"Temporary Cleansing"

"For if the blood of bulls and of goats. and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth  to the purifying of the flesh:" (Hebrews 9:13 KJV)

  "You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." (PSALM 51:16-17 NLT)

 My first thought for a title after reading this verse, about, "purifying the flesh," was "Religion."  It is not that I don't think religious actions are not needed, because they are meant to be the things we practice doing to honor and serve, because the main thing we really want and need, is relationship with God, through Christ; religion is not going to save anyone! As a matter of fact, most Religions only trap people into actions of works and sacrifices that do nothing but satisfy the human flesh, while the soul is still left destined for hell! 

 I can recall a dream I had one night, as I was around ten or so years old. We were fellowshipping with the J.W.'s, and that particular night our home was chosen for our groups meeting. I remember being in the room, and I was given the opportunity to find and read the, "Verifying Scripture Reference." If you don't know what that means, it is the way Bible Study is done in that religion; they study the Bible through the books by the WTS, and there is a Scripture Reference for each section of what they are reading. The one who reads the Scripture will read it out loud, and everyone will agree and verify that it is the truth. 

 Anywho, that particular night, my little brother Jon came into the room, while everyone was watching, and in a state of sleepwalking, he walked over to a house plant in the living room and took a leak. Everyone was shocked and couldn't believe what he had done. Our family home wasn't chosen again for fellowship meetings. But that night I had the strangest dream, which had all four of kids kneeling in the driveway, while my stepdad stuffed newspaper into our mouths and then lighted us on fire. 

 Sorry if that seemed really crazy, but it was something that haunted me for quite some time. Something else that was weird, was the way we had communion; as they would pass the elements around the room from person to person, but no one partook! We just got to pass it, and got to look down at it, as it was passed to the next person. Apparently, the only ones who could partake were the '144,000'; which by now. are most likely just a few hundred or so.   

 As I was saying, going to church and getting involved in any Religion will not save you; especially if that Religion does not preach and teach about the real Jesus Christ! We must be in fellowship with one another, because we are all part of the same body; but just going to a church or joining some kind of a Religion, is not going to save you: Only the blood of Christ Jesus will save your soul; everything else will just temporarily make you feel better about yourself; and when I say, 'yourself', I mean the outer man or woman! 

 Nothing can cleanse your soul, but the blood of Jesus Christ: Believe on that...

"Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refused to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift of God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this well is deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you are greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?" Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."" (John 4:7-14 NLT

"Good Things to Come" - Too

 "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." (Hebrews 9:12 KJV)

  "But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy." And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must life in reverent fear of him during your time as "foreigners in the land." 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, spotless 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." (1 Peter 1:15-21 NLT) 

 There are some things we need to know, as the salvation we have been given, although it was freely given, it came to be by a very expensive price! As I was listing to a message the other day about when Jesus pleaded with the Father, three times asking Him to take the cup away, each time He asked, there was no reply or answer. Jesus was well aware of what He had to do, but because He was living in that fleshly body, the pain and suffering He was going to endure was overwhelming.

 My greatest fear to be killed in a fire; not that it is something that would make me deny Christ over, if it would ever be an option. But from some of the stories I have heard, the believers that were burnt for their faith, somehow had an amazing comfort, even in those flames. It was almost like the Holy Spirit gave them the strength to endure the flames, as if it was a cool bath, or a spiritual cleansing. I know that might sound really weird, but from what I have heard, many of them sang songs of praise, as their bodies were being burnt. 

 In the message from Peter, one of the things he wrote was about the Father's judgment as if there is judgment of the good and bad for us by Him when we get into Heaven. From the way I see it, by the things I have learned and been told, that will not be the case! We have been washed by the precious blood of Christ; there is no more sin, because Christ Jesus has made us pure and white as the whitest snow! 

 However, here on this earth, we are God's children! And just like all children growing up, we will sometimes do bad things; that will be the judgment the Father will correct in us, not that He will be condemning us or counting our sins against us, because every sin has been washed away, by the blood of His Son! But like every good father here on earth, He does correct and reward those children that are here on this earth. 

 Because we are ambassadors of Christ, we are also subject to certain responsibilities; the kind that show that we belong to Christ! Love one another and be thankful for God's great love for you...  

