"The Commission"

 "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." (John 17:2 KJV)

  "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven." (Hebrews 1:1-3 NLT)

 It might be verses like the one before us today that have convinced some people that there is no real choice in the matter; that the Father picks those who are going to be saved, giving them to the Son, and it is that which makes them the children of God. Not to create an argument; but the beginning of the verse is the pure truth of the matter: The Father has given the Son power over all flesh! 

 I heard something yesterday that was a complicated question, as someone that sounded pretty old called and asked: "If Jesus was God, why didn't He know the day or the hour of His return, but only the Father knew when it would happen?' Interesting thought, but there was something that I have believed from the first day of my salvation: even though Jesus is, was, and always will be God, while He was here in the form of a man, He was subject to some of what we are subject to, like the inability to know all things! 

 As previously mentioned, Jesus knew the hearts of men, even more than they knew their own selves. He also had the ability to know things that would be taking place, things on this earth, as well as the things that take place in heaven. The magnitude of knowledge that He could contain was limited, but not enough to allow Him to know the things that the Father has shown Him; things that are too far beyond the ability of man's comprehension. 

 The way that I have understood this answer, is that the Father is the one that decides the moment; He will know when that last Gentile will have accepted His Son, and in that moment, He will instruct the Son to go down and snatch His bride from the earth. It will be just as the days of Noah and of Lot; the earth will be judged with the Great Tribulation, but first, the church will be taken up into heaven. 

 That is why I believe in the pre-tribulation rapture, because Jesus will be taking His bride out of here before the destruction comes. We are not talking about trials and tribulation; this is about 1/3 of the entire earth being destroyed and devastated. 

 However, from what I have been told, there will be a great multitude of souls saved during that Great Tribulation; but they will suffer a great price to have made their choice to believe in Jesus! Don't wait for the right time to decide to believe in the Lord; the time is right now, while you still can! What makes you think that you will make your choice then, as if that will convince you that God is real?

  If you notice the circumstance that you will be living in, when it really gets nasty, the whole world will know that He is real; but they will still curse at Him, even with knowledge, it is He that is the One that is devastating them...

 "Because God's children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could be break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." (Hebrews 2:14-15 NLT) 

 

"The High Priestly Prayer"

  ""For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life - to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to the earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.

 "I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

 "My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold."" (John 17:2-12 NLT) 

 "Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God." (Isaiah 50:10 NLT) 

 How can we pretend to know what we are doing, if we don't pray for God's guidance in everything we do? If Jesus, who was God's Son, prayed for the Father's guidance and protection, how much more should we make it a priority to seek God's guidance and protection, every day and all day, throughout our life? 

 Those questions are meant for me, because I am guilty of doing things first, and then asking God to help me fix or correct all the mistakes I have made. Somehow, I need to stop making things seem as though they are my responsibility and start giving everything to God! Maybe I have that condition because I have convinced myself, "If man can do it, God will not," or so I have been told. 

 Here is something to think about, as Pastor Rick mentioned Sunday: 'Stop thinking about yourself, but think about God!' Somehow that make more sense, if you look at it from God's point of view! He knows the way that we should go, He provides for the way that we get there, and He establishes the time that we are here! 

 Even Jesus acknowledges God the Father as the One that owns it all! What is it that we think is ours? If it all belongs to God, then shouldn't it be our first priority to ask God before we do anything with it...

"The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever." (PSALM 23 NLT) 

"God's Servant"

 "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come, glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee." (John 17:1 KJV)

  ""Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction."" (Isaiah 42:1-4 NLT)

 If you ever have been to court over something that might put you in jail, then you know that your fate is in the hands of the court. However, for those who are in God's hand, there is really nothing to worry about, because if you are God's servant, you will have the outcome God wants, be where God wants you to be, and will feel good about whatever sentence that you are given. 

 There is more to this than just a prayer; Jesus is the Mediator between us and the Father! The portion of Scripture, from Isaiah 42, was shared on yesterday by Pastor Rick. He spent several minutes setting up his message, asking everyone to forget that the plan God had happened, but instead, place yourself in God's shoes and think of what you would do, having everything you made to be perfect, turn out wrong, over and over again. 

 Of course, there is another side to all of that, in that God already knew firsthand, everything that would go wrong, so the plan was in place, even before anything had happened. But, in the place where we stand, we are dependent upon God's justice! What is justice? Wow, this could take some serious consideration! 

