LETTER FROM JESUS ABOUT CHRISTMAS

Letter from Jesus about Christmas --
 
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My Name out of the season. 

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG - AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
 
Now, having said that, let Me go on ... If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that, there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square, because there would be many of them all around town.
 
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I Who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining Who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8.
 
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is my wish list. Choose something from it:
 
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know - they tell Me all the time.
 
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
 
3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. 
 
4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
 
5. Pick someone who has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
 
6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take his own life this season because he feels so alone and hopeless?  Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.
 
7. Instead of nit-picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas," that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then  - stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day, they'd close and let their employees spend the day with their families and My Family in My house.
 
8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My Name.
 
9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me, and they will make the delivery for you.
 
10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence . Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.
 
Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do every day not just at Christmas. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love, and remember :

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY

GOD CREATES A WORLD

Genesis 1-3

GOD CHOOSES A PEOPLE

Genesis 12-15

GOD DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE

Exodus 3, 12 & 14

GOD INSTRUCTS HIS PEOPLE

Exodus 20 & 24

GOD DWELLS AMONG HIS PEOPLE

Exodus 26, 29-40

GOD ESTABLISHES A KINGDOM FOR HIS PEOPLE

2 Samuel 8

GOD DISCIPLINES HIS PEOPLE

2 Kings 17

GOD RESTORES HIS PEOPLE

Ezra 1, Nehemiah 8, Jeremiah 29

GOD PROMISES THE MESSIAH

Isaiah 53

GOD SENDS HIS SON

Matthew 4, John 1

GOD REDEEMS THE WORLD FROM SIN

Mark 15-16, I Corinthians 15

GOD CHOOSES A BRIDE

Luke 24, Acts 1

GOD’S FAMILY LIVES FOREVER!

John 14, Revelation 21-22

God created His world and the people in it to be in relationship with Him.  His heart’s desire is for His people/children to live with a constant awareness of His Love and Presence in their lives by giving Him glory…so that the world may know!

THE TRAGEDY AND ENERGY OF GOD

November 26, 2016

THE CROSS represents the tragedy of God.  It is Himself clothed in flesh making the Ultimate Sacrifice for His created beings; to put to death SIN!   Taking on that which is the very thing that is opposed to Him…that which is His ENEMY!

The Tragedy is that ALMIGHTY GOD desired a Being, if given the choice to choose Him, would choose Him.  In His foreknowledge, He created that Being knowing that he would not choose Him, so that He could FREE them from the results of their choice, and give those who did receive and believe THE TRUTH, a NEW LIFE, Forever free of THE LIE and THE LIAR!

The Energy of God is released in The Cross because it was the place of ATONEMENT – The Place where the penalty of SIN, which is Death that separates from God, was PAID by GOD’S SON born into Flesh so that He could buy us back!  What made it tragic is that God HAD to take on His own Creation so that He could have PURE HOLY BLOOD to give!  HE was the ONLY ONE who could do that.

The sacrificial system of the shedding of blood in remission of sin was set up so that mankind could have a means of living without the guilt of sin and receive Grace …for forgiveness…until the PERFECT SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD was born and give HIS LIFE BLOOD in Remission of Mankind’s SIN and give Mankind Freedom to choose again!  

God made the first sacrifice by shedding the life blood in killing animals and making clothes of skin to cover Adam & Eve’s shame, for they saw that they were naked.  *Before sin they didn’t see that because they were innocent and pure; now their eyes were opened and they saw each other differently; in the lust of the flesh!

In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve (who represent all of Mankind) made the initial choice by listening to the lies and deception of God’s Enemy who initiated SIN, and brought SIN into God’s Perfect Creation.  As a result Death began and they were separated from the place God had made for them to commune with Him and have life Forever; because in the middle of the Garden was the Tree of Life which they could have freely eaten from and lived Forever in the Garden with God.  God had to send them out of the Garden and protect them from eating of the Tree of Life and living Forever in the fallen sinful life they had chosen. 