"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 you heart. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God." (1 Peter 1:22-23 NLT) 

"Good Things to Come"

 "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." (Hebrews 9:11 KJV)

  "So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, "It is only though faith that a righteous person has life." This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, "It is through obeying the law that a person has life." But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:11-14 NLT)

 Having been in that condition of failing to obey God's commandments, (as I truly believe that I have broken ever one,) I can honestly say that it doesn't take a whole lot of effort or thought to realize what it means to be saved and have all my sins forgiven. The baggage and to heavy load we sometimes bear, are not only lifted from us, but we are given the Holy Spirit to reinforce and help us to complete the journey! 

 I sometimes forget that He is there; if you can understand what that actually means. There is just so much that distracts us from being focused on the Spirits leading and guiding, we can find ourselves doing things on our own, without asking for help or guidance. If you don't have that ever happening in your life, good for you! That puts you in a very special category of believers, because all most everyone has some sort of missing the mark of perfection. 

 Thankfully, we have obtained eternal redemption! Which, in case you might not know, means that we are no longer the one who is in charge, no matter what you might think or do, your life has been purchased by the blood of Christ! If you fall away and walk away from the Lord, as bad as that might be; if you are truly His, then it will only be temporary; even if that means your life here is over, you're still His!

 If for some reason you don't believe that is so, then you need to start believing in what He has done and why His redemption is eternal. If you have begun a New Life in Christ, He will complete what He has done, even if it requires taking you home. There are certain things I truly believe are unchangeable, one of which is the redemption that takes place when we truly believe and receive Jesus into our hearts: He will never leave us or forsake us, ever...

"Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrist have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed 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 in 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. 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 with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us." (1 John 2:18-25 NLT)  

"The Open Door"

 "But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;" (Hebrews 9:11 KJV)

  ""But the time is coming - indeed it's here now - when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming - the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus told her, "I Am the Messiah!"" (John 4:23-26 NLT) 

 The Open Door, as many will call it, is always open for those that want fellowship with the Father; we who have been cleansed by the blood of Christ, have been given that privilege to enter into the New Holy of Holies, that which is not made with human hands! This makes each and every one of us priests, as we are servants of The Living God! Jesus is now become the Great High Priest, which ushered in the New Covenant, that which replaced the old covenant; the covenant that taught us that we needed to be saved! 

 I know that there are some who really don't understand it, but even those can believe and be saved, even without complete understanding! It's just a matter of believing and receiving the free gift that is being offered; everything will work itself out, the more you pray and read God's word, the more you will come to understand how simple it really is! 

 That might not make sense to some, but it really comes down to God's will and purpose: He is the One who made it happen, and He is the One who gets to make it all good! Simple enough, we just need to make it believable and accept it...

"So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:16-21 NLT) 

"Christ Is the Perfect Sacrifice"

   "So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in Heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood - not the blood of goats and calves - he entered the Most Holy Place once and for all time and secured our redemption forever.

 "Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people's bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our conscience from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

 "Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead. The will goes into effect only after the person's death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect.

 "That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal. For after Moses had read each of God's commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God's law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool. Then he said, "This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you." And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the Tabernacle and on everything used for worship. In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:11-22 NLT)

  "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:5-10 KJV)

 As I thought about the things which I hope to do, I recalled all of those other things I planned to do, yet never really accomplished the task it takes to make it happen. Sometimes we really need to make sure that God's will and purposes are in line with all we want to do; especially when it comes to planning a change in our pattern of living or the work we might want to take on. Taking everything before the Lord is the thing we should make ourselves do! If we take everything to God, and when we do our best, then He will take care of the rest...

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek or Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:9-17 KJV)  

"Time of Reformation"

 "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and canal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation." (Hebrews 9:10 KJV) 

  "God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ - everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God's purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him." (Ephesians 1:9-14 NLT)

 When you look up the word, "Reformation," you will be given the pictures of those who lived during the 16th century, as if those were the days when the religious revolution took place. Yes, there was a mighty work that took place, but the real Reformation was when Jesus died on that cross! There was something that took place, which nobody could explain, because it could only happen by God's hands! 

 What I am talking about is that veil between the two chambers, as the veil was torn from the top to bottom! This is something that God changed in an instant, the moment that Jesus died on that cross, the power of forgiveness came alive, and everything changed, at that very moment! No longer did man need to go through a priest, but the separation had been torn down by the Father, Himself!  