 First of all, there is a starting point to all that was wrong; and it didn't start with Adam when he ate of the fruit. It started with Lucifer and his rebellion against God; taking one-third of the angels in heaven with him. He rebelled against God, as some expect, because he was jealous of mankind, whom God was going to place over the angels. 

 That makes the story a little different, as we are really not the cause of the mess, but a product of the insurrection! You know what I feel about that Tree that was placed in the midst of the garden; the whole thing was based upon the knowledge of good and evil; something Adam had to figure out, based on the wrong choice he had made, to eat the fruit! 

 I really don't want to go any further with that, because this is about what Jesus has done to fix all of that! It could only be a man, meaning someone that took Adam's place, making the right choices, and becoming a Servant, obeying and following all of the Father's instructions. At the same time, He needed to be God, because only God was capable of pulling it off... 

"Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:18-19 NLT) 

"The Prayer of Jesus"

 "After saying these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you."" (John 17:1 NLT) 

  "I lift my eyes up to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal." ((Psalm 123:1-2 NLT) 

 Just a little different twist of this chapter, as the rest of the Lord's prayer will be broken up into three parts: "The High Priestly Prayer," "The Disciples in the World," and "Their Future Glory." In a way, this is the continuation of the last verse of Chapter 16; what Jesus said to His disciples, He will now pour out before His Father.

 If you have ever preached a message that you knew God was going to do a work through, then you know that you need to pray something that is similar to what Jesus is praying, but with quite a lot more humility and meekness! Never go into a message unprepared, but always go expecting God to speak! Most of the time, God gives us something that is easy to understand and articulate, but then He will expand what we prepared for, by giving His heart on the matter.  

 In this case, Jesus knows full well what is going to take place, yet He also knows that there will be part of Him that will be tempted to make it stop. And He could make it stop, if He wanted to, with just a word! However, He was being a Servant! The Greatest Servant there ever was on this earth! You can't imagine what it would have been like, to have so much power, yet to be able to take so much punishment; let alone the shame, as everyone looked upon His beaten and stripped body, as He hung upon the cross. 

 As I shared yesterday, the way we fix the things we have that are messed up in our lives, isn't done by what we can do, we must give them to God, and then focus upon what we can do for the Lord. It is by God's strength that we changed, because He has already changed us, we just need to walk out the change we have been given, as His servant. 

 The reason I made such a big deal about the lame man that carried his mat, was not just because he forgot about saying, "stand," but because it was Stand that changed him! When Jesus gave the word, stand, it was by that word that the man stood up; he was changed in an instant. The mat that he was so dependent upon, was now somewhat of a burden that he carried, as he walked through the Temple, while in his changed condition. 

 If he had focused on the change, instead of the burden he was stuck with, he might have expressed the wonderful healing, more than the reason he was carrying his mat...

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. 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 2:5-11 NLT) 

"All Things!"

 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 KJV) 

  "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purposes for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory." (Romans 8:28-30 NLT)

 As I was beginning to start this morning's post, I focused on what Jesus was saying to His disciples, and I realized the point He was making, as to the forgiveness that is found in Him! We really get messed up on our mess-ups; so much so, it sometimes hinders our ability to share all that the Lord gives to use, like, peace and joy and the ability to love one another. These things are the properties of Christ, and in Him, we are overcomers, because He has already overcome the world! 

 It really is about abiding in Christ! In this world, we will be knocked down, kicked around, and even sometimes beat ourselves up. But we always have Jesus to pick us up and put us right-side up again! This is what it takes to be saved by grace; we don't deserve it, but He gets us across the finish-line, no matter what! 

 All the time we waste by dealing with our own issues, when we should be busy doing His work, and allow Him to do the work in us! The more we focus upon the weaknesses and issues we might have, the less time we are equipped to do those things that matter most, like sharing the goodness of God! It is through Christ that we have strength, not by our own strength, but in Him! 

 Sorry for all the exclamation marks, but I feel as though this is something important. It's almost like we have two different personalities, the one that walks in the flesh, and the one that abides in Christ; they always are fighting one-another; but no matter what, in the end, we win! All things work together for the good! Don't ask me how, because I personally don't really want to know. I just want to believe that Jesus is the way, and I need to keep my focus on Him...

