus said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged” (Luke 7:40-43). We are all in the place of not ever having enough righteousness in us to ever repay a holy God. Our sin debt is what has separated us from God and the kind of fellowship and covenant relationship He desires for us.  Isaiah the prophet spoke, You remember him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways, You are indeed angry, for we have sinned—In these ways we continue; and we need to be saved. But we are like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away (Isaiah 64:5-6). This is truly what our best is like when we come to God without Christ. Doesn’t it make sense to accept His invitation to come to Him, Jesus Christ and be saved?

Beloved friend, The psalmist wrote, Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises (Psalm 98:4), The idea is that of an eruption of praise which could not be contained. I find that to be what I want in my life. My heart filled with Praise, and worship and love for God, and His Beloved Son, Christ Jesus, our King. Our soon coming King who will brings us back with Him to the place He has prepared for us (John 14:2-3). He will return for us, His bride, but will also bring His judgment to the earth as well. For all those who stubbornly insist on establishing their own righteousness. These will find a horrible end to their script in this life, because of their own prideful unrepentant heart. Let us go forth this day and rejoice in our salvation, and Spirit led good works that brings all glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And because we are found in Him, we are accepted by God. Praise our King of kings, and Lord of lords! Hallelujah!

May the Lord bless your walk with Him!

 

 

 

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation (atonement) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.  1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-2

I’m a sinner saved by grace. What does that mean? By the definition “forgiven” :To give up resentment of or claim requital for, grant relief from payment of<forgive a debt. To be redeemed is to be forgiven of all of your sins because God sent His Son, Christ the Lord to pay the price for our sins. It is through this forgiveness that our relationship with God the Father is restored through the efforts of the Son. The message—Probably the most famous quote of Scripture, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”   (John 3:16). We have heard the message, “God loves you!” We know that this world is not living in this truth, but rather in denial of this truth. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. You’ll never be deceived by God, He cannot lie (Titus 1:2), nor will you ever be able to lie to God, because He sees through your heart: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (v.6). So what’s the solution? But if we walk in the light that is, in fellowship with God as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. Getting my life right with God by confessing that I am a sinner, who has broken God’s laws is the first step to having proper fellowship with one another. That is both publically, and privately I have confessed Christ into my life. Why? Jesus said in John chapter 14, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (v.6). So it is only through Jesus Christ sacrificial death in my stead that I can have communion (fellowship) with God the Father. By what method? and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (v.7). Through the teaching of the Word of God the indwelling Holy Spirit shows the Christian there is still remaining an old nature in us and that during our earthly life there needs to be forgiveness, and so through our confession the blood of Christ is the divine provision for both restored fellowship and forgiveness.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us—I’ve said it before in previous posts, the ground is even before the Lord. Meaning there is not another human who has ever lived that can say, “I have not sinned.” Thus every human being will bow before Jesus Christ and confess to Him. The question is, in what way will you confess Him? As a sinner who humbly needs His forgiveness and grace which is now in this life, or after this life is over, in which you will face judgment. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:8-11). Jesus literally emptied Himself, that is, divested Himself of His visible glory. But that will change one day, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? “When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see You sick or in prison, and come to You?” “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, (Matthew 25 :31-41).

This judgment of individual Gentiles is to be distinguished from other judgments in Scripture, such as the judgment of the Church (2 Corinthians 5:10-11), the judgment of Israel (Ezekiel 20:33-38), and the judgment of the wicked after the millennium (Revelation 20:11-15). The time of this judgment is “when the Son of Man comes in His glory,” that is, at the second coming of Christ after the tribulation. The subjects of this judgment are “all the nations,” that is, all Gentiles living on the earth during this future time. Three classes of individuals are mentioned: 1.) sheep, saved Gentiles who come out of the tribulation period. 2.) goats, unsaved Gentiles who probably have taken the mark of the beast; Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, “he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb (Revelation 14:9-10). Heavy judgment awaits those who do not ever believe in Christ, and His redeeming love for them. 3.) Brethren-the nation of Israel.

Beloved friend, Jesus Christ has sat down at His rightful place at the right hand of God the Father. He is resting from His finished work on the cross, His death for our sins, His burial and resurrection has given all who come to Him victory over our greatest enemy, death for the guilt of our sins. We were condemned already, without hope, then we received the grace of God’s forgiveness through hearing the message of the cross, and suddenly, as we received Christ into our hearts, now have been pardoned from all of our unrighteousness. Truly an amazing fact, that I will be with the Lord forever, because He saved me from my sins. Let us tell others about Him, let us not be afraid, for the time for His return for His church is coming soon. Let us be about our Father’s business till He comes.

