"Connected With God" - Again

 "Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;" (Hebrews 9:4 KJV)

  "Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11 NLT)

 There are certain things we know are very obvious and easy to understand; and yet, even the things we think are understood, are just shadows of what is really not something we can understand at all. Mankind has ventured into all sorts of areas, the deep sea, the vastness of space; even the miracles of life here on earth as we know it; but nothing is fully known, except that there is an amazing Creator! 

 All my life I have believed in God, as far back as I remember; I prayed to Him off and on; when I was very young, I prayed to Him when a ran away from home, and the age of five. I remember praying to him on a mountain top, during a time when I had left home for about six months, at the age of fourteen or so. There really never was I time I remember when I did not believe that God was real; but there were many times when I felt He wasn't there, or close enough to hear me. 

 Here is what I see in this corner, that I have painted myself into: Everything in that Ark, all three of those items that are shown to be in there, are those same three that were presented in the previous, except they have been manifested into a work that was completed on the cross of Christ. Jesus had said this, in more ways than many of us can really understand, but all of it goes back to that one thing He said, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life" 

 Not that I know anything or seem to really understand what I think I can see, but there are three things Jesus illustrated or made to happen, in more ways than one: That He was the bread from heaven, and that unless we eat of Him, we are lost. So that manna which has been saved represents how we are saved, by receiving Christ into our lives. That He came to fulfill the entire Law, which were those tables, or tablets, that had the Ten Commandments, of which He fulfilled! And then, He is the Life, as He gives life to those of us have been saved, making us alive from being dead...

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see." (1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT) 

"Connected With God" - Too

 "Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;" (Hebrews 9:4 KJV)

  "But tell me this - since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God - for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world." (1 Corinthians 15:12-25 NLT)

 Understanding what it means to believe in Christ, is not just about our sins being forgive; although that is what has happened and what Jesus came to die for: but the really big deal in all of this, is that of having been given eternal life, something we look and hope for, because we believe that it will happen! Much like that illustration the Ray shows in his book; someone on the plane is given a parachute and is told that it will make them feel comfortable and secure. Yet, after putting it on, they figure out that it is not all that comfortable, and many of the other passengers are making fun of him because he is wearing it.  

 Well, things are a little different, once you know what that parachute is for; especially if the person that offered it to you, said that the plane was going to crash, and you would be saved if you used it! No matter how uncomfortable it might seem to be, you're not taking it off! And no matter how many people laugh at you, you're not going to feel ashamed to be wearing it! 

 What is it that I am trying to say? All of these things that are being shown in this second part of the sanctuary are all references to the eternal life we have in Christ! The curtain itself is also a symbol of the passage, from death to life, as there is a vast distinction between the two areas: one is the connection with this earthly life, the other is the connection to eternal life; as it all a connection to God, which is all about our transformation to Heaven! 

 By the way, there has been a lot of talk about what happened to that Ark of the Covenant, some think that God took it and placed it in the Temple that is in Heaven. We will just have to wait and see...

"But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back." (1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NLT) 

  

"Connected With God"

 "Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had mana, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;" (Hebrews 9:4 KJV)

  "Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. And after that had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: "The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, 'Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes - so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.' So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it."" (Acts 28:24-29 NLT)

 As much as I would like to fully understand all of the things that I should know by now, there is just no way for them to be completely understood, no matter how hard I try. If I think I have something figured out, the 'Swirling Eddey's' kick in, and I find myself more confused than I was before. Therefore, I must not try to go beyond simple! 

 This passage that Paul was sharing from Isaiah, however complex it might have seemed to be for those who listened, the simple thing they needed, was the need to be healed! Those that do not think they need to be saved, whether it because they do want to, or they don't believe it is real, they must be able to see and understand the reason that they need the salvation that God is offering them. 

 Not everyone that accepts God's free gift will fully comprehend what it is for and why were even given it, mostly because they either thought it would make their lives better, they would feel better, or that they would actually not sin anymore. In Ray's book, "Hell's Best Kept Secret," he illustrated the ways many people don't really know the reason they need to be saved, therefore the trials and torment that they might experience, causes them to fall away, not believing it is real or had badly they needed it.