 Yesterday I heard a message about how Jesus died on the cross. Obviously, there are several different ways that people think that He died; some think it was from a ruptured heart, while others think it was from the terrible beating He received, prior to being nailed to the cross. Still, those who executed Him were somewhat amazed that He died so soon, as this type of execution was meant to take some time.

 The basic truth of the matter was spoken of by Jesus, when He spoke about being the Good Shepherd: "The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded." (John 10:17-18 NLT)

 To put it in the simplest terms: "The Jesus said, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46 NLT) So says the doctor...

"We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy." (1 John 1:1-4 NLT)       

"Living Sacrifice"

 "Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him the did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;" (Hebrews 9:9 KJV)

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

 Now then, according to what has been shown, over and over again, there is nothing we can do in order to obtain salvation, other than receiving that free gift of salvation through Christ Jesus: He paid the price for each and every sin, for each and every person that has ever lived on this earth! There is not only single person that He did not die for, on that cross; so, there is nothing anyone can do, but to receive the free gift that was given, and be eternally grateful! 

 That gratefulness is where being a living sacrifice comes into play! Giving your lives to Christ is not a sacrifice; it is you being thankful for the salvation you have been given; which is your reasonable service, seeing that you have been given new life. There are so many ways that we can serve our King; but we must always keep in mind that reward is not why we serve, but we are given the privilege to serve our Glorious KING! 

 Those who expect something from serving, do not do what they do by offering a sacrifice, but for a reward; when really, being the living sacrifice, actually is the reward! That is what Jesus did when He came to die on that cross; He came as a Servant, to pay the price for our sins, and to set us free from the bondage of our sinful nature! 

 What's more, is we do not need to feel guilty, as those that do not have this salvation. We are totally and completely washed clean before God, the One and Only True Judge; and He sees us perfect because we have been washed in the blood of His Son. If for some reason you don't realize that, is you, and your weighed down by sins which still haunt you; then confess those sins to God and then start doing the opposite of what caused your condition.

 Just a thought; but it is also a solution...

"When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let and part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin, Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." (Romans 6:10-14 NLT) 

"Amazing Grace"

 "The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:" (Hebrews 9:8 KJV)

  "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us." (Ephesians 2:14-18 NLT)

 Maybe there is some really important reason for this current Administration to be doing what they are doing, as I see it happening, things are being brought back to order, and the fraud, wrong doings, and stupidity are being exposed. Not that it makes much of a difference, because the Rapture is going to happen soon enough, and the real craziness will take over! I will keep praying that the ones I love are not here when that craziness happens!  

 Having said that, I have been praying for our President and asking God to reveal His amazing grace to him, that he would receive the salvation that he doesn't think he deserves! None of us really deserve the salvation we have been given; it is a gift from God, we cannot earn it, nor can claim it to be something we accepted on our own! This is the power of God that makes us new and alive: The Father draws us to His Son, and the Holy Spirit softens our hearts! Without God's love helping and making us surrender, we do not stand a chance. 

 I know that there are some that will not accept that, because that is just the way it is. There really are quite a few people who think that they have earned their salvation, as if it was the choice they made that made it a sacrifice, an offering to God, that their decision to follow the Lord was the payment enough to receive their reward. Please don't believe that you earned anything; you can never ever earn anything that has been freely given.

 Anywho...

"How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives 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. In the same way, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him a righteous because of his faith." The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What's more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, "All nations will be blessed through you." So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith." (Galatians 3:3-9 NLT) 

"Ready Made"

 "But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:" (Hebrews 9:7 KJV)

  "The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." (PSALM 19:8-14 NLT)

 I can remember something Pastor Jack said, several years ago, as he was sharing on predestination, and how it is that God knows, but we are clueless; something that is all worked out as God's perfect plan and purposes, for each and every one of those He has chosen. The way Jack explained what that might look like when we arrive at those, Pearly Gates, is that going in we shall see a sign that says, "The Called," which will somewhat make us feel as though we made the right choice, as if we answered the Call. Yet, once we passed in through those Gates, we would see the other side of that sign, which would say, "The Chosen." 

