"Bon Appetit!"

 "But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." (Hebrews 10:27 KJV)

  "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every though into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV)

 Okay, so those situations of testing how to make sinful desires take control, although they seem rather childish, they are very real and they must be defeated! Let me tell you from experience, the thing about walking in the Light, is that you really don't get to hide in the darkness, because you will be noticed and you will feel the discomfort of all those that look upon you.

 This portion of Scripture was the main theme of brother Jay's book; and he called it, "The Polar Bear Alert." It is something that we practice saying to ourselves when we are thinking of doing something that we should not be doing, which was the title of his book, called, "Counterattack." 

 The thing we must always look out for, especially when we are being victoriously walking as we should, the enemy will do all that he can to make us vulnerable and off-guard; we won't even realize it, unless we prepare ourselves by remembering the principles of "The Polar Bear Alert." 

 As we look upon this Scripture in Hebrews, there are some positive points to this, which some might be easy to overlook; mostly because it is part of the precious Scripture. If we could take a good look, the way I see it, there is a "But," that is meant to mean to reconsider! In other words, once we know the truth, we must use the Truth that we know, in order to defeat the enemy! 

 There just so much we can do on our own, in these frail and envious bodies; the power is not from us, but it comes from God...

"I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that the same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan the flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:5-7 NLT)  

"Christ or Judgment" - Two

 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins," (Hebrews 10:26 KJV)

  ""There is no judgment 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. And the 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 who 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 3:18-21 NLT)

 If you don't know this by now, it really shouldn't come to a surprise to you, if it hasn't happened to you yet, because we only keep hold of those sins that we like! That doesn't justify holding on to them, because sooner or later Jesus will cause you to turn from them and will give you the ability to turn the other way, making you hate whatever it was that you were holding onto. 

 If you haven't experienced it yet, I pray that you will, because it is very necessary that we do our very best to obey everything the Lord tells us to do; especially when it is something that is hindering our walk with the Lord! If you haven't had a chance to read that little booklet, "My Heart, Christ's Home," it is well worth you to give it a try. There are several different issues that are brought up, most of which are the things we do that grieve the Lord, without even giving it a second thought. 

 I really liked the part about going out to be entertained, without inviting Jesus to come with us; as he returned home, He is still sitting by the fireplace, asking, "Why didn't you ask me to come with you!" We should have no problem remembering what that looks like, because I'm pretty sure we are all guilty of it, in one way or another. 

 Having said all of that, we have many different ways to willfully sin, even though we know the truth! It is just a matter of preference and ability, like our brother Jay would say, 'It's like putting something you should not eat in the refrigerator,' as if you won't eat it, but still save it, just in case! Or that one about going into a place you should not go, but saying, 'only if there is a parking spot, right in front of the building,' and then you drive around the block several times, until a space becomes available...

 "Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD'S blessing and have a right relationship with God their Savior." (PSALM 24:3-5 NLT; A psalm of David) 

"Christ or Judgment"

 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins," (Hebrews 10:26 KJV)

  "How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep you servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free from guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." (PSALM 19:12-14 NLT)

 Today's post is one that takes us into some serious controversy, much of which is something that has a lot of judgment; most of which is the kind of stuff you might think are sequences from Soap Operas, such as General Hospital or Days of Our Lives. I have been involved in several arguments with people that have determined someone to have never been saved, just because they deliberately committed a sinful act, like having an affair or doing something which should never be done, especially from a man or woman of God. 

 Not to name names, but I know several very influential and well-known Pastors, some that were the heads of very large congregations, who fell from grace, as it were, by cheating on their wives; some even left their wives, even stepping down from their ministry in the process. The sad thing is, there were those that judged them as being lost for what they did, saying things like, "I don't think they were ever a Christian, but just pretended to be saved!" 

 Here is the point when we must think about something which God has made perfectly clear: We all our sinners, and some are more sinful that others! Sometimes the ones with the kindest hearts will be guilty of doing the cruelest and most unloving things, if they try to cover over their sins. If you don't think it is true, then you should remember King David, who had one of his faithful warriors killed, just to cover up the sin of sleeping with his wife, Bathsheba. 

 Did what he do make him destined to hell? Absolutely not! David begged for mercy for what he did; and God poured out grace in the process! Oh, there was several consequences which were in his life, due to the sin he committed, but those were all things that stayed here on this earth. David will be seen by us, when we meet all of the saints in heaven!      

 With all of that, there is nothing we can do that cannot be forgiven; with the exception of not asking God for His forgiveness...     

""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you 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 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)

"What Makes Me Happy!"

 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25 KJV)

  "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT)

 If there was one thing I could say about the importance of going to church, it is the charge I get from being together with by brothers and sisters! It like charging up your battery, from one service to another, we have fellowship and remind ourselves as we come together that we are all one glorious body, even though we all have different lives and circumstances, we still all have one thing in common: We Love Jesus! 

 Actually, I think it is one of the most important things we can do, to make every effort to fellowship with one another. Besides charging up our spiritual battery, we also have some way to keep holding each other accountable. If we don't keep fellowship together, and stay to ourselves, we begin to feel alone and start thinking we don't really matter. That is a terrible thing to feel, because each of us do matter!  

 The thing I really like the most, (which might sound weird,) is to notice who hasn't been to church for a while and to pray for them to show up. The is one of my happiest moments, when I see them walk into church, thinking in my heart, that maybe that little prayer made a difference. 

 I know it really sounds weird, but we all need to have people that continually pray for us, even if we don't know who or why they do, we all need to be prayed for by someone! Praying for others is not meant to point out their discrepancies or problems; but to admonish the good and ask God to bless them. We all have things that are wrong in our lives, in one form or fashion, but we, just like every family, must focus upon the good in each other and not try to sniff out the bad in one other.

 Anywho, that is my take on what real fellowship looks like, because more than anything, love does not look at what is wrong in anyone, but cherishes the good in people, always reminding ourselves that we are all not perfect, but we soon will be! 