 Some things we think are happening to us, because God is judging us, are just the things He wants to teach us, instruct in us, and be able to allow ourselves to trust Him more; and it is only by us being able to believe that He really loves us, even in our hurt and difficulties, that we know He never ever stops loving us! We were saved so that we could be connected with God, and He wants us to need Him...

""And judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All how do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."" (John 3:19-21 NLT) 

"The Separation"

"And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;" (Hebrews 9:3 KJV)

"Then God said, "Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth." And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the heavens. God called the space "sky." And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day." (Genesis 1:6-8 NLT)

 As I have said, several times, this is the second day in which God did not say it was good. The King James Version of this Scripture has Heaven shown with a capital, "H," making reference to the holiness of what is being said, as if this was not a place where mankind could go, but where God dwells. Jesus made reference to this, telling Nicodemus, "No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven." (John 3:13 NLT) 

 Hopefully this makes sense to someone, because I just don't know any other way to explain why God would not say that day was good, except for the separation between Heaven and earth. Basically, what this means is that God knew in advance that man would sin, which is why God made the separation in the first place. As the Bible clearly say, "For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with you." (Psalms 5:4 KJV) 

 Anyhow, this is why Jesus came, to bridge that gap between us and our Heavenly Father! And it was something that was planned, even before the beginning of creation. If you don't believe me, look it up...

""And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only So, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgement against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son."" (John 3:14-18 NLT) 

"The Sanctuary" - To

"For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary." (Hebrews 9:2 KJV)

  "Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, "If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?" John told them, "I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal."" (John 1:24-27 NLT)

 Well, this is deep! The tabernacle that was made, basically had these two special rooms, this one we are talking about today, which is being shown to have these three articles, "the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread," are the complete reference to Christ's mission, as He had shown unto Thomas: "I and the way and the truth and the life." 

 Much like anything else, (actually, much like everything else,) there are three elements that made the object or being complete. In this instance these three articles complete the mission and reason for the Gospel of Christ's work here on this earth, as the sanctuary is depiction of earth, which basically means, this life here that you and I must live in, as well as be saved in!  

 As I see it, (or have been shown), the Way can only be shown by the Light, as Jusus is the Light that shines in the darkness, to actually show us the way! The Truth, which is stationary and on which all things remain, is that Table; or if you are inclined to say, The Foundation! The Life is the easy one, because Jesus is the Bread of Life! 

 To be totally honest, I never really saw that yesterday, and I wasn't about to try and explain what I did not know. This morning as I was making my bed, (which I always do, right after I step out of it,) God just clearly showed me that which I did not know.

 Crazy as that might seem, there are some people that think cows have 6 stomachs; which is rather hard to explain, why that might be necessary. But, in reality they have really only one; but one has three other compartments that complete the one. So there you go; chew on that for a bit...

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.' I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water, so that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John testified, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."" (John 29-34 NLT) 

"The Sanctuary"

 "For there was a tabernacle made; the first wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary." (Hebrews 9:2 KJV)

  ""Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and also trust in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going." "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have see him."" (John 14:1-7 NLT)

 If there was just a way to connect the dots, I might have something more to speak about; but as it is, my head is foggy, and my ears won't stop ringing! I just don't what to say: Except for the connection between the articles shown in the "Sanctuary" and what Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Maybe I need to chew on this for a bit, and something will come up!

 Do you know how and why a cow chews its food so long, over and over? Maybe it just wants to satisfy every stomach...

"We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins." (Colossians 1:11-14 NLT) 

"The Earthly Character"

 "Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary." (Hebrews 9:1 KJV) 

  "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?" Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming - indeed it's here now - when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."" (John 4:19-24 NLT)

 If you read my post, from many years ago, the one where I shared about my first teaching to the High School students in our church youth group; it was based upon this portion of Scripture when it says Jesus, "must," go through Samaria. (John 4:4 KJV) It is really not the way Jews traveled, as it were, the Samaritan's were people that were, shall we say, unclean, and they really tried to avoid them. 

 The main point that God was showing me in this, was that Jesus knew that He was going to do a mighty work on that mountain, so He had to travel through there to minister to that city. Not only did He share with the woman at the well, but after she ran down the mountain, she shared her conversation with Him, and people from the village started streaming up that mountain to see Him. 