 Not that we don't have a choice, because everyone must choose, when He gives us the right opportunity! It is His calling upon us, at just that right time and in that right setting, when we must make the right choice! However, it might appear, we were somehow prepared for our opportunity, we just didn't know how or why, but we surely realized it, once we accepted His invitation! 

 This second chamber was one that was very sacred and even the high priest needed to cleanse himself, before he would offer blood for the people. It was also shown that he had bells along the bottom of his robe; and a rope tied around his ankle. As he walked around, sprinkling the blood, the bells would ring; if they stopped ringing, then it meant he died, and then they would drag him out with the rope. (At least that is the way I heard the bells and rope were meant for.) 

 Besides this choice we are given, I truly believe that He doesn't give up! At least that is what I see in my own situation. As I said before, I truly believed that God was real, and that God made the heavens and the earth, just as the beginning of the Bible says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) I knew this more than any other Scripture in the Bible, mostly because every time I started reading the Bible, I know where I started, but I seldom ever finished! 

 Several times in my life growing up, I had many chances to make the choice, as I was offered many times, in all sorts of settings and ways of communication. As you might have read, I really did think I needed to practice keeping those 10 Commandments, and I set out at around the age of twelve to make that my goal. When I saw full well it wasn't possible to do, I simply quit trying and basically did what I wanted, no matter the cost. 

 Over the next decade, I had several times when I prayed and called out to God; most of them I still remember. Believe it or not, but there was peace in my heart, each of those times I can remember. It was that last call that got hold of me, the one that made me move towards that call and actually run down to the service. Looking back, I truly believe that was my last call; but then again, I also believe in my heart that He still wouldn't have given up on me! 

 This is more than just something we are called to, and we really must believe that we were chosen! It is not by accident that we were where we happened to be, and the circumstance we were in at the right time! It was just the right place and time, and God made His move...

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

  

"Made Ready" - Too

 "Now when these things were ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God." (Hebrews 9:6 KJV) 

  ""Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name."" Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again." When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him. Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."" (John 12:27-32 NLT)

 Happiness and joy are really not the same, as most of us should already know. As we see here in this short picture of Jesus expressing His soul being deeply troubled, happiness was really not what He was trying to express; it was more about sadness about what would soon be happening. And yes, Jesus knew everything that would be happening, even the fact that He would have victory over death! 

 This might not seem as though it draws a perfect picture of the 'first tabernacle,' but in this crazy mind of mine, I really feel it will at least cast a small shadow to what it represents. As was explained before, this has the earthly condition, meaning that there is a condition we all have when we are born into this fallen world, a separation from God! 

 How this is something which matters to happiness and joy, really matters to your final outcome. If you truly believe that you are saved and will be going to heaven when this life is over, then joy will always be in your heart! Living though this life, may sometimes steal your happiness, which is something that is bound to happen, now and again; but joy is something that will stay in your heart, as long as you keep believing that you are going to the other side! Nothing can take away your joy...

"As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me." But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her."" (Luke 10:38-42 NLT)    

"Made Ready"

 "Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God." (Hebrews 9:6 KJV)

  "Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other, But - "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial to everyone." (Titus 3:3-8 NLT)

 Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas, which is meant to be for good fellowship and times to share with your family and friends. Other than that, we must always remember that Jesus is the reason for the season! As we go into the New Year, many of us will be planning new goals and setting out to make promises to ourselves and others; most of us will most likely fail, as that is usually the case. But the most important things we can plan on, however and whenever you make it to be, is to have your own special time every day to pray and spend time in God's word. Set aside at least 10% of your day to prayer and spending time with God; making that your most important goal, more than anything else! 

 Having been committed to this blog, regardless of how I might feel, I have always been consistent and the only days that were missed were the three days in the hospital. That said, you must be committed and not give up, no matter how you do it or make it your special time with the Lord. I prefer mornings, most of all; as I usually start at 4am by praying for an hour, then I spend about an hour and a half reading and typing this blog. Some mornings don't do much, as far as inspiration; but most morning bring me to tears and I feel that God inspired me to read and declare, whatever He was allowing me to say. 