 If that was not the case, I would have given up a long time ago! But I keep looking forward to the day, that glorious day, when I see my wife totally healed and us speaking together in a perfect place with everyone else that we have loved and cared for! That time will happen, which is what makes me happier and happier, as the day grows near...

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sister, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:4-8 NLT) 

"Love and Good Works" - To

 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:" (Hebrews 10:24 KJV)

  "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important." (Galatians 6:1-3 NLT)

 If you must know, sometimes I get really carried away with certain words, especially those that call us to action. There are certain times when we really don't know what we must do. It is times like that when we really need to stop and pray, asking God to show us how to be humble enough to love, even though we might not like doing it! 

 There are so many different things that set people off and telling them that they are wrong, only makes for more disagreement. Like Jesus said, ""And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."" (Matthew 7:3-5 NLT)

 Therein is the point I was trying to make yesterday, that the, "provoke," which might appear to be a negative thing, is actually a good thing when it involves us, as we are those responsible to consider how we must act and what we most do, even when we might not want to do it! 

 The NLT has that used in a different term, saying, "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works". Which is all well and good, as long as you are doing the love and good works first, which allows us to show the way, and not just talk about it! 

 Anywho, I am probably the least likely person that can always do what I feel the Lord wants me to do; anytime I plan to be loving and caring, praying to God that He will make me so; the next thing I know, I'm dealing with someone that pushes my buttons, and sets me off! Go figure! 

 You ask God to help you to love, and then He give you a situation where you don't like loving the way that you should; but that is how you learn to love, regardless of how you might feel; you deny yourself and love them anyways... 

"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well" - but then you don't give that person and food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." (James 2:14-17 NLT)

"Love and Good Works"

"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works:" (Hebrews 10:24 KJV)

  "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT)

 Sometimes it just doesn't matter how hard we try; we are always going to need to count on the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit within us that will allow us to surrender our selfishness and put others first, even if it means we don't get complemented or admonished for doing so! We serve the Lord more than anything else, which actually means, we don't expect to get rewarded for serving others, because then that will be our reward, which is completely temporary and easily forgotten. 

 "Only what you do for the Lord will last!" Something that is sometimes easily forgotten while we serve and try hard to love and serve others. If we don't receive any thanks or acknowledgment for what we have done, we might feel as though we are not appreciated; but it not for sake of getting rewarded here, on this earth; the rewards we are looking for are stored up in Heaven! 

 It is very interesting to see this word, "provoke," used to show the passion, because it isn't a verb or an adjective; it is a noun, a masculine noun, at that! The actual definition is one of hostility, such as would be contention or dispute (in anger). If you could make that appear in a form that might show action, the word, "to," and the word, "unto," would make it easier to understand. 

 Putting others first is also something that must be put into practice; it is something we must learn how to do, even though it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, it doesn't really work without learning how to use it! Challenging, yes; but not impossible if you allow the Spirit to guide and direct you, without trying to do it on your own. 

 That is something I know I need to work on, because without His help, I will protect myself more and think about myself first, before I consider the needs of others first. Just saying...

""Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets."" (Matthew 7:12 NLT) 

"Holding the Course!" - Too

 "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for he is faithful that promised;)" (Hebrews 10:23 KJV)

  "One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they got into the boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, "Where is your faith?" The disciples were terrified and amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!"" (Luke 8:22-25 NLT)

 This is something that I have shared more than once, maybe three times; but it never gets old, because it is always something we go through, time and time again. Most of us know that little thing about the poster or picture, "Footprints in the Sand"; I have one on my wall above my coffee bar, so it is always there to remind me that Jesus always keeps His promise: "He will get us to the other side!" 

 It is the storms in this life that strengthen us and cause us to know how important it is to trust the Lord, no matter how hard or difficult the storm might appear, He is always faithful to get us through whatever is going on, no matter what circumstance we are in, His promise is still the same: We will make it to the other side! 

 If you are not familiar with the, "Footprints in the Sand," it is basically the tale of a believer who died and is with the Lord, looking back at his life, seeing the trail of footprints along the shore. As he studies the prints, both Jesus and his footprints are seen walking together; yet, in the stormy time of his life, he sees only one set of footprints. So he questions Jesus, asking Him, why there was only one set of footprints when my life was at its worse? Jesus replied, "Those were the times when I was carrying you!" 

 I know that we sometimes get into problems and issues that we make our own, some of which we just never think we can get out of; but no matter what it might be that caused our calamity or disaster, we can always trust in the Lord to get us through the storm; even if it was our own mess that caused it! It might be debatable, but the messes we make sometimes can't be fixed; but the Lord can make beauty from ashes! 

 This particular storm, which caused the disciples to fear death, was not really to test their faith, but was an act of the devil to try and stop Jesus from getting to the other side. Although the devil can try, he cannot change the course the Lord has established; Jesus was sleeping, because He knew they were going to the other side. The disciples knew nothing else, but that they were in danger of dying!  

 There is really no difference from our storms and that which the disciples feared over; we really have nothing we can do, except let Jesus do whatever it is He wants to do. We just need to trust in Him, and have a little faith...

"Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NLT) 

"Holding the Course!"

 "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" (Hebrews 10:23 KJV)

  ""Because you have obeyed my command to preserve, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown."" (Revelation 3:10-11 NLT) 

 There are some things that just seem too obvious to ignore, most of which are the things we see going on in this world, that appear to be spinning out of control. As far as I am concerned, it looks good and is well with my soul, no matter how crazy it might appear: God is still on the Throne! 

 This little portion of Scripture from Revelation is Jesus addressing the Church of Philadelphia, which is probably the only church Jesus didn't have too harsh of things to say, except that that had little strength, yet they obeyed and did not deny Him. That might sound like they are lacking something, such as the ability to be strong; but in God's economy, being strong is not always a good thing...

