Just sharing.

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Created in The Image Of God: What Does That Mean?



God created mankind after the image of God, so what does this mean?
The Distorted Image
After Adam and Eve choose to disobey God and choose for themselves what is good and what is evil, the image of God was distorted. Sin has a way of doing that. From now on, for Adam and Eve, “There is a way that seems right to a man” but they found out, “its end is the way to death” (Prov 14:12). Originally, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27), and part of that image of God was being upright, but that was before they took from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That changed everything. No longer was the Garden of Eden accessible, and now the ground was cursed. So mankind was cursed…cursed by sin, and something seemingly inescapable, being in our very nature (Psalm 51:5; Rom 3:10-12, 23).

Part of this sinful nature was passed on to Adam and Eve’s children, particularly Cain who killed his brother Abel, so Adam “fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth” (Gen 5:3), meaning, like Adam and Eve, he too would sin, just like everyone else (1 Kings 8:46; Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:10, 23). Now humanity would bear children after their own likeness and after their own image, and not all of it was good. Just as we were originally created after God’s own image and God’s own likeness, we are now made in the likeness and image of our parents…warts and all (of which I also plead guilty), however some of the image and likeness of God is retained…even in our fallen state. For example, we hate injustice, we want to right every wrong; and we hate to see people suffer.

The Creation of Adam as depicted in the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo.
If we understand that people are created after the image and likeness of God, we might treat them better. The outside image is not what I’m talking about. The homeless man or woman may or may not be there of their own accord, and most of us will never know, so that’s why we must treat others with dignity and respect, regardless of their looks. One way to look at it is, “There go we but by the grace of God,” so that could be us, and how would we want others to treat us if we were in their situation, especially if it was a result of things beyond your control? Many vets are homeless due to a lot of extenuating circumstances, but the vast majority of them have not brought this upon themselves. Besides, only God can see their heart (1 Sam 16:7), and only He knows how their life has been.

Image of the Father
Perhaps it was out of curiosity that Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us” (John14:8). Jesus replied, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father” (John 14:9)? Jesus was the express image of the Father, which means He was merciful and forgiving, but He is also God just as the Father is. Jesus said, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works” (John 14:10), so Jesus’ words also showed us the Father. It showed us His redemptive plan for mankind (Mark 10:45) and judgment to come on all who reject Christ (John 1:18, 36). Jesus, as God, also had power and the authority to forgive sins (Matt 9:1-8). If you have read enough about Jesus, then you are well read about the Father, for if you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father.
Image of Christ

Today, the Body of Believers are being shaped, formed, and molded more into the image of Christ, day by day. At least that is true for many, and so it is “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Rom 8:29). We are predestined to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and that is partly done when we trust in Christ. Now we can stand before God because of Christ since it was “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).

Having the righteousness of Christ is being more in the image of God and in the likeness of God, so “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Cor 15:49). For believers, as I write this, “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18). The image of God comes from the Spirit of God as He points us to the Son of God. Tragically, “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4), but we can pray for the lost; love the lost, and seek their good, but “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ…is the image of God.”

Did you get that? Read that again…“the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ…is the image of God.” That’s because the gospel changes lives and regenerates through the Spirit to make us into a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Now, having “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Col 3:10), we are being conformed into a creation more like Christ. Now that’s what I mean by restoring us back into the image and likeness of God!

Conclusion
Jesus Christ “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Col 1:15), so to be created in the image of God, we must be recreated, or born again, from above (John 3:3-7). That new birth is began by the Word of God, instilled by the Spirit of God, making relevant the Son of God, and thus birthing the children of God, and this is all for the glory of God (Eh 2:8-9). If we want to boast about anything, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Cor 1:31), and the glorious light of the gospel which washed our sins away.

 

[beensetfree]

On fire for Him We will never be the same! If I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in His name," His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked. Jeremiah 20:9,13 NIV ------------- Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29 KJV ------------- I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good, And my sorrow grew worse. My heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue. Psalm 39:2,3 NASB ------------- For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:16 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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''The power of his resurrection.”

Philippians 3:10

The doctrine of a risen Saviour is exceedingly precious. The resurrection is the corner-stone of the entire building of Christianity. It is the key-stone of the arch of our salvation. It would take a volume to set forth all the streams of living water which flow from this one sacred source, the resurrection of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; but to know that he has risen, and to have fellowship with him as such — communing with the risen Saviour by possessing a risen life — seeing him leave the tomb by leaving the tomb of worldliness ourselves, this is even still more precious.