"As for me, my I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died. It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creature. May God's peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God." (Galatians 6:14-16 NLT) 

"It Is What It Is"

 "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me." (John 16:32 KJV)

  ""For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day."" (Ezekiel 34:11-12 NLT)

 I firmly believe that Jesus was not casting judgment upon His disciples for what would happen to their loyalty; this is something that was going to happen, and He was just letting them know that He knew it was going to happen, whether they believed Him or not, it was going to happen! This was written about hundreds of years before, and it was based on the heart of man, as the Scripture says: "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT) 

 Without a doubt, Jesus knew how and why everything was going to play out, as this was something the Father and He had planned for thousands of years. It was written about, shown to the Prophets, and it was even demonstrated throughout all of the festivals, rituals, and instruments within the Temple. Which brings to mind the "Water Basin" used for cleansing before offering sacrifices. As it were, the articles and the furnishings of the Temple were all given measurements for Moses to note, except for the water basin.

 I had heard this message several years ago, given by Pastor Jon, and it really struck a chord in my heart. If you are under the belief, as I am, that the Water refers to the Word of God, then the Word is also the same as Jesus Christ, who, as with the Water Basin, has no measurements! Oh, in the flesh He had height and weight, but that was the flesh, that which was seen and touched by human hands. He was also Spirit, which was sent by the Father, which has no weight or measure; it is infinite! 

 Anywho, that is my take of what was said. When I shared that little tidbit, not long after I first heard it, I was scolded by someone I said it to, as they replied: "The water represents the Holy Spirit, not Jesus!" Maybe that might be a manner of speaking, as the song might go: "I've got a River of Life flowing out of me." There might need to be a little more investigation into that meaning, because based upon the simple illustration of the work of the Water Basin, used for ceremonial cleansing, before you can have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, you must be cleansed. 

 Which reminds me of something I heard the other day, about fishing: "The fishermen catch the fish and then cleans them." We become God's children when we are cleansed, by the blood of the Lamb...

"This is what the LORD says: "Was your mother sent away because I divorced her? Did I sell you as slaves to my creditors? No, you were sold because of your sins. And your mother, too, was taken because of your sins. Why was no one there when I came? Why didn't anyone answer when I called? Is it because I have no power to rescue? No, that is not the reason! For I can speak to the sea and make it dry up! I can turn rivers into deserts covered with dying fish. I dress the skies in darkness, covering them with clothes of mourning."" (Isaiah 50:1-3 NLT) 

  

"Hold That Thought"

 "Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?" (John 16:31 KJV)

  "Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God's power. While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, "Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies." But they didn't know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn't understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it." (Luke 9:43-46 NLT)

 Here is the scary part, sort of, because it is also the part that makes being chosen by God the most amazing thing of all! He knows us, better than we can know ourselves; even when we think that we have the ability to stand up for Him, to obey Him, and to be His follower, He knows what we are really made of! 

 Scary, but wonderful! You messed up, but He knew that you would; and He chose you to be His follower anyways! That might not enlighten those who think they are doing well and never messed up; but if any person thinks they don't sin, they are just fooling themselves, and cannot see their own failures. 

 There are two points that are brought up by Matthew Henry in this case: one is that of foreknowledge of the believer, as to those times they should have believed before, being on their conscience, as they should have believed sooner. The second is about the event when their faith is tested, and will you revert back to questioning what you believe, due to your doubt of the sincerity of your belief. 

 That is really not hard to be the case in just about every believer, at one time or another. We think we can withstand being judged or rejected by others for our beliefs, until that particular moment when it appears too critical or threatening to our personal life, business, or desires. Then we shrink back and just pretend to be neutral on any particular point or subject, even if someone might be putting down the Lord! 

 We all know what happened to the disciples, even though they personally walked with Jesus, saw all of the things He did, and felt the love that He had for them; yet they turned their backs on Him, when it should have mattered the most... 

"Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm? 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. 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 sins. He was beaten so we could be made 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 53:1-6 NLT) 

"Simply Believe"

 "Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God." (John 16:30 KJV)

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

 Once upon a time, as the story goes, things were seemingly so much easier to understand; there really wasn't so much to think about, as we just did what we needed to do to provide for our families, and plan things to do with one another. Now, as if this has changed anything, we are still reading the same Word of God, praying for His soon return, and hoping we are found worthy, when He does! 

 I really do believe that He is coming soon, as there are just too many things happening today, most of which I think God cannot tolerate that it is happening. The point that the disciples are making, is more than just believing that Jesus came from God, but that there is nothing hidden from Him, not even our thoughts, and our innermost desires! 

 In other words, He knows what we are going to say, before we say anything! That might not seem all that amazing, since it is expected to be the attribute God has the ability to do. But the amazing part in all of that, is that we continually forget that it is so, making plans and thinking about things we should not do! If we could only just stop the thought; cut it off, as if it does not even belong in our minds! 