"If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won't do it, because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life and hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NLT)  

"Most Certain Confidence" - Again

 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22 KJV) 

  "Understand this, my brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls." (James 1:19-21 NLT)

 You might have heard it said, "God has given us two ears and one mouth for a reason; we need to listen twice as much as we speak!"  Hopefully that doesn't offend anyone, because I know for a fact that needs to be put to use more in my own life. "Sometimes it's just best to not say anything, if we can't say anything good!" (That's what my mom always said.) 

 I feel as though this topic is hard for some to understand; and the worse thing is, those who do get the point, don't really want to talk about it, let alone, consider it might be an issue they want to deal with. We all have our own Pet Peeves, the things that are just little annoyances that people do; things that really don't matter much, except when you bring it up. 

 There is more to this than just saying that we love one another, because true love for one another requires caring and wanting to help when you know someone needs comfort or prayer. If I had a dollar for every encounter I had when I felt the need to pray for or comfort someone but didn't; well, you get the point. I would be feeling a whole lot richer if I had taken the time to do what I felt I should have done. 

 There is a very big example of what James says next, that might add a little to what I just said...

"But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:22-25 NLT)  

"Most Certain Confidence" - To

 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22 KJV)

  "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude                     "Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude                           "Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude" (PSALM 32:1-7 NLT)

 As I pondering all the different things that are being shown, in the passage above from Hebrews, it made me think about how important it is that we make every effort to love and forgive one another, even if it might not be our fault; just the thought of neglecting to make the effort, to reconcile your issue, is technically a sin on your part. I know that might not seem right in the eyes of some, but Jesus made this perfectly clear, saying, ""So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."" (Matthew 5:23-24 NLT) 

 I know it might not seem like much to worry about, to some; but as we saw yesterday, every part of the body is just that: Part of the Body of Christ! We must love one another, no matter what! We all have all kinds of things wrong with us, in one way or another; there are none of us that are perfect, none of us can avoid being offended or even have the power to forgive others as we should. That kind of power can only come from us being submitted to the Holy Spirit and by forgetting about our own needs, putting the need to serve others first! 

 Not that I am any better than anyone else, because I have some of the worst ways to offend and cause people grief. I try to blame it on the pressure and the circumstances of my life; when instead, I should be rejoicing that I am forgiven and have things much more wonderful to look forwards to! 

 This might not seem perfectly correct in the eyes of some, but sometimes we might think someone has something against us, but they don't even know it, nor is it even true. Just us thinking it is so, is more than enough reason to bring it up with them; even by just apologizing for thinking they were. You can't even imagine what kind of things we sometimes think, when we feel like we know what is going on in the hearts and minds of others, when we can't even control everything going on in our own...

"The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathways for your life. I will advise you and watch oner you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control." Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD. So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!" (PSALM 32:8-11 NLT)   

"Most Certain Confidence"

 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22 KJV)

  "Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if we don't feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us." (1 John 3:18-24 NLT)

 There were so many more things I wanted to say, as the night was filled with 'Swirling Eddies' as I felt the Lord was opening my mind to so many different there were, in one way or another, reconciled and made new. Although Jesus said from the cross, "It is finished!", it did not mean that everything was completely done; there were still many things to do, and there still are several more to come! 

 I have heard it told that the Apostle John, towards the end of his life, would be carried out on a chair to present a message to the congregation. Those who brought him out would sit him down to face the audience, and then John would speak, saying, "Love one another!" after that, they would pick him back up and take him away. 

 In the passage above, John mentions two different characters, yet they are not different people he is addressing. We are all God's children, and we must all be friends with one another...

"If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it only had one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it." (1 Corinthians 12:17-27 NLT)

"The Great Reset"

 "And having a high priest over the house of God;" (Hebrews 10:21 KJV)

  "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death." (Ephesians 2:14-16 NLT) 

 Thinking about this through several different ways, pretty much all through the night, I couldn't help but think about why this great divide had so many different angles and yet there was really only one cure that brought everything back together. As previously shown, more times than needed, there was a divide that was first established during the creation, which separated, in some form or fashion, earth from Heaven; this may not be the first separation, but it seems to have been the first to involve God's distance from that of His creation for mankind. 

 And yes, there was fellowship with man and God before the fall, that is very obvious; yet there was also fellowship God after the fall, the only difference was that mankind had to die in the process! Even that little issue of death was taken care of on the cross; besides the veil being torn, which represented the gap between man and God, it also brought brand-new life, a life that was meant to last forever and ever.

 There are only certain things that really matter in this crazy world we are living in, most of which the world cannot truly understand. Being here is only temporary, and you only get this little time to make it work, believing in God and wanting to know Him is important, yes! But having a relationship with Him means more than anything this world could ever offer...

"The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth." (PSALM 146:17-18 NLT) 

"A New and Living Way" - Too

 "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;" (Hebrews 10:20 KJV)

  ""I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate mana in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I and the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh." Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked. So Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever."" (John 6:47-58 NLT)

 Anywho; if you thought yesterday's post was a little confusing, that was just the start. It might be hard to explain the sequence of the events, but there is a real important reason that the veil was torn just before He gave up His spirit on the cross; besides the fact that it was the whole reason He came, to reconcile God to mankind. It was His flesh that was torn which made that curtain to tear; it was His blood that was spilt, that washed away our sins. 

 It really is hard to understand this whole concept of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, if that is, you don't believe that it truly worked! I cannot count the number of times I have been given the question, in one form or another, "How can the death of one man on a cross save the whole world from death?" 

 When you get that sort of a question, there is really only one explanation that is clear enough to say, yet still hard for many to completely understand: "It was God who made it happen for that very purpose!" Without explaining every little step, that is pretty much the how everything really happened. God made a way, a powerful way, to pay the penalties for the sins of the entire world; and because it was His sacrifice that made it happen, it is His choice as to if it really worked! 

 We are the ones that need to believe it is so; and by believing it completely we are eating His flesh and drinking His blood, because those two things made it happen! Sometimes it takes a little time to chew on that, before you can actually accept it...