The doctrine is the basis of the experience, but as the flower is more lovely than the root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine itself. I would have you believe that Christ rose from the dead so as to sing of it, and derive all the consolation which it is possible for you to extract from this well-ascertained and well-witnessed fact; but I beseech you, rest not contented even there. Though you cannot, like the disciples, see him visibly, yet I bid you aspire to see Christ Jesus by the eye of faith; and though, like Mary Magdalene, you may not “touch” him, yet may you be privileged to converse with him, and to know that he is risen, you yourselves being risen in him to newness of life.

To know a crucified Saviour as having crucified all my sins, is a high degree of knowledge; but to know a risen Saviour as having justified me, and to realize that he has bestowed upon me new life, having given me to be a new creature through his own newness of life, this is a noble style of experience: short of it, none ought to rest satisfied. May you both “know him, and the power of his resurrection.” Why should souls who are quickened with Jesus, wear the grave-clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord is risen.

 

[beensetfree]

Coronavirus, Christian Mindfulness, and Meditation



Are you anxious about Coronovirus? Or are there other things weighing you down? Are you looking for new ways to cope with the stress of ordinary life? Perhaps you are somehow bumbling along just about managing but underneath you know your rushing around and over-extended lifestyle is ultimately unsustainable. Are you getting close to burnout?
For many people either their own situation or an international concern like the current epidemic suddenly punctures their sense of safety and security. Is anybody really as safe as we like to imagine we are? Actually according to the Bible having our eyes open to how short our lives are is the route to wisdom.We are like the grass that quickly withers away (1 Peter 1:24-25). Since in ordinary times we never think about our own impending death perhaps that is one reason why wisdom is in such short supply today.

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭90:12,‬ ‭NIV)

People who have faced their mortality due to a life-threatening diagnosis often feel rather alone. Our Western culture spends most of the time trying to forget our frailty, and pretending that we will live if not for ever at least for a very long time. Suddenly with the rate the coronavirus is spreading many healthy people are experiencing health anxiety. We don’t know whether this global pandemic will as some point fizzle out or if we are dealing with a major event that will go down in history like some sort of modern plague.

For some of us whether it is simply the day to day worries of work or family life, or a significant season of personal suffering, or indeed a national or international crisis we allow ourselves to become burdened. We try and solve all the problems we see. We try to be a saviour. Essentially we are trying to be God. You are not as much of an expert as you think you are. I too am certainly not a font of knowledge or wisdom. Truth is there is much that we need to somehow learn to butt our noses out of and leave to those who’s job it is to think about such high matters.

This constant sense of agitation which last year was all about Brexit for us Brits, and this year for the world seems to be largely about Coronavirus has many of us trying to carry burdens we are simply not designed to carry.
It is natural to be anxious at times and it is not a sin. But we are encouraged to cast our burdens onto Jesus who cares for us. We might have to do that several times a day.

 

[beensetfree]

Preach the gospel! Preach the Gospel! Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth-- to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water." Revelation 14:6,7 NIV __________________ NOW I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NASB __________________ And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. Mark 16:15,16 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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“Get thee up into the high mountain.”

Isaiah 40:9

Each believer should be thirsting for God, for the living God, and longing to climb the hill of the Lord, and see him face to face. We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. My soul thirsteth to drink deep of the cup which is reserved for those who reach the mountain's brow, and bathe their brows in heaven. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem!

Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun; they eat dust like the serpent when they might taste the ambrosial meat of angels; they are content to wear the miner's garb when they might put on king's robes; tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Satisfied I am that many a believer pines in a dungeon when he might walk on the palace roof, and view the goodly land and Lebanon.

Rouse thee, O believer, from thy low condition! Cast away thy sloth, thy lethargy, thy coldness, or whatever interferes with thy chaste and pure love to Christ, thy soul's Husband. Make him the source, the centre, and the circumference of all thy soul's range of delight. What enchants thee into such folly as to remain in a pit when thou mayst sit on a throne? Live not in the lowlands of bondage now that mountain liberty is conferred upon thee. Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments, but press forward to things more sublime and heavenly. Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!

“When wilt thou come unto me, Lord?
Oh come, my Lord most dear!
Come near, come nearer, nearer still,
I'm blest when thou art near.”

 

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Seeing The Gospel In Biblical Accounts



The gospels contain accounts that are symbolic of salvation, but you can also find the gospel message within the gospels themselves.
The Bad News
Have you ever flashed your headlights to warn another driver to slow down because there’s a speed trap ahead of them? You are trying to warn them. A few might slow down if they’re breaking the speed limit, but not all, so that’s what the law of God does. It tells us what sin is (Rom 7:7), and reveals to us that we all break God’s law, so before we can give people the good news, we must tell them that no one deserves to be saved (Rom 3:10-12). We all fall impossibly short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23), so what’s the solution to our dilemma? When Jesus introduced the gospel, it had two components to it. He said we need to “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15b).