 Well, we have a Helper! We have the Holy Spirit living within us, to not only help us to overcome those things that cause us to stumble, but He will also empower us to obey. Oh, if it were only that easy! If only I could replace those thoughts with something else, as soon as I start to think about them? 

 Just in case you are wondering what it is that we need, His name is JESUS: The Living Word of God...

"So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT)

 

"Crystal Clear"

 "His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb." (John 16:29 KJV)

  "When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn't use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God's secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness - timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NLT)

 Not to reheat old stories, but I was reminded of something the other day that really rocked my world for several weeks. First off, there has been a commercial on the CSN that has been bothering me for several months, as a particular person of academia is quoting the woman caught in adultery, when Jesus says, "Woman, where are your accusers? Does not even one condemn you?" And the announcer says that the woman says, "None, Sir."  

 Every time I heard that commercial, I would feel my heart wench. There are some things that are easy to comprehend, and then there are things that might take several times of hearing it, as it grows and grows in you understanding. This too, like that, was the thing that happened to the disciples. Jesus really didn't say anything new, because He had said this same thing several times before; He just clarified what was already said! 

 Back in the time of the pandemic, (if it is yet over,) I had a couple of days where I was dealing with some very crazy spiritual-warfare. My in-laws were dealing with Covid and I had set them up with some simple medications and some monitors to help keep track of their temperature and saturation's. My wife and I had started praying for them, and I seriously believe that Marianne was praying for them! 

 I was stuck in a portion of the Scriptures, John 5:11, and it was causing me to question what was wrong with the lame man's answer, "The man who healed me told me, "Pick up your mat and walk." As I stood over Marianne, I kept reading the same verse over and over, saying, "What is wrong with this, that I cannot understand?" Over and over again, I kept reading it, at least a dozen times; each time getting more and more determined to find the answer. 

 After a while, Marianne started to have a concerned look on her face, and I instantly understood what it was that I was missing! I know that sounds weird, but I truly believe that her concerned look is what triggered that thought in me, because it instantly hit me, like a shock! The man that was lame forgot the most important part of what Jesus said, "Stand!" 

 I know, it seems like that isn't really all that big of a deal, but the commands of God and the way He speaks, they matter a lot! We must not ever forget Who we are dealing with and how important it is that we do not change what is written or said, not even a little. The whole point of this goes back to the very beginning, when Eve added something to God's command, saying "We should not even touch it." 

 I am not perfectly gifted with teaching, but when I mess up sharing the Scriptures, no matter how much I make good in the presentation of the message, one wrong point, and everything is lost! You say one thing that does not bare the truth, and your whole point is no longer credible.

 Which is why the Jew's answered that man who was carrying his mat on the Sabbath, "Who said such a thing as that?" The authority of the command was not mentioned, "Stand"...

"For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," had made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT) 

"The Alpha and Omega"

 "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." (John 16:28 KJV)

  "Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory." (1 Timothy 3:16 NLT)

 Not sure if the last message was released, having been restricted to contacts, as my content sometimes is not approved by whoever or whatever is monitoring this blog. However, I will not stop this, regardless of whatever is the issue or the reason; this isn't about popularity or statis, it's about me just sharing my thoughts and concerns, in what I originally set out to do: A Living Journal.

 There are some things that are easy to understand, and then there are things that require faith; faith being the belief in something that you cannot fully understand! The whole point of Mary being a virgin, is that she did not have sex with anyone! The child inside of her was the seed of the Holy Spirit, manifested inside of her womb! In other words, her virginity was not taken, there was no penetration, she was still a virgin! 

 I don't care what others might say, I just know what the Bible says, the right Bible! Just because there is another opinion, does not mean that it is the possible way that it happens; it just means that someone does not believe that God can manifest inside of a virgin's womb, as if that is impossible for God! Is anything impossible for God? According to Gabriel, it is not! 

 That is just one minor part of the great mystery! As I mentioned before, I was once asked by one of wife's nurses: "Why would God need to come here and die for our sins?" She asked it as if it was something far-fetched or as though she was offended by the notion. This was mostly due to the fact that she studied with the J.W.'s, who do not believe that Jesus Christ is God. 

 First of all, only God is perfect! The sacrifice needed to take away the sins of the whole world, needed to be a perfect sacrifice, which required that the sacrifice be God! Hard to conceive that, but believe it or not, that is the easiest thing to receive! The love of the Father, as mentioned yesterday, is the thing that people just can't understand! 