 Anywho, that is my best reason for setting that goal, because we tend to replace those times we set to be with the Lord with other things; one day leads to two, and then two days leads to three or four; and before you know it, you are hardly spending time with God at all. Your Bible, (if you have one,) is not within reach, and is just sitting somewhere getting dusty. You know what I mean, I have had those times in certain seasons of my walk with the Lord, so I know it is something that happens, from time to time. But, to be totally honest, this thing I do every morning, however it might seem, is keeping me in prayer and opening my Bible every morning; and that has been all these years of staying consistent! 

 With that, I will say the whole reason I think it remains constant is the commitment I have, and the point of being accountable to keep on going. Without that accountability, I probably would have never been able to be consistent; I would have slipped away as more people do from time to time, just trying to deal with life and struggling to keep it together. We must make God our number one priority, and everything else will be less stressful...

"May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires." (2 Peter 1:2-4 NLT)       

"The Mercyseat" - To

 "And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly." (Hebrews 9:5 KJV)

  "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor's rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will be burned. They will be fuel for the fire. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!" (Isaiah 9:2-7 NLT)

 Imagine you were able to witness the birth of Jesus, knowing full well who He was and why be came to be born on this earth, seeing Him, as a little innocent baby, laying in a manger. Those who had the chance to see Him, had to be totally and completely amazed!

 Well, this is the picture I see from these two cherubim, as they bow their heads, face to face, looking down onto that mercyseat, as an illustration of those Heavenly Hosts, gazing down upon that manger, and witnessing the KING of KINGS and LORD of LORD's, laying in that manger, as a newborn child! Can you imagine what that might have looked like, if you were one of those angels? No wonder they were so excited to celebrate and burst into song; they knew full well what He came for and all that He would be going through; it was all written and recorded for all mankind to know, so I have no doubt that they knew every detail of what would happen. 

 There is something else about this lid, this mercyseat, which covers that ark; the children of Israel were shown God's amazing glory and power, having lived through so many miraculous wonders, some of which many who read about it, don't really believe. This might not be easy to understand, but God placed a lid on the people of Israel, making a way for the Gentiles to be saved. It's not that He stopped loving them, or abandoned them, because He would never do that; but He did make a way for them to see the light, which will be the Light that would be shinning from the Gentiles! 

  Here is the promise given to Abraham, when God said, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you." 

 That was the promise for all the world to be saved, which the angels also proclaimed! As well as the prophecy of Simeon, who was told he would see the Messiah before he would die...

 "That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, "Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."" (Luke 2:27-35 NLT) 

"The Mercyseat"

 "And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly." (Hebrews 9:5 KJV)

  "Though I am the least deserving of all God's people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rules and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Ephesians 3:8-11 NLT)

 About those three articles, spoken of yesterday, that manna which was given 6 days a week, was bread from Heaven, which represented the Word of God, which, as we see in John 1:14, is Jesus Christ, in the flesh. Additionally, truth be told, the Law was given to us in order to show us our sinful nature, as there is none of us that can actually keep every one of those commandments, because we all have a sin nature. And, if memory serves, Aaron's rod was a dead piece of wood; but it brought forth life when it budded leaves, which demonstrated New Life. 

 Not that it is a secret or anything, because these things are very apparent and they actually do represent the completed work of Christ Jesus; which may be the reason God had taken it to Heaven; if that is, the place it is at. This mercy seat, it is really quite mysterious and a little hard to explain. Some have thought it was just a covering for the Ark on the Covenant, and platform for which the cherubim rested, representing the area between these two figures, as God's place of dwelling. 

 Whatever they were for, they demonstrated the holiness of what they looked down upon; as they were placed face to face, and where both looking down to the lid of the Ark. Once a year the mercy seat was sprinkled with blood, "hence the lid of expiation, the propitiatory." (Whatever that means?) Regardless, it is very mysterious and has something that speaks of God's great mercy, which, if memory serves, it means that we do not get what we deserve...

"The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (PSALM 103:8-12 NLT)  

"Connected With God" - Again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Connected With God" - Too

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  

"Connected With God"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The Separation"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The Sanctuary" - To

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The Sanctuary"

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

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

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

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

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

"The Earthly Character"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Old Rules about Worship"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The Beautiful Hard"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Just Because!" - 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Just Because!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The Real Meaning" - Too

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The Real Meaning"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"God's Inscription" - To

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'God's Inscription"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Particularly So!" - Too

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

   

"Particularly So!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The Blame Game" - Too

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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