Just sharing.

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Chosen by God



God’s Word says believers were chosen by God, but for what reason and purpose?
Why?
He loved me long before I ever loved Him (1 John4:19-21).

The main question I have about why God had chosen me is, “Why?” I know there was nothing in particular that God saw in me and made that decision based upon that. The only reason I can think of was that God loved me. Even here, there is no human explanation for God sending His Son to die for me; someone who was an ungodly, wicked enemy of His (Rom 5:6-10), and He loved me long before I ever loved Him (1 John4:19-21). Despite this, the Apostle Paul tells us that God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love” (Eph 1:3-4). More than once we read that God chose us in love (Rom 5; Eph 1). It was not that we were lovely, but rather, it was that He loved us first. Jesus told the disciples, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” (John 15:16). Besides love, God chose us to bear fruit that would give God glory (John15:8). Anyone that’s been called by God has been called to glory Him. That is a major reason that God created us.

For What?
The Bible gives us some good ideas about what we’ll be doing in the Kingdom. For example, the Apostle Peter wrote, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). The Apostle John writes to the church, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:5b-6). He has made some to be rulers, kings, and priests in the kingdom.

Scripture tells us that only Jesus Christ is worthy “to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev 5:9), so it will be that the Lord “made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Rev 5:10). Notice it was God’s doing, and not theirs, but they are destined to be part of the rule or reign of Christ, but of course, everyone will be under the authority of Christ. Jesus gives us an idea of stewardship, stating that someone that’s being faithful in little, will mean they can be trusted with much, so some will “have authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17c), while others will “be over five cities” (Luke 19:19c).

What this exactly looks like in the kingdom, we cannot say. Jesus Himself is preparing these things now (John 14:3), but the Apostle John wrote that he “saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Rev 20:4). Scripture tells us that believers will judge angels, but which angels Scripture refers to, I am not sure (1 Cor 6:3). Perhaps these are fallen angels, or demons. Otherwise, all judgment will be Christ’s.

Now What?
The idea of being chosen by God is not a new one. God said of ancient Israel, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Duet 14:2). God didn’t call them because they were the greatest or largest, but only out of His promise to Abraham. Of course Israel failed in their calling, but the Apostle Paul wrote that God “had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone” (Gal 1:15-16), so Scripture teaches us that “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). Saul would have never chosen the Way without divine intervention (Acts 9).

Called and Justified
We also know that God has chosen some who have not yet been called, and that means He may use us as a means to bring them to Christ. It is not we who save others, but God alone saves, however, God does gives us the great privilege to be used as a means to save some. Paul writes, “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. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Rom 8:29-30).

God has predestined some to be saved, so we need not be concerned if we don’t reach everyone with the gospel. We are simply told to “go” and share Christ. God is the Lord of the Harvest, but we are chosen by God; taken out of the darkness, and brought into the Light. Then, we’re called to go back into the darkness to bring others into the Light. It is not up to us to save anyone. Jesus says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37), not all we gather and bring to Christ.

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God…a people for his treasured possession…” (Duet 14:2).Conclusion
When Abram was called by God, God told him to “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1), “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (Gen 12:4a). By Abram obeying God, he showed he believed God, and so Abram “believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6). God choose Abram, but Abram choose to believe, but even here, God had to make Himself known to Abram in order for Abram to know Him. Has your name “been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (Rev 13:8)?

If God has brought you to repentance (Acts 5:31, 11:18; 2 Tim2:24-26) and faith in Christ (Mark 1:14-15), you have been chosen by God. If you don’t care, you may not be chosen…or God has not yet called you to Christ…but if you care and wonder if you’ve been chosen by God, you’ll know by the fruits you produce, because these differing fruits show the radically different roots (Eph 5:19-25).

 

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Grow in Grace And 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 righteous- ness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 NIV __________________ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8 KJV __________________ But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. Proverbs 4:18 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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“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night.”

Psalm 91:5

What is this terror? It may be the cry of fire, or the noise of thieves, or fancied appearances, or the shriek of sudden sickness or death. We live in the world of death and sorrow, we may therefore look for ills as well in the night-watches as beneath the glare of the broiling sun. Nor should this alarm us, for be the terror what it may, the promise is that the believer shall not be afraid. Why should he? Let us put it more closely, why should we?

God our Father is here, and will be here all through the lonely hours; he is an almighty Watcher, a sleepless Guardian, a faithful Friend. Nothing can happen without his direction, for even hell itself is under his control. Darkness is not dark to him. He has promised to be a wall of fire around his people—and who can break through such a barrier? Worldlings may well be afraid, for they have an angry God above them, a guilty conscience within them, and a yawning hell beneath them; but we who rest in Jesus are saved from all these through rich mercy.

