"Can I Get a Witness!" - Again

 "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah." (Jude 11 KJV)

  "Listen to what the LORD is saying: "Stand up and state your case against me. Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints. And now, O mountains, listen to the LORD'S complaint! He has a case against his people. He will bring charges against Israel. "O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me! For I brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you. Don't you remember, my people, how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead? And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness."" (Micah 6:1-5 NLT)

 There are certain things that can be shown regarding these three characters, Cain, Balaam, and Korah, that show the three things they represent. Cain is pretty simple to understand, as his sacrifice was based upon his works, as he was a farmer, sacrificing some of the crops he had harvested; as if God would be pleased by the labor and hard work that he did. He was jealous and very angry that God had accepted Abel's burnt offering but did not accept his.

 When God confronted him about his anger, He said: "You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master." (Genesis 4:7 NLT) Yet he let sin control him, killing his brother, just because Abel's sacrifice was to please God, and his was to please himself! If you don't know what that means, it is very similar to Satan's rebellion against God; how he, being a glorious angel, thought and planned to be like God! But he was created, and God was his Creator! What is wrong with that picture? Pastor Bryan made a comment the other night that the mark that God put upon Cain's forehead was in the shape of a cross; which is very possible to be true!  

 As for Balaam, his deal was about getting paid by King Balak, as he was asked to curse the children of Israel, as they marched below in the wilderness; while the king had him try to curse them in several different directions. Each time, he looked down at them, he couldn't curse but blessed them instead. If it's okay with you, I would like to show you why he could not curse them: It was because the children of Israel were marching through the wilderness in the formation of a cross! Each time he would look down to curse them, he saw the cross, and he could do nothing but bless them. However, even though he couldn't curse them, he still found a way to get paid; by telling the king to seduce them with Moabite women and God would be angry at them.  

 Korah is the wiseguy who though he could get the entire community to rebel against Moses and Aaron. Yet, God had the earth open up below all of their tents, and the earth swallowed them up; all 250 of them, with their families! Thinking he was wise; he was shown to be a fool! That was why I shared the Psalm written by the descendants of Korah, a few days ago; as it says in Numbers 26:11 "However, the sons of Korah did not die that day."  

 God is always in control! He allows certain things to happen, and then He uses those things that might seem bad and destructive, for good and to perform something that works for His plans. Even the worst things that could ever happen, He will use it for the absolute best! The cross of Christ is His greatest witness, and the sons of Korah are authors of Psalms that proclaim the redemption offered through the cross of Christ...

"How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of Heaven's Armies. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God." (PSALM 84:1-2 NLT)  

 

 

"Can I Get a Witness!"

 "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah." (Jude 11 KJV)

  "The very look on their faces gives them away. They display their sins like the people of Sodom and don't even try to hide it. They are doomed! They have brought destruction upon themselves. Tell the godly that all will be well for them. They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned! But the wicked are doomed, for they will get exactly what they deserve." (Isaiah 3:9-11 NLT)

 For whatever it is worth, the title has quite a history to it; and it has been used in all sorts of ways: in songs, movies, and churches; but in this context, let's just say that we absolutely cannot hide what we do; whether good or bad, everything is witnessed by God for sure; and even angels, including the devil, are likely to see what we do. Hopefully you are doing your best to be godly and wanting to please the Lord in all that you do; chances are, that only God knows the intensions of your heart; but the others will see your expressions on your faces! 

 There are three people here that Jude is illustrating here; which, make me think of the three things Eve felt saw in the tree the bore the fruit she was about to eat: "That the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise." (Genesis 3:6) Basically there were three things to cause her to sin: It was desirable to the body; it was pleasing to the eyes; and it would enlighten the mind, making one wise. 

 The three things these three men all did that was wrong, closely resemble these things; as it goes, there is good and evil that is at work in each and every one of them. Instead of building towards self, we should ourselves be built by God and enjoying the fruit that He offers; which is a heart for God, eyes that look to please Him, and a mind that wants to know Him, by listening, and obeying...

"Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy - full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over. "What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. "What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces. Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on."" (Luke 11:39-44 NLT)

"Scoffers!" = Too

 "But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves." (Jude 10 KJV)

  "Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created." They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed." (2 Peter 3:3-7 NLT)

 When you stop and think about it, those who think everything has remained the same since the world has been created, really don't have a clue about everything that is going on in this world! Not only do we have overwhelming technology that is quickly becoming more and more, shall we say, self-sufficient and able to think on its own; but space exploration has taken a whole new direction; even to the point of making plans for living in outer space, as if they are planning to make colonies on other planets. 

  Regardless of what does or does not happen, we who are followers of Christ, must be diligent in our belief that He is coming soon! It's really not a matter of preference, because those who prefer to just wait and see, might not end up being ready when He does return. I'm not saying that you can't live on doing your work and building a family; because those are the things God expects us to do; but we do need to keep looking up, waiting, and praying for His soon return! 

 More importantly than that, we need to keep our families aware and alert to what we believe and why it is very important that we remain ready. There are too many distractions and activities that throw us off from being alert and remembering that the time is near. We make plans for certain things, as if everything will remain the same! Yes, even me! I just traded in my Motor Home for a new own, planning to start next year by working two months, and then gone one month, all throughout the year. 

 Even then, I will always be looking up, expecting Jesus to take us home! Every time I see something strange in the sky, I wish it to be that His coming is now; every time I hear of an earthquake or that a volcano has erupted, I think of His return. See the life of having fun, enjoying celebrations, eating and drinking, and living as if everything is just getting better; makes me aware of the fact that these are like the days before Noah entered the Ark...

""However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. "When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. "Two men will be working together in a field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. "So you too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected."" (Matthew 24:36-44 NLT)  

"Scoffers!"

 "But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves." (Jude 10 KJV)

  "He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desires, and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling. But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings. These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed." (2 Peter 2:10-12 NLT)

 Just to make a point, the devil does have dominion here on this earth; he has been doing things and ruling on this earth for quite some time; ever since God made man, he has been plotting and planning things to do that will allow mankind to spend eternity in Hell with him. And yes, he does know where he will be ending up, but he would like to take as many of us as he can, to suffer with him! 