"Many of his disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone except it?" Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me." (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn't believe, and he knew who would betray him.)" (John 6:60-64 NLT)   

"A New and Living Way"

 "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;" (Hebrews 10:20 KJV) 

  "By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last." (Luke 23:44-46 NLT)

 First off, there is a very interesting connection given between the veil and the flesh of Jesus. Without getting too carried away, it is Luke's investigative reasoning to show the timeline and the sequence of the veil being torn, and then the death of Jesus. Many have been able to prove that Jesus' death was brought on by a ruptured heart; they come to this conclusion because of the blood mixed with water, that came out of His side when the Roman soldier stuck the spear in Him, to make sure He was dead.  

 If you know anything about Luke, you should know that he was a doctor; so, he might have known some things about the human body, and also what that veil represented, which was that of separation from God! And not just that, but both Matthew and Mark have it recorded that veil was torn after Jesus died, not before He took His last breath. 

 Basically, what I am trying to say, is the ruptured heart of Jesus, which was literally torn, was the trigger that ripped the veil from top to bottom. When the veil was torn, it represented the separation between God and mankind was removed; the deed had been done, His heart was no longer giving Him life, and His deed was done; with His dying breath He released His Spirit!  

 Some say Paul, some say Luke; some even say Mark. But there was a time in Paul's incarceration when all three of them were together. I can only imagine the conversations they had together...

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. "They will be my people," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."" (Malachi 3:16-18 NLT)   

"We Can Be Close to God"

 "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," (Hebrews 10:19 KJV)

  "He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us." (Ephesians 2:17-18 NLT) 

 Before I get into this, I must warn you that I am not really feeling all that well, so if this seems a little of, I can blame it on the meds and the lack of sleep. That said, there are times when I seriously feel that I am in God's presence; not physically, but definitely spiritually. This usually happens when I am praying with the Holy Spirit's guidance, usually because I really don't know what it is that I need to pray for. 

 If that doesn't make any sense to you, it really doesn't have to; it just happens, sometimes without even trying! There is this thing about praying intensely, when you just know that you're in His presence, even though you really don't know what it is that you want to say. He is just so gracious enough to answer and give you the peace you need; He can do so because He knows your heart and every thought that you are thinking. 

 One of my most intense prayers was the night of August 12th, 2003, which was the night I was told by the hospital staff that I needed to go home and get some rest. When I got home, I had no plan whatsoever to go to bed, but I went into my office, throw myself down on the floor, and cried out to God. It was one of the most intense prayers that I have ever prayed; so much so, my body was quivering, and I was weeping like a little baby. 

 After an hour or so, I suddenly felt a calm peace that came over me; almost as if the whole thing was handled and there was really nothing else to do, but to get to bed. It was probably about almost 2am and I was planning to go back to the hospital early that morning. When my head hit the pillow, I was out; but then waking up at 4am and feeling refreshed; that must have been a God thing! 

 You might not have any idea what I am trying to say, if you haven't experienced it yourself; but when you whole life gets turned upside-down in one night, your perspective on what life really means has a whole new meaning! For over three months I was at that hospital every morning, afternoon, and night; reading Scriptures to my wife and praying for her. 

 It was hard to do, but I did go to a Men's Retreat in October, but everything they taught on, although it was good, it made me feel I needed get back to my wife. This is not something you plan on happening, and you surely can't prepare for something that you don't believe will happen. 

 I am saying this because it really matters that you put God first in your life! He is the One that holds everything together, Everything! You must make every effort to make Him the center of your life; and when you feel as though you're failing to do so, pray harder for Him to help...    

"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:4-7 NLT)

"A Call to Persevere"

   "And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

  "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

  "Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to us. For we know the one who said, "I will take revenge. I will pay them back." He also said, "The LORD will judge his own people." It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 "Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

  "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. "For in just a little while the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away." But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved." (Hebrews 10:19-39 NLT)

  "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (Isaiah 55:1-3 KJV)

 Sorry for the long message, it was pretty much all I could do, just to type it all out. Hopefully it was not filled with all kinds of mistakes; it really has been a very brutal weekend, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better...

"How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light we shall see light." (Psalms 36:7-9 KJV) 

"Making it Mean Something"

 "Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin." (Hebrews 10:18 KJV)

 "Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!" (PSALM 150:1-2 NLT)

 There is something else I have discovered over all these years, the whole notion of aliens is really not true; there are many people who think they are real, as more and more are believing that we are not alone. Well, I agree, we are surely not alone! Never have we ever been not alone! There was a time, a brief time when God quit communicating to us through the prophets, which around 450-425 B.C., when the Book of Malachi was written, telling of coming Messiah, but not before that day the prophet, Elijah, must come. 

 We should all know who that was, as it was John the Baptist; the one who came in the spirit of Elijah, to announce Jesus, "The Lamb of God", the Messiah that came to save the world! Oddly enough, He was not what they were looking for, even though the Scriptures clearly said why He would come and what He was meant to do. 

 So you can see, there are many ways that people can be deceived by certain phenomenon; even Jesus was thought of as being a spirit, and those that crucified Him thought that He was demonic or crazy. Even His own brothers made fun of Him, thinking He just wanted popularity. This is really not all that hard to see: There are supernatural encounters all the time, whether it be demons or angels; we are surely not alone, because they are absolutely real! 

 The apostle Paul uses this as an example of the real battle we fight, saying: "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12 NLT) 

 As to the statement in Hebrews, "there is no more offering for sin," that is because sin was defeated on the cross; Jesus paid the full price for everyone's sin, once and for all! And it is just like when Moses lifted up that snake in the wilderness, those who looked upon it and believed were healed; those that did not, died. They died because they did want to do what God asked them to do, even though they were told that it would heal them!

 Talk about strange things happening in outer space; stranger things are happening right here on earth... 