God commands all of us to repent (Acts 17:30), so if you don’t mention the fact that God requires all people to repent, and what it is they need to repent from, they will not hear the whole gospel. If sin is never mentioned, then grace means nothing, but when God’s wrath against sinners is revealed (John 3:36b), and“that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things” (Rom 2:2), then grace is suddenly very relevant…at least for some. Just like I was told, the sinner must know that it’s “because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Rom 2:5). If you had a disease and didn’t know it, you wouldn’t even think about seeking a cure, but once you heard the prognosis, then you’d suddenly become very interested in the cure. The disease that is fatal in the coming judgment of God which comes from sin that is not repented of (Rev 20:12-15; 21:8). The cure is trusting in Christ, Who gave His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

The Good News
Now that the bad news has been revealed, the mercy and grace of God should get our attention. Of course, the person who comes to saving faith in Christ is first drawn to Father, but through Christ (John 6:44), and it is only by the Spirit of God that the conviction of sin comes (John 16:8), so when we finally come to understand that we cannot stand before God on our own, it makes us see that our only hope is Christ. After putting our trust in Christ, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1), “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:1-2). This is why there is such power in the Word of God. It has the very power of God that to save (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18). When a person is exposed to the Word of God, with the Spirit of God, they should reveal the Son of God. There are many biblical accounts where we see the gospel typified, but we can also see how salvation works within the gospel accounts themselves, and that’s what we’ll see next in Mark 2.

New Testament
One example of the gospel message being within the gospel is in Mark 2. In this account, Jesus was in a home teaching many people. There were so many in the house “that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them” (Mark 2:2). When four men tried to bring a paralytic man to Jesus so He could heal him (Mark 2:3), there was no way they could even get through the door, so they had to take drastic action. The first point is that God uses others to bring people to Christ, and sometimes it takes drastic action (see first paragraph), but we have to understand that we don’t’ save anyone. The four men couldn’t save the paralytic. It had to be Christ alone, showing we are only saved by Christ alone (Acts 4:12), but God will use us as a means of His saving them. How? It’s by trying to bring them to Christ.

God used these four men to bring this paralytic to Christ, and God can use you to bring people to Christ, so “when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). Of course the self-righteous scribes were shocked, and said, “He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone” (Mark 2:7b), not recognizing Jesus is God and He can forgive sins. Jesus tells them to their face, “that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark2:10), but to the paralytic, a paralytic no more, He says, “rise, pick up your bed, and go home” (Mark 2:11). The man needed healing…but he needed the forgiveness of sins infinitely more. The healed man will die again…but the one who trusts in Christ receives eternal life.

Old Testament
The Old Testament has historical accounts that are also symbolic of salvation. One example is Mephibosheth. He was the lone son remaining from the house of Saul who was the son of Jonathan. Jonathan was a man that David had trusted with his life. He loved him as he did his own self. In this account, you can see King David as typifying the role of the Father, as David sought out Mephibosheth, not to kill, but to preserve his life (2 Sam 9:5; John 6:44). Mephibosheth did nothing to deserve David’s kindness (2 Sam 9:6-8), and we too received God’s kindness, even though we did not deserve it (Rom 5:6-10; Eph 2:8-9). Mephibosheth was seated with the king and sat at the king’s table as one of his own sons. In similar fashion, after we trust in Christ we become a child of God. King David made sure that Mephibosheth would be provided for, for the rest of his life, just as those who trust in the King of kings can rest in eternal life (2 Sam 9:7-9). The gospel message, or salvation, is often found in the accounts recorded in the Bible, and there are many, not the least of which is Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice the son of promise.

Conclusion
I have started looking for other gospel-like accounts in the Bible, and I’ve discovered there are many…more than I had imagined, but the gospel often rests within the Word of God with accounts that typify salvation. The Gospel of John may have more of these than the other gospels, like the account of Lazarus who was dead, but made alive by Christ (John 11). The gospel is actually spread throughout the Bible, starting with the first hint of redemption in Genesis (Gen 3:15), and Abraham’s being saved by faith. Abraham “believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6). If you haven’t already, I hope you will obey the Lord Jesus Christ’s command to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Then you too can have the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21), and you can stand before God on the day of Christ’s visitation, or after death, when it’s appointed for us to be judged (Heb 9:27).

 

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Jesus is the Messiah! For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ Messiah would suffer at the hands of sinners to redeem them. Prophecy: "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Isaiah 50:6 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands" Matthew 26:67 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him." Mark 15:19,20 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands." __________________ He would be rejected and despised by His own people. Prophecy: "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." Psalm 118:22 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Matthew 21:42-43 __________________ 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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“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.”