 As I was listening to the message yesterday in church, I heard Pastor Rick mention several times how we sometimes judge God ability to love us, based upon the way we feel about ourselves, as if we can ever understand the love of God! His love is too vast for our feeble minds to begin to comprehend; let alone that we could ever try to compare our love with His, because we can't! 

 Jesus came to die for our sins! He stepped down from glory, to be humiliated and have His body broken for our sins! This was something that was planned from the very beginning of time; time is not the beginning of God, but was created for mankind, meaning you and me. The other concept by which it was required that God should die for us, is that of giving us eternal life, which only comes from God! 

 By one man's sin, eternal life was lost: but by Jesus Christ, eternal life was granted again...

"For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to be like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:29-31 NLT) 

"The Father's Love" - 2.0

"For the Father himself loveth you, because ye loved me, and have believed that I came out from God." (John 16:27 KJV) 

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

 Now then, looking up the term, "unconditional love," you will discover that there is a multitude of sites that suggest, if not, specify, that there is no such thing as unconditional love, that it does not exist. Well, this is a pretty deep rabbit-hole to fall into, because it typically doesn't have an end! If you cannot see the fact that God loves you unconditionally, then that hole only leads to one place! 

 Let's be clear: Those that have accepted God's "free gift" of salvation, clearly know how much God loves them, even though they offend Him, time and time again. But because we believe in His son, and the wonder-working power of the cross, He does not and will not stop loving us, regardless of our sinful ways, the stupid things we might do, or the way we ignore His hand that tries to guide our lives. 

 In that light, some will say that God's love is not unconditional, because it is based on the fact that we must believe in His Son. Again, there is the rabbit-hole, just waiting for someone to jump into! You see the chance to be loved unconditionally, yet you refuse to believe it is so, jumping head-first into the pit, as if that is the solution to your unbelief. 

 There is only one simple solution: Turn and run into the arms of God! Forget about what you think you know and accept His free offer to become His child. Then you will truly see that His love is pure and true! That closing Scripture from Peter's letter, although there are several different points of view on what he meant, it clearly says that our salvation is secure and out of reach. 

 I have heard every side of the argument, again and again, there is always going to be those who say that you cannot lose your salvation, those who say that can lose your salvation; and then, those who say that can't, but you sure can leave it. How much does anyone know? We truly won't know who was really saved or not until we all are together in Heaven; then we will see who had salvation and who did not! 

 If you believe that God loves you unconditionally, I truly believe that cannot lose or leave a truth like that...

"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." (1 John 2:18-19 NLT)

"The Father's Love"

 "For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and believed that I came out from God." (John 16:27 KJV)

  ""For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."" (Zephaniah 3:17 NLT)

 Since I opened this conversation about the Father's love, I need to share something else that I have shared before that I have experienced. As some of you might recall, back in 2010, maybe around September, I was standing over my wife and doing some of her care, when I heard a 'man of God' say something on the news, that seriously struck a blow to my heart. 

 For those of you who might recall, there was several days of postings that were dealing with this, as I was very passionate and upset about the can-of-worms that had been opened, hoping and praying that people would not pay any attention to what that man said. What he said, was, "I believe that it is okay for a spouse to divorce their significant other, if they have a brain disorder, for the sake of companionship." 

 When I heard that, I was shocked, and became furious, saying, "Where would you be, O man of God, to have companionship with a Holy God, if not for the sacrifice of His Son on the cross!" At first I really didn't understand my own declaration; but I understood that it must have been Spirit led. 

 I realized something important in my relationship with the Father, His love for us, and our ability to respond to His love accordingly. As I care for my wife, based upon the commitment of the vows that we gave before God and our families, this was love that is based upon commitment, not upon feelings or circumstance. 

 Without getting to carried away and making this about me, I just want to say that I learned something about what the Father's love might feel like: unconditional love does not expect anything in return...

"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. New 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)

"The Lord's Provision"

 "At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:" (John 16:26 KJV)

  "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12 NLT)

 This might be the most important part of our New Life in Christ! Not only are we saved and allowed to be granted eternal life, but we are adopted into the family of God, joint heirs with Christ Jesus, and the children of God, the Father! Yes, we have a Heavenly Father, who we can call out to in times of despair and when we feel as though we need a huge! 

