Just sharing.

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Good news! Christ is Coming Again! Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. I, the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. Isaiah 42:1,4,6,7 KJV __________________ "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.' All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. Isaiah 45:22-24 NIV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path.”

Joel 2:8

Locusts always keep their rank, and although their number is legion, they do not crowd upon each other, so as to throw their columns into confusion. This remarkable fact in natural history shows how thoroughly the Lord has infused the spirit of order into his universe, since the smallest animate creatures are as much controlled by it as are the rolling spheres or the seraphic messengers. It would be wise for believers to be ruled by the same influence in all their spiritual life. In their Christian graces no one virtue should usurp the sphere of another, or eat out the vitals of the rest for its own support.

Affection must not smother honesty, courage must not elbow weakness out of the field, modesty must not jostle energy, and patience must not slaughter resolution. So also with our duties, one must not interfere with another; public usefulness must not injure private piety; church work must not push family worship into a corner. It is ill to offer God one duty stained with the blood of another. Each thing is beautiful in its season, but not otherwise. It was to the Pharisee that Jesus said, “This ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone.” The same rule applies to our personal position, we must take care to know our place, take it, and keep to it.

We must minister as the Spirit has given us ability, and not intrude upon our fellow servant's domain. Our Lord Jesus taught us not to covet the high places, but to be willing to be the least among the brethren. Far from us be an envious, ambitious spirit, let us feel the force of the Master's command, and do as he bids us, keeping rank with the rest of the host. To-night let us see whether we are keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace, and let our prayer be that, in all the churches of the Lord Jesus, peace and order may prevail.

 

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A Brother's Love


The little Down Syndrome girl -- a teenager the size of a ten-year-old -- made her way through the McDonald's restaurant to the back and turned toward the restroom.
After stopping and looking closely at the word on the door to make absolutely certain she was entering the appropriate one, she walked in.
This was a happy evening for her. She and her family had just come from the roller rink with a group of friends from her church, and although trying to stay in an upright position while skating had been more work than fun for her, she knew now that it was certainly well worth the effort. After all, was there any place in the world offering greater rewards than McDonald's?

Her younger, but bigger, brother sat quietly. He noticed something, that thankfully, she had not noticed.
A group of four teenagers, two couples, had taken an interest in the little girl from the moment they spotted her. Their eyes were on her like magnets as she walked to the bathroom, snickering and whispering behind their hands, with one openly laughing, another pointing.
Her brother watched them for a minute or so. Then, he stood slowly, almost wearily, and walked casually across the restaurant to the booth where the merry couples were sitting.

The two guys paled slightly, and the girls looked a little alarmed as this total stranger -- a year or two their junior -- placed his hands boldly on their table, leaning down slightly toward them. They studied each other while he was clearly in their space, and while they were most definitely out of their comfort zones.
The stoic intruder stood up straight after several seconds and motioned with one hand for one of the couples to move over. He intended to sit right down next to them. Somewhat in shock, and thrown completely off-guard, they made space for him as he lowered himself and sat down, hunched slightly forward with his forearms resting on the table.

"I was watching you making fun of my sister," he quietly informed them.
All four faces were now pale and the boys stumbled over their words in their rush to defend themselves.
"Who? Your sister? Where?"
"We weren't making fun of anyone!" "Oh, that was your sister? We weren't making fun of her!" "We would never make fun of someone like that!"
But he told them again, "I watched you."

They babbled whatever came to their minds, knowing they had been caught red-handed and maybe, just maybe, even realizing that they had been not only rude, but cruel to boot. Maybe they even got a little glimpse of the love this fifth wheel had for his sister, and an inkling of the emotions he was dealing with. Maybe.
The brother appeared not to be listening to their denials as he turned and watched his sister head back to where she had been sitting with the church group. Each of the four looked away, making sure they looked absolutely anywhere other than that little girl.
Somehow, on her return trip from the restroom, not one of them found her the least bit amusing. Her brother watched her sit down with the others, then he slid out of the booth and stood. As he turned to walk away, one of the boys tried for one last line of defense. "Hey, we would not make fun of her. We feel sorry for people like that!"