If we give way to foolish fear we shall dishonour our profession, and lead others to doubt the reality of godliness. We ought to be afraid of being afraid, lest we should vex the Holy Spirit by foolish distrust. Down, then, ye dismal forebodings and groundless apprehensions, God has not forgotten to be gracious, nor shut up his tender mercies; it may be night in the soul, but there need be no terror, for the God of love changes not. Children of light may walk in darkness, but they are not therefore cast away, nay, they are now enabled to prove their adoption by trusting in their heavenly Father as hypocrites cannot do.

“Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from thee;
Thou art he, who, never weary,
Watchest where thy people be.”

 

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Are you “Phubbing” your spouse?




“Phubbing” is ruining relationships, according to a recent study. It’s rampant, and it’s a behavior we’ve grown to accept as a society. So, what is phubbing?

A friend of mine sent me an article on phubbing, and I read it only because I honestly had never heard the term before. When I began reading it, I quickly realized that most of us are extremely familiar with the act of phubbing–we just didn’t know it had a name.
So what is it?
According to the article, “‘Phubbing’ is ruining American relationships,” phubbing your partner is the act of being on your cellphone instead of giving them your full attention when the two of you are together. As my husband, Dave,and I have

‘Phubbing’ is ruining American relationships

discussed in many of our blogs–including, “6 Subtle Ways You Cheat on your Spouse Every Day”–excessive cell phone usage is extremely detrimental to marriages.
According to the Fusion.net article, partners who felt “phubbed” were not only dissatisfied with their relationship, but many eventually experienced depression over time. This is very concerning.
As a married couple, we must prioritize our spouse over our cell phone. This probably seems like a given to most of you, but Reader, believing this and doing it are two different things. I know, because I struggle with this issue too.
I feel the pressure of responding to emails and Facebook messages. I love perusing social media, too. But, I can’t let these things control me. They are TOOLS, and if I’m not careful, they can become real TIME-SUCKERS that take away from my family.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen the disappointment in my husband’s face when I wouldn’t put my phone down, and I kept on looking at my phone any way. In those moments, I was choosing a device over my husband. I chose to retreat from my husband–who was right in front of me–instead of engage with him. I will never get those moments back, but, thankfully, I’ve learned from my mistakes.
Please hear me, Dear Reader: OUR SPOUSE DESERVES OUR FIRST AND BEST ATTENTION–A DEVICE DOES NOT.
So, let’s take a good look at our marriages. Think about your communication habits. Are you phubbing your spouse? If so, please join me in choosing to STOP obsessing over our phone and giving our partner our first and best attention…before it’s too late.

 

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He Is Our Helper! The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:2,3 NIV __________________ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. Psalm 138:7,8 KJV __________________ O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:23,24 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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“Lo, in the midst of the throne ... stood a Lamb as it had been slain.”

Revelation 5:6

Why should our exalted Lord appear in his wounds in glory? The wounds of Jesus are his glories, his jewels, his sacred ornaments. To the eye of the believer, Jesus is passing fair because he is “white and ruddy;” white with innocence, and ruddy with his own blood. We see him as the lily of matchless purity, and as the rose crimsoned with his own gore.

Christ is lovely upon Olivet and Tabor, and by the sea, but oh! there never was such a matchless Christ as he that did hang upon the cross. There we beheld all his beauties in perfection, all his attributes developed, all his love drawn out, all his character expressed. Beloved, the wounds of Jesus are far more fair in our eyes than all the splendour and pomp of kings. The thorny crown is more than an imperial diadem. It is true that he bears not now the sceptre of reed, but there was a glory in it that never flashed from sceptre of gold.

Jesus wears the appearance of a slain Lamb as his court dress in which he wooed our souls, and redeemed them by his complete atonement. Nor are these only the ornaments of Christ: they are the trophies of his love and of his victory. He has divided the spoil with the strong. He has redeemed for himself a great multitude whom no man can number, and these scars are the memorials of the fight. Ah! if Christ thus loves to retain the thought of his sufferings for his people, how precious should his wounds be to us!

“Behold how every wound of his
A precious balm distils,
Which heals the scars that sin had made,
And cures all mortal ills.
“Those wounds are mouths that preach his grace;
The ensigns of his love;
The seals of our expected bliss
In paradise above.”

 

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6 Ways to Eliminate PMS in Marriage (It’s Not What You Think)



Suffer from PMS? You’re cranky. You get headaches. And your husband? He doesn’t want to be anywhere near you. PMS is common, and it’s a common problem in marriage. Everyone suffers from it from time to time. Here’s the good news: There’s a cure.