 Anywho, too many Christian's scoff at the devil, as if he has no power to persuade them or attack them, as if they are completely safe and secure. We are only able to do so much; picking a fight with the devil is not something that you want to engage in; that is something we give to the LORD! To be absolutely certain, I know for a fact that those who do great things for the Kingdom of God, end up with a target on their back; with the devil just patiently waiting for the opportunity to fire one of his poisonous darts. 

 You can scoff at things you can't believe, but that doesn't protect you or keep you safe; it only makes you more vulnerable to the devils lies. Crazy as it might sound, but he isn't an angel of light, but he sure can masquerade as one. Before his fall, he was one of the brightest most beautiful angels; he was the one leading the worship in heaven. 

 There is something we must truly understand: we are surrounded all around by angels, some of which are fallen and subject to walk the earth, waiting and wanting to harm or destroy believer's and the church. Whether you can believe it or not, it is really happening; just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't true! Good news is, Christ is LORD of All...

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for though him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together." (Colossians 1:15-17 NLT) 

"God Sees All!"

 "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee." (Jude 9 KJV)

  "One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. "Where have you come from?" the LORD asked Satan. Satan answered the LORD, "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on." Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless - a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil." Satan replied to the LORD, "Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!" "All right, you may test him," the LORD said to Satan. "Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically." So Satan left the LORD'S presence." (Job 1:6-12 NLT)

 Knowing that God knows everything, which actually says, God's sight is everywhere; meaning that He is "omniscient" and has the ability to know every thought, action, and intention: is not only something we must be aware of, but it must be something that we cherish and wholeheartedly keep in the forefront of our mind, at all times! Yet, sadly to say, just about everyone will wonder away from knowing; as if He has stepped away and will not see what they are doing.

 When you read this portion of Scripture from Job, it would appear to the average reader that God does not know what Satan has been doing or where he has been. Proverbs 15:3 says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." Which actually contradicts the theory of some, that God will not look upon evil: "Nothing is hidden from Him!" Hebrews 4:13 says, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." 

 What Jude to putting forth in this dispute between Michael and Satan, is that Michael did not bring and accusation against him, that it is God's place to judge; he just simply said, "The Lord rebuke thee," as the Lord had instructed Michael what to do with Moses' body. This is just an illustration of what Jude had previously said about speaking evil of dignities; as, even though the devil was evil, he was still actually a dignity; after all, he is the god of this fallen world; at least for now...

""Am I a God who is only close at hand?" says the LORD. "No, I am far away at the same time. Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?" says the LORD." (Jeremiah 23:23-24 NLT)     

"Things That Make You Wonder"

 "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." (Jude 8 KJV)

 "Then he brought me to the door of the Temple courtyard, where I could see a hole in the wall. He said to me, "Now, son of man, dig into the wall." So I dug into the wall and found a hidden doorway. "Go in," he said, "and see the wicked and detestable sins they are committing in there!" So I went in and saw the walls engraved with all kinds of crawling animals and detestable creatures. I also saw various idols worshiped by the people of Israel. Seventy leaders of Israel were standing there with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan in the center. Each of them held an incense burner, from which a cloud of incense rose above their heads. Then the LORD said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the leaders of Israel are doing with their idols in dark rooms? They are saying, 'The LORD doesn't see us; he has deserted our land!'"" (Ezekiel 8:7-12 NLT)

 Maybe you missed that meaning about me having to repeat this again? No matter if you got it or not, those things I shared about were true and needed to be said, because we might be perfect I God's eyes, but we are still far from being perfect! Yes, we have the Holy Spirit living within us; and He is always there to help us and speak to you, asking us to do certain things and to not do other things. But He also is a Gentleman, who does not force us to do and not do; but there will be problems and consequences for not listening and obeying what the Spirit says! For those who might not get that meaning, it is one of the main things Jesus says, telling John about the letters to the seven churches.   

 When I thought about what I shared, I realized something I forgot and wondered if it was relevant to the actual message. For the most part, I was describing some of the things that most of us might do, from time to time; knowing full well that none of us do not sin, no matter what position you might hold, we are all still sinners. but we have been saved by grace!  

 The main point of this post is not to confuse you with more stories about my past, but to make you aware of what causes us to think of something that allows us to feel free to do what we do. The simple answer to what that is: we forget who we are and who lives within us! We might think God has stepped away and isn't really interested in what we do, or don't do! 

 You are never alone! He is always there, watching you every move you make and the words that come out of your mouth! Better still, He even knows the thoughts and dreams that are in your minds; even the passions and motivation of your hearts! 

 Perhaps this doesn't mean so much to some, as if this is something we already know. But the thing that I feel God has been put upon my heart, is that thinking He isn't there is something tragic and all together ungodly; it takes away from the firm foundation we must believe in, and it surely makes us vulnerable to sin more and more! 

 One thing is sure, which is not that hard to figure out: When you were born, you didn't need to learn how to sin, it was part of your human nature. But when you were born again, you had to learn to sin again; making one sin easy to do but wounding your soul in the process. But the more you did it, the less you felt wounded, and the freer you felt when you did it again, and again...

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes - the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."" (Romans 1:16-17 NLT) 

"Again, and Again!"

  "In the same way, these people - who claim authority from their dreams - live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses' body.) But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, so they bring about their own destruction. What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion." (Jude 8-11 NLT)

  "O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; for my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave." (Psalms 88:1-3 KJV)

 Well, here I go again! Yet, this time I feel as though I was led into this mistake! As crazy as that might sound, it was because the prior two posts involved the stupid things we believers do, some things, without even knowing that we have done wrong. And yes, very definitely, we are new in Christ, when we received Him into our hearts! Nobody who has been born again can simply walk away: the old you, has died; the new you, has already a place already waiting in heaven, protected and secure! 

 I was thinking about a certain man, some of you might not remember his name, but it was Uzzah. As it goes, Uzzah was helping David to bring the Holy Chest back to Jerusalem; and when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, the cart the Holy Chest was on, began to move. Without even thinking, Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark to steady it, and God killed him! 