 When we moved our church from Palo Cedro to Shasta Lake City, a few of the mothers from the youth group made a quilted tapestry of a Dove in the middle of it, with the heading, Calvary Chapel Shasta Lake; and at the bottom it says, "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest." If you know anything about the Samaritans in the region, the men all had white turbans on their heads. So, what Jesus was describing, as He told them to look, was those white turbans winding up the mountain to come and see Him.    

 That tapestry is currently on the living room wall, as it was going to be thrown out to the dumpster, by one of the Pastors that had taken over the church. As soon as I heard him say he was tossing it, I knew that I had to rescue it and take it home. It has hung on two living room walls since then. It is there for a reminder of the Lord's amazing work! 

 As it turned out, Jesus stayed with those Samaritans in their village for two days, sharing and having fellowship with them. When they heard Him speak, the told the woman, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42 NLT) 

 Now about this title, which seems rather daunting, to say the least; it is the easiest way to explain what the writer is saying, and how it really looks. For starters, the divine services were such, because they were put forth by God, as He designed every detail; but those who performed those services were not perfect, even the High Priest. Therefore, the worldly sanctuary is speaking towards those who perform the services and for those to whom the service is meant for, which would be the people. 

 I hate to keep repeating myself, but the second day of creation was the only day that God did not say it was good. But then He focused on the earthly character of His creation, marking the third day, as twice as good...

"Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority." (Colossians 2:8-10 NLT)   

"Old Rules about Worship"

   "That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. There were two rooms in the Tabernacle. In the first room were lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy place. Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron's staff that spouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark's cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now. 

  "When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

  "This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies - physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established." (Hebrews 9:1-10 NLT)

"Come and hear, all ye that fear the God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: but verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me." (PSALMS 66:16-20 KJV)

 I know that there are certain times I might drift outside the lines; that has pretty much been my way of thinking, pretty much my whole life. Whenever I was given instructions, for whatever I might have been told to do, I would almost instantly think of a way make it bigger, easier, or better to understand. The real danger in that, is that there are sometimes rules, principles, and standards that get overlooked; sometimes things just remain the same, no matter how hard we try to alter them. 

 Amazingly, there is something extraordinary about what we think about, and why it really matters...

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8 KJV)   

"The Beautiful Hard"

 "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." (Hebrews 8:13 KJV)

  "He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave. But it was the LORD'S good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD'S good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied." (Isaiah 53:7-11 NLT)

 To be totally honest, this title is not my own. I was watching the Golf Chanel yesterday, and a golfer who was making it out of Q School, getting his PGA Card, mentioned that the journey was hard, but it was a beautiful hard. Bing, my mind went off, and I felt that was going to be the title for this message. You must know something about golf, they say it is a lot like faith; a lot of trust and hope is what makes the winner.

 Anywho, there was something weird that happen last night, which I thought was rather interesting. I had a certain movie planned out to watch, but when I put in into my laptop, it gave me several issues, that made me take it out and get another movie. The movie I took out and watched had Rob Reiner in it; and when it was done, I came into the bedroom to see the news, that he and his wife had been killed in their home. Stanger things have happened, but it really caused me to take a pause. And when I say pause, I mean stop to pray for their family and those that will be torn from their loss.  

 Before I say anything else, I just want to mention the reason I felt this title was the one, as much as it might not seem right to use, according to some. Yes, the torment and anguish that Jesus had to bear was incredibly brutal, more than most men could have been able to take; but it was all planned out, and God had worked on every detail, for thousands of years. Hundreds of hints and passages that were written, as He announced the beautiful plan, from the very beginning of Creation!

 And yet, after thousands of years, God took a pause, like a giant deep breath, He was silent for over 400 years. When it came time for Him to speak, it was from the voice of a baby, being born in a manger! Wow, it truly was hard, but it was a beautiful hard...

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NLT)  

"Just Because!" - 2

 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12 KJV)

  "We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins." (Colossians 1:11-14 NLT) 

 Because of the love He has towards us, He sacrificed His one and only Son; not just by Him being hung on a cross, which was enough to satisfy the forgiveness of our sins; but He was beaten and ponded on, then crowned with a crown of thorns! What was that all about? And why did He need to suffer such a punishment, before being hung on the cross? 