 You know that I have shared on this before, but it needs to be said again. There are times when I just break down and weep, overcome with reality of the temporary situation; and I can feel the Father's hand upon my shoulder, as He is trying to comfort me and assure me that everything is going to be all right. 

 Most of the time I find peace, almost immediately, as if there has been a huge burden lifted off my shoulders; but there are times when I want to just keep on weeping, as if I just need to get it all out. In those moments I can feel the hand patting my shoulder or gripping a little firmer, as if to say things are not as bad as they seem. And if I keep on weeping, I can feel His hand gently pulling off of my shoulder, as if to say, "That's enough now, go love on your wife." 

 You can choose to believe me or not, but I know what I know: The Father is always there when you need Him! This is not some sort of fairytale or myth! We have a Father in Heaven that loves us, more than we can ever imagine! I don't know if we will ever know the complete magnitude of His love, not even when we are living with Him in Heaven. We will be so overwhelmed, but still unable to fully comprehend the full magnitude of God's love! 

 One thing is certain, we will never need to feel unloved or alone ever again...

"And on one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I and making everything new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." Also he said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega - the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children."" (Revelation 21:5-7 NLT)

"The Lord's Assurance"

 "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father." (John 16:25 KJV)

  "Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. But the people's minds hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses' writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord - who is that Spirit - makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2 Corinthians 3:12-18 NLT)

 Hopefully you have come to the understanding that you have not been made perfect, yet, because in this life here on earth, we will still be able to stumble and fall into sin, no matter how hard we try to avoid it, it can and will happen. There is the point of the veil that Moses put over his face; he did not hide the glow for the reason of not letting the children of Israel see his anointing; but, when the anointing had worn off, they wouldn't think less of him. 

 To help understand what this means, it is something like the illustration of the Father looking at us through rose-colored glasses; He sees us through the blood of His Son, and we are washed and perfectly clean, in the blood of His Son! There is no more veil needed to cover, because the perfection of our lives is based on Jesus Christ, not on us! 

 There is where the boldness comes from, that Paul is speaking of, because we are flawed and lack being perfect; but we have been made perfect to the Father, and He has the final word on our perfection and our righteousness, which is not from us, but from His Son! The Holy Spirit which works within us, makes us able to shine, not because of the way we are, but because the glory of Jesus is shown through us. 

 There are some ways to understand the point I am making; and then there are ways to try and make it about putting on a mask, and being something, you are not. We cannot be like Jesus unless Jesus works through us! When you are not doing the Lord's work and being yourself, you will be much more like everyone else; but when you are doing the Lord's work and letting Jesus live through you, you will be glorious and shine like an angel. 

 Anywho, that's my take on any of this! We have understanding, because we have assurance that we are okay with our Heavenly Father! There is no need to question if He hears us, or if we have fallen out of His loving arms; Jesus has assured our eternal place in Heaven, and our Heavenly Father has totally and completely approved...

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

"The Lord's Blessing"

 "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:24 KJV)

  ""And so I tell you, keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you."" (Luke 11:9 NLT)

 How is your prayer life? Have you even considered it, as a life? Do you even know what it means, to say, 'I have a prayer life'? There once was a time when I would skip my routine of praying every morning, most mornings for at least one hour. It was something I picked up after doing a study about what Jesus asked his disciples in the garden, saying, "Can't you not pray for at least one hour?" 

 Most of my prayer time is devoted to prayer for those people in my life that I have started to pray for; as it is my belief that you must keep praying for those people, not to call them out onto the battlefield, just to leave them out there on their own. But you can do what you want, I just try to make that my duty, as if it is an obligation. One thing for sure, if you don't know what to pray for a whole hour, prayer for a hundred or more souls will help you pass the time! 

 This makes better sense if you think about what Jesus is doing for you: He intercedes for you before the Father! Yes, that's right; while we make foolish mistakes and misjudgments, He intercedes and stands up for us, making the case for the complete washing away of sins, both, before and after our salvation! Besides that, between the justification stage, which is the day we accepted Christ as Lord, to the glorification stage, when we are glorified with Christ in Heaven, there is the sanctification stage, where we get purified and processed into something, whether we like it or not; it is the action of making us what He wants us to be! 

 Better yet, when we know that He hears our prayers, we enter into the joy of the Lord! It is just so much more exciting to feel as though your prayers really matter, that you are not just wasting time, because you see your prayers being answered! 