May the Lord bless your walk with Him today!

 

 

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion (lust), evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.  Colossians 3:1-7

This text is better translated, “since” you were raised. And this verb actually means “to be co-resurrected.” As a “Christian,” a genuine born again believer, you are not bound to the rudiments of this world. You’re not under the laws; touch not, handle not, taste not. You’ve risen with Christ. And because of our union with Christ, believers spiritually entered His death and resurrection at the moment of their conversion. This is so important for us to remember that I’ve highlighted it for our good. We are always with the Lord forever! We are made alive through Him so as to understand these spiritual truths, and their realities that make us now alive in Christ, and be found in the will of God. The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph.1:3). In His providential grace, God has already given all believers total spiritual blessings from His kingdom. This Divine work from God reveals His priority of the spiritual over the material blessings, because material blessings can never be eternal, and have a limited source for which it will last. Spiritual blessing for example of the wisdom and knowledge of God, the Father, through His Son, Jesus Christ, not only gives us spiritually blessing that will be eternal, but also, much opportunity while living in this life to be a spiritual blessing to others.

So Paul is calling for us to “set our minds” on these things, the privileges and riches of the heavenly kingdom, all of which are at our disposal. To set your mind on is to also think on or have this inner peace about. Sitting at the right hand of God—The position of honor and majesty, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God enjoys now. And is the foundation of blessing by which our exaltation of Him, our praise and heart-felt worship of Him, is the source of blessings to all believers. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God—My life is a reflection of what I am, and what I believe. What we honor defines us. So I should not be living after the flesh, nor be pursuing the things of the flesh. This is no longer who I am, nor what I am about. My life is to be at one with Jesus Christ, and just as He died for our sin, since He was sin-less, He met all the requirements God required of a holy and righteous sacrifice. This is how and why we are saved. God sent His Son to take our place at the cross of Calvary. Now you and I need to consider ourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but now alive in Christ.

When Christ who is our life—Can you say Christ is my life? That is key for our Christian walk, is Christ involved in everything in my life? Am I keeping Him from areas in my heart or life that excludes Him, and His Lordship over it. To be truthful and honest is individually up to you to decide this once for all. That in this life I am living is going to be lived for Christ, then I have to reckon myself dead to the things of this world, that are harmful to me or my family, and their walk with God. I am to be transparent in how I willingly admit my weakness in this or that area of my life, and ask in faith, Lord, please deliver me from that bondage. You died for it, therefore I died to it too. It is glorious to know, that what I am weak in, God’s grace is sufficient for me. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness.” The weaker the human instrument, the more clearly God’s grace shines forth in your life, and in my life. The world and it’s agenda to fix all of their problems utilizing their own strength and limited human resources, cannot understand this spiritual principle, because the Bible declares that they are blinded by the god of this age, which is Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4).

When Christ who is our life appears—Jesus is going to come again as He said with “with the clouds of heaven…and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). “Behold He cometh…every eye shall see Him” (Revelation 1:7). So when Christ who is our life shall appear, we shall appear with Him in glory. Oh what a glorious Day that will be! So we believers have a common spiritual life with the Father and with the Son, the world cannot understand it, the full impact of a believers new life lived by faith. And  because we are eternally secure, we should be the most gracious and loving people on our planet. Which brings us to our concluding text and summation.

Put to death—The church pure is the church strong. There is a huge effect of sexual sin not only by the world who does not know Christ, but within the church today. Christian men who are addicted to pornography, Christian marriages ending in divorce because the wife won’t submit to her husband as the Bible indicates to. Two separate problems, yet, ultimately it is weakening the body of Christ. Paul in writing to the church at Ephesus, tells them pretty much the same things, that because of these things the wrath of God is coming to the earth. Therefore, we should not be guilty of committing these sins. What things? The things which promote sexual immorality. “Know this,” he said, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 5:5-6). And as Paul was writing to the Galatians and was listing the works of the flesh, he said, “That we know that those who do (practice) these things shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven” (Galatians 5:21). So what we read from our text in warning is not just written in a small way, to only one church in this case. Paul wrote this through out his epistles to the churches in the New Testament, so that its believers would take heed to its warnings seriously.