 Going back to the parable of the Prodigal Son, the situation of his sin wasn't just missing the mark, he had no desire whatsoever to please his father; as some have claimed it, he was rejecting the father's love and care for him and just wanted to leave and have a life of his own. The other brother who questioned the celebration of the father, did so because all he thought about the other brother was of his wickedness and the disrespect he had done to their father. The other brother represented the Pharisees! 

 We really can't imagine what that was like, having been beaten, punched in the face, His beard torn off, and a crown of thorns pushed down on His head. To make matters even worse, they made Him carry the cross on which He would be hung! All of that extra punishment was to remove all of our iniquities! All those things that we do, which are not just missing the mark, but are pure wickedness, where we so fixated on doing what we want, we actually plan and work at doing what we know is wrong... 

"He was despised and rejected - a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all." (Isaiah 53:3-6 NLT) 

"Just Because!"

 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12 KJV)

  "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:4-8 NLT)

 As I was saying, (trying to hold back my tears,) Jesus came into this world in the most vulnerable way He could; and He made Himself vulnerable, when He went to the cross! Paul has thrown those two words onto his message: "wisdom and understanding," mostly because it is true! This is not just something we learn by ourselves; when we have the Holy Spirit living in us, we know and understand certain things, we could have never figured out on our own. 

 Much like the New Life that Jesus was trying to get Nicodemus to understand, it really doesn't happen until you are Born Again; only then can you truly see and understand what God has done to save us! As much as we were lost, before we accepted Christ into our heart, we were also unable to see the miracle of our salvation! "It just couldn't be that easy," is what we would think or say! Well, it was easy for us to do what we needed to do; but it really wasn't for Jesus, or for the Father!

 Hopefully that doesn't offend anyone that might think God's ability to do anything, makes it easy for Him to do what He did, in order to save us, because He too has a heart...

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 NLT)

"The Real Meaning" - Too

 "And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." (Hebrews 8:11 KJV)

  "And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life." (1 John 5:20 NLT)

 Now, about that message I heard regarding Jesus being fully God and fully man: there is a huge difference between the order of His manifestation or birth, as to whether He was a man that was born God, or God that was born as a man. Not that we have to figure out which one it was, because if we just listen to what Gabriel said to Mary, we will know full well that Jesus was God, who came to the earth as a man! 

 O, it gets even better, because not only did He come into this world as a man, He came lowly and fragile, in the form of a little baby! Imagine the incredible power that was held in the arms of His mother, as she nursed Him, changed Him, and rocked Him to sleep. Isaiah was shown this, as he described it in his writing about the Savior: "My servant grew up in the LORD'S presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him." (Isaiah 53:2 NLT) 

 Thinking about this, incredible birth, it is amazingly the same way He died! He came as a fragile little baby, not yielding the power of The Almighty; and He died the same, totally humble and not yielding that mighty power, which He could have used to save Himself! This is the most amazing thing that could ever happen! Yet, God had this planned out from the very beginning; even before He created the earth, it was His plan all along: To make a way that we could be holy, as He is Holy, so that He could have real fellowship with us all! 

 I know that I don't know enough to teach or preach, but I do believe in the God that shows me what I need to know; that is what He has done from the very beginning! Yes, we will see Adam and Eve in heaven, because they too knew God and believed in the Savior that was to come; which was why Adam changed the name of his wife, from "woman," which meant "she was taken from man," and changed her name to "Eve," which meant, "because she would be the mother of all who live." 

 If you don't know what that means, or why it is so interesting to think about; it is because there was not going to be a man involved in the birth of The Savior; the Seed would be of God...

"See, my servant will prosper: he will be highly exalted. But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. And he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about. Who has believe our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?" (Isaiah 52:13 - 53:1 NLT) 

"The Real Meaning"

 "And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." (Hebrews 8:11 KJV)

  "The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but with a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." (John 1:9-14 NLT) 

 There was something that I felt wasn't right, as I started to think the word, "not," might have been added to this verse, which was not something that is uncommon, because the BLB does have several flaws from time to time. So, I went straight to my KJV Bible, which happens to a "Zodhiates' original and complete system of Bible study"; only to find out, that the "not" was correct. Once I determined that it was meant to be there, I began reading the verse again, several times, which caused me to understand the real meaning of the text! 