Proverbs 24:33, 34

The worst of sluggards only ask for a little slumber; they would be indignant if they were accused of thorough idleness. A little folding of the hands to sleep is all they crave, and they have a crowd of reasons to show that this indulgence is a very proper one. Yet by these littles the day ebbs out, and the time for labour is all gone, and the field is grown over with thorns. It is by little procrastinations that men ruin their souls. They have no intention to delay for years — a few months will bring the more convenient season—to-morrow if you will, they will attend to serious things; but the present hour is so occupied and altogether so unsuitable, that they beg to be excused.

Like sands from an hour-glass, time passes, life is wasted by driblets, and seasons of grace lost by little slumbers. Oh, to be wise, to catch the flying hour, to use the moments on the wing! May the Lord teach us this sacred wisdom, for otherwise a poverty of the worst sort awaits us, eternal poverty which shall want even a drop of water, and beg for it in vain. Like a traveller steadily pursuing his journey, poverty overtakes the slothful, and ruin overthrows the undecided: each hour brings the dreaded pursuer nearer; he pauses not by the way, for he is on his master's business and must not tarry. As an armed man enters with authority and power, so shall want come to the idle, and death to the impenitent, and there will be no escape.

O that men were wise be-times, and would seek diligently unto the Lord Jesus, or ere the solemn day shall dawn when it will be too late to plough and to sow, too late to repent and believe. In harvest, it is vain to lament that the seed time was neglected. As yet, faith and holy decision are timely. May we obtain them this night.

 

[beensetfree]

What Does It Mean, “Work Out Your Own Salvation?”



Paul says we should work out our own salvation, so does this mean we’re saved by our own works?

Salvation
Jesus Christ introduced the gospel by saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15), so apparently, repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin that allow us to receive eternal life, and this is received only through Jesus Christ (John 6:44; Acts 4:12). Salvation is not by works or trying really hard, but it is only “by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). Clearly, “it is not [our] own doing,” but it is from being born again or born from above (John 3:3-7), so this is a free “gift of God.”

If you receive presents on your birthday, can you really say you deserved them because you had everything to do with when and where you were born? Of course not. In the same way, we cannot take credit for a gift that’s been given to us, so all glory goes to God alone because we are not saved by doing. It is “not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:9). If it were, we might always be plagued by doubts about whether we had ever done enough works to save ourselves, but we know that if we offer our works to God as part of our salvation, God considers them as nothing more than filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We must trust in Christ. Jesus said that is the only works we can do to be saved (John 6:29). That does not mean we won’t have works, because works will be a natural byproduct of the Spirit of God’s work in us (James 2:14-25).

Works and Salvation
James wrote that, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17), and that makes perfect sense because we do good works out of our salvation, but not for our salvation, so what works do we mean? They are the works that God has sovereignly placed before us (Matt 25:35-36; Eph 2:10). It’s not enough to say you believe in Jesus because “Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (James 2:19b). If you say you believe but have no works, then you’ve just qualified to become a demon because demons believe in Christ, but the only works they have are evil. We are saved by faith alone but not by a faith that stands alone.

It is our “reasonable service” (Rom 12:2) that accompanies salvation. Jesus said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). Bearing fruit proves whether someone is Jesus’ disciple, but they don’t bear their own fruit out of the soil of humanity, but rather from the Spirit of God. Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (John 15:4), meaning, “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5b). And the last time I checked, “nothing” is not even a little “something.”

Work it Out
The Apostle Paul wrote that “even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12), but if we’re not saved by self-effort or works, why does Paul say, “work out your own salvation,” and to do that “with fear and trembling?” Many have interpreted this as meaning we must work with God and cooperate with His Spirit in trying to become more like Christ and striving to sin less, although never being sinless in this life. It is a progressive sanctification that God works in us through His Spirit, but also through His Word and through His Son. These three all agree. We do not get saved only to become the “frozen chosen.” One man said that there are already too many pew potatoes in the church. The lost rarely come to the church so the church must go to the lost (Matt 28:18-20).

Resisting the Devil
Working out our own salvation also means working with God’s Spirit as we strive to resist the Devil and submit to God, so the Devil will flee from us (James 4:7). We can only do anything through Christ (Phil 4:13), but thankfully, “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil 2:13). We are to work out our own salvation, but God’s Spirit will help us. I believe that also means we are not called to work out other people’s salvation. We have enough to work on with ourselves! We can help others in their walk with Christ, but we cannot get them saved. They must work it out themselves, but never in isolation though (Heb 10:24-25). We can share the Word of God with them and pray for the Spirit of God to illuminate the Son of God, but that’s all the work we can do to save others. For us, it is about us submitting to God, having a daily intake of the Word of God, keeping constant contact with God through prayer, and yielding to the Spirit’s prompting to follow through on God’s will. God is the One working in us, but He needs our cooperation.