 There is no doubt in my mind that we will not see Uzzah in heaven; and as far as that goes, I also truly believe that we will see two other characters also; Ananias and Sapphira! Go ahead and laugh, if you think that is not going to happen; buy lying about how much you tithe, might get you into trouble, but it will never take away the salvation that Christ has given you; but you might lose something here on earth; including your life, without dying!  

 This situation happened for a very specific reason: To let the church know that things are serious and it wasn't a game! With that, it is absolutely critical that we think hard about the life we are living, and ask ourselves if you are doing things that help to build and fortify the church; or are you simply just making ourselves present, so people will recognize that we came to church...

"Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of your hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee." (Psalms 128:1-2 KJV) 

"Either He is Lord or He's Not" - Up to You

 "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." (Jude 8 KJV)

  "Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. These people left the churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. So I am writing to you not because you don't know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son doesn't have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father Also." (1 John 2:18-23 NLT)

 Again, let me start off with a few of the sins of mine that are very closely related to these three things that Jude mentions in the verse we are looking at today. First of all; each and every time I might stumble by the flesh having its way, I will almost always, right away ask the Lord to forgive me for sinning against Him. However, there are times when I might be offended, or feel as though certain dignitaries are evil, I will not even feel as though I need to ask for forgiveness; yet sooner or later the Lord changes my heart. 

 Starting off with is "these filthy dreamers defile the flesh." If I am being honest, there have been times when I have allowed my mind to dream or Invision filthy things, satisfying my fleshly desires. To anyone paying attention, just because you might use your left hand, that doesn't make it right! Also, by the way, those commercials about the "bent carrots", that condition is usually caused by too much defilement. 

 Secondly, there is the sin to "despise dominion."  There are serval things we can associate with what dominion means: it basically means "one who possesses dominion." That could be your boss, or the government; or even the Lord; whom ever has power over certain things in your life. Guilty, guilty am I! As far as a boss goes, I am my own boss; but I have given everything to the Lord, so it is His, which means that I actually work for Him. But certain others, such as the Governor of the State I live in, I care very little of; that too I should realize is a sin. 

 As for the third, "speaking evil of dignities," is most likely one of my most frequent sins. But, as it goes, sometimes: I know what I and supposed to do, but I don't do it; and that which I should not do, I do it anyways! It is mostly a passionate reaction, and most of the time I will apologize and ask for forgiveness. When I was caring for my wife and Pat, (who is with the Lord,) said on the news that its okey to divorce your spouse, if they had a brain disorder; I pretty much did everything but curse; and even then, I needed to ask the Lord to forgive me! 

 Dignities can mean more that people, it can also apply a thing belong to God, a thing belonging to Christ, or even angels; which we shall soon see. The primary character involved in this is much the same as dignity; meaning whether it be good or bad, that which involves opinion, judgement or view, no matter what it might be, all things have meaning and purpose; even the flies I chase down and kill in my house, they to require a little bit of dignity.

 Yes, we might sometimes do things that we know are wrong and feel sometimes that we cannot control it; but that is primarily because will allow our sin nature to come to life! If I had to say it another way, it would be that our sin nature is meant to be buried and the new creature has been raised with Christ! But somehow, we, (in our minds,) might dig up the old sinful creature and tie him or her to our backs! We don't smell so good with a stinky dead corpse strapped to our back... 

"So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us." (1 John 2:24-25 NLT)  

"Ethier He's Lord or He's Not"

 "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." (Jude 8 KJV)

  "Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. "Let us break their chains, "they cry, "and free ourselves from the slavery of God." But the one who rules from heaven laughs. The LORD scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the LORD declares, "I have placed me chosen King on the throne in Jerusalem, my holy mountain." The King proclaims the LORD'S decree: "The LORD said to me, 'You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your own inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.'" Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God's royal Son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities - for his flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!" (PSALM 2 NLT) [modified]

 Don't be alarmed, by my modification. There are certain things in some translations that I seriously will disagree with, and why the NLT translation made King and Son in lower case characters, I have no idea; but they did have a footnote that said, "Or Son". 

 There are certain things we think about taking control of or getting rid of; things that we might actually feel in our hearts that the Lord wants us to do. When we sense that the Lord wants us to do something, then our responsibility as a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, is to do it! 

 Let me even go a step further, (if you will.) If you really are a servant of the Lord, then you will not just wait for His command or requirement; as any good and faithful servant, would do, you will look earnestly for ways to please your Master! That is why we have a Bible! It is our guidebook and roadmap to show us the way and teach us how to obey...

"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all of creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." (Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT)  

"Here Comes the Judge!"

   "In the same way, there people - who claim authority from their dreams - live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, "The LORD rebuke you!" (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses' body.) But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, so they bring about their own destruction. What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion." (Jude 8-11 NLT)

 "Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah" (Psalms 52:1-3 KJV)

 Before I go any further, I just wanted to and a little something to the last couple of posts. I truly believe that everyone, not matter what they have done, can be saved! This I believe with all my heart! Jesus would have forgiven Judas, if he had only asked for forgiveness; yet he went and hung himself! But even still, if by chance he called out for forgiveness, even in the last two seconds, we would have received the Lord's forgiveness. Actually, I am would not be surprised if Jesus forgave him anyway; He surely forgave those who nailed Him to the cross! 

 There are so many things we mere mortals do not understand, even those who study long and hard; the 'swirling eddies' will always take us down the rabbit hole, chasing for deeper answers; but the deeper we go, the more lost and confused we become. Our minds cannot comprehend the complexity of God's, all so, misterious and amazing plan...

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14 KJV)  

"The Example" - TOO

 "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude 7 KJV)

 "In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:8-9 NLT)

 Well, first off, my misspelling of Gomorrah was the same way it was spelt in the Blue Letter Bible that I use every morning. I had a hunch that it was wrong, but yesterday morning was quite a mess, for my mind was clouded and I really couldn't do much about it. 

 Basically, this is the message, (in case you might have different thoughts, I would keep them to yourself, because), all of the souls could have been spared if they would have repented and turned towards God! Lot was godly; which he became by walking with Abraham for all those years. He sat at the city gates most of the time; and I am pretty sure he wasn't selling tickets to get in. 