Perfect Marriage Syndrome. It occurs when a wife thinks her marriage should be well. . . perfect, and she places unrealistic expectations on her husband, thinking he can make it that way. He can’t, so he stops trying.
Anyone can suffer from PMS.
Maybe you know what I’m talking about. You’re looking at your girlfriend’s Facebook feed. It’s populated with pictures from her Caribbean cruise, flowers from her husband, her new puppy and she’s got a gazillion likes.
Like hormonal PMS, you get moody. Where’s your puppy? You’re miserable because your man isn’t as you think he should be or because he’s not like your girlfriend’s husband.
Perfect Marriage Syndrome, if left untreated, can mess you up. PMS breeds discontentment, discouragement and disillusionment.
Here are 6 ways you can cure PMS in your relationship for good:

• Realize your Facebook, Instagram and Snap Chat friends all lie.

No one’s happy all the time, yet do you ever see a picture of someone on Facebook crying? Does she post when her husband forgets her birthday or anniversary? Does she post that she thinks he’s having an affair or her kids aren’t in AP classes and they smoke weed? You’re comparing the highlights of her life to the humdrum parts of your own. You’re comparing her photo-shopped life to your real life. Her real life is probably more like yours than you’d think.

• Work out your stuff.

PMS usually begins before you ever get married. You look sharp. You talk sharp. You have a great job. Everything looks good from the outside. The inside is another story. You’re plagued with self-doubt and insecurity. You never feel like you’re enough. You meet a man. You think he’s going to make your life great. But getting married doesn’t cure you. In fact it makes you worse. Find a way to work out your stuff. Make an appointment with your pastor or a therapist. Friends are nice and free, but they may not be able to guide you through emotions and to solutions. Find a trained person to help you get to the root of your problems.

• Get a spiritual life.

Find a place of worship. Couples who attend church together are more likely to stay together. A 2016 study released by Institute of Family Studies found couples who go to church report higher levels of happiness. Not because everything’s perfect, but because they learn what to expect. You learn what your role in your marriage should be and what a biblical marriage should look like. And you may realize you have more work to do in your marriage than you’d thought.

• Recognize nobody’s husband is perfect.

Perfection is an illusion. Your girlfriend’s husband might seem perfect, but, trust me, he’s not. He might be her “bae” in public, but you don’t know what’s going on “for reals.” At some point or another most husbands mess up. They lose things, get angry , have gas, forget to take out the trash, leave the toilet seat up or sit in front of the TV too long. At some point, all are inconsiderate or selfish. He may not make it a habit to be that way, but it happens. All marriages have their issues. When you think someone else’s issues look better than yours, remember, you’re not looking at it from their perspective.

• Realize chick flicks are a lie.

Your husband is not going to be like the guy in the movie. Music isn’t going to play while you’re making love (unless you have Spotify set on repeat). He won’t want to kiss you in the morning when you both have morning breath. He won’t know what you want because he doesn’t have a script. Most of the stuff depicted in chick flicks just isn’t accurate. They’re fun to watch, but they don’t set an expectation for real life. Real life is kids and bills and sickness and house training a new puppy and math homework. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be good.

• Accept that marriage isn’t designed to make you happy.

Marriage wasn’t designed to make you happy. It makes you see the worst in yourself and hopefully you’ll want to change it. The couples who make it aren’t the couples who don’t struggle. The couples who make it are the ones who don’t give up. They decide their commitment to one another is bigger than their problems. Success in marriage isn’t determined by how happy you are; it’s determined by how well you handle conflict.
We all want great marriages. But they don’t happen by accident. They happen when a couple decides to be intentional about the kind of marriage they want. Accept your husband as he is. Work hard to improve yourself, and realize all marriages hit rough spots.

 

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Honesty The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. Proverbs 11:1 NIV __________________ Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Micah 6:10-12 KJV __________________ He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given him, His water will be sure. Isaiah 33:15,16 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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“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.”

Song of Solomon 2:12

Sweet is the season of spring: the long and dreary winter helps us to appreciate its genial warmth, and its promise of summer enhances its present delights. After periods of depression of spirit, it is delightful to behold again the light of the Sun of Righteousness; then our slumbering graces rise from their lethargy, like the crocus and the daffodil from their beds of earth; then is our heart made merry with delicious notes of gratitude, far more melodious than the warbling of birds—and the comforting assurance of peace, infinitely more delightful than the turtle's note, is heard within the soul.

Now is the time for the soul to seek communion with her Beloved; now must she rise from her native sordidness, and come away from her old associations. If we do not hoist the sail when the breeze is favourable, we shall be blameworthy: times of refreshing ought not to pass over us unimproved. When Jesus himself visits us in tenderness, and entreats us to arise, can we be so base as to refuse his request? He has himself risen that he may draw us after him: he now by his Holy Spirit has revived us, that we may, in newness of life, ascend into the heavenlies, and hold communion with himself.

Let our wintry state suffice us for coldness and indifference; when the Lord creates a spring within, let our sap flow with vigour, and our branch blossom with high resolve. O Lord, if it be not spring time in my chilly heart, I pray thee make it so, for I am heartily weary of living at a distance from thee. Oh! the long and dreary winter, when wilt thou bring it to an end? Come, Holy Spirit, and renew my soul! quicken thou me! restore me, and have mercy on me! This very night I would earnestly implore the Lord to take pity upon his servant, and send me a happy revival of spiritual life!