Conclusion
If you are still working on “you,” then welcome to the club. We must work out our own salvation, and it’s not easy. That’s why we must do it with “fear and trembling.” The word “fear” is more about having a reverence or deep respect for the Word of God and the God of the Word. The word “trembling” has more to do with being in a state of humility and submission. Even Paul came to the Church at Corinth with “weakness and fear, and with much trembling” (1 Cor 2:3) because he was responsible for teaching them the oracles of God, so we work with God’s Spirit in become more Christ-like, but we do good works which God has laid out before us to do, or when we come across an opportunity. That’s when we know we’re in the will of God. Now the question is, “Will we do them?”

 

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Walk with wise men I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts. Psalm 119:63 _________________ He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm. Adversity pursues sinners, But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. Proverbs 13:20,21 NASB So look for those who are wise - those who know The Fear of the Lord. _________________ Thanks be unto God for his amazing 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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“I will accept you with your sweet savour.”

Ezekiel 20:41

The merits of our great Redeemer are as sweet savour to the Most High. Whether we speak of the active or passive righteousness of Christ, there is an equal fragrance. There was a sweet savour in his active life by which he honoured the law of God, and made every precept to glitter like a precious jewel in the pure setting of his own person. Such, too, was his passive obedience, when he endured with unmurmuring submission, hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness, and at length sweat great drops of blood in Gethsemane, gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked out the hair, and was fastened to the cruel wood, that he might suffer the wrath of God in our behalf.

These two things are sweet before the Most High; and for the sake of his doing and his dying, his substitutionary sufferings and his vicarious obedience, the Lord our God accepts us. What a preciousness must there be in him to overcome our want of preciousness! What a sweet savour to put away our ill savour! What a cleansing power in his blood to take away sin such as ours! and what glory in his righteousness to make such unacceptable creatures to be accepted in the Beloved! Mark, believer, how sure and unchanging must be our acceptance, since it is in him!

Take care that you never doubt your acceptance in Jesus. You cannot be accepted without Christ; but, when you have received his merit, you cannot be unaccepted. Notwithstanding all your doubts, and fears, and sins, Jehovah's gracious eye never looks upon you in anger; though he sees sin in you, in yourself, yet when he looks at you through Christ, he sees no sin. You are always accepted in Christ, are always blessed and dear to the Father's heart. Therefore lift up a song, and as you see the smoking incense of the merit of the Saviour coming up, this evening, before the sapphire throne, let the incense of your praise go up also.

 

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What Does The Bible Say About Our Thoughts?



What does the Bible say about our thoughts? Can we control them or are there other influences which affect our thoughts?
Our Nature
We do not live in a neutral world. Our minds are held captive by something…or better yet, someone. They are held captive by someone we might not even believe in, but the Bible tells us who it is behind our thought life. When Jesus was speaking about adultery, He said that it’s not only the physical act that is sinful, but in our minds we can sin too. The Lord said “that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt 5:28). To be sure, sin begins in the mind before it’s ever manifested in the flesh. We think about it…ponder it, and then act on it.

The fruit the human heart naturally produces evil works, so whatever starts in the mind can end up being “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Gal 5:19-21a), and the bad news about those who bear such fruit is that “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:21b). The fruit reveals the root, and until we’ve received the Holy Spirit, we cannot possible bear righteous fruit like “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23).

Overcoming our Thoughts
Since we cannot bear righteous fruit without God’s Spirit, how can we take captive these thoughts that are unwholesome, to say the least? The Apostle Paul said “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). So how do we demolish such thoughts when they enter our mind? Again, without God’s Spirit, we have no hope of reforming our own thoughts. Paul has said that “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4), so until we’re set free from the clutch of Satan and his minions, we remain blind, even though we think we can see.

Only trusting in Christ allows us to resist the Devil, and only then will he flee from us. David had a way of resisting evil thoughts and then having those thoughts bear sin. He wrote, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11), so along with the Spirit of God we have the Word of God to help us avoid such evil thoughts, and only then are we able to “not sin against” God.

Transformed
One way to eliminate something is to replace it with something, and in the case of our thoughts, replace them with something much better. For example, we can dwell on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil 4:8), instead of dwelling on whatever is sinful, lustful, or pleases the flesh. By allowing the Spirit of God to renew our minds, we will “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2). With the Spirit of God and the Word of God, we can renew our minds. The Word of God allows us to walk in safety since the “word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). His Word shows me the path in order that I might stay on the path and avoid leaving the path. That’s the power of God’s Word.