 Abraham bartered with the Lord, starting with fifty being righteous, all the way down to ten; and even with only ten, the Lord said, "Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten." Before you cast any sort of judgment, thinking these people had it coming to them, know something that is very sure: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

 What I am trying to say, is that even those that are incredibly wicked, as long as they still have breath and the ability to speak, (even just a whisper and possibly just a thought,) and ask for God's forgiveness, they will be saved! If there was any reason that Jude made these comment about Sodom and Gomorrah being destroyed, I am almost 100% sure, that is because of those who are self-righteous and might say that they all deserved to die, and that the deserved it!

 Worse than that, there are still some, even those who minister, that might not think those kinds of people could ever be saved; that their sin was too wicked, and bad enough not to allow them even to enter their church. We must never tear down that Jesus has built! This much I know is totally true...

"It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seeds grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God's workers. And you are God's field. You are God's building. Because of God's grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have - Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials - gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives, the builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames." (1 Corinthians 3: 

"The Example"

 "Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude 7 KJV)

 ""And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you."" (Matthew 11:23-24 NLT)

 Most everyone knows about the destruction that took place in these cities. There was something not everyone knows about what went on before they were destroyed. The Lord and two angels were visiting Abraham, and when He told Abraham what was going to happen, Abraham tried to ask the Lord, 'If there be any righteous, will you still destroy them?' 

 Maybe there is a better example, but the main thing I was wanting to share about was Jesus! Yes, He was there speaking with Abraham, everywhere the Lord shows up, it is Him, the Son of God...

 "Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?" Jesus answered, "If I want glory for myself, it doesn't count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, 'He is our God,' but you don't even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward my coming. He saw it and was glad." The people said, "You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!"" (John 8:53-58 NLT)

"The Origin" - Too

"And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 6 KJV) 

  "O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I am far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!" (PSALM 139:1-6 NLT)

 I really wasn't expecting to have many agree with what I was saying yesterday, because everyone has God planning for a perfect world when He created the garden and placed man in it. Oddly enough, the cross of Christ and His salvation for the entire world was established and planned out, even before the world began. So there must have been a reason, as it is, God knows the beginning and the end! 

 It has been said the Lucifer rebelled against God because of God's plan when He decided to make man in His own image; more than that, it was God's plan to have man judge the angels; which really made the devil jealous of man. He had also tried hard to prevent Christ Jesus from being born and providing salvation for the entire earth by being crucified on the cross! 

 As I have said several times before, the cross of Christ is imaged in so many things, both small and big! There is an image of the cross in the black hole, which is way out in space. There is an image of the cross next to every cell that within us; which is a cell call Laminin and is a cell adhesion molecule that holds us together! When it says in the Bible that Jesus holds all things together, it is no joke! 

 There are several more illustrations to be made, but this is primarily all about love! God did not create us as puppets or robots, that we would follow His every command. He knew firsthand that He had to make a way that we would love Him, by first doing the most amazing thing, ever! That was the act of being born as one of us, living among us, and hanging on a cross to free us from sin; that we would love Him, because He first loved us, and proved it on the cross...

"God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:9-10 NLT)     

"The Origin"

 "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 6 KJV)

  "The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?" "Of course we may eat fruit the trees in the garden," the woman replied. "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die." "You won't die!" the serpent replied to the woman. "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." (Genesis 3:1-5 NLT)

 As most of us know, this was the beginning of the fall of man. There are several points to this meeting, between the serpent and the woman; some of which are not clearly noticed; but each and every one of them, God was not surprised by! I am certain that He was watching, just as He watches us when we do things that get us into trouble; even though we might not think He is watching us! 

 Whatever you think of Eve in this conversation with the devil, Adam was the one that allowed this to happen; as it was, he was the one God told to tend and care for all that was in the garden. That would have also involved caring for the wife that God made for him! Somehow or another, Eve had added something to God's command, "Do not eat of the tree in the middle of the garden," as she added, "or even touch it". 

 Having shared on this before, it really isn't that hard to figure out that either Adam had told her not to even touch it, or that she had witnessed Adam touching it, looking as though he wanted to eat it. Either way, she opened the door for the serpent to lie to her, because she said something that God did not say. If God didn't say it, then we should not add to it or make something different from what He said. 

 Obviously, the tree was somehow important in the garden; much like the Tree of Life, which was also in the garden. Adam was told by God to tend and care for all that was in the garden, which included tending for all the trees; which would also include the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. What makes me wonder, is why that tree was in the middle of the garden; as if it was there to tempt Adam's curiosity and wonder? 

 If you have been following me for a while, you might have known that I wrote about this before; and if you did, hopefully you didn't think I was crazy or stupid. But when God had Adam name all of the animals, there was certain that accrued to happen in Adam that is what I believe also allowed him to let Even eat of the forbidden fruit. That certain thing that he experienced was, "Want!" 

 Don't think of me as a nut, because I truly believe that Adam had nothing to want or need, until he started naming the all the animals, seeing they were all male and female mates; and he began to think, "Where is the mate for me?" Which was the beginning of his experience to want. 

 If you think about it, it is the one thing that takes us down, over and over, as we want things; even sometimes the things that are not good for us; including the things that we actually know God doesn't want us to have or do...

 "The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and she ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves." (Genesis 3:6-7 NLT) 

"Repeat and Refresh" - 2

 "I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 5 KJV)

  "So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." (James 2:17 NLT)

 Let me tell you something, all of those things Jesus spoke about regarding those bad seeds, as I was typing out the words, I was remembering times when I had bits and pieces of those experiences. Not that I stayed in those conditions, but that there were days when I didn't believe that I was saved; days when I had fallen away, feeling as if I didn't belong; days when work and pleasures were more important than serving the Lord.

 Having been through the fire, if you will, I am somewhat more confident and secure about my belief in the salvation I have been given. There still are times when I feel discouraged and unworthy; but it is in those times that pick myself up and stand up like a man. And then there are times when I fall down to my knees and beg for forgiveness! If you don't know what all that means, then you probably haven't studied the Book of Job.