The little girl's defender stopped and turned back to their table, and placing the palms of his hands again on its surface. He leaned in close to his new acquaintances, and said hoarsely, "And I feel sorry for people like YOU."
Then he turned and walked away. And somehow, he suddenly blended in with the Happy Meal atmosphere as he took his place next to his little sister -- just as if he was your average, basic McDonald's customer, and not a hero at all.

 

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All shall see His Glory All shall see the salvation of our God "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." They will come from afar-- some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan." Lift up your eyes and look around; all your sons gather and come to you. As surely as I live," declares the LORD, "you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride. The children born during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, 'This place is too small for us; give us more space to live in.' Isaiah 49:6,12,18,20 NIV __________________ The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Isaiah 52:10 RSV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“That he may set him with princes.”

Psalm 113:8

Our spiritual privileges are of the highest order. “Among princes” is the place of select society. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” Speak of select society, there is none like this! “We are a chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood.” “We are come unto the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven.” The saints have courtly audience: princes have admittance to royalty when common people must stand afar off.

The child of God has free access to the inner courts of heaven. “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” “Let us come boldly,” says the apostle, “to the throne of the heavenly grace.” Among princes there is abundant wealth, but what is the abundance of princes compared with the riches of believers? for “all things are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.” “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Princes have peculiar power.

A prince of heaven's empire has great influence: he wields a sceptre in his own domain; he sits upon Jesus’ throne, for “He hath made us kings and priests unto God, and we shall reign for ever and ever.” We reign over the united kingdom of time and eternity. Princes, again, have special honour. We may look down upon all earth-born dignity from the eminence upon which grace has placed us. For what is human grandeur to this, “He hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”? We share the honour of Christ, and compared with this, earthly splendours are not worth a thought. Communion with Jesus is a richer gem than ever glittered in imperial diadem. Union with the Lord is a coronet of beauty outshining all the blaze of imperial pomp.

 

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The Intended Purpose Of God’s Law


Why do the Ten Commandments get so little attention in preaching and evangelism?
What Must I Do?
What was the intended purpose of God’s Law. Let’s begin with a rich man came up to Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother” (Mark 10:17b-19).

However, the young man, sounding self-righteous, said “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:20-22). When the man says he’d kept all the commandments (which is impossible), Jesus doesn’t stop him and say, “Don’t worry about the Law, we’re under grace,” but rather, Jesus indicates their validity as He reveals that the man’s god was his money, thus breaking the First Commandment.

Of course it’s impossible to keep the Ten Commandments, just like it is the speed limit at all times, but that doesn’t mean we have liberty to speed. The rich man didn’t get it. It’s not about doing this or doing that, but about what Jesus has already done. It was finished (John 19:30), or paid in full at the cross! It’s not what you or I must do…it’s what He’s already done, but just because we’re under grace doesn’t mean we can dishonor our parents, steal, or bear false witness.

The Ten Canons
The Ten Commandments are like ten canons, aimed right at us on the firing squad. Even now, the appointed fuse is set (Heb 9:27; Rev 1:7, 20:12-15), but if not for the Law, we’d not even know we’re on death row. The Law showed me that I was a law breaker and in desperate need of God’s mercy and grace, and like others, it made me run to the cross and seek God’s mercy, so it is not the Law that is bad…it is the lawbreakers. The Law shows us what sin is (Rom 7:7), which is the transgression of God’s Law (1 John 3:4), but since we’re all guilty before God, we are left with one of two choices.

Put our trust in the Advocate, Jesus Christ, and receive His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21), or reject Him Who is the one and only way to the Father (John 6:44; Acts 4:12). Now that the Law has shown us what sin is, we should strive to resist it when we’re tempted. Before, we were like dead fish floating downstream. It was only because of God’s Spirit quickening us that we realized our perilous state (Eph 2:1-4), however we must remember that being forgiven does not make us better than others. We are not better than others; only better off than others. And it was only because of Him. It was nothing we did (Eph 2:8-9). The Law acts on the conscience and the Spirit works conviction, so the Law is a good thing because it brings us to our knees, and makes us see our need for the Savior.