Sanctification
Before conversion, our thoughts gravitate toward whatever pleases us, with little or no regard for those around us. If we are fulfilling the desires of the flesh, we could care less about the fruits of the Spirit. Our minds will be held captive until we repent of our sins and put our trust in Christ. Only then can we have God’s supernatural power; the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God takes the Word of God and changes the child of God into being more like the Son of God. I don’t mean we’ll be sinless, but we should sin less over time. Sanctification takes time…in fact, it takes a lifetime, and only until we enter the kingdom will our minds be completely free of evil thoughts, desires, and intentions.

Conclusion
You cannot take captive any thoughts you have but only for a moment or only temporarily. Eventually, our minds will gravitate to unholy things, that is unless we are in the Word of God daily and have the Spirit of God in us. When we’re saved, we receive a new nature…the nature of God, and even though it falls infinitely short of God’s mind, we strive to have it renewed daily by prayer, by the Word, and by His Spirit, so we can receive help from God in overcoming our thought life, particularly our thoughts on things of the world and of the flesh. Paul asked the Corinthians, “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). Paul admonishes us to “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:5-7). When we focus on serving others in humility, there is no room for selfish thoughts to satisfy the flesh. Instead of it being all about us, the mind of Christ makes it all about others. We cannot control our thoughts but the Spirit of God can. The Spirit of God allows us to “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil 2:3).

 

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Jesus is God For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ Messiah would be called of God from His mother's womb Prophecies: "I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mothers belly." Psalm 22:10 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name." Isaiah 49:1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:30-33 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:20-21 __________________ The Messiah would come to do the will of God Prophecy: "Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." Psalm 40:7-8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." John 5:30 __________________ 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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“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

Romans 9:15

In these words the Lord in the plainest manner claims the right to give or to withhold his mercy according to his own sovereign will. As the prerogative of life and death is vested in the monarch, so the Judge of all the earth has a right to spare or condemn the guilty, as may seem best in his sight. Men by their sins have forfeited all claim upon God; they deserve to perish for their sins — and if they all do so, they have no ground for complaint. If the Lord steps in to save any, he may do so if the ends of justice are not thwarted; but if he judges it best to leave the condemned to suffer the righteous sentence, none may arraign him at their bar.

Foolish and impudent are all those discourses about the rights of men to be all placed on the same footing; ignorant, if not worse, are those contentions against discriminating grace, which are but the rebellions of proud human nature against the crown and sceptre of Jehovah. When we are brought to see our own utter ruin and ill desert, and the justice of the divine verdict against sin, we no longer cavil at the truth that the Lord is not bound to save us; we do not murmur if he chooses to save others, as though he were doing us an injury, but feel that if he deigns to look upon us, it will be his own free act of undeserved goodness, for which we shall for ever bless his name.

How shall those who are the subjects of divine election sufficiently adore the grace of God? They have no room for boasting, for sovereignty most effectually excludes it. The Lord's will alone is glorified, and the very notion of human merit is cast out to everlasting contempt. There is no more humbling doctrine in Scripture than that of election, none more promotive of gratitude, and, consequently, none more sanctifying. Believers should not be afraid of it, but adoringly rejoice in it.

 

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Why Is Confession Necessary If We’re Already Forgiven?



There are many examples of confession in the Bible, but since God forgave us, why do we still need to confess our sins?
Confess What?
God tells all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30), and Jesus specifically said we must repent and believe (Mark 1:15), but where does confession fit in? The Apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9), but if we confess our sins to God, then we must also confess Christ to others. In this way, Christ will not deny us before the Father. That’s important because John writes, “No one who denies the Son has the Father.

Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23), so “every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:2). This also means that “every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God” (1 John 4:3), so we can say with authority, “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels” (Rev 3:5), meaning that “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). The beginning point is repentance and faith, for that is the very essence of the gospel that Jesus brought (Mark 1:15). He came to give His life as a ransom for the many who would trust in Him (Mark 10:45), and those same will confess Christ publically.

All Have Sinned
If you are not saved, you might wonder, “Saved from what?” Sin, precisely. What is sin? It is the transgression of God’s Law (1 John 3:4), but the Law also shows us what sin is (Rom 7:7). Ignorance of God’s Law, just like human law, is no excuse. You may not believe it has a bearing on you, but what you believe doesn’t change what is true. Of course, no one is saved by keeping the Law (Eph 2:8-9), but the saved person will strive to obey God, although like everyone else, they will not do it perfectly. We all fall infinitely short of God’s glory. The Apostle Paul rightly said, “None is righteous, no, not one” (Rom3:10), which means, “All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Rom 3:12), and to remove all doubt about the sinful state of humanity, Paul again says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). “All” means all, and there are no exceptions. That’s why Paul writes, “No…not even one!” Jesus alone was sinless.