When Adam, Eve and the Serpent received the Curse from God for their decisions, God said that the seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the woman would be in conflict.  God gave the Promise of a Redeemer to come Who would crush the head of the Serpent Satan.

The Cross was the crushing of the head of the Serpent Satan… Mankind has been redeemed!

“For He hath made Him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in Him.”   

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

The Energy of God is released in The Cross because it was the place of ATONEMENT – the Place where the penalty of SIN was PAID by GOD’S SON.  Once the debt was paid The Energy of God surfaced in the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ from the Dead!  

THE CROSS & PREACHING/TEACHING

November 25, 2016 

The history of the Cross, from the Bible point of view, is more important than all the empires of the world. Oswald Chambers

Galatians 6:14 – “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The foolishness of the Cross and preaching

1 Corinthians 1:18-21  “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God…the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

The knowledge about the Cross may be very interesting but it has no power; it does not convey the energy of God to man.  But, preach the Cross and the energy of God is let loose! 

1 Corinthians 1:23–25   “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:  That no flesh should glory in his presence. (So that we can’t say we know it or we are strong!)

But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:  That according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

DISTRACTIONS OF THE MIND FROM GOD

November 23, 2016

“Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.”

Psalm 123:3

Tempers of mind that distracts us from faith in God and distracts our attention from God.  The enemy that penetrates right into the soul and distracts the mind from God.  Our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity begins to rule.

#1 ~  “the cares of the world and deceitfulness of riches”

 (Matthew 13:22) the weeds that choke out The Word!   There seems to be an enormous power in simple things that distract from God!  Refuse them!  They are the things that produce a wrong temper of soul.  Things that consume our time that does not glorify God!  “Whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do; do it all to the glory of God.”  I. Cor. 10:31

Things that sap our Vine life and cause us to become unfruitful! It is caused by unbelief and it is a dangerous condition!  John 15:2

#2 ~ the lust of vindication – “I must explain myself.  I must get others to understand.”  The Lord never explained anything; He left mistakes to correct themselves!  “…the tree is known by its fruit…For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned!”  (Matthew 12:33,37)

“O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself.”

#3 ~ criticism – when we allow discernment to turn to criticism.  God never gives us discernment that we may criticize, but that we may INTERCEDE!

Intercession is seeking God’s heart about the person or subject!  Never abuse prayer by sharing a request as means to criticize…even if it’s the truth!

Holy Spirit, You are with me always to be my Helper so that I will not fear what man may say!  Help me, Lord.  Forgive me for allowing distractions from spending time in Your Word, from spending time in Prayer interceding for others, from thinking I must explain and justify my words and actions.  Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me – Your Spirit; so that, in ALL things I may glorify and bring pleasure to The Father.  Amen

THE CHURCH AND IT'S MESSAGE

OCTOBER 2, 2016 ~ TODAY WAS A VERY SPECIAL DAY AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH NASHVILLE, GEORGIA ~ THE CHURCH IS 164 YEARS OLD & THE MAGNIFICENT SANCTUARY IS 100 YEARS OLD! IT WAS A REALLY WOW DAY!

The former Pastor of FBC Nashville, Bro. Stanley Luke brought a great message to the congregation entitled "The Church and It's Message!" from focal Scripture in Luke 24:44-49.  Here's some of my notes that inspired me:

*The church today is in trouble because we have an identity problem - Who God is and who we are because of Who He is. Hundreds of Southern Baptist Churches (and others) are closing their doors! What is wrong?

In this Scripture passage, Jesus is speaking to his disciples between His Resurrection and Ascension, and He is defining to them "who the Church is."

Why are we still stumbling and the message not clear? We, as Christians have been on this planet longer than any people!

The ONLY person who ever ascended to Heaven is Jesus and we ought to hear what He had to say before leaving.  Verse 44 says He opened their eyes to the Scripture. Every Christian is to be a preacher (proclaimer)! Understanding comes from Scripture. We need to know what we believe!

