"No Fear!"

 "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:6 KJV)

  "Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."" (Damiel 3:16-18 NLT)

 This is my favorite illustration of what it is like to have no fear of what man can do to me; as it was, when I first heard this message, I was in jail and getting ready to have a hearing for my early release. After I got saved, everything changed, even though I was locked down, I still felt free. Everything was all about me knowing Christ more and sharing all that I could with anyone that the Holy Spirit led me to.

 I was set back to L.A. Jail to have an early release hearing and waited in the hall to be called in for my hearing. As I sat there, minding my own business, and alone, two big guards were bringing a man down the hallway, who was obviously either crazy or possessed; shacked hands and feet, with chains wrapped around his waist. 

 As they started to approach the area I was sitting, I just looked down at the ground to avoid eye contact; when suddenly, they stopped, all three of them, right in front of me. I couldn't help but look up; and as soon as I made eye contact, the possessed man said, "I know Jesus too!" and then they just started going down the hall. 

 I really didn't know what just happened, except that I didn't have a sign on me or a Bible in my hand; I left my Bible on the bunk in my holding cell. After being denied early release, I exclaimed, "Praise the Lord!"; which caused my wife and my boss to look at each other, as if something was wrong with me. 

 When I got back to my cell, there was another inmate in the cell who was reading my Bible, who asked, "Is this your Bible?" I told him it was, and that I needed to look something up, so he handed it to me. I told him what I encountered in the hallway, and that I knew that there was a Scripture that explained this crazy encounter...

"A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!" Seven sons of Sceva, a leading, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?" Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered." (Acts 19:13-16 NLT) 

"Being Content" - To

 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5 KJV)

  "Then he said, "Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own."" (Luke 12:15 NLT)

 Sorry for the last couple days of nothing! I was in the hospital again and did bring my laptop with me; mostly because I just was focused on getting well enough to get back home, as soon as possible. Really don't want to go into all the details; but I did have a dream that my left leg was cut off below the knee! Glad that hasn't happened yet; but if this Cellulitis doesn't go away, it might actually happen. 

 However, I am really not all that worried about anything, not even that crazy dream. Everything is in God's hand, and whatever happens, I truly believe it is all going to be okay; no matter what, we are never forsaken, and He will never leave us! 

 I have this picture frame on the wall above my coffee bar, "Footprints in the Sand". If you know what this is talking about, it should remind you that even when you feel alone and don't feel as though the Lord is walking with you, it is because He is carrying you, and you don't even know it! 

 For some, that might sound foolish and hard to believe. But when we go through the fire, whatever that might be, He holds you in His hand and protects you; most of us don't even realize how or what gets us through! That is something many don't realize, because when they get through whatever, we sometimes forget to thank Him, praising Him for all that He has done!

 This thing about being content is really more about being satisfied with want you have or have not; even if what you have might be something that you do not want or is something that isn't exactly pleasant to deal with. It is really easy to see others that don't have the same displeasure, wishing that were you; but in this world, every one of us should remember that we will have trials and tribulations; but no matter what, we are 100% safe and secure...

"Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I and glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12"8-10 NLT) 

"Being Content"

 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5 KJV)

  "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13 NLT)

 Truth be told, I only get to hold and kiss my wife; which has been that way since August the 12th 2003. So, if you were wondering why I didn't add anything to that verse from yesterday, it is just not my favorite thing to think about. 

 Being content is something that is learned, as Paul puts it. It is something that doesn't just come upon us; is something that requires training and acceptance that it is what it is. At least that is my feeling on that...

"Yet true godliness and contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NLT) 

"The Undefiled Bed"

 "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4 KJV)

  "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21 NLT) 

 Sorry for being so late, but I had a little food poisoning yesterday; and it was pretty rough. Cold sweats, and shaking profusely; it was something that I hardly ever encounter. Not sure if it is over; but one thing I know, I feel like going back to bed! That said, I will most likely never again buy Black & Blue hamburger patties!  

 When my wife and I were doing our 6 months of marriage counseling, I must confess, there really was a whole lot of stuff going on with that lesson. We learned things like, our bodies will no longer be our own, but they belong to one another. If you don't know what that means, it pretty much means if you say you have a headache, that doesn't count. 