 Here is the thing that believing actually means when it comes to following Christ: Just as Jesus said to His disciples, ""The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."" (Mark 12:29-31 NLT)

 Basically, if you love God as you should, then you will do what He tells you to do, and you believe what He says, and you put forth the effort to listen and obey, even if you don't really want to! It sounds really simple, but it sometimes is really hard! When those times come when we are not willing or have excuses for ways out, remember that Jesus wept and begged the Father, saying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."" (Matthew 26:39 NLT)

 When I think of it that way, my choices get less important...

""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. 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 all the unfailing love I promised to David."" (Isaiah 55:1-3 NLT)  

"Repeat and Refresh"

 "I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 5 KJV)

  "For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says, "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled." And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn't it the people Moses led out of Egypt? And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn't it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn't it the people who disobeyed him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest." (Hebrews 3:14-19 NLT)

 Hopefully there will be something that really matters in this, so called mistake; but either way, I am sure that everything happens for a reason; even the stupid things we might do, God can use them, somehow for good! With that, I will try to make a better effort to define what it means to believe; mostly because the majority of those who fail and do not enter into His rest, do so because their belief is only imaginary and not based upon the whole truth.

 To explain what it means to believe, as if we don't already know, is to understand that we have been set free from sin; which, believe it or not, is the power of forgiveness, that we should: "Go, and sin no more!" Having said that, it is highly unlikely that anyone reading this has the ability to "sin no more," as if that was even possible! We are made perfect because we are in Christ and He lives in us; otherwise, we have no standing at all! 

 There is a very significant difference to the ones who believe the truth and those who do not; and even then, those who know the truth, will somehow still make mistakes! We really don't have to debate that isn't so, because the Bible is full of examples that what I said is true. The main point that we need to keep in our hearts and minds, is that God really does love us, even when we make mistakes! 

 Think of it this way, if you will. Believing in God's promises is something that makes you know that whatever He says He will do, is absolutely true. Which is basically the whole reason those who died in that wilderness didn't enter into His rest: They did not believe that He would take care of them, even after seeing with their own eyes the power and glory of their God!

 When we were first saved, we experience something that was supernatural and real; something that made us feel as though we had no worries, as if all the burdens that had us bound up and afraid were simply taken away, and a heavy load was taken off of our shoulders. This was not something that we made happen; and it surely wasn't something that we should ever forget...

""This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is God's word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest."" (Luke 8:11-15 NLT)   

"Clearing the Air"

   "So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Isreal from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. And don't forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God's judgment." (Jude 5-7 NLT)

 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ: And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 KJV)

 Much to my chagrin, I realized this morning that I messed up placing the '5' where it didn't belong; as it was, the plan was to do 5, 6, and 7 together, leaving only 3 & 4 on their own. If that doesn't make any sense, don't bother trying to figure it out. I am over the being worried about the mistake and have made the decision that it might have actually been for a reason. 

 This portion of Scripture from 2 Corinthians is something I seriously focused on back in February 1989 to April 1990; and continued to use it, off and on, since then. The main reason was based on a simple book that was called "CounterAttack." Basically, what the book was meant for, was, "Taking Back Ground Lost to Sin." The book was written by Jay Carty, who used a character in the book as an illustration of warning, which was called, "Polar Bear Alert". 

 It might sound silly, but it does actually work! Unfortunately, like most all of us do, when we practice something that really works, we sometimes put it down because it takes away from our, so called, freedom to sin! Sad to say, but the freedom to sin is a myth! If you don't know what a myth actually means, much as it may, the Polar Bear Alert is also as co called myth; but it is used to counter the thought of thinking to sin. 

 The thing is, as simple as it might sound, we only sin because we allow the seed to be planted that will give us the speculation to sin. I you don't know what that looks like, it is putting something away, as if it might not harm you, which is actually something that you might think is good for you at a later date. 

 Paul makes at very powerful illustration of this, if you are thinking that you have freedom to sin; as if God's grace gives you that right! When we do sin, we sometimes think it is afforded to us, much like having your cake and eating it too...

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should also walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." (Romans 6:1-7 KJV)  

"The Grace of Believing" - 2

"I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 5 KJV)

  "God's promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news - that God has prepared this rest - has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, "In my anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest,'" even though this rest has been ready since he made the world." (Hebrews 4:1-3 NLT)

 This might be a little strange, but the no matter what it is that we are going through, if we are His pride and joy, nothing on this earth will destroy us! It isn't that hard to believe what I just said, because Jesus has shown us the way; as it was, He was brutally punished and hung on the cross: yet He lives! As we also will follow in His footsteps; no matter the devastating effect this world might try to do to us, we will come out better than we ever were, even if it involves death!  

 That is what I believe, and because it is etched in my heart, it keeps me moving forward, even though I might sometimes stumble or fall, it makes no difference to my believing that He saved me, and He will never abandon me or cast me away! That is what believing means to me! We have no standing believing in ourselves, whatsoever; but we must put all our faith in Christ and what He has done, and He will give us rest!

 About this 'rest' that we see here in Hebrews, that pretty much is the same as peace; which is what faith in Jesus Christ provides for us, in any situation or circumstance: Peace that comes from knowing that nothing in this life can take away the salvation we have in Christ; absolutely nothing! Even though we might have, shall I say, a serious breakdown, because of our circumstance; when we give whatever it is to God, His peace will absolutely absorb all of the pain and emotions we feel. Believe me, I know! 

 I have shared this before, but when I got home from the hospital, after the nurses told me to go home, I fell to the floor and wept bitterly, crying out, "Why!" Begging God to do something! I could actually feel a hand upon my shoulder, as I kept weeping and shaking, overwhelmed by the condition that my wife was in. 

 After an hour or so went by, I somehow felt a certain peace; peace enough to actually crawl into bed and get one- or two-hours of sleep. When I woke up at 4:00 I rushed back to the hospital to set beside my wife and pray for her and read Scriptures to her. Even though I was still devastated by her condition, I still had peace in the situation! Peace enough to be calm and focus upon the fact that she will be okay; even if she didn't make through, I still believed that she would be okay!

 If you are dealing with something that seems overwhelming and it's too hard to understand why God would allow it to happen, there is really only one thing you should do: Surrender to God believing that He loves you and cares for you, no matter what it is you are going through! There is always a reason that He allows certain things to happen to us; because they are always for our good...  