Bro. Stanley quoted his son-in-law who made this statement: "The future of the Church is in the lost people not reached yet!"   *Think about it!

We don't need to see different colors and nationalities, we need to see people as saved or unsaved!

We've got to take the whole Word of God to the whole world. The Devil will do everything to distract the Church and keep them distracted from The Word of God!

*Verse 47 gives the substance of the message of the Church.

Repentance and remission of sins should take place…and be preached among the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

THE MESSAGE:  The Savior has come!

EVERY Christian is to be a Witness in His Name.

Everything that Christian leadership does in the Church is to declare Jesus Christ; and our vision should be to reach this city and county for Jesus…we should be breathing Jesus Christ!  Something’s wrong when we don’t have that objective!

*The Scope of the Church and Message – beginning at Jerusalem.  Nashville, Ga. and Berrien County is our Jerusalem.  Refer to Acts 1:8 and Luke 24:48 ~ “ye are witnesses.”  How does that apply to us today?  In John 17 Jesus says we are the product of his disciples witness, and so will be those who believe because of our witness.

Verse 49 – The Promise gives power from on high.  Refer back to Acts 1:8  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

We don’t have to leave America to go to the ends of the earth, they are coming to us!  We should see the opportunity to tell them about Jesus Christ.

Do you think FBC Nashville could die?  Yes!  When it stops telling the Good News of Jesus Christ!

We should ALL be missionaries on mission as we go about everyday!

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON!

THUS SAYETH THE LORD

 Genesis 1:29-30 ~ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.   And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 

Genesis 9:3-4 ~ “Every moving thing that lives shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things, but flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall you not eat.”

Deuteronomy 8:3b (Luke 4:4) ~ “It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of  God.”

Deuteronomy 8:7-10 NIV ~ “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land - a land with streams and pools of water...a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing...when you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you."

Deuteronomy 12:14-16 ~ “…offer your burnt offerings…however, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, whatever you desire, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer.  Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.”

I Corinthians 6:19-20 ~ “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”

I Timothy 4:4 ~ “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

I Corinthians 10:31 ~ “Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

COME...TO ME!

August 20

COME…TO ME!

I ended my devotional yesterday with the following words from Jesus extending the invitation to

“Come unto Me…” and receive rest from weariness (trying to do things without Him.) Matthew 11:28-30

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, 
holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable act of worship. 

Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind

that you may prove what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:1-2

This invitation from Jesus implies coming to Him would provide a life of Christ-consciousness; a life transformed by the conscious act of renewing of your mind; a holy life consumed in Him; a life of peace, contentment, love and joy.  Christ-consciousness will take the place of self-consciousness!

This is Jesus’ full invitation: 

“Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;

for I am meek and lowly in heart;

and you shall find rest unto your souls.

For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

I see and hear an offer that is so hard to believe, but so very intriguing; it sounds like a beautiful fantasy that one only dreams of…and yet it is so inviting.  I see and feel Love in its most engaging way, as if Jesus is saying “come and have an affair of the heart with me that will be the most fulfilling and permanent relationship you will ever have!”  It is becoming so “yoked” that I am unconscious of anything but the ecstasy of Love.  This yoke is like being joined in an embrace ~ a Hug!  TRUE LOVE is always unselfish and unconditional and can ONLY come from GOD.  God’s conditions seem hard, but the benefits are everything one ever dreamed of and the perfection of happy ever after.  So why don’t we accept this invitation?  Because we don’t believe it!

Hear it again…”Come unto Me and get lost in My World, My Life, and no longer be conscious of yourself apart from Me.” ~JESUS

This is beautifully described in Matthew 25:31-46 when the righteous shall say at the judgment:  “When…did we see You as a stranger and took You in?  When did we see You naked and clothed You?  When did we see You sick or in prison and came to You?  And the King shall say:  When you did it unto one of the least of these My brethren, you did it unto Me…Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

(John 15)  After coming to Jesus; abiding in Him and Him in me; we will do EVERYTHING with Him and unto Him because we ARE His Body filled with His Holy Spirit!  WOW and AMEN…Believe it!