Charles Spurgeon’s View
The late Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) is one of my favorite preachers. In his lifetime he is known to have preached to over 10 million people, with audiences averaging around 10 thousand, and Charles Spurgeon taught the Ten Commandments like few others. That may have been why so many were lead to Christ. The Word of God, just like the Law, convicts the comfortable. That’s why Spurgeon frequently referred to the Ten Commandments in his preaching, and why Martin Luther prayed through each one for forgiveness for breaking them all!

Charles Spurgeon was one of the boldest preachers and witnesses for Christ that I know of. He once said, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”

Spurgeon and the Commandments
The Ten Commandments, like ten great pieces of cannon, are pointed at thee to-day, for thou hast broken all God’s statutes, and lived in the daily neglect of all his commands.

The Ten Commands surround us on all sides, and encompass all the movements of body, soul, and spirit, comprising under their jurisdiction the whole range of moral action; they hold us under fire from all points, and nowhere are we out of range.
I find it sometimes profitable to myself to read the Ten Commandments, and to think over my sins against each one of them. What a list it is, and how it humbles you in the dust to read it over!

Read the Ten Commandments, and pause at each one, and confess that you have broken it either in thought, or word, or deed. Remember that by a glance we may commit adultery, by a thought we may be guilty of murder, by a desire we may steal.
The law of the Ten Commandments is strictly just; it is such a law as a man might make for himself if he studied his own best interests, and had wisdom enough to frame it aright. It is a perfect law, in which the interests of God and man are both studied; it is not a partial law, but impartial, complete, and covering all the circumstances of life. You could not take away one command out of the ten without spoiling both tables of the law, and you could not add another command without being guilty of making a superfluity. The law is holy, and just, and good; it is like the God who made it, it is a perfect law.

Conclusion
Charles Spurgeon once said, “I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law.” Then he warns, “Lower the Law and you dim the light by which man perceives his guilt; this is a very serious loss to the sinner rather than a gain; for it lessens the likelihood of his conviction and conversion. I say you have deprived the gospel of its ablest auxiliary [its most powerful weapon] when you have set aside the Law. You have taken away from it the schoolmaster that is to bring men to Christ . . . They will never accept grace till they tremble before a just and holy Law. Therefore the Law serves a most necessary purpose, and it must not be removed from its place.” I find comfort in the fact that it’s by grace and not Law that we are saved; otherwise we’d all be without hope, however realizing we are not saved by law-keeping but by grace, we are still constrained to obey the Law because it is holy, just, and good (Rom 7:12).

 

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Pray for one another. All shall see the salvation of our God Pray for one another. Here's an example of Paul's prayer for his friends and fellow believers in city of Philippi: "This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 NIV __________________ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 NIV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?”

Romans 8:33

Most blessed challenge! How unanswerable it is! Every sin of the elect was laid upon the great Champion of our salvation, and by the atonement carried away. There is no sin in God's book against his people: he seeth no sin in Jacob, neither iniquity in Israel; they are justified in Christ for ever. When the guilt of sin was taken away, the punishment of sin was removed.

For the Christian there is no stroke from God's angry hand — nay, not so much as a single frown of punitive justice. The believer may be chastised by his Father, but God the Judge has nothing to say to the Christian, except “I have absolved thee: thou art acquitted.” For the Christian there is no penal death in this world, much less any second death. He is completely freed from all the punishment as well as the guilt of sin, and the power of sin is removed too. It may stand in our way, and agitate us with perpetual warfare; but sin is a conquered foe to every soul in union with Jesus.

There is no sin which a Christian cannot overcome if he will only rely upon his God to do it. They who wear the white robe in heaven overcame through the blood of the Lamb, and we may do the same. No lust is too mighty, no besetting sin too strongly entrenched; we can overcome through the power of Christ. Do believe it, Christian, that thy sin is a condemned thing. It may kick and struggle, but it is doomed to die. God has written condemnation across its brow. Christ has crucified it, “nailing it to his cross.” Go now and mortify it, and the Lord help you to live to his praise, for sin with all its guilt, shame, and fear, is gone.

“Here's pardon for transgressions past,
It matters not how black their cast;
And, O my soul, with wonder view,
For sins to come here's pardon too.”