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God know his people in advance and chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who (or what) can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:28-31 NLT) 

"The Grace of Believing"

 "I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 5 KJV)

  "The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn't believe his promise to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the LORD." (PSALM 106:24-25 NLT)

 Here is the thing that makes a little more sense, however, it will also make us wonder. God's grace is all sufficient and is given to those who believe in His promise! This grace, as most people should know, is actually something that we do not deserve; it is a gift from GOD! 

 On the other hand, mercy, which is Him not giving us what we do deserve, is something that is altogether different; something that is, shall we say, the goal of our award into heaven! How else can we explain it! This life affords us no mercy; good people are suffering and dying every day; saints that have believed and done all that they could to be godly, are dealing with cancer and waiting to die. 

 What I am really trying to say, is that what is important for those of us that believe in His promise, is that we also must be willing to except any threat or hardship that is placed upon us, here on this earth. Not that God can't or won't get us through certain issues; because I absolutely know that He can and he does! 

 God's main goal for each and every one of His children, is that we will all be with Him, regardless of the stupid mistakes we might make, He knows your heart and is never going to let go of you! That is His promise, and that is what we must keep believing: No Ifs, Ands, or Buts...

"The people surrounded him and asked, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Massiah, tell us plainly?" Jesus replied, "I have already told you, and you don't believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father's name. But you don't believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." Once again the people picked up stones to kill him." (John 10:24-31 NLT) 

 

"The Warnings of History to the Ungodly"

   "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grave of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 4 KJV)

  "Dear friends, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God." (3 John 11 NLT)

 Without a doubt, I am certain that there are certain people that did not agree with what I shared in yesterday's post; and I am totally fine with that, because it doesn't cause me to be offended or upset, not in the least. I believe that the Father called me to His Son that day, and it was more than any of the other times when He had called me before. And yes, there were several times before that when Jesus knocked on the door of my heart, but I refused to open my heart to him. 

 When I received that call, on the day of my new birth, it was totally different; it was as if I needed to go; even if my mind said no, my heart said it was the time for me to go! Maybe that doesn't make sense to some, but we all have our own, somewhat different, awakenings. And without a doubt, I also believe in the fact that we sometimes fall asleep, as is it; and guess what: He wakes us up again! 

 That is not meant to mean we are born again, again; because as it says, that only happens once! But we can have seasons in our lives when we fall asleep; meaning that we blend back into this world; as some will call it, "Back-Sliding." Believe it or not, we can only slide so far, and He will catch us, either by correcting us or taking us home! 

 There is where the lines are drawn, between what is in our hearts and that which is not! And yes, there is nothing we can do to take away our salvation, as if it can be taken; not if it was real! If your salvation is for sure, then you will know it, because He will always discipline those who truly are His children, whenever they fall away... 

"Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."" (Ephesians 5:10-14 NLT)  

"Earnestly Contend for the Faith!" - Infinitely!

 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto all the saints." (Jude 3 KJV)

  "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith." (2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT)

 What is this faith all about? And why the struggle? To try and make a point for what I truly believe, I will bring the humanistic view of birth into conversation; which basically tells us that we are only born once in this world, and then we are dead! If that doesn't compute or meet with your understanding of this life, then you don't know what the Bible says about the basic human life: "For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." (Genisis 3:19b NLT) 

 With that, I will try very hard to make this very simple and easy to understand. When we have been born again, that new birth is not temporary, as the human life; the new life we were given is eternal and is once and for all time; infinitely! This is the foundation of the faith we have in accepting Jesus Christ into our hearts; that is because Christ Jesus in alive forever and ever, and when we were given new life in Christ, we too are alive forever and ever! 

 Whatever you might think of that, the main thing is whether or not your faith is genuine and you are sure about the new life that you have been given. I hate to say it, but that is where we have the struggles and the doubts! It really doesn't need to be that way; but from time to time, even the strongest saint will have some doubts, it is only because they are still human. 

 I am bringing this point up, only because Jude has made it apparent, saying, "which was once delivered to the saints." Looking up that word, "once," it basically means, "one time," and "once for all." In other words, the new life that we have been given in Christ has no end! This makes no sense to some; I am pretty sure of that! Be that as it may, those who might possibly lose the salvation they might have been given, if it is true salvation, it was secured by His grace and not human effort; therefore, human effort is not able lose what Christ has already done! 

 With out a doubt, I know for a fact that this that I just said will not be accepted by many; which is not really all that surprising. I have seen the hate in some who have witnessed the fall of someone that was once a great minister; it is hard to imagine what that might feel like, from whatever side you are on. But I truly believe that God's word is not void, just as He has said...

""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 all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations."" (Isaiah 55:3-4 NLT)

"Earnestly Contend for the Faith!" - Too

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3 KJV)

  "Is there a conflict, then, between God's law and God's promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God's promise of freedom only be believing in Jesus Christ." (Galatians 3:21-22 NLT)

 Maybe there was a simpler way to describe what it means to struggle; because believe it or not, in this world we are living in, everyone struggles in one way or another. How else can I explain this, except by stepping back to the term, "common salvation," which is more than likely the major portion of many churches. Basically, Jude has used the word, "common," as if it were to mean it was, unclean, defiled, or unholy. 

 In other words, it has a since of being ordinary! Please forgive me if I step out of line, but I certainly do not believe that my relationship with my Lord and Savior is ordinary! I hate to admit it, but there are times when I might treat my walk with the Lord, shall we say, as if it is ordinary and He isn't there; but those are the times when I feel free to sin, as if I am alone and can get away with it. 

 Do you know what I mean? Because we only sin when we think He isn't looking! But this relationship is something absolutely different than any other, because Jesus is living in my heart! He is there all along, wanting me to learn of Him and surrender my life to Him; which is struggle enough, without making any effort to share this extra-ordinary life to others.

 But that is the whole point of being here, in this world; whether you like it or not, we are meant to be a vessel that can be used to share about the relationship we have, in one way or another; even if we have, so called, mistakes! Call it Living Water, if you will, because that is what Jesus called it; the more we share, the more the Water flows, and the more we don't feel ordinary...    

"For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." (Romans 8:7-11 NLT) 

"Earnestly Contend for the Faith!"