“A new commandment I give unto you,

that you love one another;

as I have loved you,

that you also love one another. 

By this shall all men know that you are My disciples,

if you have love one to another.”

John 13:34-35

THE BENEFITS OF GIVING ALL!

The past couple of days my Daily Delight time in The Word has been in Luke 18:18-30 about the rich young ruler who asked Jesus what he must do to go to heaven.   He thought being good enough would get him to Heaven; but Jesus said giving up everything that he was rich in and then following Him was the way.  The rich young self-righteous ruler left sadly because he was very rich. 

My interpretation:  The young ruler loved his riches more than he wanted to go to Heaven.  This man believed in Jesus and he obeyed the commandments Jesus quoted.  But Jesus didn’t mention the first four that begins with:  “You shall have no other gods before Me.  You shall not worship any graven images.  You shall not take the name of The Lord your God in vain.  Set apart the Sabbath unto The Lord.”  These told where the man’s heart really was.  (10 Commandments are in Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5)

Deuteronomy 6, Matthew 22 & Mark 12 gives us what is known as The Great Commandment.  This has always been God’s requirement:  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”  And the second like unto it (because it can’t be down without the first one)  “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Observation:  Jesus requires giving up and leaving EVERYTHING before “coming and following Him!”  When one Loves God with ALL, it is easy to give ALL!  Loving God and giving Him ALL brings His Promises that provide health, wealth, life, protection…but the Greatest is; Himself - His very own Holy Spirit to live and provide ALL the Believer needs to be a Child of God Forever! WOW ~ That’s having EVERYTHING!

Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says to “Come unto Me…” and receive rest from weariness (trying to do things without Him)

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, 

holy acceptable unto God 

which is your reasonable act of worship.  

Do not be conformed to the world, 

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind 

that you may prove what is that good, acceptable 

and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:1-2

DETOXIFY ~ BODY, SOUL & SPIRIT

April 25, 2016

Good Morning Lord, I have something on my heart and mind I need to talk about…

We, Your People need You!  We need to have a fresh encounter with You; to be awakened to the Reality of Who You are and who we are.  We need to have a cleansing; a detoxing of impurities, just as the body needs this periodically, so does our spiritual life.  Some things come into our bodies and sap us of energy, health and happiness.  If we don’t do some cleansing and detoxify our bodies, these germs, toxins and antibodies can cause us fatigue, sickness, despair and even led to disease and death.  Some of the causes are poor choices, but some come from our air, water and soil that are polluted from things beyond our control.  Nevertheless, we are responsible with our individual lives and the care of our bodies. 

Today, the medical world seems to think that using medicines to help with ridding the body of these impurities is the way.  The Bible tells us that God directed His People to Fast; to stop eating and sometimes drinking; to stop putting anything else into the body for a period of time.  Instruction included that praying while ceasing from the natural was how to fill the time instead of eating.

To obtain a healthy body, one must stop putting in things that will interfere or harm the body and then start putting in the things that will benefit and fuel the body; things that won’t harm, but will heal and sustain good health.

To obtain a healthy spiritual body we must first be reminded that as Christians/Children of God, our bodies are no longer our own…they were bought at a very high cost – the Blood of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. “What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Our bodies and lives belong to Him.  He is our Head and His Spirit is our Life!  Even so, we must submit, surrender our lives to Him and then He will change us into His Righteousness and His Body.  He will empower us with His Spirit to discipline us in getting rid of that which is sinful and selfish and give us a new life of righteousness and Love and Power!