 

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6 Ways Remarried Couples Can Manage Conflict and Thrive




One of the biggest mistakes that remarried couples make is that they expect that things will run on automatic and love with conquer all problems that arise. For instance, my second husband, Craig, swept me off my feet and I was blindsided when we started having arguments about money, parenting, and relationships with our ex-partners after the first year of our marriage.


Expect plenty of storms in remarried life. The complications of a newly created stepfamily or blended family can be daunting and it can take years for the family “norms” to take hold. Conflict and rivalries between family members – especially stepparents and stepchildren – can make day to day life stressful and chaotic at times. Adopting realistic expectations will help you navigate these challenges.

Most experts agree that it can take a remarried family up to four years to reach a state of equilibrium. For instance, Harry and Karina were not prepared for conflict between themselves and their children. Karina had three daughters (under the age of 12) when they wed and Harry had two teenage sons. Since Harry is a teacher, he thought he knew all about helping kids handle disputes but found out soon enough that it’s hard to be objective and counsel your own children and stepchildren.
Harry reflects, “I just wanted my sons to get along with Karina’s three girls on weekends and didn’t anticipate all the drama and complaints. Sometimes, I literally had to leave the house and would go to a library just to get some work done after school.”

Karina responds, “It’s so true! We have to remember that their feelings are normal and that there will be conflict. We’ve instituted a weekly family meeting time so the kids can air their complaints. It seems to be working so far and they’re all engaged in the process.” Further, Harry and Karina are working on leading by example and managing their conflicts in a respectful, calm way so their children will have good role models.

Conflict is Normal and It Can’t All Be Resolved
Additionally, relationship expert, Dr. John Gottman, advises us that happy couples don’t necessarily have less conflict than miserable ones. He informs us that 69% of problems in a marriage don’t get resolved but can be managed successfully. Gottman writes “Successful couples know how to exit an argument.” Discussing issues in a timely and respectful way will help you become better at repair skills, allow you to bounce back from disagreements faster, and build a successful long-lasting relationship.

After all, when people get remarried, they carry baggage from their first marriage that can cause them to sabotage a new relationship if they haven’t healed and worked through the issues that contributed to the demise of that relationship. Add to that baggage is the realization that there are often a lot more players in a second marriage – such as children from former spouses, step-children, and sometimes even new children from this marriage. Couples also often rush into tying the knot without truly getting to know each other or marry on the rebound.

6 Ways to Thrive in a Remarriage:

1. Make your marriage a priority. Make a commitment as a couple to do things you enjoy with and without your children. A “date night” or couples time can be very enriching – even if it’s going for a walk or grabbing a sandwich and having a picnic.
2. 
   
3. Establish an open-ended dialog regarding concerns of ALL family members. Don’t be surprised if some of your discussions are heated – especially around hot-button issues such as money, custody plans, chores, vacations, etc. Remarried couples bring emotional baggage with them from their first marriage so be sure to set ground rules for respectful conduct such as “No name-calling or yelling is allowed.”
4. 
   
5. Discuss hot button issues and personality conflicts privately – but hold regular, informal family meetings (where everyone feels heard) to clear the air and address family issues. Avoid trying to prove a point and examine your part in a disagreement.
6. 
   
7. Learn to apologize and practice forgiveness. Apologize even if you didn’t mean to hurt your partner, child, or stepchild’s feelings. Be sure to be specific about what you want to make amends for and say something like “I hope you will forgive me for calling you a name because I really care about your feelings.” Granting a partner forgiveness isn’t the same as condoning the hurt done to you but it will allow you to move on. Try to remember you are on the same team.
8. 
   
9. Adopt a “we’re in this together” approach. Don’t let differences in child rearing come between you. The role of the stepparent is one of a friend and supporter rather than a disciplinarian. Learn new strategies and share your ideas with your partner.
10. 
    
11. Don’t issue ultimatums such as “I’m leaving if things don’t improve.” Take the “D” word (divorce) out of your vocabulary. Make a commitment to stay together (unless there is abuse) and accept that there will be ups and downs. Discuss expectations to avoid misunderstandings.

If you embrace the notion that conflict is an inevitable part of a marriage, and that not all problems have to be resolved, you’ll bounce back from disagreements faster and build love, trust, and intimacy with your partner. Over time, many of the kinks in your marriage will smooth out and you’ll adjust and thrive in your second marriage.

 

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Eternal Life! But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:10,11 NIV __________________ Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 26:19-21 KJV __________________ But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:22,23 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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“If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.”

Revelation 3:20

What is your desire this evening? Is it set upon heavenly things? Do you long to enjoy the high doctrine of eternal love? Do you desire liberty in very close communion with God? Do you aspire to know the heights, and depths, and lengths, and breadths? Then you must draw near to Jesus; you must get a clear sight of him in his preciousness and completeness: you must view him in his work, in his offices, in his person. He who understands Christ, receives an anointing from the Holy One, by which he knows all things.