 Yesterday I heard a brief part of a message about how Jesus was fully God and fully man. The just of the message was about order; something that some people just don't understand. Basically, it involves that age old question, "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" Those of us that know the truth, which involves us believing God can do all things, also believe that God created every living creature just as they are, male and female, He created them. 

 Something else I didn't know, until just recently: chickens can produce eggs without having been with a rooster; they might not have a life inside of those eggs, because they still are able to produce none-sterol eggs without seed; they just will not have any chicks in the process. Why does that make any difference to what came first? ORDER! God's original and complete order...

"Then God said, "Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind - livestock, small animals that scurry around, and wild animals." And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:24-25 NLT) 

"God's Inscription" - To

 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and white them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:" (Hebrews 8:10 KJV)

  "Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death, but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:3-6 NLT)

 There are probably quite a few people who don't really believe those things I said about that son, the one who squandered away his inheritance, leaving home, as if he had no care at all for his father's will and hope for his life. That just seems too drastic of a sin, that his father would even consider forgiving him; let alone, welcoming him back! 

 Well, this is what God does for those who are His children! Please try to believe what I am trying to say: If God called you out and choose you to be His child, when He did that, He already knew everything about you, including those bad things that you have done! Nothing we do can remove His love from us; because He choose us, even knowing everything about us, especially that we would always be His children! 

 You must understand and know how much God loves you! The father in this parable, surely believed that his wayward son would return. We know this because he was always looking down the road, as if his son would be coming down that road, sooner or later. But that day did come, and when it did, the father hoisted up his robe and started running towards his lost son! 

 Not everyone believes that to be true, especially those who think they are better than everyone else. With that, let me remind you of the other brother, the one that faithfully stayed home, working for his father. After that prodigal son was restored, back into his father's house, (which was really always still his home,) the father celebrated his return, placing a ring on his finger, putting his robe on him, and throwing him a great feast and party. 

 And what did the other brother do? He complained to the father, telling the father about how faithful he was, how he faithfully worked for him, all these years, never asking for his inheritance or planning to leave home; and then, he told his father: 'You never celebrated my life, as you did this unresponsible son!' 

 The laws that God has itched into our hearts have everything to do with love: loving Him, and loving one another...

"Through Christ you have come to trust God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass, their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you." (2 Peter 1:21-25 NLT)   

'God's Inscription"

 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:" (Hebrews 8:10 KJV)

  "Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prize possession." (James 1:14-18 NLT)

 Hope isn't just something we wish for or think might happen; it is knowing that there is a God that loves us and will finish the work He has begun in us! Even though we might mess up, which I know is not all that hard to do, He has a plan for us that overcomes every wrong and stupid thing we might do. 

 Sad to say, even though we make it to the other side, most definitely, there are consequences that are left behind, due to the wrong and stupid things that we might do. This is real, this death that James is pointing out; it might not be the death to us, (our soul that is,) because we have security in the blood of Christ. But there is always a death that is birthed by us letting sin grow out of control! 

 That death could just be the end of a ministry or the passion we have to share the goodness of God; most of that is due to our own struggle with forgiving ourselves. But where it really hurts, is those that are affected by the sin we let get out of control, because it doesn't just happen quickly, it is something that grows and grows. 

 There is somewhat of a wonderful story that Jesus spoke about; it involved two brothers. Most of us have been introduced to this story, "The Parable of the Prodigal Son," as he was the son that wanted to have his inheritance, just so he could leave home and do whatever he wanted to do. The other son, stayed home and continued to work for his father. 

 There is something amazing about this story, actually two things we should make to be branded into our hearts: First of all, that wayward son, even though he disappointed his father and left home, his address never changed; his home was always home! Secondly, and most importantly, his father never gave up on him, always looked out for his return, and even ran out to him, when he did come home...

"Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just." (PSALM 51:1-4 NLT) 

"Particularly So!" - Too

 "Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord." (Hebrews 8:9 KJV)

  "When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even the wind and waves obey him!"" (Mark 4:39-41 NLT)

 For starters, what we have been looking at, in the verse from Hebrews, as well as these two portions of Scripture from Mark, is the simple message of faith; you either have it, or you don't! Not that I have any kind of perfection in having faith, because I truly believe that we all have days when doubt enters in and our faith is tested, in one way or another. As for the children of Israel, after being delivered from Egypt; they were given a covenant, which involved the law of Moses, which, believe it or not, put them back into bondage. They were in bondage in Egypt, delivered from the physical bondage they were given there; and they were put into a spiritual bondage when God gave them His commandments. 