We CANNOT have a healthy body with impurities in it and we CANNOT be an empowered Body of Christ with anything that is not giving Him Glory!  “Whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we do all to the glory of God.”  Help us!  Draw us into the Holy of Holies of our hearts and show us the things that hinder You having full power in our lives and keep us from bringing You Glory; the things that keep Your Body enactive, sick and handicapped.  Bring us into confession and cleanse us.  Strengthen and fill us with Your Spirit to repent and turn back to You totally devoted with full surrender and commitment of our lives – body, soul and spirit. “…live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:35b) 

…and begin with ME!  “Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you…”  (Genesis 23:25)

“Now you are the Body of Christ,

and each one of you is a part of it.”

(1 Corinthians 12:27a)

THE LIGHT OF THE BODY IS THE EYE

Jesus said:  The light of the body is the eye...the whole body will become what you focus on -good or bad.  (Matthew 6:22, 23)

It is so vital to be careful about what we see because our brain registers it forever!   That is why it is so vital to keep our vision on our Creator and our Savior; to keep our heart, soul, mind and body consumed in His Spirit and His Word.  #1 we will be so satisfied that NOTHING else will allure.  #2 we will KNOW real Love which desires only that which God desires….because God IS Love.  This is why the Great Commandment is about getting to know God and His Love and expressing that Love back to Him…then we can Love one another as we have been Loved…unselfishly…unconditionally…undividedly!

Think back to Creation…God created every detail of earth before He created MAN and then He gave Man time to be alone with Him and develop their relationship; for Adam to get instruction about why He was created.  Lest we forget, it was for relationship with God.  As Adam began his role as man tending what God had created, he watched the animals who were paired male & female and desired to have a mate also.  He looked to find one, but could not find one suitable.  THEN, God finished His Masterpiece Creation with the perfect finishing touch…a suitable mate for Adam!  Remember what happened when God brought the Woman to Adam?  He looked at her…and lusted for her!  (I know you are going to say that is not in the Bible…but go back and read it again…and use your vivid imagination.  (Genesis chapters 2 & 3)

What happened to Adam’s relationship with God once he saw Eve?  Notice that God began to only visit in the evening in the cool of the day to walk and talk with Adam… and Eve.  Observation on my part, Adam is mesmerized by his mate and she is ALL he desires…keep track of where you see him from being introduced to Eve and the scene at the Forbidden Tree.  And, speaking of that event, note that Eve is in dialog and focused on her new friend (evidently she wasn’t as intrigued with Adam as he was with her…she needed MORE and the crafty, clever, beautiful Serpent knew just how to satisfy her emotional needs!  Note:  The physical, sensual part of the relationship satisfied the male & female differently.)

Back to the Forbidden Tree… Eve is having her intellect and emotions enhanced by her Friend and now sees the forbidden as something to be desired.  Even though she knew what God had said, she had been given a new translation with commentary…and saw that it looked good (this is the same as lust!)  Close in on the scene to Adam.  What is he doing?  He only has eyes for Eve; for she is suitable and satisfying to him.  He just can’t get enough of her!  He is unaware of what she is doing or the conversation.  It’s OK with him, whatever she wants as long as he can be with her! 

Gen. 3:6 So…”When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” (See what I mean about Adam…he is swooning over the object of his affections!)

Gen.3:7  “Then the eyes of both of them were opened…”  They were both guilty of what they did with what they saw!  Because of their focus, EVERYTHING God created was changed…EVERYTHING HE SAW THAT WAS GOOD became covered with SIN!  

*The rest of the story can be read in God's Word, The Bible.  You may want to read Genesis chapters 1-3 and the book of Luke to see the outcome of the woman's seed and the Serpent's seed.

FIT FOR HIS COMING!

Fit for His Coming

Are we blameless?

I Thessalonians 5:23 ~  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

sanctify:  Holy, set apart for God.

blameless:  Without fault; without blame; unblemished;

unspoiled; upright; sincere; perfect; obedient; righteous.

First instruction:  Genesis 17:1; 22:18  When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said:  “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless…and be blessed.”

Ephesians 1:4 ~  For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.