 

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How Mephibosheth Typifies Our Salvation Experience


The way King David treated Mephibosheth, the late King Saul’s grandson, is a picture of God’s saving grace given to every believer.
Grace and Disgrace
After Samuel the Prophet anointed Saul as king of Israel, it wasn’t long before Saul was filled with jealousy and saw David as a threat to him and his throne, so King Saul turned against David, a man who would have done anything for him. As a result, David spent years running for his life from the king and his men. After Saul and Jonathan’s death, David searched for any living relatives of the house of Saul so he could show kindness for Jonathan’s sake. Jonathan, Saul’s son, had been David’s closest and dearest friend. During this time in history, kings typically sought out the descendants of the last king, but it wasn’t in order to show them favor like David did (2 Sam 9:1). Normally all of the last king’s descendants were killed so that the throne could lie securely in the hands of the reigning king, but David was no ordinary king. His gesture toward Mephibosheth was a picture of God’s saving grace, and it will become clearer as we read the account of David extending kindness to the house of Saul, a house that formerly sought his death!

Johnathan’s Son
In 2 Samuel 4, we first hear about Mephibosheth. He was a son of Jonathan who was the son of King Saul. It says Mephibosheth “was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth” (2 Sam 4:4), so think of Mephibosheth as representing the lost sinner, and like all of mankind, he has suffered from the fall in the Garden. After King David’s throne is established, he asks, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake” (2 Sam 9:1)? Notice it wasn’t for Saul’s sake but for Jonathan’s sake, and also David sought out Mephibosheth.

That is a picture of God’s sovereign grace where He sought us and He bought us and He taught us how to become a child of God. Mephibosheth would never have thought to seek out David for fear of losing his life. He was likely in hiding in a place where no one else would want to live (More on that later), but David sought and found Mephibosheth. He wanted to show kindness to him, but not because of who Mephibosheth was…but rather, because of who Jonathan was. Mephibosheth did nothing to earn this or anything to deserve this. That’s a picture of grace! Even though Mephibosheth (and we) was in a fallen state, God’s grace is greater than his fall, and all of us fall infinitely short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23).

Works
When David sought out Mephibosheth, he was found to be living in the house of Machir (means “sold”), located in Lodebar (means, “no pasture”), so Mephibosheth was living in a barren land (2 Sam 9:4) and brought no benefit at all to the king’s table, but David said, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always” (2 Sam 9:7). In similar fashion, God through Christ will bring us to the marriage feast of the Lamb of God (Rev 19:6-9), even though we were found to be in a fallen state. And it wasn’t on account of us that God did this…but on account of Christ. Mephibosheth recognized one thing. He, like we were at one time, we were dead in our sins (Eph 2:1-4), so Mephibosheth says, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I” (2 Sam 9:8)? Good question, isn’t it?

I can see no reason God would save me and not someone else. There is nothing inherently valuable in me anymore than there was in the crippled Mephibosheth. Just like him, I couldn’t bring any works to the table. Mephibosheth couldn’t tell David, “I can serve you, or I can work for you, or I can garden for you.” He was crippled, unable to do any works, just as we cannot do any works to save ourselves from the fall (Eph 2:8-9). If Mephibosheth had insisted on earning his way to the king’s table by works, and works of which he could boast to King David, then the Apostle Paul would have said to him, “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace” (Gal 5:4).

Restoration
Not only does David allow Mephibosheth to dine at the king’s table the rest of his life, David tells him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table” (2 Sam 9:9-10). Now Mephibosheth has servants working for him…and he’s set for the rest of his life. In the kingdom, those who trust in Christ will be kings and priests and rule with, but under Christ.

When Mephibosheth first heard the king wanted to see him, it must have passed his mind that he was going to die. Maybe that’s the idea. God gives grace to those who don’t deserve it. He doesn’t give us what we deserve (His righteous wrath); He gives us what we need, and that’s grace. David sought out Mephibosheth just as God seeks out those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

Conclusion
In the end, Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table for the rest of his life. That’s what a child of the king does, so for those who trust in Him, they have the awesome privilege of entering into the kingdom and dining at the great marriage feast of the Lamb of God, and will be “always at the king’s table…like one of the king’s sons,” so come…sit… at the King’s table.