Christ is the great master-key of all the chambers of God: there is no treasure-house of God which will not open and yield up all its wealth to the soul that lives near to Jesus. Are you saying, “O that he would dwell in my bosom?” “Would that he would make my heart his dwelling-place for ever?” Open the door, beloved, and he will come into your souls. He has long been knocking, and all with this object, that he may sup with you, and you with him. He sups with you because you find the house or the heart, and you with him because he brings the provision. He could not sup with you if it were not in your heart, you finding the house; nor could you sup with him, for you have a bare cupboard, if he did not bring provision with him.

Fling wide, then, the portals of your soul. He will come with that love which you long to feel; he will come with that joy into which you cannot work your poor depressed spirit; he will bring the peace which now you have not; he will come with his flagons of wine and sweet apples of love, and cheer you till you have no other sickness but that of “love o'erpowering, love divine.” Only open the door to him, drive out his enemies, give him the keys of your heart, and he will dwell there for ever. Oh, wondrous love, that brings such a guest to dwell in such a heart!

 

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How To Love Your Brothers And Sisters



Even though it may be difficult at times to love our brothers or sisters, we are commanded to love them, and here’s how you can do that.
A Friend for Adversity
Scripture teaches us that “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Prov 17:17), and I’ve lived long enough to be on both ends of that; the one receiving the help and the one giving it. When we go through times of adversity, it’s a bit easier if your friend goes through it with you. The old saying, “A joy shared is doubled, but a burdens shared is halved” is true. When David was running for his life from King Saul, David knew he could trust Jonathan, the king’s son. After David slew Goliath, and displayed his total trust in God, it was said that “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (1 Sam 18:1).

Their friendship was so special that “Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul” (1 Sam 20:17). Most of us have at least one close friend…some more, but Solomon wrote, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov 18:24), and that brother or sister that is a genuine friend will stick with you during times of adversity. You could say that they were born for such a time.

A Friend in Need
If we’re going to be a genuine friend, and not just a “fair weather” friend or a friend only when it’s convenient for us, then we will “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor” (Rom12:10). True brotherly and sisterly loves means “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother” (Deut 15:9). The Apostle John says that “if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him” (1 John 3:17)?

It’s one thing to claim to be a friend, but when it comes to real needs, that’s when you really find out who your friends are. James wrote, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? James’ point is that “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). I would say, “What kind of friend is that?!” No friend at all, I’d say, so let sisterly and “brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb 13:1).

Friends Don’t Offend
If we pay attention to our brother and sister’s struggles, we’ll avoid making them stumble or offending them. I know I have the freedom to drink beer, but I chose not to since many might think if he can drink, it must be okay. With this in mind, the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8:13, that “if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” If I invite a Jewish family over for dinner, the last thing we’d have is a ham dinner. Even if they might not have been offended, it’s better to err on the side of showing respect for our guests. Someone who’s battling alcoholism should have friends that are aware of this and avoid situations where their friend would be tempted to drink or provide opportunities for them to drink. Paul wrote, “It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble” (Rom 14:21), so we should not “not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother” (Rom 14:13).

Friends Forgive
Friends should be forgiving of one another, since Christ has also forgiven us. In fact, He’s forgiven us infinitely more than anyone could ever sin against us, but what do you do if your brother or sister sins against you? Jesus says, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother” (Matt 18:15). If he or she doesn’t, then at least you’ve tried to reconcile with them. The Apostle Peter thought he was being generous when asking, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” but “Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matt 18:21-22). It’s also important that we receive this kind of forgiveness from our friends too, so “if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Gal 6:1).

Conclusion
Psalm 113:1 tells us “how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity,” but loving your brother or sister doesn’t come naturally, and love is not actually expressed by a greeting card, flowers, or other gifts, but by what we do. Those things in themselves are not bad, but talk is cheap compared to love in action. Love is a verb. It is what you do more than what you say or what you feel. Human feelings are not reliable indicators, but things done in love are! I hope this helps you love your brother and sister more easily, and why shouldn’t we, since Christ Himself died for us while we were still ungodly, wicked enemies of His (Rom 5:6-10), so “all of you must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love as brothers, and be compassionate and humble” (1 Pet 3:8).

 

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Concerning Money... Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Proverbs 23:4,5 NIV __________________ The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. Ecclesiastes 5:12-14 KJV __________________ "They will fling their silver into the streets and their gold will become an abhorrent thing; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetite nor can they fill their stomachs, for their iniquity has become an occasion of stumbling." Ezekiel 7:19 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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“Blessed is he that watcheth.”