""God sent his son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment 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. And the 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 who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear 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 3:17-21 NLT)     

"Before I Go"

 "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 10:17 KJV)

  "For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die." (PSALM 103:11-15 NLT)

 I really think that God made the universe to amaze us and show us just how wonderful and powerful He really is! You might not know this, but the fear of the LORD is not meant that we should be afraid of Him, which was the reaction of Adam and Eve, in that garden after they ate the fruit, they were told not to eat. But what it really means is that we reverence Him, we are in awe of Him, and we recognize His awesome power and authority! 

 This is something Solomon knew and understood, even though he might have broken a few of God's commands. I am more that certain he be seen by us when we make it into Heaven! Hopefully you're in favor of that, because everything, that means all of the stuff we have done, will be forgiven for those who fear the LORD.

 Having said that, I know from experience that we sometimes still feal guilty for some on the things we have done, which is why I truly believe that those stars in the sky were placed there for us to gaze upon and think of His awesome power. If my God can do all of that, amazing work, imagine how much more He is capable of forgiving our sins! 

 If that was His plan from the very beginning, even before He made the heavens and the earth, then we who believe and are saved have nothing to worry about; if you are His, His you will be...

"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. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels." (Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT) 

"Spiritual Consecration"

 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;" (Hebrews 10:16 KJV) 

""When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, 'The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.'"" (John 16:13-15 NLT)

 Looking up the definition for the word, "Consecration," it typically means to make, declare, or ordain something to be sacred or holy. Whether you know it or not, your salvation comes with a sacred and holy body, because God's Spirit is living within you! The church does not exist in a building; we are the church; we might gather in buildings, but the church is the body of Christ, not sticks and stone, but flesh and blood that belongs to Him, Christ Jesus, who is the Head of the church. 

 Most of the believers have that understanding and will agree that it is our sacred duty to watch what we do with this body, as it is ordained and belongs to the Lord. Whatever it is, but there is some sort of fog or forgetfulness that happens when we sin; especially when it becomes a craving, even after we are told not to do it! If you don't know what I mean, then good for you. The rest of us, mostly, that know, from experience, will think you are lying and just don't think whatever you did wasn't all that sinful. 

 It could just be me, but I have been through some times when I actually learned how to sin and thought I was getting by with it. It isn't really all that hard to do, because if you are trying to satisfy a craving, of any sort, it will just grow naturally. That was the cause of that very first sin, performed by Adam and Eve. It was the desire to fulfill a craving; and when you have a caving, guess how shows up to help you get what you want! 

 Anywho, the main thing that must remain the Main Thing, and that is, that the Spirit of God is abiding within you; therefore, you must make every effort to remain pure and consecrated by the Power within you...

"Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." (Romans 8:5-7 NLT)  

"Devine Inspiration"

 "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before," (Hebrews 10:15 KJV)

  "Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and remind you of everything I have told you."" (John 14:23-26 NLT)

 This is meant to be a reminder to all, that the Holy Spirit is more than a Comforter, a Helper, and a Teacher; He is also an Advocate, who speaks for our transformation and reminds us of what we are and how we must keep moving forward. The actual term, "Advocate," is a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy; a champion, upholder, supporter, backer, and promoter.

 Yes, He is also a Gentleman that is not forceful, but guides us where we should go, which sometimes is not where we want to go, but because He is our Advocate He will not give up on us! He will remain, always ready to inspire and teach us, always on our side; even when we mess up, He has still got our back, waiting patiently for us to turn and be ready to do what He says! 

 This reminds me of the time when I wanted to write a book, called: "Champion of Companionship." I really can't even remember when it was, maybe back in 2015; but I was inspired to do it because of the words of a brother who has moved on, as he was speaking on the News about Companionship, saying that he felt it would be okay for a spouse to divorce their significant other, if they had some sort a brain disorder; just for the sake of Companionship.

 I was standing over my wife at the time he said that and felt as though I wanted to scream at him, not really believing that he knew what he was saying and how wicked it was to even say what he said. When we who are Christians make a vow, before God and all of our witnesses, we take an oath: "I, Richard, take you, Marianne, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy law; and this is my solemn vow!" 

 There really isn't any point of debate in what that vow means! Besides that, Companionship is not something you just walk away from, because you are One! That is how the Holy Spirit works too, He will be there always, even if you lose your mind, He will still be there to comfort and help you, to the very end...    

""Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."" (Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT) 

"Perfection!"

 "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10:14 KJV)

  "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." (Colossians 1:19-22 NLT)

 I know it might not feel as though we have been perfected, as we still struggle and stumble, as we live in this world trying not to sin; but as long as we believe and abide in Christ, these imperfections are all just temporary, just as this tent will be transformed, so too, we go from being sanctified to glorified, into His glorious presence. Have you made that something you expect to happen? 

 The whole point to the salvation we have in Christ, is more than just the struggles we deal with here on this earth, because all of us will be dealing with struggles from time to time, it is just bound to happen. If you don't think it could happen to you, beware! We must always know, that in our flesh, we all are subject to temptations and making wrong choices. Whenever we think that we have overcome certain things and defeated the struggle against sin, things will start to get testy.

 It is all about the power of God, to overcome! No matter how hard it gets, He is greater than your failure and struggles! It is like that illustration of God telling us to move a giant big rock. We push and push, trying as hard as we can to move that rock, all the while we feel defeated and sometimes want to give you. But after a while you just have to cry out to God, saying, "Why did you asked me to do something I can't do?" God will say, "Why are you complaining? You got stronger trying to move that rock; and besides that, you never asked for my help." 

 That is us trying to deal with something we just can't seem to overcome; sometimes, God just wants you to deal with it and keep asking for His help...

"You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made his light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile cray jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." (2 Corinthians 4:5-7 NLT)  

"Expectation!" - Too

 "From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." (Hebrews 10:13 KJV)

  "So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we 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 15:21-23 NLT)

 Hopefully this is something we can all agree upon, because this is pretty much what this journey is all about! We all are waiting for that glorious day when we will be united with Christ, whether it is while we are here living on this earth, or have already pasted on, when Jesus returns for His bride, both those who have already died and we who remain will be transformed and taken up, in the blink of an eye!