 Basically, there was really no way that they could perfectly keep from breaking God's law! As I have shared about myself, that was the thing that caused me to rebel and give up on serving God; even though my motives where all about works. When I truly discovered I could not keep God's laws, I turned away and excepted my fate of being damned to hell. Once that was my reality that I settled for, nothing I did mattered any more, and I just did whatever I wanted to do. 

 Now then, here is the message of the powerful love of God! He does not let you go! When God said that He regarded them not, it didn't mean that He gave up on them, but He let them do what they wanted to do, which basically means, He knew their fate. But He also had a plan that was greater than their fate! There is really no way to simply explain it, because God's ways are way above our understanding.

 But, as far as my own personal testimony, there is a very good example of how this all works. The children of Israel surely are a mirror of the Normal Christian Life; whichever journey you have been down, there is some sort of a connection with what Israel went through, and how God manifested Himself back into their lives. The people that He has chosen, do not get too far away from Him; even if they try, He will pull them back, one way or another...

"When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have the right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles." (Romans 9:21-24 NLT) 

 

   

"Particularly So!"

"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord." (Hebrews 8:9 KJV)

  "Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God's promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God's own fulfillment of his promise. These two women serve as an illustration of God's two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother." (Galatians 4:21-26 NLT) 

 Having been set free from my sins for over forty-four years, I sure have sinned a lot, making it hard to even believe that I have truly been freed my sin. I really don't think I am alone in this matter; but one thing I will never forget, sins and all: Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, and He died on that cross for my sins, each and every one; even the sins that I might have today! 

 Not that I am planning to sin; if you count last night as today, then so far today, I have already sinned, just by some dream that I might have had during the night. I hardly ever get sound sleep during the night, as my wife has several times when she needs me to suction her Trech, which sometimes might be once or twice an hour. My night sleep is generally about three or four hours; maybe six if we have a really good night. 

 Anywho, this basically is a continuation of, "the blame game," as we see the children of Israel being disregarded by God, as He says; but in no uncertain terms, He really still regarded them, but they still were not grateful and willing to trust Him completely. The Bible says clearly that God feed them and provided water for them, even in the wilderness, which they made to be their grave. And, for forty years of walking through that wilderness, their shoes did not wear out! I don't care how tuff your shoes might be, you will wear them out within just a few years, walking around in the wilderness where there are hardly any roads at all.  

 Besides that, He guided them and protected them in that wilderness, with a cloud by day, and a fire by night. Those who died and did not make it through the forty years, mostly died of natural causes; with the exception of those swallowed up in the earthquake, and those who refused to look at the bronze serpent Moses lifted up on the pole.

 Basically, this set of circumstances and disasters, could have been avoided, if they had just trusted God and believed that they were actually being saved! Over and over again, they looked back to Egypt, sometimes for what they missed, and other times for the discomfort they felt in the wilderness. Regardless of which one it was, (sometimes both,) they blamed God or Moses for taking them through a journey they never dreamed of having!

 By the way, I asked someone yesterday if they knew what Eve meant, and why Adam gave her that name. It surely didn't mean "Woman," because that was meant to be about her coming out of the man! No, this was about the Man that would come from the woman, as God clearly said, "The seed of the woman," which would bring forth a Child, saying to the devil, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15 KJV)

 Adam named her after God had told him, "In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground: for out it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living." (Genesis 3:19-20 KJV)

 When we see all of what God did to make us know how much He really loves us, it makes the journey, whether it is hard or uncomfortable, seem remarkably better, no matter how many circumstances and disasters we encounter. That is where our peace comes from, knowing that no matter what, we will be making it to the other side...