Why Confess?
If you’ve repented and put your trust in Christ, that means you’ve confessed your sins to God. It also means you’ve been forgiven. Now, the Spirit of God lives in you and when you sin, you should desire to repent of it immediately and confess it to God. To live day by day with unconfessed sin is to bring misery to the believer, because it grieves the Holy Spirit. To not continue to confess our sins to God would be like being married and never apologizing or admitting your sins or mistakes when you make them. It’s not a matter of if, but when you make a mistake, but if you don’t apologize and confess your faults in your marriage, it will surely strain your relationship. And it won’t do your fellowship any good, that’s for sure. Of course, you’ll still have that relationship, but it won’t be as loving. Everyone makes mistakes, so everyone should admit them. You’re walking on thin ice if you think, “Since I’m married, I don’t need to ask for his/her forgiveness.” I can tell you from experience that this doesn’t work well in a marriage or a relationship or a friendship.

Confession and Healing
If you’ve ever worked at a job without ever admitting a mistake, I doubt you’d have many friends there. Even in our personal relationships with family and our closest friends, it’s good to confess our sins and faults. I don’t mean every single sin, but James tells us, “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16). I believe we can be healed of our various sins and addictions if we ask for the prayers of the saints. This may be why the very next thing James writes is, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Working in whom? It is working in the ones for whom we are praying for. I have many I pray for in their battle to overcome pornography, and many have overcome this, but it wasn’t my power or other’s power that did this, but the power of God unleashed by the prayers of the saints. Step one for many of these men is “to confess our sins and faults to others.” Step one is to “pray for one another.” Some strongholds you cannot battle in isolation as easily as others. Prayer does have great power. I’ve seen it working, but rarely in isolation.

Prayer of Repentance
Psalm 51 may be the greatest prayer of repentance and confession in the Bible. In it, David admits his guilt before God and asks of God to “blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:1c-2). He admitted that “my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (v 3), so David prays to God, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (v 7). Not only did he ask God to “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (v 10), but he also asked God to “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (v 12). Confession is good for the soul, but it’s also good for the mind too because you can have “the joy of your salvation” returned after a cleansing. Nothing much feels better than a clean heart. That’s why it’s best to keep short accounts with God. We can confess it immediately and move on and try to avoid the same situation or place the next time. David wanted his joy back so he could “teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” (v 13b), saying, “my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness” (v 14c).

Conclusion
Since the Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, it would be wonderful if the same all would repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15), but that is not the case since Jesus said that “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt 22:14). Who are the chosen? I have no clue. I only know we are to confess Christ to others. This means we are not silent about our faith, but neither do we cram it down people’s throat. No one I know of was ever argued into heaven. Rather, it is as Jesus said: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).

 

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Jesus brought a new covenant For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ The Messiah would be the messenger and bearer of a new covenant. Prophecy: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts." Malachi 3:1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent." Luke 4:43 "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? Hebrews 2:3,4 __________________ Prophecy: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:" Jeremiah 31:31 Fulfillment: And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Mark 14:22-25 (See also Matthew Matthew 26:28, Luke 22:20, and Hebrews 12:24) __________________ 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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“They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.”

Zechariah 4:10

Small things marked the beginning of the work in the hand of Zerubbabel, but none might despise it, for the Lord had raised up one who would persevere until the headstone should be brought forth with shoutings. The plummet was in good hands. Here is the comfort of every believer in the Lord Jesus; let the work of grace be ever so small in its beginnings, the plummet is in good hands, a master builder greater than Solomon has undertaken the raising of the heavenly temple, and he will not fail nor be discouraged till the topmost pinnacle shall be raised.

If the plummet were in the hand of any merely human being, we might fear for the building, but the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in Jesus’ hand. The works did not proceed irregularly, and without care, for the master's hand carried a good instrument. Had the walls been hurriedly run up without due superintendence, they might have been out of the perpendicular; but the plummet was used by the chosen overseer. Jesus is evermore watching the erection of his spiritual temple, that it may be built securely and well.

We are for haste, but Jesus is for judgment. He will use the plummet, and that which is out of line must come down, every stone of it. Hence the failure of many a flattering work, the overthrow of many a glittering profession. It is not for us to judge the Lord's church, since Jesus has a steady hand, and a true eye, and can use the plummet well. Do we not rejoice to see judgment left to him?

The plummet was in active use—it was in the builder's hand; a sure indication that he meant to push on the work to completion. O Lord Jesus, how would we indeed be glad if we could see thee at thy great work. O Zion, the beautiful, thy walls are still in ruins! Rise, thou glorious Builder, and make her desolations to rejoice at thy coming.