 There were other things about pleasing one another in other ways, if that is what it takes; if your body is not your own, then you must give yourself to one another. There were several books we had to read about these things; some of which I was not so sure about; but we had to do it anyway. 

 There are several Pastor's that will tell you that the Song of Solomon is basically a book that tells us that the bed is undefiled, that what a husband and wife do in their bed is up to them, that they can do whatever they want, because it is their bed...

"If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom." (James 3:13 NLT)

"To Bind Together"

 "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." (Hebrews 13:3 KJV)

  "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3 NLT)

 It might seem like a really big shift, but in light of what we started with, those four words: "Let brotherly love continue," this is made to be a way to understand what it means to be one body! With all honesty, I must confess, I sometimes forget how important it is to not neglect feeling the pain of others that might be wrongly persecuted or suffering for believing in our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

 I can recall a conversation I heard on the radio, one about current day martyrs in the country of Iran. The brother that was sharing about what was going on, said that the Christian churches are large in his country, because they are persecuted daily. The way that he put it, was that they were much more serious about their faith in Christ, then many other Christians that don't have persecution; because they have no worries about being arrested or killed for their faith, they take going to church for granted!

 There are many more countries that do not allow Christians to bound together in churches; many have secret places where they hide and fellowship undercover. The wedding and funerals are performed, as to have fellowship together. Some people pretend to die or get married several times over; at least that is what I have heard. Imagine if that is what might happen to us, here in the United States! 

 That doesn't mean it can't happen here, because it surely can! And, by the way things are looking, there is the possibility that our freedoms will soon be over. Once they take away our rights to worship and have churches that teach about Christ and right living, I pray that this new generation will be serious also; even to the point of being arrested or killed.

 Better yet, I pray that the Lord will come and take us all out of here, soon and very soon...

"But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control." (Philippians 3:20-21 NLT)  

"Angels Unawares" - 2

 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2 KJV)

  "The LORD appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked us and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcome them, bowing low to the ground." (Genesis 18:1-2 NLT)

 As crazy as those things I said yesterday seem, they are absolutely true; I shared them only to let it be known that there really are angels all around us; most of which we are totally unaware of, even though they are there. However, I have had encounters with some, that were just like you and I, who just show up and for whatever reason spark up a conversation; leaving without me even knowing which way they went. Whether or not they were angels, I can't really say. But what I do know, is that they really do exist and they do, some way or another, work in and through portions of our lives.

 In this, regarding Abraham's fellowship with these three strangers; one of which was none other than Jesus Himself; there were two of which that were angels. If you know the Scriptures well enough, then you would remember that part of their visitation concerned Sarah; while after their meal, the LORD asked, "Should I hide my plan from Abraham?"" (Genesis 18:17)

 We should all know what that was about, because the two angels that were with Him turned and headed toward Sodom; while Abraham started bartering with the LORD about sparing the righteous. Whatever it was that Abraham trying to do, it was for the sake of his nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom. You should all know the rest of that story, because angels do rescue people; this much I am absolutely aware of... 

"So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening. They passed by the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. "It is really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!"" (Acts 12:9-11 NLT) 

"Angels Unawares"

 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrew 13:2 KJV)

 "The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered." (Acts 12:6-8 NLT)

 Nobody can tell me that angels aren't real; having had some experience, some which were hard to figure out, and some which were hard to believe, even though they were happening. Once, when I was about 15 years old, I was crossing the street to meet my girlfriend; darting across the street, I didn't notice a car was coming at me, as I sprinted over an island that separated the street. She yelled out to me, saying, "Watch out!" and immediately I was able to somehow stop in mid-air, just for a brief second, as the car slightly brushed by me. She was astounded, saying, "How did you do that?" I told her I didn't know how, but it must have been my guardian angel that stopped me.   

 There have been several other encounters, over the years. One that I remember was the most long-lasting encounter, which I believe was actually spiritual warfare, taking place in my own house. It was during Covid, when I was praying with my wife, because her mother and stepdad were dealing with it, and we were praying for them to be healed. 

 As I it was, I was also dealing with a verse that was going to be part of my blog post the following morning, it was the one where the man Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda, and his answer to the Jewish leaders, as he carried his sleeping mat in the Temple, on the Sabbath. There was something I felt was important in the way he answered their demand, "You can't work on the Sabbath! The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat!" 