 That is one aspect of it, but better still, is to seek, which is to have the Holy Spirit assist you in what to pray. Having hardly any clue what to pray is like trying to navigate around in the dark; you don't know if you are headed in the right direction until you bump into something familiar. It is best to let the Holy Spirit help you, as He knows what you should pray for, even if you don't know what you might be saying. 

 And the life, which is the part that makes things exciting and interesting to watch, is the knocking! For that is where we continually get surprised and amazed. Pastor Chuck always had a saying, that many of the pastors under him carried forward: "Where God guides, God provides!" Which basically means, If God is guiding the way, then He will provide the means to make it happen! If it doesn't have God's blessing, then we shouldn't try to make it happen on our own but wait on Him to open the door!  

 That doesn't mean that there won't be opposition, because there most likely will be. But God's provision is the sign that He is guiding us in the right direction...

"This is what the LORD says - the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: "Do you question what I do for you my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command. I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose, and I will guide his actions. He will restore my city and free my captive people - without seeking a reward! I, the LORD of Heaven's Armies, have spoken!"" (Isaiah 45:11-13 NLT) 

"The Golden Scepter" - Too

 "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." (John 16:23 KJV) 

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

 Most of us have this understanding that we can freely go to the Father, as it is something we have learned by the simple touch from the Holy Spirit, who urges us to cry out to our Heavenly Father. So, it really is no surprise that He hears us, because we have had the experience of prayers being answered and have seen firsthand the work that He has done, usually more than we could ever imagine.

 As to the title, "The Golden Scepter," it was borrowed from Matthew Henry, as he uses it to share the boldness of Esther, as she went before the king without being summoned, which usually would have been a death sentence, unless he extended out his golden scepter to welcome her presence before him. Not that we have any fear of being struck down by our Heavenly Father; far from that; it is His Son that is the Scepter, which has given us the privilege to come boldly before the Father, without fear, but with a heart the simply needs to know Him more. 

 By the way, our most useful prayers are those that intercede for others. Which is what Esther did, as she went in not knowing whether she would be spared or not, but believing what she was told, "For such a time as this," which is something that goes far beyond anything we could ever imagine! When is comes right down to it, we really don't know what will happen by something we might do or not do, in any situation or circumstance. 

 Your prayers might not be answered the way you think or imagine, but God has a way of doing things that we can't dream of or know about; things that are beyond our understanding and our lifetime here on this earth. We have a special place and a purpose; it is why we are here and what God has chosen for us to do. 

 As to the other issue, the one that might hold us back or keep us from going forward: We will always have a place in Heaven, Jesus has promised that we would, so it is guaranteed and cannot be taken away, even if we fail to do certain things that might be required of us. But, and I say this with great humility and sadness, we will wish we would have done much more than we have done, no matter who we are or how hard we have tried to do all that He has given us to do! 

 We all fall short, but that doesn't mean He stops loving us...

"When I think of all this, I fall on my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT) 

"The Golden Scepter"

 "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." (John 16:23 KJV)

  "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he has faced all the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT)

 As to the point of my post yesterday, it might make better sense if I put forth some examples of what I have experienced in my own life, as well as I can explain things; if it is even possible to make sense of any of what I think I know. If you have ever asked God to use your life for His kingdom, then you know that there are certain things that will be required of you; things that will change your life.

 Maybe that is not your goal, to have your life changed; you just want to be able to serve God in your own way, without having too much of your life changed, because you actually like the way your life is going. So, we pray for God to use us, without taking the time to count the cost. Because there will be a cost! You will need to be poured out; and you will need to be changed into a vessel that God can use faithfully. 

 Have you ever prayed, 'Lord, whatever it takes, please use my life for your kingdom!' There are certain things that we hold back, or try to hold onto, hoping that they are not part of the whatever He might take! You know the drill: "He gives and takes away!" (Job 1:21) Which is basically saying: 'Everything belongs to God, no one can give Him anything, that He needs to pay them back!' (Job 41:11) 

 There you have it, the simple explanation, which turns out to be more complicated by the day! God has only the best plans for us; they just don't always look like our plans that we dream up in our heads! We see the way that we would like things to be, but He knows best what it is that will change us. We must be changed into a vessel that He creates new! Are you willing to allow Him to do so? 

 Truthfully, is it in your heart to say it out loud: 'LORD, whatever it takes, take my life and use it!' If so, then hold on and enjoy the ride... 

"So God's rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard the good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."" (Hebrews 4:6-7 NLT) 

"Prayer Promises"

  ""At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. 

 "I have spoken of these matters in figure of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. Then you will ask in my name. I'm not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return the Father."