 

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Behold, I come quickly Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousnss Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 NIV __________________ The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:7,8 NASB __________________ Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Revelation 3:11,12 KJV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Who went about doing good.”

Acts 10:38

Few words, but yet an exquisite miniature of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are not many touches, but they are the strokes of a master's pencil. Of the Saviour and only of the Saviour is it true in the fullest, broadest, and most unqualified sense. “He went about doing good.” From this description it is evident that he did good personally. The evangelists constantly tell us that he touched the leper with his own finger, that he anointed the eyes of the blind, and that in cases where he was asked to speak the word only at a distance, he did not usually comply, but went himself to the sick bed, and there personally wrought the cure.

A lesson to us, if we would do good, to do it ourselves. Give alms with your own hand; a kind look, or word, will enhance the value of the gift. Speak to a friend about his soul; your loving appeal will have more influence than a whole library of tracts. Our Lord's mode of doing good sets forth his incessant activity! He did not only the good which came close to hand, but he “went about” on his errands of mercy. Throughout the whole land of Judea there was scarcely a village or a hamlet which was not gladdened by the sight of him.

How this reproves the creeping, loitering manner, in which many professors serve the Lord. Let us gird up the loins of our mind, and be not weary in well doing. Does not the text imply that Jesus Christ went out of his way to do good? “He went about doing good.” He was never deterred by danger or difficulty. He sought out the objects of his gracious intentions. So must we. If old plans will not answer, we must try new ones, for fresh experiments sometimes achieve more than regular methods. Christ's perseverance, and the unity of his purpose, are also hinted at, and the practical application of the subject may be summed up in the words, “He hath left us an example that we should follow in his steps.”

 

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How To Ruin Everything In Two Easy Steps

Was well rewarded in my internet search this morning by first this, and then this. Landed on them both after a brilliant listicle—5 Fascinating Morning Habits of Sociopaths. A welcome relief from the five, ten, and fifteen ways to be a better, happier person, the seven ways to find the ghost that lives in your house, and the six ways not to get an STI when you go on holiday in France.

So anyway, in case you didn’t click the links, the first one is about how to carry on with something called “No Labels Dating.” As in, you want to sleep with someone. But you also want to sleep with other people. And by sleep I mean, of course, anything but that. But the first person you want to sleep with, you also desire to have a certain sort friendliness. You might like to hang about with him and do other things, besides the, you know, I’m not going to say it.

But you don’t want anyone to be jealous. And you don’t want to explain yourself to anyone. And you certainly don’t want to get married or anything wacko like that. But also, you might have trouble navigating this new and wondrous free open space that has literally never been thought of in a thousand years. So there’s an expert to give you some advice. Even though, I mean, we have all understood that it is no big deal. Sex isn’t a complicated thing that if you misuse it can bring you any heartbreak. It only ever makes people happy the more they have it, especially without any social, personal, intellectual, cultural, or theological considered reflection.

The article concludes, “I managed to avoid labelling a relationship for a year. And it was fun. It certainly makes for a fizzy, exciting way to date. But it’s not without its pitfalls – jealousy being just one. And, ultimately, without the safety net of labels and boundaries, falling in love with someone can start to feel a little terrifying.”


Wait. I’m so confused. You need a safety net? That’s so weird.

Anyway, don’t worry, if you find yourself heartbroken or with some kind of terrible illness and you accidentally wander into a church, or rather by a church, you won’t be accosted by anybody trying to read you the Bible. That book is caraazzeeyyyy. You don’t need that kind of negativity.

I love this new bright charming age of everybody following after the devices and desires of their own hearts without stopping to wonder what the fallout may be. And I particularly love how anything about God won’t be a hinderance for anyone at all. Really, he’s the only one for whom there’s no room in this new no labels world.
Can’t help thinking of that devastating passage, though, in Ezekiel, where the people of Israel, likened to a woman who just doesn’t want to be limited for any reason, especially by God, finds herself in rather a lot of grief after she got everything she wanted. Speaking of jealousy. And heartbreak. But we’re not allowed to read that anymore, especially not in public. And I certainly won’t quote it, because of the rather ghastly images and vocabulary. I mean, I know we ought to be free to speak openly, and God certainly did, but I’m rather shocked really.