 For at least 5 to 10 minutes, I keep reading his answer over and over to me wife, saying his answer again and again, "The man who healed me told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" After about the 8th or 10th time I read it, my wife looked at me, as if I was nuts, and I immediately figured it out. Jesus said to the man, "Stand, pick up your mat, and walk!" I know it sounds a little over-the-top, but for the rest of the night, until about 2:30 am, things were going crazy in my house! 

 I have shared on this before, but there is a Rabbit Air machine in the room, which is programed to respect the darkness; which means, if the lights are off, the machine does not light up. This thing was not only lighting up, but it was going full on, and the sensor light was bright red! Over and over, it kept happening, especially when I would call out for Jesus to help. My dog was in the next room, in his kennel, and I could hear him whimpering, as if he was scared. 

 At 2:30 I decided to say enough is enough and decided I needed to get some sleep. I pretty much didn't care anymore and spoke out, saying, "You guy's fight it out, I'm going to sleep!" At 4:00 I woke up and went into the living room to pray and start my blog. In that room there are three of the Rabbit Air machines, and each of them were breathing, one at a time; one would breathe, then the next would breathe, and then the next; all three taking their turn, for at least 10 minutes or so.

 I was wondering if I should even complete what I was going to do; because it was concerning the answer of that healed man, and the answer Eve gave to the devil about the fruit which was forbidden...

""Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden," the woman replied. "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die."" (Genesis 3:2-3 NLT) 

"Brotherly Love" - Too

 "Let brotherly love continue." (Hebrews 13:1 KJV)

  "As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."" (John 13:31-35 NLT)

 Wow, that was hard to type! I couldn't help but think of the post from yesterday, the 'give' and 'receive' that Jesus mentions over and over, in so many ways; it just made everything so clear and incredibly easy to understand. Our obedience brings blessings; the more we love, the more we are loved...

"I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the very beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning." (2 John 1:5-6 NLT)  

"Brotherly Love"

 "Let brotherly love continue." (Hebrews 13:1 KJV)

  "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another." (Galatians 5:25-26 NLT)

 There are so many illustrations in the Bible that we can find to make mirror this verse, "Let brotherly love continue," I can think of at least twenty right off the top of my head. I picked these two verses from Paul's thoughts in Galatians, because it is the Holy Spirit that is the power within us to love one another, as we should. 

 There are four words in this short verse; two of which are completely the same: "Let," and "continue." I think this makes perfect sense, because there is forward movement to do what the Spirit says, and the follow-through to make it happen! In other words, there are two sides working together as one: the power of God and the action we carry out...

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

"Live Right"

  "Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without knowing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

 "Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

 "Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." So we can say with confidence, "The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" 

 "Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith." (Hebrews 13:1-7 NLT)

  "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill my joy, that ye may be likeminded, having the same love, being in one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man in his own things, but every man also on the things of others." (Philippians 2:1-4 KJV)

 If you thought I was trying to make a point, with those last three posts, it was pretty obvious that I was; as the statement that I made in the first post about Mark, should have given you the hint. Maybe that really didn't matter, as most of the time I stop short of finishing things, mostly because I want people to think some things out on their own. 

 Mark, in his Gospel, primarily focuses on the superhuman power of Jesus; many scholars believe that he was the young man he described in his letter, shown in Mark 14:51-52. His mother was Mary of Jerusalem, who had the home which had the upper room, where Jesus had the Last Supper. 

 As many of you know, I am overwhelmed by the thought of Mark being the "Young Rich Ruler," who is described in three of the Gospels; the one that walked away from Jesus sad, because Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it to the poor. 

 It is Mark's Gospel where we can see a more vivid description of that encounter. But there is a very small statement that Jesus makes, towards the end of that scene, one that makes me believe that there was a change in that Young Rich Ruler's heart; a change, because God changed his heart! Crazy as it might sound, but Mark's uncle was the first to sell the land he owned and give the money to the church; which I believe he did base upon what Mark had previously done.

 When you discover what Mark had done, and all of the churches he established, it only makes sense if you understand how it works: for those that once had much, that they know how to make much...

"Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up your cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astounded out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them said, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." (Mark 21-27 KJV)  

 

"Something More!" - Once More

 "For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29 KJV)

  "This is what the LORD says - the Holy One of Israel and you Creator: "Do you question what I do for 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)

 Just so you know, we might have a choice, something they call, "Free Will," but even then, if we are His children, (even though we don't know it,) He will guide us to Himself, one way or another! The whole point about the fact that Jesus can make things happen with just a command, is really everywhere all throughout the Bible. As Pastor Bryan says, "Read the Bible slowly!" If we take the time to read with the ability to stop and think what we are reading, then things come alive to us; so many things which can be easy to pass over. 

 If you have understood the situation with Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, then you should know that Jesus knew already that Lazarus was going to die, before it even happened. There is this thing that the people of Isreal believed, that you are really not dead until after three days; so, Jesus timed His arrival to Lazarus' tomb for the fourth day. We know this because Martha said to Jesus when He asked them to roll the stone away, "Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible?" (John 11:39) 

 That is not all, but it has also been said, that when Jesus shouted out, "Lazarus, come out!" that He had to say the name, "Lazarus," or everyone else in their graves would have woken up and came out of their graves! Without a doubt, I am certain the God can do whatever He wants to do, even though we don't know that He is doing it; even if we don't know that it is Him who is doing it! 

 Much like the blind man that was born blind; which by the way, Jesus used His hands to heal him of his blindness; much like He made the very first man, from the dirt of the ground, in the garden...

"As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. "Rabbi," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parent's sins?" "It was not because of his sins or his parent's sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen to him. We must quickly carry out tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world." Then he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes. He told him, "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "sent"). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!" (John 9:1-7 NLT)  

"Something More!" - Too

 "For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29 KJV)

  ""Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!"" (Isaiah 65:17-18a NLT) 

 There was something more that I wanted to share, something that I have shared before, which was the first thing that Jesus did to demonstrate His power, without even really lifting a finger, but just by speaking out. It was when He changed the water into wine, not because He wanted to do it, but because His mother asked Him to do something, because they had run out of wine. 

 We might think was something simple, something like when Moses dipped his rod into the river, turning the water into blood; but this real wine that Jesus made, it was not just grape juice; this was fermented wine, that was not only alcoholic, but aged and the best wine that was made! It was real good wine; so much so, the master of ceremonies, who tasted the wine said, "A host always serves the best wine first. Then when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!"

 I am saying this because Jesus created the heavens and the earth, in much the same way; without using His hands, but simple with His commands! And, without a doubt, I believe that everything He made was not a thing that needed to mature into something, but it was made fully grown and already aged. Which is something that many can't understand; trying to base, what looks like things that needed billions of years to form; when they were actually already created in that condition! 

 They say that the sun is getting smaller, as it consumes itself more and more. If that is true, which I do believe it is, then if the earth is billions of years old, then it would have been consumed by the sun before it started. Sometimes I think they don't want to believe, only because they don't want to know or believe about God; otherwise, they might actually have make the connection.

 There was a thing that happened when Jesus had returned to Capernaum, and is asked to do something from a Roman officer, that goes well with this, something more...

""Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain." Jesus said, "I will come and heal him." But the officer said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I need only need to say, 'Go,' and they go, or 'Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, 'Do this,' they do it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, "I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world - from east, and west - and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites - those for whom the Kingdom was prepared - will be thrown in utter darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, "Go back home. Because you believe, it has happened." And the young servant was healed that same hour." (Matthew 8:6-13 NLT) 

"Something More!"

 "For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29 KJV)

  "The LORD is King! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad. Dark clouds surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes. His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the LORD of all the earth." (PSALM 97:1-5 NLT)

 Okay, this might not be good and beautiful to some, but there really is more to this than a consuming fire that burns everything up. Although Peter does say, "On that day, he will set the heavens om fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames." (2 Peter 3:12b NLT)

 Yesterday I was listening to Pastor Jack, as he was illustrating the position of Christ Jesus in the Trinity of God. As he was describing the role of Christ, I couldn't help but remember the day that I was saved, and how I remembered that Preacher saying, "Our Creator is Jesus Christ!" As Jack put it, "Jesus was the Contractor that put everything together; and He did it for Himself!" 