Revelation 16:15

“We die daily,” said the apostle. This was the life of the early Christians; they went everywhere with their lives in their hands. We are not in this day called to pass through the same fearful persecutions: if we were, the Lord would give us grace to bear the test; but the tests of Christian life, at the present moment, though outwardly not so terrible, are yet more likely to overcome us than even those of the fiery age.

We have to bear the sneer of the world—that is little; its blandishments, its soft words, its oily speeches, its fawning, its hypocrisy, are far worse. Our danger is lest we grow rich and become proud, lest we give ourselves up to the fashions of this present evil world, and lose our faith. Or if wealth be not the trial, worldly care is quite as mischievous. If we cannot be torn in pieces by the roaring lion, if we may be hugged to death by the bear, the devil little cares which it is, so long as he destroys our love to Christ, and our confidence in him.

I fear me that the Christian church is far more likely to lose her integrity in these soft and silken days than in those rougher times. We must be awake now, for we traverse the enchanted ground, and are most likely to fall asleep to our own undoing, unless our faith in Jesus be a reality, and our love to Jesus a vehement flame. Many in these days of easy profession are likely to prove tares, and not wheat; hypocrites with fair masks on their faces, but not the true-born children of the living God. Christian, do not think that these are times in which you can dispense with watchfulness or with holy ardour; you need these things more than ever, and may God the eternal Spirit display his omnipotence in you, that you may be able to say, in all these softer things, as well as in the rougher, “We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

 

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Chosen by God



God’s Word says believers were chosen by God, but for what reason and purpose?
Why?
He loved me long before I ever loved Him (1 John4:19-21).

The main question I have about why God had chosen me is, “Why?” I know there was nothing in particular that God saw in me and made that decision based upon that. The only reason I can think of was that God loved me. Even here, there is no human explanation for God sending His Son to die for me; someone who was an ungodly, wicked enemy of His (Rom 5:6-10), and He loved me long before I ever loved Him (1 John4:19-21). Despite this, the Apostle Paul tells us that God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love” (Eph 1:3-4). More than once we read that God chose us in love (Rom 5; Eph 1). It was not that we were lovely, but rather, it was that He loved us first. Jesus told the disciples, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” (John 15:16). Besides love, God chose us to bear fruit that would give God glory (John15:8). Anyone that’s been called by God has been called to glory Him. That is a major reason that God created us.

For What?
The Bible gives us some good ideas about what we’ll be doing in the Kingdom. For example, the Apostle Peter wrote, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). The Apostle John writes to the church, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:5b-6). He has made some to be rulers, kings, and priests in the kingdom. Scripture tells us that only Jesus Christ is worthy “to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev 5:9), so it will be that the Lord “made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Rev 5:10).

Notice it was God’s doing, and not theirs, but they are destined to be part of the rule or reign of Christ, but of course, everyone will be under the authority of Christ. Jesus gives us an idea of stewardship, stating that someone that’s being faithful in little, will mean they can be trusted with much, so some will “have authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17c), while others will “be over five cities” (Luke 19:19c). What this exactly looks like in the kingdom, we cannot say. Jesus Himself is preparing these things now (John 14:3), but the Apostle John wrote that he “saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Rev 20:4). Scripture tells us that believers will judge angels, but which angels Scripture refers to, I am not sure (1 Cor 6:3). Perhaps these are fallen angels, or demons. Otherwise, all judgment will be Christ’s.

Now What?
The idea of being chosen by God is not a new one. God said of ancient Israel, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Duet 14:2). God didn’t call them because they were the greatest or largest, but only out of His promise to Abraham. Of course Israel failed in their calling, but the Apostle Paul wrote that God “had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone” (Gal 1:15-16), so Scripture teaches us that “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). Saul would have never chosen the Way without divine intervention (Acts 9).

Called and Justified
We also know that God has chosen some who have not yet been called, and that means He may use us as a means to bring them to Christ. It is not we who save others, but God alone saves, however, God does gives us the great privilege to be used as a means to save some. Paul writes, “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. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Rom 8:29-30). God has predestined some to be saved, so we need not be concerned if we don’t reach everyone with the gospel. We are simply told to “go” and share Christ. God is the Lord of the Harvest, but we are chosen by God; taken out of the darkness, and brought into the Light. Then, we’re called to go back into the darkness to bring others into the Light. It is not up to us to save anyone. Jesus says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37), not all we gather and bring to Christ.

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God…a people for his treasured possession…” (Duet 14:2).Conclusion
When Abram was called by God, God told him to “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1), “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (Gen 12:4a). By Abram obeying God, he showed he believed God, and so Abram “believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6). God choose Abram, but Abram choose to believe, but even here, God had to make Himself known to Abram in order for Abram to know Him. Has your name “been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (Rev 13:8)? If God has brought you to repentance (Acts 5:31, 11:18; 2 Tim2:24-26) and faith in Christ (Mark 1:14-15), you have been chosen by God. If you don’t care, you may not be chosen…or God has not yet called you to Christ…but if you care and wonder if you’ve been chosen by God, you’ll know by the fruits you produce, because these differing fruits show the radically different roots (Eph 5:19-25).