 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3 KJV)

  "Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me - a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jeaus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you." (2 Timothy 1:13-14 NLT)

 Please forgive me if I haven't been putting a "1" in front of the verses, as there are no more chapters in this book, than that of chapter "1"; therefore, I simply have listed the verses. Back in the day, maybe it was 25 years ago, I started a non-profit entitled, "Jude 2 Enterprises". It was meant to be a ministry that would provide venues for events; as it was, we had a Coffee Shop that had bands come out to play. It was really taking off, at least for a bit; until I got bitten! 

 As much as I could, I did everything I could to keep it together; but my personal life was totally wrecked, and I was doing all that I could just to keep it all together. Long story short, I flushed the non-profit and just focused on getting my life back on track. I needed to keep my business afloat, having to let everyone go, except my mother-in-law and Dave, my general pest guy.  

 Not that it really matters, but we live to survive in this world; and if you have someone to take care of, then you really make every effort to keep a place for them to live! Only my wife knew this about me; but I had a little red rag in my desk drawer, that every once in a while, I would stuff it into my back pocket and carry it around. Basically, what it meant was that I was wishing I could be pumping gas at a Gas Station, not struggling to keep a business afloat! 

 Anywho, "Earnestly Contend" is something that, believe it or not, means, "to struggle for". This is not just something we are easily able to do, as there are certain things that make us feel as though we are, shall we say, judgmental. The best thing we have, is the ability to judge ourselves first and foremost; making every effort to be sure of ourselves; knowing that our faith is in Christ, and that salvation is only available through Him, and Him alone! Only by the blood of Jesus are we saved...

"This is the message we have heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all our sin." (1 John 1:5-7 NLT)

"Danger!"

   "Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we share. But now I find I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Jude 3-4 NLT)

"But there were false teachers also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." (2 Peter 2:1 KJV) 

 I am not saying that this will be easy, because I know for a fact that there are some that cannot believe or even want to hear sound doctrine. And don't get me wrong, I truly know that everyone can get off base from time to time, as some seem to do, (me included,) but when it comes to the foundation of our faith, there is nothing that can be changed or altered! 

 That said, I believe that there are some very stern and harsh things that will be brought up; some might be too hard to believe; while others, will hopefully enlighten us to watch out and know what to look for, as there really are wolves that enter into the sheepfold...

""Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."" (Matthew 7:15 KJV) 

"The Salutation" - To

 "Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied." (Jude 2 KJV)

  "O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." (PSALM 5:1-3 NLT)

 I know it seems odd, but I do believe that there is something that opens up the point to Jude's reason for even writing this; never mind the reason that it has been placed, right where it belongs. First and foremost, there needs to be something that we never forget: that God is Holy! Without even questioning why things are what they are, we must believe that He holds everything together, and knows all things!

 I know that there are some who will doubt some of what I am saying, because it is easy for even myself to doubt, from time to time. But when I catch myself not believing what I already know is true, I have to simply ask for His forgiveness and remember He loves me! He love me more than I could ever imagine!

 That said, I truly believe that when God created the heavens and the earth, He knew before it was even made, that man would need salvation, that Satan would fall, and that this world would be destroyed. As much as it sounds, shall we say, hard to believe, there was something very special about His whole plan; which, believe it or not, was all about love!  

 Maybe there is a simple way to explain it, but the way things are is caused by our mistakes, not God's! And when I say mistakes, I am being nice; only because that is what we make them! To clarify what that means, the definition for mistake is: "an action or judgement that is misguided or wrong." Simply put, it is also what sin looks like, because we are misguided and we do wrong!

 But God already knows, and He has known it all along, that we are bound to make mistakes, (so we call them), but His plan all along was to cause us to love Him, unconditionally and thankfully, because He first loved us...

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:7-10 NLT)       

"The Salutation"

 "Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied." (Jude 2 KJV)

   "So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, "Lord, has the time come for you to free Isreal and restore our kingdom?" He replied, "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."" (Acts 1:6-8 NLT)

 Just a little bit of information, for anyone that might be thinking about learning what the different cults believe and practice: DON'T GO THERE! You really don't want to dive into their bubble, because there is really no need to know what they believe; focus on the truth that you know and make that your weapon to counter what they might try to tell you.   

 Once upon a time I worked hard to learn those things. I even still have the "Cults Reference Bible," which was written by Dr, Walter Martain. Even Dr. Chuck Missler thought that Dr. Martain had been captured in his studies; as it was, he stopped believing in a pre-tribulation rapture, which was Dr. Chuck's concern that his friend had been lost in his studies. 

 The main point I am trying to make, is that we don't need to study what is wrong and false, because we fill our heads with bad information! You should know the term, G.I.G.O., which basically means, Garbage In, Garbage Out. Focus on the truth and defend what you know; using that as your weapon to witness and teach, by sharing the Truth...

"We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NLT) 

"Jude, the Servant"

"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:" (Jude 1 KJV)

  "After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can't become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!" For even his brothers didn't believe in him." (John 7:1-5 NLT)

 History has it, that Jesus had four brothers who were, half-brothers; all four of them were born after Him, by Mary and Joseph. All though, depending on the Religion, there are some the say Joseph had these other sons before he married Mary; while others have other weird and strange ideas. It is the Roman Catholic Church that is set upon Mary having been kept a virgin, so it is said; as she is referred as, the mother of God, and prayed to, as if she too is a Deity.

 As much as there are different versions, of what is what, this little Book of Jude is one that shines the light on the reason; much like John shines the light on the spirit of the antichrist; which is very real and present in this very day. Believe it or not, there are several religions that I know for a fact are founded and continue to be growing based upon and controlled by that spirit; some of which will show their true colors if you get too serious about who Jesus really is; this much I know is certain! 

 Besides that, the Book of Revelation is used quite a bit by those false religions; mostly because of the, so called mystery of what is being said; most of which can be twisted and changed from what it is really meant to mean; even though it is clearly not what is said! 

 I know that is so, but that is something for another time and date. Having said all of this, there are some Christians that have very strange beliefs: some think that UFOs are going to be what takes us away in the rapture; there are some that think the earth is flat; and believe it or not, but there are some that truly believe that the earth is billions of years old...