 It took me a moment to think about that, the thing about, "for Himself." But I did remember a verse in the Bible that confirmed that very same thing. As I pondering what I had heard, I remembered another message I heard Sunday on my way to church, which was given by a Jewish Rabi, about the verse in Genesis that say, "Let us make man our image," as he was showing the plurality of God.

 With that, I must retreat from this message, as today I have very little time to go any further. But there is something more I want to say, that might make me look like a fool: I believe that this little trinket was something that Mark added into the conversation...

"Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry." (2 Timothy 4:11 NLT)  

"Wherefore!" -To

 "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:" (Hebrews 12:28 KJV)

  "For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21 NLT

 Whether you like it or not, will all have our own cross to bear; we will all have trials and times when we are tested, not because we are doing wrong, but because He wants us to trust Him more! If you doubt what I am saying, then you need to read Genesis 22:1-18, as God tested Abraham. Talk about doing something that you don't really want to do, yet preparing to do it anyway, just because you trust God and know that He knows what He is doing; even if it doesn't make any sense! 

 By the way, we see this on a completely bigger picture, in the death of Christ Jesus; not that the Father was testing Him, because it wasn't about a test, it was what He came for, to fulfill the work was that meant to be done; that which was planned from the very beginning, even before the earth was created! How it compares is the way other people see it, having it all make sense, not because He was killed, but because of His resurrection! 

 That sign He told the Jewish Leaders, He would show them, a sign of Jonah in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights; which was shown to them when He rose from the grave, after three and three nights, just as He said that He would! That was the main topic of Pastor Bryan's message on 1 Corinthians 15, last night: "Without the resurrection, this would all be meaningless!"

 Hopefully you get the message, because there is always a good side, because God is always good! By the way, most likely Abraham also believed in the resurrection of the dead...

"Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was recorded for our benefit too, assuring us that God will count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God." (Romans 4:20-25 NLT) 

"Wherefore!"

  "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:" (Hebrews 12:28 KJV)

  "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 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 us 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." (Ephesians 1:3-6 NLT) 

 When I think about some of those who I hope to see in Heaven, it gives me peace in my heart for the day that is quickly approaching; whether it is by His soon return, or by soon passing, I am looking forward to the fellowship that is going to take place in Heaven! If we truly believe that Heaven is our home, then we need to be looking forward to being there, because that is our greatest hope!

 There is a word in this verse that has me wanting to know what it actually means: "acceptably." This word is shown to only be in this verse, which is an adverb meaning, "quite agreeably." That might not seem as though it is all that and more; but it probably the most important thing we need to do: Agree with God, no matter what! 

 There are certain things that we might go through, thinking that whatever is going on, that God's not doing what we want or asking for Him to do; which really causes many to feel discouragement or think that God doesn't care. Whatever it is that has us feeling that way, we need to change the direction that we are looking for, accepting what God wants to do or not do.

 Either HE is GOD, or He is not; that is something we need to make real in our own hearts...

"The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand." (PSALM 37:23-24 NLT)  

"Things Which Cannot be Shaken" - 2

  "And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." (Hebrews 12:27 KJV)

  "All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don't believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don't believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life." (1 John 5:10-12 NLT)

 It might seem too simple to some, but this is about the easiest way to try and understand, regardless of any other thing that might be wrong in our lives: If we believe in Christ Jesus, and if we know that He died on that cross for our sins, and that He rose from the dead, and has given us eternal life in Him; we are saved! That is pretty simple, but we sometimes forget what we have been saved for and from!

 Most of those who are listed in the Hall of Faith, if not all, had some kind of issue that caused them to sin. As the Bible clearly says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"; but that is way Jesus came, was to pay the penalty for our sins, and to give us eternal life in Him. If there was one thing that cannot be removed, it is the gift of Salvation that we have been given! 

 Yes, we are still broken and have times when we make mistakes; some of those mistakes we make are actually planned out, which makes them sins that are harder to forget; but regardless, we have grace that gives us something that we do not deserve, which cannot be shaken... 

"Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (1 Corinthians 15:54-58 NLT) 

"Things Which Cannot be Shaken"

 "And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." (Hebrews 12:27 KJV)

  "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory." (Romans 5:1-2 NLT) 

 More than once or twice I have shared a few things that I believe with my whole heart; only to be told that I don't know what I'm talking about. That really doesn't bother me, in the least; because these things are etched into my heart, and I believe God has shown them to me them for a reason. I have had various times when there has been confirmation to what I believe; but I keep it to myself and just thank God for showing me, and to keep it buried in my heart. 