Instruction for His coming again:  I Thessalonians 5:23

EX.  Philippians 2:14-16 ~ Do all things without murmurings and disputing:  That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

I Thessalonians 3:13 ~ May He (our God and Father) strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.

I Corinthians 1:8 ~ He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Man is a trinity:

SPIRIT ~ That part of man which “knows”; his mind.

SOUL ~ The seat of affections, desires, emotions; the active will; the self - choice!

BODY ~ The physical; flesh

*Because man is “spirit” (breath of God), he is capable of God-consciousness and communication with God.

*Because he is “soul”, he has self-consciousness.

*Because he is “body”, he has through his senses -

world-consciousness (community).

***SOUL & SPIRIT” are not identical.  It is the natural vs. spiritual.

Hebrews 4:12 ~ For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thought and attitudes of the heart.

I Corinthians 15:44 ~ So then this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory…there- fore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

***The Body is the Temple of God

I Corinthians 3:16-17 ~ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him, for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

EX. Daniel Chapter 5 ~ temple vessels

Ephesians 5:23 ~ …Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.

I Corinthians 12:24-27 ~ But God has combined the members of the body…so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

I Corinthians 6:19-20 ~ Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.

  

  The Body of Christ~The Church~His Bride

What does a bride do to get ready for the bridegroom and the wedding?

 ~ In today’s lifestyle?

 ~ In the Jewish lifestyle?

 ~ for the Son of God? - We need to know the prophecies relating to His coming.

SCRIPTURES:  On Bride and Bridegroom

Isaiah 61:10 - adorned with jewels, ornaments (salvation & righteous)

Revelation 21:2 - adorned  (the holy city)

Jeremiah 2:32 - ornaments, attire  (forgotten the Lord)

Revelation 22:17 - ready  (“Come”)

*Matthew 25:1-46 - ready, faithful, doing, slumbered & slept  (oil, talents, one of the least)

John 3:29; Luke 3 - John Baptist (Best Man) prepare for the groom (Repent; receive remission of sins; prepare)

Isaiah 54:5 - The Maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The GOD of the whole earth shall He be called.

2 Corinthians 11:2 - chaste virgin; pure, undefiled, unpolluted, without sin  (to Christ; one husband)

Ephesians 5:21-33 - reverence; love; cleave  (wife-church; husband-Christ)

Revelation 19:7-10 - ready, clothed in fine linen; clean and white  (righteousness of saints)

CHRIST AND HIS BRIDE

Read John chapters 13 & 14

Jesus is preparing a place for His Bride in His Father’s House and when The Father says it is ready Jesus is coming back for His Bride.

Will His Bride be found ready and faithful; adorned with all those who are clothed in the righteousness of His Holy Spirit?

MARANATHA!

(Even so, come Lord Jesus!)

WORSHIP

Original thoughts on January 6, 2010 ~ WORSHIP

This was inspired from meditation on Abraham choosing to settle between 

Bethel and Ai. (Genesis 12:8) 

These three should go together:

       WORSHIP ~ Giving God my very Best

       WAITING ~ Watching to see where God is at work

       WORK ~ Joining God in what He is doing

Worship – in meditation, giving God back the blessing He has given as a love gift.

There should not be jumping from Worship to Waiting and then to Work.  Worship should be taking place in everything…because God is ALWAYS with us!

BLESSINGS are spiritual gifts that are to be given back to bless others.  Blessings that we hoard to ourselves will turn into spiritual dry rot – like the hoarded manna. 

(Exodus 16)

What blocks WORSHIP?

Sin of Self – it is so horrible and the most justified!

You cannot focus on self and GOD at the same time any more than you can go in two different directions at the same time – North & South; East & West.  Like a coin, you can only see one side at a time!  You cannot see both sides ~ which side of us do others see? 

GOD or ME?

CENTER OF THE BIBLE

This Bible trivia is pretty amazing.

What is the shortest chapter
in the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 117

What is the longest chapter
in the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 119

Which chapter is in the center
of the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118

Add these numbers up and you get 1188

What is the center verse in the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 118:8

Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?