Anyway, with God safely out of the way, and his awful jealous attention, I’m sure everything will only get better. Women and men will only get on with each other better than any of their ancestors did. There won’t be any regrets, what with there having been no labels, and the earth will be healed by our, what do you call it? Love? No, that’s not it. Anxiety during the day, depression and mental illness in the evening? That sounds more likely. When you awaken, you won’t need to be satisfied with His likeness, you can spend a good long time on yours, and then concentrate on yourself, and then watch a dark movie (3 of the 5 morning habits of sociopaths). It’s going to be wonderful.

 

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Delight in the LORD Are you ready? His everlasting Kingdom is one in which Righteousess Reigns I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. Isaiah 61:10,11 NIV __________________ I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. Isaiah 45:7,8 KJV __________________ The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness; and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is his treasure Isaiah 33:5,6 RSV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.”

John 6:37

This declaration involves the doctrine of election: there are some whom the Father gave to Christ. It involves the doctrine of effectual calling: these who are given must and shall come; however stoutly they may set themselves against it, yet they shall be brought out of darkness into God's marvellous light. It teaches us the indispensable necessity of faith; for even those who are given to Christ are not saved except they come to Jesus. Even they must come, for there is no other way to heaven but by the door, Christ Jesus. All that the Father gives to our Redeemer must come to him, therefore none can come to heaven except they come to Christ.

Oh! the power and majesty which rest in the words “shall come.” He does not say they have power to come, nor they may come if they will, but they “shall come.” The Lord Jesus doth by his messengers, his word, and his Spirit, sweetly and graciously compel men to come in that they may eat of his marriage supper; and this he does, not by any violation of the free agency of man, but by the power of his grace. I may exercise power over another man's will, and yet that other man's will may be perfectly free, because the constraint is exercised in a manner accordant with the laws of the human mind.

Jehovah Jesus knows how, by irresistible arguments addressed to the understanding, by mighty reasons appealing to the affections, and by the mysterious influence of his Holy Spirit operating upon all the powers and passions of the soul, so to subdue the whole man, that whereas he was once rebellious, he yields cheerfully to his government, subdued by sovereign love. But how shall those be known whom God hath chosen? By this result: that they do willingly and joyfully accept Christ, and come to him with simple and unfeigned faith, resting upon him as all their salvation and all their desire. Reader, have you thus come to Jesus?

 

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Is Confidence in Salvation Biblical?


Is there a fine line between having confidence in one’s salvation and presuming on the grace of God?

Trampling on the Blood
When the author of Hebrews (Paul?) wrote about how “Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (Heb 10:28), he places that against the rejection of Christ, writing, “How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace” (Heb 10:29)? This warning comes just after the author wrote, that “if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” (Heb 10:26-27).

That sounds very much like we can hear the gospel and then go on sinning deliberately, but this same chapter ends with the author telling them that “we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Heb 10:39), so the author says we are not of those who go on deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, thereby trampling “underfoot the Son of God,” having “profaned the blood of the covenant.” Even thou we still sin (1 John 1:8, 10), it is not our practice to do so (1 John 3).

We fall into sin, but we don’t seek it out and dive into it, and then do the backstroke. We get up, repent of that, seek forgiveness, and move on. That’s our practice, not ongoing, deliberate sinning with no remorse or no change after conversion. If there is no desire to overcome sin, it seems unlikely that the person has been regenerated by God, or at least they are in the embryonic stage of the new birth.
Jesus on Security
The Gospel of John may be the most reassuring gospel of them all as far as our security in Christ. For example, Jesus says “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out…And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:37, 39). Then in John 10:28-29 He says, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” Can you see the symbolic meaning of Jesus’ words? If we are secure in His and the Father’s hand, so “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Rom 8:31-34).

Self-Condemnation
Who is it that sometimes condemns? Sometimes it is us when we doubt Christ’s promise (John 3:16-17)? In that case, Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:35-39).