"As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's close to the other side of the lake," So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown."" (Mark 4:35-38 NLT) 

"The Blame Game" - Too

"For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:" (Hebrews 8:8 KJV)

  "And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life." (John 3:14-15 NLT)

 As I was thinking about the post yesterday, I thought about that tree, which was forbidden, wondering what kind of fruit it might have been. After quite a bit of thought, I imagined it was most likely not an apple, but a pomegranate, remembering that fruit was displayed on several things in the Temple. But, after thinking about it long enough, I determined that it really didn't matter what fruit it was, it wasn't going have magical powers; it was Adam and Eve's eating what God said not to eat, that is what gave them the Knowledge of Good and Evil! 

 The Lord put this upon my heart, which has somewhat of an identical comparison to that illustration. For starters, when we accepted Christ Jesus into our hearts, at that very moment, we were set free from our sins. Understandably, we have this issue of, shall we say, holding onto those sins, not because we want to, but because we still blame ourselves for all those bad things we have done.  

 It is sometimes harder to forgive ourselves, than it is to forgive others! Therefore, I would associate that tree in that same pattern, much like it was something in their minds, which brought them into their sinful condition, so to, we have an issue, now and again, bringing up those things of the past, feeling ashamed and forgetting that we have been freed from all our sins.

 I know it might sound crazy, but much like those children of Israel that were dying from snake-bit in the wilderness; all they had to do was look at the bronze serpent on the pole, and they would be healed. Why did they not believe it would work? Why do we sometimes feel or believe that all of our sins have not really been forgiven?  

 Believing in Jesus Christ also must include that we believe that He truly died for all of our sins; and because of that great sacrifice He suffered though, His blood covered the sins of the entire world! That means everyone that has ever lived, including Adam and Eve. 

 So what do you believe? Can't you see yourself being totally cleansed by His precious blood? Give it all to Him and quit taking the blame for things you can never undo; He has removed them for you...

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one - for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then can condemn us? No one - for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us." (Romans 8:31-34 NLT)   

"The Blame Game"

 "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:" (Hebrews 8:8 KJV)

  ""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."" (Isaiah 55:3-5 NLT)

 Again, let me repeat myself, as I have several times already: We, the Church, are a mirror image of Israel and all of their comings and goings! In other words, what we see throughout the Scriptures that show them following the LORD, following their flesh, being corrected by the LORD, turning back to Him, and then repeating it all over again; these things are basically a reflection of the Normal Christian Life! 

 Maybe you don't mess up as much as they did, but you must understand something abundantly clear: God judges our hearts, more than He judges our actions! Just think about it, without trying to ignore any of the wrong thoughts you might have had towards anyone; and see if you don't fail the test. We are all sinners, tried and true, there is no getting around it; but we have been saved by God's grace, meaning that we have not deserved the wonderful grace He has given us! 

 I really don't know how else to explain this, but God has put it upon Himself, the sinfulness of us all! We don't deserve it, but we surely did need it! Only by His grace are we saved...

"For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people - an agreement confirmed by my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it." For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again." (1 Corinthians 11:23-27 NLT)  

"An Occasion for Acting"

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second." (Hebrews 8:7 KJV) 

  "When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: "The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD'S favor has come." He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them, "The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day."" (Luke 4:16-21 NLT)

 As there are several variations to explain the reason God just didn't make man to obey and love Him, as if mankind was programed to follow His every command; then there wouldn't have been any law needed to show us how we love ourselves more, wanting to do what we want, not what God says to do. But God did not want robots that obey without choice; He wanted mankind to obey Him because they love Him, and, knowing full well that He loves them more!  

 There are several ways we can see this is the plan from the very beginning. As I have said before, God placed that forbidden tree in the middle of the Garden for a specific reason; and then He told Adam, 'You can eat from every tree, but that one; the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.' As of before the day that he took of that fruit, he technically did know what evil was; supposably, that is! 

 Whether or not you can believe it, God already knew that Adam was going to eat of that forbidden fruit, because that is why it was even there to begin with. Why else, but to give Adam something to not eat, is something, so tempting to him, in the middle of the whole Garden? 

 God had a plan, before He even created the earth, that there was only one way to make man in His image, and that requires love! There had to be more than just a garden and living, to cause man to fall in love, wholeheartedly, with his Creator; and that was for God to do something so radical, that it would cause mankind to fall deeply in love with Him!

 Why was that first covenant not faultless? Because we all sin...

"Why then was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. Is there a conflict, then, between God's law and God's promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God's promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ." 