 Whether that is what you believe or not, you must still believe that He is coming back to take you home; in one form or another, you must have hope that everything He has said is absolutely true. God does not lie! When He says that something will happen, it will happen, one way or another. 

 As to that Parable of the Talents, all of us are given something to do, whether we know what it is or not, He is doing a work in us, one way or another. Get use to that term, because you must believe that your life in Christ does not exist without some sort of a meaning. Which reminds me of the Potter that makes things out of clay; some for something beautiful to be put into, and something to throw trash into; we really do not know which one we are, until we see the results in Heaven; at least that is the case for most of us. 

 It is just a thought, but sometimes just the encounter with one lost soul, is enough to cause a change in thousands of souls that are headed to hell! Think about that, because sharing Jesus with anyone, could be more profitable that you could ever expect...

"As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced." Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring the good news!"" (Romans 10:11-15 NLT)

"Expectation!"

 "From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." (Hebrews 10:13 KJV)

  "The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet."" (PSALM 110:1 NLT)

 As much as it is an expectation for the Lord, as He waits with anticipation, knowing full well that there will be complete and total victory; we are given the opportunity and the privilege to do the same, as we are expecting the completion of the salvation that He has promised!  

 I truly believe this is what we should be doing, no matter how long it takes, we must always remember that are real home is in heaven, and this place we are in right now is just temporary! Even though it is not our real home, we are also expected to be a vessel that He uses to share the same Good News that we have been given, much like that Parable of the Talents. 

 If you don't know what the Parable of the Talents means, it is about you doing what you can with what the Lord has given you to do. Pretty simple to do, but not all do! Some just hide it away and keep it to themselves, when it meant to be shared and multiplied through others. 

 The expectant servant is always looking for a way to please his Master, which is our reason to be here...

""Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and untrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last - dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on this trip. "The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with the two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money."" (Matthew 25:14-18 NLT)  

"Victory on the Cross!"

 "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;" (Hebrews 10:12 KJV)

  "And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:16-17 NLT)

 I am very certain that many of us don't plan for the Lord's return any moment; as we all pretty much live as if we need to keep going on with life; planning how to make it through the next month of bills and how we keep it all together. I know this, because it is true about myself, and just about everyone else I know; we must go on living! 

 That said, I also know that He is coming soon; but it doesn't mean that we stop providing for our family or paying the bills. What it means is that we are loving one another and expecting Him to come back at any time; while we still do all that we can to provide for our families and to be a good witness to the grace we have been given. 

 As far as this "Victory on the Cross", there are so many things we need to remember about how God's way of making things right, have practically nothing in common with our ways! I could not help but think about my growing up as a kid, thinking what a shame it was for Jesus having to die on that cross, and how He suffered for just being good and serving others. 

 You must realize that there are many that don't even know what that death on the cross even meant; let alone who He was and why He came to pull it off...

"The massage of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent."" (1 Corinthians 1:18-19 NLT) 

"Touching the Surface" - 2

 "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:" (Hebrews 10:11 KJV)

  "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God's children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God." (1 John 5:1-5 NLT)

 You might have heard about the Christian's that are being killed in certain countries; it is not really anything that hasn't been happening before, but it is something that should make us aware of the way that the world and the church are different from one another. We are blessed to live in a country that doesn't persecute those who believe in Christ Jesus; at least it hasn't happened yet! 

 This is the thing about sin, whether or not you have been saved from it! Those who have had their sins forgiven, can actually feel free from the power of sin and know that they have a Heavenly Father that loves them. Those who don't want to be forgiven of their sins, hate those that do; much the same as Cain hated his brother. 

 There really isn't much more I can say about that, but it is more and more something we are seeing in the news, because the news is more and more viewable. Everyone has a phone to take pictures and record the things going on, all over the world. You must realize that these truly are the last days! 

 Please be ready, the KING will be coming for His bride very soon...

"But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in this life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God's Spirit in them. But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives." (Jude 17-23 NLT) 

"Touching the Surface"

 "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:" (Hebrews 10:11 KJV)

  ""O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."" (PSALM 50:7-15 NLT)

 There is something else that I failed to mention, which I have said previously, many times before. There is this thing called Sanctification, which is much like that dash on your grave marker, which is the life you live between you birth and your death. There is a major difference between the earthly dash and the one that is heavenly; the earthly one is your doing life and living in this world, but the heavenly dash is God's doing and living in you! 

 Just so you know, we are all just fragile jars of clay, breaking and spilling out over and over, while God keeps on fixing us and filling back up again, over and over again, throughout this wonderful journey! It might not feel as though He is working sometimes, but that is because we are really not paying attention: because He never stops working! 

 Besides all of that, mumbo-jumbo, I for one believe that we are already securely in a place called Heaven, from the time of our New Birth in Christ, we have entered into God's glory! That is what that title was meant for, "Catapult to Glory," because it is exactly what takes place when we are born again and entered into the Kingdom of God. We are now His children, and He is not letting go of us, ever...

""I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! "O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."" (John 17:22-26 NLT)  

"Catapult to Glory" - Too

 "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10 KJV)

  "Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth we love by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything." (1 John 3:18-20 NLT)

 When it comes to gifts, the ones that we are given by God, every gift that He has given us, to actually be a gift, it must be put to use! In other words, if you have a gift, such as the gift of healing, if you have never actually healed anyone, then where is the proof of that gift? We are all given something, even the simple act of sharing the Lord to someone; but even that requires an action: You open your mouth and speak! 

 Real love is also a gift from God! We know this because He loves us; and because we know that He loves us, unconditionally, we have been given the gift of knowing God's love; that love then abides in us, but it isn't of any use, if it is not put into action! Therein is the point of learning to love! It requires us to do something we sometimes fail to do: We must die to ourselves, just as Jesus sacrificed Himself in order to give us life and right standing with the Father! 