These verses are very convincing, so ask, “Who or what can separate us from God?” Paul says, not death, not angels (fallen ones), things present (today), things to come (in the future), not height (falling), depth (by accident or death or insurmountable obstacles), or powers (heavenly or earthly) can ever separate us from God. And to make sure there are no exceptions, Paul adds “nor anything else in creation.” That means whatever’s been created, and that includes us, cannot separate us from God. “[N]or anything else in creation” covers it all, wouldn’t you say? When you trusted in Christ, you were been born again (John 3:3-7), or born from above by the Spirit of God, and no child of God has ever been aborted!

Peter on Perseverance
The Apostle Peter, even after denying Jesus three times in public, wrote that God “has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept (held in store or reserved) in heaven (not by us) for you, who by God’s power are being guarded (literally, “kept”) through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet 1:3b-5), and even “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining (past tense) the outcome of your faith (already completed), the salvation (past tense) of your souls” (1 Pet 3:8-9).

Reserved in Heaven
Jude wrote “To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for (literally “kept by”) Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1). What Jesus keeps, stays kept! Paul said “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard (to “keep protected”) until (or “up until”) that Day (of His return) what has been entrusted (Greek, “deposited”) to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit (means like a down payment or promissory note) entrusted to you” (2 Tim 1:12-14). If God is guarding us, then who can take us form Him?

Conclusion
Is your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life? God warns us that “if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). If you are not, the Bible says God is angry at the sinner every single day, and since “God is a righteous judge, a God who feels indignation every day” (Psalm 7:11), every one not born again needs to be brought to a point of repentance (2 Tim 2:24-26) and faith in Christ (Mark 1:14-15), if they haven’t already done so (Rom 10:9-13, Acts 4:12).

 

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Seek Rigteousness & Holiness His Eternal Kingdom will demonstrate an Increase of Purity, Holiness, and Righteousness Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. Isaiah 60:20,21 NIV __________________ They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. Psalm 72:5 KJV __________________ In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, HOLY TO THE LORD. And the cooking pots in the LORD'S house will be like the bowls before the altar. Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day. Zechariah 14:20,21 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

John 6:37

No limit is set to the duration of this promise. It does not merely say, “I will not cast out a sinner at his first coming,” but, “I will in no wise cast out.” The original reads, “I will not, not cast out,” or “I will never, never cast out.” The text means, that Christ will not at first reject a believer; and that as he will not do it at first, so he will not to the last.

But suppose the believer sins after coming? “If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” But suppose that believers backslide? “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” But believers may fall under temptation! “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” But the believer may fall into sin as David did! Yes, but he will “Purge them with hyssop, and they shall be clean; he will wash them and they shall be whiter than snow”; “From all their iniquities will I cleanse them.”

“Once in Christ, in Christ for ever,
Nothing from his love can sever.”


“I give unto my sheep,” saith he, “eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” What sayest thou to this, O trembling feeble mind? Is not this a precious mercy, that coming to Christ, thou dost not come to One who will treat thee well for a little while, and then send thee about thy business, but he will receive thee and make thee his bride, and thou shalt be his for ever? Receive no longer the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption whereby thou shalt cry, Abba, Father! Oh! the grace of these words: “I will in no wise cast out.”

 

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Born this Way?



I Am Who I Am

“It’s natural because the animals do it.”
“I was born this way and God doesn’t make mistakes.”
If the way you were born is the way God meant you to be, why did Jesus insist “you must be born again.”? Why is the Christian walk about all of us – every human on Earth – needing to be born again?