 This is not about those few things, because they are things which are temporary and only matter in the presence. The things that really matter will be the things that remain, and are in the eternal, with God, forever and ever...

"Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fulness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross." (Colossians 1:18-20 NLT) 

"Shaking Things Up"

 "Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven." (Hebrews 12:26 KJV)

  "Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say."" (John 12:44-50 NLT)

 If you are wondering what I meant about having an excuse to trust God, it is really not that difficult to understand what it means. We easily have an excuse to not trust, because might fear what will happen; but we have an excuse to obey, because we know what He tells us to do leads to eternal life! 

 I shared this little joke, once or twice before, but I think it explains what I am saying: 'There was a man who was walking along the side of a cliff, who happened to fall off the edge. On his way down he was able to grab hold of a root that was hanging out of the side of the cliff; saving himself from falling to his death. However, he had no other way to get up the cliff, so he began crying out for someone to help. He cried out, "Is anybody up their?" and a voice said, "I am here." So, he answered back, "Can you help me?" and the voice said, "Yes I can." So, he answered back again, "Will you help me?" and voice said, "Yes I will." And the man cried out, "What do you want me to do?" and the voice said, "Let go of the root!" 

 I know that might seem a little bit off topic, but it makes more sense if think of it as challenges we are given, comparing them to the power of an Almighty God; who actually loves us and wants the very best for us; as He has proved it...

 ""For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."" (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT) 

"Making Excuses" - Two

  "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:" (Hebrews 12:15 KJV)

  "I lie in the dust; revive me by your word. I told you my plans, and you answered. Now teach me your decrees. Help me to understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds. I weep with sorrow; encourage me by your word. Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions. I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations. I cling to your laws. LORD, don't let me be put to shame! I will pursue your commands, for you expanded my understanding." (PSALM 119:25-32 NLT)

 I know that there are things in my life that I do, that I might hide behind some kind of excuse, as if it isn't really wrong, or that because I don't feel convicted, it really doesn't matter to God. When it comes to the point of listening to God, sometimes we just pay attention to the things are willing to do; ignoring the ones that we don't want to do, as if they don't matter. 

 Yesterday I was listening to a message which caused me to think about the way we sometimes can neglect to listen, not because we don't want to do what we are told to do, but because we might not know what will happen, or how it might turn out. There is this thing called, Trust, which is something that makes our minds spin in several directions, as we think of the plan, we don't even understand.  

 If there was some kind of way to make sense of it all, the simple way is to stay in His Word, asking Him to show us His instructions, and then follow them! It might not seem easy, because, truth be told, it is not! But as crazy as it might sound, His instructions are simple; they are not complex or too hard to understand, because He knows everything about us and what we are capable of doing! 

 If you really think about the things that could be possible, then you might have an excuse to trust Him more...

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT) 

"Making Excuses"

 "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:" (Hebrews 12:25 KJV) 

  "When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. Then the LORD God called out to the man, "Where are you?" He replied, "I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked." "Who told you that you were naked?" the LORD God asked. "Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?" The man replied, "It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it." Then the LORD God asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The serpent deceived me," she replied. "That's why I ate it."" (Genesis 3:8-13 NLT)

 If there was any other way, making excuses are what we are born to do; it's almost as if they are a part of our DNA! Adam and Eve did it, and it was passed down to us! It is what we do; sometimes without even realizing that we do, we just feel like we deserve to do whatever, without even counting the cost. 

 This is just something that I referenced in the meaning of the word, "Refuse," which is shown in the verse we are looking at today. It really makes better sense if we have an excuse, so we think; because there is one very important item we forget about: God knows your heart! 

 When we sometimes feel as though God is telling us something that might need to be changed in our lives, we sometimes will avoid it being about us and think it is someone else. If that isn't an excuse, then I don't know else you can call it; because an excuse is taking the blame off you and putting it on someone else!

 Maybe it is just me; but sometimes when I hear a message in church that might cause me to feel guilty, it really doesn't hurt when I make it about someone else...

"So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest." "David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."" (2 Samuel 121-6 NLT)