 

"Better Promises"

  "If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said:

  "The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the LORD. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, 'You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest will know me already. And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins." 

  When God speaks of a "new" covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear." (Hebrews 8:7-13 NLT)

  "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2 KJV)

 Now, about that last statement of being ashamed: It is my deep understanding that we have been given the Holy Spirit in order to practice righteousness, know the Scriptures we read, experience the newness we have been given, and have the ability for God to work in and through our lives. Additionally, He takes those things we do that are not right, and He convicts our hearts, in order to make us aware of the wrong things we are doing. 

 In other words, when we think of the Holy Spirit as a Helper, it isn't just to help us practice doing righteous things, knowing the Scriptures, experience our new life, and do the works God has for us; He is also able to correct us when we are wrong, walk in our flesh, or do not love others as we should. In laymen's terms, He is living within us to make us more like Jesus! 

 There is a very good reason for us to feel ashamed when we sin, because it is needed to make us aware of the wrongs we have done, which is actually a much needed and important part of the salvation we have been given. If you feel ashamed, for any reason, it is most likely because the Holy Spirit is showing the darkness within your heart. When we feel that way, we need to know that there needs to be a correction in some part of our lives.

 Through experience, (hopefully not for long,) we can offend the Spirit by not letting Him guide and correct us; because He is a Gentleman, He will not try and force us to do what He wants. However! He is always working on getting you to move in the right direction...

"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:24-25 KJV)  

"A More Excellent Ministry" - Too

 "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 8:6 KJV)

  "So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness. You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer sacrifices that please God." (2 Peter 2:1-5 NLT)

 I am well aware that everyone isn't meant to be the ones who preach and teach God's word, because we all have different gifts and functions; but almost everyone has the ability to share their own personal testimony, to say the least. More than that, we are all citizens of Heaven, which means that we are more about Home, then we are about this life here on earth. When that is demonstrated, those who might watch our lives will be convinced that the New Life we have is real. 

 Not that I have perfected the ability to always demonstrate what that looks like; but I can tell you from experience, those things which are hard to deal with and comprehend, are the things that make me live out my Heavenly Home the most. The little things, they seem to agitate me, and I tend to get in the flesh, more than I would like to see happen. But those things that I cannot control, like death and serious illnesses, they are all in God's hands, which then makes we just trust and believe He is in full control.

 When you are able to trust God in the big trials and tribulations, you can express joy, which is something that really makes those watching, to really consider! That is pretty much what Peter is describing, as we are "living stones," each and every one of us are a special piece of His Spiritual Temple! 

 Before I start into the rest of chapter 8, I feel as though there is something very important that needs to be shown about these "Better Promises" that we are about to go into; most importantly, we are still sinners, that much we must not forget. If we think that we have somehow overcome something and we have everything under control, we are setting ourselves up for some serious awakening, to say the least. 

 That is why we need to focus upon Heaven, knowing that it is only when we are Home, is when we will be totally free from our sinful desires, and will absolutely be unashamed...

"This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1 John 1:5-10 NLT)  

"A More Excellent Ministry"

 "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 8:6 KJV)

  "He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn't we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!" (2 Corinthians 3:6-11 NLT)

 Just to be clear, the glory of God that had shone of Moses' face, did not last long. He ended up putting a napkin or veil over his face, not to hide the glory being shone, but so that nobody would notice that it had left. It really does happen to just about everyone that is sharing or preaching God's word. As they share, and the Spirit is manifesting through them, they become radiant, for a certain period; but it does ware off. If you don't know what I mean, you can see it in almost every preacher as they are sharing, and then when you meet them later, they almost look like another person. 

 Anywho, we all need to be ready in season and out of season, to preach the Word of God! If you really don't know what that means, it is that we are always prepared for the opportunity to share, even though we were not expecting the opportunity to happen! When the right time comes, we must be ready and take the opportunity to share the Good News; even though you are not prepared or in the right place; as long as you have the reason, it is the season you must take advantage of, the moment the Spirit prompts you! 

 Perfect strangers are included, especially so; meaning that you can make a special impact without them knowing who you really are. When God opens a door, we must be ready and willing to share what He puts upon our hearts; you never really know what will become of it, except that you did what you were told to do, and that really matters...

"I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you." (2 Timothy 4:1-5 NLT)