Beloved friend, No Christian will be ever sinless in this present life, but it is dangerously deceptive for Christians to feel secure in assurance in their offer of eternal salvation, even if they are professing believers, whose life is characterized by persistent sexual sin, which not only brings defilement to their relationships, being married or single, but also interrupts their own ability to have a close relationship with the Lord. So let us not be deceived, don’t let man deceive you who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness. You cannot live after the flesh and inherit the kingdom of God. Remember that you died to your flesh the moment you asked Jesus into your life. You are His child now. Born again, and as accepted by Christ, you have renounced your old way of life in the flesh. Dead to the flesh, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. Living after the Spirit of God, being filled with the Spirit, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God (Romans 8:14).  Praise the Lord!

May the Lord bless your walk with Him today!

 

 

 

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them that same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.  Acts 16:25-34

Do you have to believe in God? Here in our text is a great reminder of how God, or maybe I should say, “Only God can take our circumstances and use them for His glory.” By demonstrating that even in extreme conditions of suffering, the Lord can bring along people in your life that can change your whole perspective. Let’s have a closer look. We can imagine that to hear a fellow prisoner be singing such joyful praise and worship songs at the quiet hour of midnight, might not be received too well by their fellow inmates. The prisons at that time were dark and damp dungeon type of cells, and to add to their confinement by putting them in stocks, the painful fastening of their feet in leg irons as well, you could imagine they weren’t too happy with Paul and Silas. They might be wondering what kind of crazy men would be singing in this place. God is nowhere? Yet, what witnesses they were to these prisoners. Paul and Silas had been beaten and had many stripes laid upon them. And just thrown into this filthy dungeon, along with the rest of the prisoners. And why were they there? We didn’t cover it, but Paul had met a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination, who brought much profit to her masters by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and Silas, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And she did this for many days. But Paul finally had enough, and rebuked the spirit in her: “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.”  And the spirit came out of her that same hour. And when the masters seen what had happened and their source of profit had gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them to the authorities. So you see, the Lord’s servants don’t need Satan to be their advertisers; God was orchestrating for Paul and Silas to be in this place of a prison dungeon, for divine purposes, and since they knew the Lord was leading them, they were filled with joy. And brought the presence of Christ into their prison cell. And so, the jail’s prisoners went from “God is nowhere,” to saying “God is now here.”

While they were singing together praises unto God and praying, suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, immediately all the doors of the prison cells were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed. The keeper of the prison awakened and frightened no doubt, arose to find all of the cell doors opened, he drew out his sword, and was going to kill himself (vv.16:27-30). And because if the prisoners had escaped, he was responsible for them and would have been put to death. Paul knowing what he was about to do, whether because he saw him even though it was dark, more rather the Holy Spirit gave him bold witnessing power to stop this man from ending his life. Talk about your close call. God sovereignly reigns and rules in the foreknowledge of people’s lives. God allowed Paul and Silas to be there right at the moment of this earthquake so that they might reach this man with the gospel. Think about it. He is in heaven today, because God wanted to save him and his household from perishing in their sins. What an awesome display of amazing grace.

Now for the Christian who reads this, he or she might more firmly realize how willing the Lord is to use us, but always remember that there is a cost to it. Where Paul and Silas may be asked if it was worth it? They might answer, well, it spite of all the beatings and imprisonments, God is fair and just in His dealing with me, look at the fruit of my labor. This jailer, and all of his household was saved! You be it was worth it. So it will be for any of us who suffer today for their faith in Jesus Christ, as this world becomes more and more hostile to the followers of Christianity. We must be willing though, to count the cost.

“What must I do to be saved?”—Did Paul answer, “join the church; or pay your tithes.” No, all that was said by Paul to the jailer was: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,” That’s all? You mean that’s all that is necessary? What about my being good first by keeping the 10 Commandments? or not ever being good enough? God has made it so simple. Paul in another epistle, the letter to the Ephesians said: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). So you see, man can not ever save themselves by ever being good enough, yet, God says, “It only requires believing in His Son, Jesus Christ.” That is the faith that is required for all who are believers now, or who have ever lived. And there is more good news. Paul said, “you, and your household.” God wants our families to be witnesses of His saving grace as well. Paul wrote in Romans 8, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (v.1). The staggering evidence brought out by Paul in chapter 7, that justification is by faith and faith alone on the basis of God’s overwhelming us with His saving grace. Truly a miracle that God has intervened upon the heart of mankind, and enables us to view from His perspective the great love that He has for us. By sending to us His Son, Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross, in place of our sin debt we could never repay. Truly amazing grace indeed,