 It just doesn't get more real than that! Yet there are certain things we all have in common, most of which is the fact that we are not perfect, and we will at times put ourselves first, even though we know it is wrong, we will do it anyway. Yes, it happens with the best of us, even with Paul, when he and his friend Barnabus had their argument about Mark. 

 Much of what we go though in this life is about learning; that is what Pilgrim's do, they learn how to get through this life and come out on the other side victorious...

"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? And comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out for you own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 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." (Philippians 2:1-8 NLT)     

"Catapult to Glory"

 "By the which will we be sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10 KJV)

  ""I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one - as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me."" (John 17:20-23 NLT) 

 Looking at this from a different direction, there are several things that I feel could be challenging to just about anyone of us, if we don't learn how to love one another. There are several points of view on the way that works; some of which will say it is really not possible to learn love, that it is something given to us by God. Well, if that is something you believe, then why does God need to teach us how to love one another, instead of just giving us the ability to love as we should? 

 If you don't understand what I am talking about, learning to love, think about this basic principle of how God makes this work. If you pray for God to help you love others as you should, does He make them all warm and fuzzy towards you, or does He challenge you to love them unconditionally, as He loves you? 

 Hypothetically speaking, the Holy Spirit within us is able to assist us to love; but to be perfectly true to the facts of life, sometimes we don't want to do what we should, even when we are told to do it. The Holy Spirit is a Helper and Comforter, but when it comes to relationships and differences, there are times when we don't want help or comfort; we want justice and want to be proven right.  

 If you look at the prayer Jesus is asking for us, believers, the thing that He says repeatedly, is about being one; one is the thing we seldom think about when have conflict with one another. Instead, we break off the oneness, forgetting that each part of the body of Christ is needed! Whatever it is that is making you not love as you should, it is best to embrace it, own it, and then give it to God! That is how you learn to love! It might be easy, but it is hard to learn...

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we belong to each other." (Romans 12:1-5 NLT) 

"OVERRIDDEN"

 "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second." (Hebrews 10:9 KJV)

  "I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the LORD will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the LORD. He rules all the nations." (PSALM 22:25-28 NLT)

 There is really something important here, for us, those of us that have been born outside of the family of Isreal. I can recall being in church, at that compound, the one that I never wanted to go into; making it the place I never wanted to leave. There was at least ten or fifteen of us gathered in a circle, all of many races. We were singing and marching in step, bobbing our heads, and swinging our arms; singing that song, "Father Abraham, had many sons; Many sons had Father Abraham, and I am one, and so are you." 

 You would have had to be there, to really understand how important this was for all of us to be in one accord, without feeling any embarrassment, whatsoever! It definitely was the power of the Holy Spirit that was at work in that circle. Something I will never forget.

 There was something that is sometimes easy to overlook in that "Parable of the Evil Farmers", as it may be showing how the Gentiles replaced Isreal's position to watch over the garden. Not that God has made Isreal obsolete, because He has not! God does not abandon His children! We must believe that is so, because we are all broken and every one of us need to be saved; sometimes, more than once, if that is even possible...

"I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, "The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins." Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God's mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy of everyone. Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advise? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everyone comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen." (Romans 11:25-36 NLT)  

"Stepping Back" - Too

 "Above when he said, Sacrifice and offerings and burnt offerings and offerings for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;" (Hebrews 10:8 KJV)

  "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (PSALM 139:23-24 NLT)

 If you were questioning this title, "Stepping Back," it shows the importance of 'pausing or distancing yourself from an activity, problem, or situation in order the think about it calmly and objectively.' There is this thing that has made me think about certain instances in the Bible, where I feel as though God did something that seemed at tad-bit extreme; something that was a little too much.

 Case in point was the too points in the Old and New Testaments: the first being the death of Uzzah, who simply just tried to steady the Ark of God, because it felt like the right thing to do. Second, were the two deaths of a husband and wife during the start of the church: Ananias and Sapphira, who gave a portion of the land they had sold to the church, but gave the impression they had given it all. 

 All three of those who had their lives taken, but I do believe that we will see them in heaven as God was using them as an example of the justice and holiness of His law. In Uzzah case, there was a very strict law that only a very few were allowed to touch that Ark, and they had to be totally purified to do so. In the case of two that lied about what they gave, this was the beginning of the church, which was an example to show that God's Spirit meant business. 

 Don't get me wrong, because God has every right to do whatever He does, as He knows best what is good and perfect, even if we don't understand why, His ways are always perfect! In this regard, those who are giving the message, whoever they might be, are showing us that when it comes to His law, which is based upon His justice and holiness, what we do can never be sufficient enough to cleanse us by the sacrifices that we might give or any work we might do.  

 As the Bible clearly says, "We are all infected and impure with sin, when we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6a NLT) This means that there is nothing that we can do in order to make ourselves worthy; we are all sinners that need to be saved from our sins, nothing we try to do on our own will save us...

""'What will I do? the owner asked himself. 'I know! I'll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.' "But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!' So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?" Jesus asked. "I tell you - he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others." "How terrible that such a thing should ever happen," his listeners protested. Jesus looked at them and said, "Then what does this Scripture mean? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the corner stone.' Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on." The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them - they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people's reaction." (Luke 20:13-19 NLT)   

"Stepping Back"

 "Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;" (Hebrews 10:8 KJV) 

  ""Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died."" (Zechariah 12:10 NLT)

 Just so you know, this verse in Hebrews does not have any correlating verses listed. Why that might be the case, I really don't know; but the story must go on, regardless! Looking back to these last few verses, the whole reason for doing so, is that which would be the point, because there must be clarification for the reason. It's a lot like Christmas, when we say, 'Jesus is the Reason for the Season,' those who are not believers might require clarification as to why that is so.

 I truly believe that God was not a great fan of all those sacrifices; much as He wasn't all that thrilled about flooding the whole earth and killing everyone, as well as all those animals. When it says that the LORD was sorry, He had ever made man, we can just assume He felt that He made a mistake. God does not make mistakes! But He does feel the hurt and pain of what must be done. 