 Then his disciples said, "At last you are speaking plainly and not figurative. Now we understand that you know everything, and there's no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God." 

 Jesus asked, "Do you finally believe? But the time is coming - indeed it's here now - when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."" (John 16:23-33 NLT)

  "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of out God shall stand for ever." (Isaiah 40:6-8 KJV)

 As I was thinking about yesterday, (a day when I should have been filled with joy,) there was this thing that seem to have kept bothering me, something that made my heart heavy and my soul cry out for help. Sometimes we really don't know why we get bothered by little things that really can't hurt us, but just the thought of being tormented by it, is enough to cause us to call out to God for help. 

 Without getting into the reason, let me reason something else into this title, "Prayer Promises." There are a couple of different ways to look at this, because there needs to be some sort of explanation of why the promise seems to not happen, even though it should. 

 Having some experience in this matter, I might have an answer for you, if you are someone that might want to know. God will never break His promise, ever! He cannot lie, therefore He will not tell you anything, and then go back on His word. We, on the other hand, do not keep our promises, nor do we have the ability to always tell the truth. 

 I know that might sound as if I am saying that everyone lies, but I cannot prove that, neither can you; but not telling the truth is sometimes not a lie; it is just not saying that which you should. My reason for wanting something from God, might just be me asking out of obligation or because it seems like the right thing to do; but deep down in my heart, I really could care less, maybe even, I might not really want it at all. 

 If you think that is not really a thing, then think again! We just try to avoid thinking about it...

"Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT) 

"Joy for Today!"

"And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." (John 16:22 KJV)

  "How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! "Violence is everywhere!" I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, and justice has become perverted." (Habakkuk 1:2-4 NLT)

 More and more, it feels as though there is a fog that has set in, almost as if there is some sort of layer of darkness that has covered the earth, causing people to be unable to see anything that is happening outside of their little bubble. I know that might seem like an exaggeration, but there has got to be some reason for the things that do not get more attention, especially the rights we once had, being stripped away daily! 

 Once again, this is not my world! So why should I care? I should! I must! It is my duty as someone who can shine the Light of the Gospel, especially in the darkness! How is that possible? Aren't you glad that you have been delivered from this? You might not feel that way; as I sometimes do, too. But that is the whole point of why my joy gets put to the side, because it is joy for tomorrow, and not for today! 

 Jesus has given us joy for what He has done; done, meaning that it is already accomplished, so we can actually celebrate it today, even in our tribulations and trials! Those things that don't really matter, because this world cannot take our salvation away; therefore, it cannot take our joy away either, because the work that produced the joy is already done! 

 At this point of the message, we need to double back to the beginning. As it stands, Jesus makes His point about, "A Little While," which is based upon time, meaning time that quickly passes. We have eternity at the door, yet we worry about things that have nothing to do with the eternity that waits, just around the corner. What only matters to our eternity, are those things that will be part of our eternal life: Those things are not things, they are people! 

 Moving along, the illustration Jesus gave about the man being born into the world, that is a life to be celebrated; after much anguish and pain of childbirth, the man has been born! Excuse me if I am not making myself clear, but we have New Life based upon what Jesus Christ has done; and that life we have is for some other place, eternally! Nothing can remove that from us... 

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." (Philippians 4:4-6 NLT)

"To Be a Part"

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." (John 16:20 KJV) 

  "I will exalt you, LORD, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O LORD. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:1-5 NLT)

 Here is the thing that I have come to understand: We are here for as long as God will have us here; no matter what you might be go through, if God still wants you to hang around, then you will be hanging around, as long as He has you here! Period! And, as long as you are here, whether you are doing well or barely making it from day to day, you must rejoice and be a part of this glorious journey! 

 We can look around our world and find things to complain about; but when it comes right down to it, complaints are really for those who are of this world, not for those who have hope in the LORD! We know the truth, the Truth which has set us free from all of this, sorrow, death, and sinfulness. 

 Having said that, I also know that there are days when we feel overwhelmed and alone. Almost as if we are on this journey by ourselves, dealing with issues that our own, suffering with problems that we feel others don't seem to be going through. But, have heart! You are never alone! You are a part of the body of Christ Jesus, your Redeemer, Master, and Friend! 

 Really, we must try harder to be a part! Do not forsake fellowship and the opportunity to come together; we need one another more than we might think! The more we can be together, the more we are not apart...

"We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, yet we have everything." (2 Corinthians 6:8-10 NLT)