The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Word!

Psalms 118:8 (NKJV)
"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

Now isn't that odd how this worked out (or was God in the center of it)? 

GOD CALLED A PEOPLE TO BE A WITNESS!

January 15, 2016 ~ GOD CALLED A PEOPLE TO BE A WITNESS!

God chose… called out… appointed a people before creation to reveal Himself to the world!

Most did not choose to believe…a few did, and were used by God to reveal His Person, Power and Presence!

God gave them only ONE instruction:  Believe and Receive a Love Relationship with Him…and in that relationship to be a "witness unto Him…that He is GOD"!  (Isaiah 43:12)

*The descendants of the Serpent were more influencing than the descendants of Eve (the Godly line leading to Redemption.  It began with Seth.)

God has always had a remnant of those who BELIEVE in Him.

At the appointed time GOD fulfilled His Promise to mankind to redeem them from the bondage of SIN…HE took on flesh and called Himself, JESUS!  (See Luke chapter 1)

John chapter 1 tells us how the world received Him (The Word of God) which is what Jesus is.  Those who believed and received became Children of God!

After JESUS fulfilled the Promise of God by becoming The Lamb of God that takes away the Sin of the World and shedding His Blood and dying on a cross; being buried and rising from the dead to New Life…He opened the Way for all those Children of God to have a New Life with Him in His Heavenly Home Forever!

Before He left to return to His Heavenly Home, and He Promised He would send The Holy Spirit of God to live within those Children of God helping them to finish the Redemptive Plan of telling those who don’t know they are redeemed that they are!

He gave ONE instruction:  “Love one another” and “be a witness unto Him”…that He is Emmanuel-GOD with us!  Acts 1:8

(Check your Concordance to see the many times He said “love one another.”)

THEME OF GENESIS ~ "WE ARE BLESSED!"

Impressions from Genesis

Tuesday, January 4, 2011 12:03 PM

As I have read Genesis, I titled it "We Are Blessed!"

# 1 ~ God created...then blessed - then He said:  "Be fruitful and multiply..." (vs. 1:27; 5:1; 9:1)  We are blessed to be "fruitful and multiply" in God's Image and likeness. (See John 15 & Romans 8:29) 

*[Ladies note who did the fruit bearing!  It began with ONE Woman!  After woman was created God said His Creation was "very good!" - woman is His crowning joy and she is His partner in giving life (birth of mankind.)  We are specially created and dear to God's heart!]
     ~ The unrighteous die in the Flood.  Verse 9:1 Righteous Noah is blessed and told "to be fruitful and multiply." [Now it begins again with 4 Women doing the fruit bearing...giving life!]

(For the curious-minded:   Scripture says Mrs. Noah had 3 sons, but it didn’t say anything about daughters that surely did come after the flood to help multiply!)

*Another note:  Being "fruitful and multiplying" was instructed before sin entered and after the world was cleansed of unrighteous.  God intended the fruit and multiplying to be in His Image.  Look at John 15 and the Vine life and see how we are to bear fruit...more fruit...much fruit.  The Vine is Jesus Christ.  The branches are Believers.  The Fruit is the Image of Christ The Vine!  ALL is to glorify (reveal the Person, Power and Presence of God) The Father!

#2 ~ GOD created in His Image; in His Own Likeness!

Verse 5:3 - Adam had a son in his image (in his own likeness.)  This was Seth.

(Abel had been killed by Cain and Cain had been banished.)  This tells us something about Adam and his relationship to God.  Seth began the redemptive line leading to Christ.
I challenge to watch the redemptive line and who comprises it as you read through The Word!

The teacher in me can't help studying instead of just reading.  I share to be "fruitful and multiply" for His glory!

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IMPRESSIONS AND INSIGHTS AS YOU READ AND STUDY THE WORD...SHARE WITH US!

"You are My witnesses, declares the Lord, that I am God." Isaiah 43:12