Beloved friends, God has enabled us to persevere through difficult days so that we would rely more upon Him and His grace and merciful love that He has for us. All the while, He sovereignly has put us in places, where we witness to only He knows the numbers of people who are watching our lives, and seeing our reaction, may in turn may be willing to give their lives to Christ. Are you willing to join me in singing songs of praise to God at midnight? That might have significant meaning to numbers of believers but from a different perspective. Meaning your suffering accounts will differ from mine. Yet, through the rich mercy of God’s grace, we are able to take part in the redemptive plan of salvation, starting in your households, workplaces, classrooms, wherever He may be sovereignly leading you. Don’t forget hospitals and prison cells. His grace abounds in all directions utilizing His church to reach out to more and more people who are searching for truth in these last days. Stay the course, trust in the Lord who knows exactly where you are, and where your next midnight song will be sung.

May the Lord bless your walk with Him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.   Jude 1:3-4

How serious of a discernment of the times it must have been that Jude would not want to talk about salvation through faith in Christ, but found it necessary to warn of the apostate church? Today, were steep in the midst of the apostate church that I hope after reading this post, will make you more aware of the serious day, and days ahead that are still to come. First off, from our text, Jude had intended to write a letter on salvation as the common blessing enjoyed by all believers, perhaps to emphasize unity and further the fellowship among believers and to remind them that God is no respecter of persons. But instead, he was compelled to a call for the church to be armed for battle for the truth in light of the emergent arrival of apostate teachers. These workers of Satan had crept in unnoticed. So our first clue about the days were living in is that it is subtle in in its change, almost unnoticeable but to the discerning eyes of those who are alert to the times in which we are living in.

Jude wasn’t the only one who called the church to arms. Paul wrote to Timothy: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. The Greek word for “fight” gives us the English word “agonize,” and was used in both military and athletic terms to describe the concentration, discipline, and extreme effort needed to win the “good fight,” which is the spiritual conflict between Satan’s kingdom of darkness against the church, which is the body of Christ. Paul also tells the church, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). The Greek word for “wiles,” is where we get the word “schemes,” which brings the idea of cleverness, crafty methods, and cunningly deceptions. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (v.12). Satan’s schemes are propagated through the evil world system which is set up to advance their agenda against God which Satan rules.

Paul also writes in 2 Corinthians another interesting word to describe Satan’s agenda: Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:10-11). Satan wants to produce sin and animosity in the church to destroy what God has created. He hates for believers to be living unity and harmony with the Lord. So he uses every possible approach to accomplish this—even by using his minions to cleverly join the church (for certain men have crept in unnoticed,) from legalism to libertinism, intolerance to excessive passivity. Another word Paul uses for the word “wiles” from the Ephesians full armor of God, here, Paul uses a different word but with similar meaning. “Devices” it coincides with the terms like  “take advantage” and “ignorant,” and strongly implies that Satan targets the believer’s mind, but God has provided protection by unmasking Satan’s schemes in Scripture, along with providing the counteracting truth. Jesus said to His disciples, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) The first step in the progress toward true discipleship is belief in Jesus Christ as Messiah and Son of God. Abiding in Him helps bring about perseverance in obedience to Scripture (Matthew 28:19-20), and is the fruit or evidence of genuine faith (Ephesians 2:10). The word “abide” means to “habitually abide in Jesus words.” Truth that sets us free is that power from God to willingly holdfast with genuine faith the teachings and ministry of Jesus Christ. Satan tried opposing Him, by tempting Him to act out in His own self will. But Jesus could never have been led to sin, because He was sinless who became sin for us, and took away our sins that we might become the righteousness of God (2Corinthians 5:21).

Beloved friend, Paul the apostle wrote in Romans: For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly (Romans 16:19-20). Paul thought it necessary to insert into his greetings of love this caution against harmful teachings and practices that undermine the truth of Christianity and are its greatest threat even for us today. Genuine love will be ready to forgive evil, but it will not condone or ignore it. And those who like Paul, who truly love other believers who are dear to them, will also do all that they can to warn them about sin and harmful false doctrines. Who do you know in your life could not benefit from these Biblical and spiritual truths? God our Father, help us to love and obey Your Words of truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

May the Lord bless your walk with Him today.