You Are Not All That
Let me be blunt: the Christian faith is unique among the world faiths because it is the only one that not only tells you you fundamentally suck, but that nothing you do – nothing at all – will change the reality that you suck, and will never be good enough to exist in God’s presence on your own. There are softer, gentler, more P.C. ways of phrasing that, of course, but given the growing apostasy in the Christian church I feel it’s time to get down to brass tacks. Other world religions teach that you can do the right things, perform the right works, and make yourself “good enough” to earn the prize. Islam is a works-based faith where you do the right things, and follow the five pillars and you will receive Allah’s favor and admission to paradise. Buddhism is a works-based faith where you follow the eight-fold path, do the right things and deny self and desire, bring no suffering into the world, and you will achieve nirvana (which literally means not willing or not wanting). Hinduism is works-based faith and quest for getting off the great wheel or cycle of life, death and rebirth (called samsara), in order to achieve moksha, which is a type of heaven. Again, this is done through self-sacrifice, and practice of being “good” as defined by their holy texts.
All of this contrasts with Christianity which insists, that all humans are prideful, selfish, arrogant, self-absorbed and self-destructive creatures that really…if God ever let any one of us into Heaven, we would straight up ruin the perfection of the place. Can anyone deny the truth of this? Despite this frank pointing out of humanity’s flaws, Christians know that humans are loved – deeply loved – by God. Any parent understands the concept of loving a flawed being through all of their flaws. Children – especially the very young and teenagers – are typically very selfish, self-absorbed, sin-filled and sometimes downright crazy creatures. We love them anyway, because they are ours. As we are God’s, whose love for us is far greater still.
It’s All About You


Suggesting that we were “born this way” with certain desires, and so we should be accepted as is, is – quite frankly – an argument of pure selfish pride. Humans are born with plenty of desires that we must be taught to suppress or eliminate, like the desire to take whatever we want and have all the toys. Humans have “natural” desires for satisfying all kinds of outrageous lusts of the flesh, sexual and otherwise, and some downright deviant like pedophilia. We are born with the innate desire and drive to use our strength over others to beat them into submission if necessary. No one claims “I was born inherently violent and wanting to beat and rape all women I see, so you should just accept it.” To that and all other “natural” desires, Jesus Christ says – you must be born again.

You Must Be Born Again
This is elementary. It is Step One of Christian faith and practice: to admit your own suck, to be sorry for it, and to acknowledge that you yourself cannot overcome it. This is where the good news of the Gospel comes into play. That God Himself saw our helpless state and decided to sacrifice Himself to overcome the sin natures we were born with. It doesn’t mean we become perfect upon salvation, rather it is an admission that we need Him, and are willing to let Him change us. Without that submission, without that admission of guilt, one will not be allowed into Heaven’s perfection to ruin it by holding on to the sinful ways they were born with.
You must be transformed.
You must be renewed.
You must be born again.
Claiming to be a follower of Christ while also claiming “it’s okay ’cause I was born this way,” is pure contradiction. You cannot be a follower of both Christ and your own nature.

 

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A Glorious Kingdom of Holiness A Glorious Kingdom of Purity, Holiness and Righteousness Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. Isaiah 6:3,4 NIV __________________ Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure" for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Revelation 19:7,8 RSV __________________ Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven. Righteousness will go before Him And will make His footsteps into a way. Psalm 85:10,11,13 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“And these are the singers ... they were employed in that work day and night.”

1 Chronicles 9:33

Well was it so ordered in the temple that the sacred chant never ceased: for evermore did the singers praise the Lord, whose mercy endureth for ever. As mercy did not cease to rule either by day or by night, so neither did music hush its holy ministry. My heart, there is a lesson sweetly taught to thee in the ceaseless song of Zion's temple, thou too art a constant debtor, and see thou to it that thy gratitude, like charity, never faileth.

God's praise is constant in heaven, which is to be thy final dwelling-place, learn thou to practise the eternal hallelujah. Around the earth as the sun scatters his light, his beams awaken grateful believers to tune their morning hymn, so that by the priesthood of the saints perpetual praise is kept up at all hours, they swathe our globe in a mantle of thanksgiving, and girdle it with a golden belt of song.

The Lord always deserves to be praised for what he is in himself, for his works of creation and providence, for his goodness towards his creatures, and especially for the transcendent act of redemption, and all the marvelous blessing flowing therefrom. It is always beneficial to praise the Lord; it cheers the day and brightens the night; it lightens toil and softens sorrow; and over earthly gladness it sheds a sanctifying radiance which makes it less liable to blind us with its glare.

Have we not something to sing about at this moment? Can we not weave a song out of our present joys, or our past deliverances, or our future hopes? Earth yields her summer fruits: the hay is housed, the golden grain invites the sickle, and the sun tarrying long to shine upon a fruitful earth, shortens the interval of shade that we may lengthen the hours of devout worship. By the love of Jesus, let us be stirred up to close the day with a psalm of sanctified gladness.