"So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true - it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ." (1 John 2:24-27 NLT)       

"The Letter from Jude"

  "This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I am writing to all who have been called of God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love." (Jude 1-2 NLT)

  "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given onto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:16-20 KJV)

 As many of us should now, this Jude that has written this letter is a brother of Jesus; who identifies himself as the brother of James: James is the author of the Book of James. Both James and Jude identify themselves as, "Servants of Christ." There are a few scholars that identify this Jude as the Apostle Judas (not Iscariot) in Matthew 10:2-3, also called Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus (Lk. 6:16 & Acts 1:13). 

 I really don't believe that this Jude was one of Jesus' disciples; but that is coming up in a different message. What I do believe is that both James and Jude were brothers, that had the same mother, who was Mary; the virgin mother of Jesus Christ. As that is the case, I also believe that the term, "Slave, or Servant" used by both brothers is given to mean, "His Bondman"; which, if you don't mind me saying, that it means, it was their way of saying that they were very sorry for the way they treated him, before He was crucified and rose from the dead! 

 Which is precisely the reason I doubt that this Jude was one of Jesus' Apostles. However, for the sake of knowing nothing, let me make it perfectly clear: both James and Jude were brothers of Jesus! Which, for the sake making my point, before I even try to go into the Book of Revelation, I felt as though I needed to do this Book first.

 I believe that there is good reason for this Book to come before Revelation; why that is, I have yet to figure it out; but I am truly convinced that there is a good reason...

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby, know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confeesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already it is in the world." (John 4:1-3 KJV)  

"That Which Affords Joy!"

 "Grace be with you all. Amen." (Hebrews 13:25 KJV)

  "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in his glory." (Colossians 3:1-4 NLT)

 There are some things in this life that can bring us joy, regardless of whatever it is that we might be going through; just a special word from a friend, or the celebration of new life when a baby is born. These things are well and good, but that kind of joy will only last for a moment.

 The joy we are talking about here is something totally different, as it is based upon something we have for ever and ever! No matter what situation we might face on this earth, the grace that we have been given is something that overshadows even the worst thing that we might be going through; even the thought of death! 

 I know it might sound simple, just saying it; but what else can you do? There are some circumstances that you just can't change or get out of; but there is something you can always look forward to, and it can and it will change your perspective; I guarantee it!  

 Having a little difficulty choosing what is next. I am really considering Revelation; but I know that it will require more time and quite a lot of research. Whatever it is, it will be that which affords joy! Yes, that is what grace is meant to be, as it brings pleasure, happiness, peace, and everything else that is a delight! The whole meaning of grace is that of getting something you could never afford, not even in a thousand lifetimes...

"Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil - the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God." (Ephesians 2:1-8 NLT) 

"All the Saints!" - Too

 "Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you." (Hebrews 13:24 KJV)

  "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart." (1 Peter 1:18-22 NLT)

 Before I go, I would really like to do something real meaningful, besides whatever this 'living journal' might accomplish; if anything, worth talking about. My desire is to travel around to RV Parks that have senior saints, to share the importance of never forgetting their Wedding Vows, no matter what state or condition their better half might be in!

 To be completely honest, I do have days when I might challenge the situation we are in, wondering if it is all too weird or if she is actually not meant to live in the condition she is in. Every time I go there, I have to fall on my knees, asking God for forgiveness! He alone is the one that decides who stays and who goes; we have no right to take a life; especially not the life that obviously wants to keep living!   

 We had a chance to pray over a friend, that has great concern for his grandson, who has yet to be born. The baby has already been named, and needs to have spinal surgery, while he is in his mother's womb. Just before we started to pray, I had to tell him about the fetus that I posted a picture about, shortly after I started this blog. The little unborn baby was having a spinal surgery, one just like his grandson might be getting; and during the surgery, the child's little hand reached up and grabbed the Sergen's pinky, from out of the womb! 

 If you didn't know, Matt Drudge was fired from Fox News for making a big deal about this photo; mainly because he was pressing the point about real living life in the womb! Something we all should know and believe, based upon what we have learned in the Bible; the Living Word of God!  

 Anywho; we are either a Saint or we aint, but God is the Judge! We are only given a chance to prove to ourselves that we believe in what we believe; making every effort, as best as we can, to share the gift that we have been given...

"But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law that I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law - I stopped trying to meet all its requirements - so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." (Galatians 2:17-21 NLT) 

"All the Saints!"

 "Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you." (Hebrews 13:24 KJV)

  "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 this 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 fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our power is from God, not from ourselves." (2 Corinthians 4:5-7 NLT)

 Well, I was going to share more about, "Set at Liberty," but I thought I had said enough about myself, even if it was part of the journey. But that doesn't stop me from sharing about the reason I used that title in the first place. As it was, Paul is talking about Timothy being released from jail, as being, "set at liberty," because he is no longer locked up. But my story was meant to be one that was about me being "set at liberty" even though I was still in jail! 

 Yes, I was incarcerated, but I felt absolutely FREE! That is what I meant about having real true faith; because, as Jesus said, "So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free." (John 8:36 NLT) To be perfectly honest, I really prefer the KJV of that verse, which I would use to share with anyone who is tied down, but has been saved: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."  

 Before I was saved, I felt as though I wanted to be set free; as it was, I was told I would be able to just serve on weekends, (which I never really believed would happen,) but instead it looked like I was going to stay for at least eight months. But, once I was saved, on that great and glorious day, I felt absolutely free! It was as if I had something important to do, right where I was; even though I still desired to be home with my wife and son, it pretty much just felt as if I needed to be where I was, as long as the Lord would have me there. 

 The reason I prefer that verse about being set free in the old KJV, is because it uses the word, "make," which is also in the NKJV and several others; but for some reason the NLT version uses "sets," which doesn't really make the point of how we got saved in the first place! 

 Without a doubt, I believe that it was God that made me move; it get up, off of my bunk, and to go down to the cafeteria room, in order to hear that message! I surely wasn't about to do it on my own; but it was the work of God that made me want to hear what was going to be said. Maybe that is not a thing you could believe; but when God calls you, it is not until you allow Him to change you, that you are really chosen...

"Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as it you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian life in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ." (Galatians 3:1-5 NLT)