 

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Gladness and Joy! The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 51:11 NIV __________________ Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. Psalm 89:15,16 KJV __________________ I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. Isaiah 61:10,11 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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“The Lord is King for ever and ever.”

Psalm 10:16

Jesus Christ is no despotic claimant of divine right, but he is really and truly the Lord's anointed! “It hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” God hath given to him all power and all authority. As the Son of man, he is now head over all things to his church, and he reigns over heaven, and earth, and hell, with the keys of life and death at his girdle. Certain princes have delighted to call themselves kings by the popular will, and certainly our Lord Jesus Christ is such in his church. If it could be put to the vote whether he should be King in the church, every believing heart would crown him.

O that we could crown him more gloriously than we do! We would count no expense to be wasted that could glorify Christ. Suffering would be pleasure, and loss would be gain, if thereby we could surround his brow with brighter crowns, and make him more glorious in the eyes of men and angels. Yes, he shall reign. Long live the King! All hail to thee, King Jesus! Go forth, ye virgin souls who love your Lord, bow at his feet, strew his way with the lilies of your love, and the roses of your gratitude: “Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all.”

Moreover, our Lord Jesus is King in Zion by right of conquest: he has taken and carried by storm the hearts of his people, and has slain their enemies who held them in cruel bondage. In the Red Sea of his own blood, our Redeemer has drowned the Pharaoh of our sins: shall he not be King in Jeshurun? He has delivered us from the iron yoke and heavy curse of the law: shall not the Liberator be crowned? We are his portion, whom he has taken out of the hand of the Amorite with his sword and with his bow: who shall snatch his conquest from his hand? All hail, King Jesus! we gladly own thy gentle sway! Rule in our hearts for ever, thou lovely Prince of Peace.

 

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What is a “Sacrifice of Atonement”?
APRIL 15, 2019 BY SCOT MCKNIGHT

8 COMMENTS



By Geoff Holsclaw: a professor and pastor, offering a free mini-course on The 3 Forgotten Reasons for Jesus’ Death, to help expand your understanding of Jesus’s death.



Is the “sacrifice of atonement” in Romans 3:25 referring to a propitiation (appeasing God’s wrath), an expiation (cleansing human sin), or the mercy seat (the place of God’s reconciling presence)?


And why does it matter?


Words are Funny


Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?


Why does “to buckle” mean either to connect or secure AND to collapse or fall down. Or “to dust” can mean either to ADD or REMOVE small particles. Or my favorite, “to sanction” means to allow an action, OR to prevent or boycott an action.


These words can have totally opposite meanings. And context is key for knowing which meaning is meant in each situation.


This is true when we read the Bible and discuss theology.



And it is especially true when we stumble upon the Greek word hilasterion while reading Romans 3:25:


…whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement [hilasterion] by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed…

Photo by pan xiaozhen on Unsplash


Atoning Sacrifice – hilasterion


In the last post we talked about the blood of Jesus, and how it is better thought as a cleansing agent of life rather than a demand for death.


Now I want to talk about not just the blood, but the idea of an atoning sacrifice.


For all the discussions of different atonement theories, the word for “atoning sacrifice” or “sacrifice of atonement” only shows up in the New Testament couple of times. Only once in Paul’s writings.

• “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement [hilasterion], through the shedding of his blood…” (Rom. 3:25)
• “Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover [hilasterion].” (Heb. 9:5)
• “…in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement [hilaskomai] for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17)
• “He is the atoning sacrifice [hilasmos] for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)
• “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice [hilasmos] for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

Because of this relative lack of use it is difficult to build a clear context for its exact meaning—especially as Paul is using it in Rom. 3:25.


Three Options


Recent translations of Rom. 3:25 stopped trying to make a specific translation of hilasterion as “propitiation” and began opting for the generic “sacrifice of atonement” in order to leave the meaning open for interpretation. There are three options.


Option 1: Propitiation (appeasing God’s wrath)


This the route older translations, and the NASB, go: “whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith” (the NASB adds a note that it could also be “propitiatory sacrifice”).


This option relies on a couple of variables.

• The only Greek use of hilasterion seems to always refer to the appeasement of the wrath of some deity through a sacrifice.
• The context of Romans 1-3 is the revelation of God’s wrath against all unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18).
• The wrath of God is thought to be connected to the congruent revelation of the righteousness of God (Rom. 1:17).
• And the righteousness of God—thought to be provoked to wrath—is equivalent to God’s moral and judicial perfection (righteousness is an attribute of God).
• These add up to something like, the moral-judicial righteousness of God is provoked to wrath by human sin. This moral-judicial wrath is appeased through sacrifice, and that sacrifice is the death of Jesus.