 With that, we just need to examine one portion of this verse, all about offerings, which is the part that says, "which are offered by the law." Yes, that is just the point, (no pun intended,) it is God's justice and holiness that causes Him to need to do that which He must do, even though it might hurt...

"Then surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They replied, "He is the son of David." Jesus responded, "Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah 'my Lord'? For David said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.' Since David called the Messiah 'my Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?"" (Matthew 22:41-45 NLT)  

"Full Speed Ahead" - 2

 "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." (Hebrews 10:7 KJV)

  ""I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."" (John 5:24 NLT)

 As we must know, not only did Jesus pay the price for our sins, He has also given us new life, which is not a life that is wasted or left undone! As He said, 'The life He gives will be abundant!' I have thought about this so many times, even shared about it hundreds of times; because the thief on the cross, that died alongside Jesus, the new life he had been given, even though he didn't need to do any work, whatsoever, his salvation on that cross has caused a multitude of people to be saved; all because of the grace of God! 

 You know that, that thief most likely never thought his life mattered much at all; after all, he was on a cross, being punished for the bad things he did, preparing to die hanging on that cross. What kind of a testimony did he think his death might have made? All he could think about was being in Paradise with Jesus, that very day! 

 I know it might not have made the local news, as if anyone cared about him and whether or not he lived or died, because he was going to be dead on that cross; so, they might have thought! But he lives! Just as Jesus said he would, there was eternal life granted to him, an honest to goodness thief on a cross, who could do nothing but die on that cross. Think of all of those who have been saved from that one man's request to Jesus: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  

 This is not in the Bible for no reason, because I know for a fact that it changes lives! How important it is to know that you can be saved, even if you are dying! As long as you have breath in your lungs, you are able to be saved, if you will just believe and receive the gift that God has given. You're believing in the mighty work that was done through the cross of Christ, is more than enough to cleanse you of your sins; He gives you a new life also, to be with Him forever! 

 Maybe you don't understand the message that is shown in this, but it has caused countless lives to be saved, through almost two thousand years of being told: it is all about believing and receiving! Do you know what happens after that? God does His work through us, no matter if we are our body is alive or dead, we are not done...

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. You can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)  

"Full Speed Ahead"

 "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." (Hebrews 10:7 KJV)

  ""The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began. I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters. Before the mountains were formed, before the hills, I was born - before he made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil. I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth. I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth's foundations, I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. And how happy I was with the world he created; how I rejoiced with the human family!"" (Proverbs 8:22-31 NLT)

 As many of you should know, Solomon was writing this in reference to wisdom; however, there are many things which are written, throughout the entire 'book' that illustrate and speak of Jesus, the Lord of heaven and earth! Much of what many of the authors wrote about, they might not have even know fully what it might have meant, or who it was that they were writing about; but the Holy Spirit was there, guiding and directing their every word.

 This is why we must remember what we read, even though we might not fully understand it all, that this Book that we read was not written by men, but by God's Spirit speaking through every word that was written! Interesting as it might seem, that was the reason John started his Gospel Message with those first 18 verses, illustrating the Jesus Christ was the Word of God. 

 When he was done with his writing, he illustrated how Jesus, being the Word of God, has done infinitely more than can ever be written...

"This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate. Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:24-25 NLT)   

"Placed in Neutral"

 "In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure." (Hebrews 10:6 KJV)

  "Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. "I am the one who needs to be baptized by you," he said, "so why are you coming to me?" But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires." So John agreed to baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."" (Matthew 3:13-17 NLT)

 Neutrality in the Bible is usually viewed negatively, much like the Jesus' message to the church of Laodicea, "But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" (Revelation 3:16 NLT) Obviously, that is not what we want to be, lukewarm; yet it is really amazing to me that certain verses that are aligned with the address, 3:16, are actually verses that involve action and movement; and surprisingly enough, most of that movement involves God making the move! 

 Anywho, this is about something that takes some serious thought, when it comes to the reason God might not have pleasure in sacrifices for sin! Having been sharing this reason, over and over again, sin is the reason that Jesus was meant to come and die on the cross, to take away our sins. What were the actions God had to perform in order to make that happen?    

 If ever there was a reason for God have any pleasure in sacrifice, it was only the One that would work...

""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 eternal life."" (John 3:16 NLT) 

"Switching Gears"

 "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:" (Hebrews 10:5 KJV)

  "O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them. You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand - you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, "Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: I take joy in doing your will, my God, and your instructions are written on my heart."" (PSALM 40:5-8 NLT)

 This might be the time to show the difference between what is wasted efforts to share, and what is more about getting down to the matters that can really make a difference. The things we sometimes spend time thinking about that are out of our control, usually will be things that cause us to be weary and feeling empty; while all that time, we should have just given it all to God! 'Let go and let God!' is the real best thing we can do; especially when it is something we cannot control. 

 As I was thinking about this message, I couldn't help but wonder how Jesus grew up knowing what He was meant to do, and how peaceful He felt knowing that He had such an amazing purpose! Oddly enough, I truly believe we hardly really understand what our purpose is on this earth; most of what we do for God, is not really planned out by us, but is set up in advance by our Heavenly Father. We are just available and ready, but He has the plans for us, already prepared, and we will only see the real results in Heaven! 

 I can recall a song that I heard, long ago, which was about a man who felt he had wasted so much of his life, not feeling as though he made much of a difference. But, when he passed on into Heaven, there was such a huge crowd of those who were there to welcome him, because they were there because he did the things God gave him to do; even though he didn't think they did much, God used them for more than he ever imagined...

"Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said, "At my Father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?" They replied, "We're stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God." Jesus replied, "It is written in our Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, 'I say, you are gods!' And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God's message were called 'gods,' why do you call it blasphemy when I say, 'I am the Son of God'? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. Don't believe me unless I carry out my Father's work. But is I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don't believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father." Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them." (John 10:31-39 NLT)