 

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“Why are YOU so afraid?” – Jesus


In a huge storm that terrified hardened fisherman, Jesus slept.
He seemed distant, uncaring to them.
Yet this was the very same Jesus who wept.
Does God sometimes seem asleep to you too?
When they woke him, Jesus asked perhaps one of the most staggering questions in the Bible:

Why are YOU so afraid?
Jesus asks you this same question today.
It is a real question. He cares about the answer. He wants to hear what it is you are worried about.
But behind the question is a gentle correction.
Jesus knows we are frail humans who will find the storms of life fearful.
But he wants us to teach us how to still our hearts just as he stilled the storm.
Here is the account which you can find in Mark 4:35-41:

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

The disciples who had seen so many miracles, lived with Jesus, heard his teaching, seen his compassion, why of all people should THEY be afraid?
We, who have been saved by Jesus who lived, died, rose again, and is reigning all for US. We who are the children of God. Why should WE fear?
We must remember who we are.
And yet there is compassion even in this question. Jesus seems to understand they are afraid but asks why they are afraid SO much.
When in my series on the commands of Jesus we finally get to how he speaks to our emotions we will find “fear not” is crucial. And yet just as the storms sometimes rage on the lake of Galilee they sometimes rage in our hearts.
Jesus commands the winds and the waves, and speaks to our anxiety and fear: “Peace! BE STILL”
One of the unique contributions of Christianity to the problem of suffering is the acknowledgement that the World is not how it is meant to be. We are allowed to greive, and yes even to fear at times.
The Psalms demonstrate every emotion expressed openly to God.
So for example in Psalm 22 we read words of great anguish that had a reality in King David’s life before they would be taken up by Jesus on the cross:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.

Yet in almost the very next verse David makes the step from anguish to trust, and from fear to faith, by remembering what God has done for others:

In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

Faith will help dispel our fears.
What do we put our faith in?
Firstly we can trust in Jesus. We trust that he is with us, for us, and more than able to save us. If Jesus is in your boat, he will not ultimately let it go down, no matter how much the storm may buffet it.
We must learn to lay hold of God, just as these disciples laid hold of Jesus and shook him awake!
We also must learn to trust in what God says to us. Jesus had told them they were going to the other side of the lake, so they were going to the other side of the lake not the bottom!
As Terry put it “Faith is believing that what God says is true. When he promises he’s committed. He doesn’t speak carelessly.”

The evidence may suggest that God’s asleep, he doesn’t care, I’m overwhelmed, I’m getting another disappointment.
But what God has promised he’s also able to perform. We are to reckon on God’s personality and character.
When the Apostle Paul was in a storm he told his terrified sailing companions about what God had promised him concerning the peril they faced encouraging them, “Take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told” (Acts 27:25). Remarkably Paul’s faith takes over the boat, and he becomes its leader despite being a prisoner.
In our storms we can take confidence that things will eventually be exactly the way that God has told us. No matter how hard our problems get, he will deliver us both now and in the future.
Faith is sometimes a passive trusting, but more often it involves action.
In Hebrews 11 we see faith described as the “assurance of things hoped for” then we see a series of action words
By faith we do the things that we can do, and look for God to do what he alone can do


You’d think that when there is a delay people would grow weak in faith. But often even people of weal faith grow stronger at such times.
This is why it is said of Abraham that during his delay,

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:20-21)

Notice that he gave praise to God. This is crucial and I have found listening to my Hope filled Spotify playlist to be essential personally as I have faced challenges.


AS we worship we learn the truth of the words “nothing compares with the promise I have in you.”

We develop a faith which won’t let go
Faith is not just courage or optimism, or our personality.
Faith is having promises from God holding onto them, and believing God is true desire all the evidence to the contrary.
Terry quoted Martin Vincent:

“Faith Apprehends as real fact what is not revealed to the senses it rests on that fact acts upon it is upheld by it in the face of all that seems to contradict. Faith is a real seeing.”

As we end, it is worth noticing that as a result of Jesus’ miracle, one fear gets replaced with another. The fear of God dispels all other fears. I do hope to get to the next direct command of Jesus in this series shortly, to both trust and fear him. Consider this article as a preface to that command and the context for it.

 

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Messiah Would Be A Prophet For Unto Us A Child Is Born... Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth __________________ The Christ (Messiah) would be a prophet... Prophecy: "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." Deuteronomy 18:15-19 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee." Matthew 21:11 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world." John 6:14 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "And he (Jesus) came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people." Luke 7:14-16 __________________ The Christ would both a King and a Priest Prophecy: "And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." Zechariah 6:12-13 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fulfillment: "On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." John 12:12-13 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "NOW of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;" Hebrews 8:1 __________________ 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.