Romans 3:21-26 could be summarized in this way, substituting all the Greek cognates for righteousness [dikaiosynē] for “moral perfection”:

But now apart from the law the moral perfection of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This moral perfection is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are made morally perfection freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice to appease wraith, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his moral perfection, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his moral perfection at the present time, so as to be morally perfect and the one who makes morally perfect those who have faith in Jesus.
Romans 3: 21-26

Option 2: Expiation (cleansing human sin)


Many, however, criticize the above assumptions and lean toward understanding hilasterion as cleansing or purging of sin—something directed primarily toward humanity, not God.

• While the pagan usage of hilasterion means the appeasement of the wrath, the Hebrew use of the word in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (LXX) shifts toward “cleansing”, allowing the underlying Hebrew kipper to transform the meaning of the Greek hilasterion from propitiate to expiate (see the previous post on “blood”).
• While the context of Rom. 1-3 is a revelation of God’s wrath, this doesn’t mean that salvation requires an “appeasement” of wrath. As J. M. Gundry-Volf says, “In light of the threatening wrath of God, the need of sinners can be said to be not the transformation of God’s attitude toward them but the transformation of their sinful existence before God [emphasis in original] (“Expiation, Propitiation, Mercy Seat,” Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, 282). Just as God poured out judgment on Egypt, and yet protected Israel through the sign of the Passover blood, so too God will protect all those marked/cleansed with the blood of Jesus when God judges the world for sin.
• While the wrath of God is contrasted with the righteousness of God in Rom. 1-3, it is better to think of God’s righteousness not as an eternal, moral attribute, but as a historical, relational commitment. As scholars in the New Perspective on Paul stream have pointed out, Paul’s understanding of “righteousness” means something like God’s “covenant faithfulness”, God’s historical commitment to Israel (and to humanity through Israel).
• These views, which argue for expiation, add up to something like this: The covenant faithfulness of God protects all who are in Christ from the coming wrath/judgment on sin by offering the perfect cleansing sacrifice.

This understanding would read Roman 3:21-26 like this:

But now apart from the law the covenant faithfulness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This covenant faithfulness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are made covenantly faithful freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as an expiatory/cleansing sacrifice, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his covenant faithfulness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his covenant faithfulness at the present time, so as to be covenantly faithful and the one who makes covenantly faithful those who have faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:21-26

Also in favor of this reading is that 1 John 1:7-9 & 2:2 uses the cognate of hilasterion in connection to cleansing: “and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin…If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness…He is the atoning sacrifice [hilasmos] for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:7, 9; 2:2).


Some proponents of “propitiation” will say that the concept of “expiation” should not be opposed to propitiation because they actually can both work together. They claim that God’s wrath can be appeased at the same time as our sins are cleansed. While this is technically true for of the theological concepts, we must not import theological concepts into words. Instead, we need to ask, which concept is mostly likely being used through this word by this author in this text. The evidence leans more toward expiation/cleansing than propitiation/appeasement.



Option 3


The last option is the one that seems the most obvious and often the least appreciated. If Heb. 9:5, which uses the same word (hilasterion)—but by an author who isn’t Paul—, and this word clearly refers to the physical place (the lid) on the ark of the covenant known as the “mercy seat”, then Paul probably means the same thing.


This view would be congruent with aspects of the second option. God “presenting Christ as the mercy seat” would bring to mind the Day of Atonement in which the entire temple was cleansed from sin (through which Israel’s sins were carried away and forgiven) (Lev. 16). And this would mean that Jesus is now the “meeting place” between God and humanity—just as the ark of the covenant was for Israel. AND it would mean that Jesus is the means of cleansing humanity from its sin.


Jesus—in his body and blood (yes, think the Eucharist)—is the union of heaven and earth, the place/person through which we receive mercy. In other words, Jesus is the mercy seat where heaven and earth meet.



Biblical Words and Theological Frameworks


You can probably tell that I am convinced by options #2 and #3. But many aren’t convinced by these arguments because of larger theological frameworks and passed down interpretations that connect God’s wrath, God’s justice, and the need for punishment.


These frameworks have always seemed rather harsh in themselves, and often only squeeze in God’s love at the last moment—to save the day.


But just because a word can means something in one context, does it mean that it does in this context. It is true that hilasterion means “propitiation” in a Greek, pagan context. But it seems best to understand it to mean something else (something closer to “cleanse”) in the Hebrew usage.


Does this mean I don’t believe in the seriousness of sin, or the severity of God’s wrath, or the need for repentance, or the demands of faith. No, of course not.


It just means that I think words—especially biblical words—don’t always fit into our theological frameworks. And that means we need to rework the framework instead of reworking the word.

 

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Seek the Lord! God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' Acts 17:27,28 NIV __________________ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6 KJV __________________ For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek Me, that you may live." Amos 5:4 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.