tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85193786180794731582024-03-12T22:30:51.229-05:00White Raiment Evangelism: The Love of God: God's Plan To Save You!It is our desire to help as many people as possible learn how to be happy, and have the assurance of their salvation. It is our desire that everyone who wants it, would find ‘the Pearl of Great price’, and that they would have a well of water springing up in them, unto eternal life!John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-31069902977049868502019-11-26T20:55:00.001-06:002019-11-26T21:20:13.644-06:00White Raiment Evangelism Presents: The Love of God and Righteousness by Faith Seminar: The Prayer of Faith Part 1: Conditions For Answered Prayer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>For
those who would like to hear me speak, I will be having a righteousness
by faith seminar session in the Decatur Seventh Day Adventist Church on
Saturday, November 30, 2019 at 6:00 PM.</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>The topic: The Prayer of Faith
Part 1: Conditions for Answered Prayer. Or "How to Get Answers to
Prayer".</b> <u>This is near the Huntsville Alabama area.</u></span><br />
<br />
<b>Decatur SDA Church, 540 Beltline Rd SW, Decatur, AL 35601</b><br />
<br />
<b>
This will be a combined topic on the Prayer of Faith and Conditions for
answered prayer (Bible Promises).</b> <u>There is a science of salvation, a
protocol of how we should deal with God.</u> <i>When someone gets it their life
will never be the same again!</i> <b>What is holding you back from having all
the wonderful peace, and all of the love and joy you were meant to have?</b>
<i>When you learn the truths behind righteousness by faith, and learn to
give your heart completely to God, your life will never be the same!</i>
<u>This is what makes life worth living, living for all eternity.</u><br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-57856192428690857772019-07-27T21:31:00.004-05:002020-10-09T00:30:27.626-05:00Jesus asks, ‘Do you love Me?’ Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">“So when they had dined, <b>Jesus saith to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, <i>son</i> of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?</b>’ He saith unto him, ‘<u>Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.</u>’ <b>He saith unto him, ‘Feed my lambs.’</b> He saith to him again the second time, ‘<b>Simon, <i>son</i> of Jonas, lovest thou me?</b>’ He saith unto him, <u>‘Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.</u>’ <b>He saith unto him, ‘Feed my sheep.’</b> He saith unto him the third time, ‘<b>Simon, <i>son</i> of Jonas, lovest thou me?</b>’ <u>Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, ‘Lovest thou me?’</u> And he said unto him, ‘<u>Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.</u>’ <b>Jesus saith unto him, ‘Feed my sheep.’</b>” John 21:15-17 KJV. Jesus asked Peter these questions after His resurrection before He went back to Heaven. <b>Peter had denied His Lord Jesus three times after Jesus had been brought before the courtyard of the high priest.</b> Mark 14:53-72. At the Last Supper before Peter denied His Lord, Jesus had warned him that he would deny Him: He said, “‘<u>Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.</u>’ And he [Peter] said to Him, ‘<u>Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!</u>’ <b>And He said, ‘I say to you, Peter, the cock will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.’</b>” Luke 22:31-34 NASB. “Simon Peter said to Him, ‘<b>Lord, where are You going?</b>’ Jesus answered, <u>‘Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.</u>’ Peter said to Him, "<b>Lord, why can I not follow You right now?</b> <u>I will lay down my life for You.</u>’ Jesus answered, "<b>Will you lay down your life for Me?</b> <u>Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.</u>’” John 13:36-38 NASB. <b>Now after Jesus was taken to Caiaphas the High priest, in the courtyard of the priest, Peter was there and denied that he knew Jesus three times.</b> His faith had given way; he was embarrassed to profess that he knew Jesus when the servant girl and some others recognized that he had been with Jesus. “Then he began to curse and swear, ‘I do not know the man!’ And immediately a cock crowed. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, ‘Before a cock crows, you will deny Me three times.’ <b>And he went out and wept bitterly.</b>” Matthew 26:74-75 NASB.<br />
<br />
<b>After the resurrection Jesus had three questions for Peter: ‘do you love Me?’</b> <u>This was the key to Peter’s recovery</u> – <u>he must confess three times that he loved Jesus in front of his brethren, to redeem himself for the three times he had denied his Lord.</u><br />
<br />
<h1>
Do you Love Jesus?</h1>
<b>Do not suppose that Jesus is only addressing this to Peter here, since he denied his Lord.</b> This is written for our benefit too. If you have learned about the love of God, and your great need of Jesus and for forgiveness, confessed, repented, were baptized and decided to follow Jesus, then He has asked you this question too! <b>Did you know that what Jesus asked Peter is just as important in our day as it was to Peter? </b><u>This question is just as relevant to us in our day - to all followers of Christ - to all Christians as it was to Peter in his day.</u> <b>What did Jesus' ask Peter? ‘Do you love me?’</b> <b>To all of Jesus' followers He asks, ‘Do you love me more than these others?’</b> ‘<u>Then feed My sheep.</u>’ This includes you too, dear reader if you are a Christian and follow Jesus. <b>Do you love Jesus?</b> <u>Then feed His sheep.</u> <i>What is your answer to Him?</i> <b>Again Jesus asks you, </b>‘<b>Do you love Me?</b>’ What will you answer? <u>If you love Him feed His sheep.</u> <b>And again He asks you, ‘Do you love Me?’</b> Decide if you love Him or not… <b>If you do then feed His sheep.</b> <u>At the end of time, after Jesus comes back there will only be two groups of people, the sheep and the goats.</u> Matthew 25:31-46. <b>Only one question then will be asked:</b> <b>Did they love Jesus?</b> <u>If they did they fed the hungry, clothed the naked, helped the sick, visited those in prison, lodged the strangers, preached the gospel or helped someone.</u> <i>Those that didn’t will have to depart from Jesus, because they denied their Lord.</i> <br />
<br />
<b>The answer to Jesus three questions determines whether you love Him or not.</b> <u>If you love Him, feed His sheep.</u> If you are not there yet, but feel that you should feed Jesus' sheep, you can ask God for the change needed in order to be able to want to feed His sheep and care for them properly. This is something God will be happy to do for you if you want it! God promised: “<b>A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you</b>: and <u>I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.</u> <b>And I will <u>put my spirit within you</u>, and <i><u>cause you to walk in my statutes</u></i>, and <u>ye shall keep my judgments</u>, and do <i>them</i>.</b>” Ezekiel 36:26-27 KJV. Notice that God promises to help you to walk in His statutes and keep His judgements, which includes Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself and to love one another. <u>He does this by putting His Spirit in you, if you allow Him to.</u> <i>So in order to walk in or obey Jesus' commandments and statutes, you must allow God to put His Spirit within you, and take away your stony heart and give you a new heart.</i> <u>If love from Jesus fills your heart no one will have to tell you to feed His sheep - you won’t have to think about it very long…but just do it.</u> <b>Taking care of Jesus' sheep will be natural for you once you learn to love Him.</b> <u>If you love Jesus, you will follow after Him and go in the path that He travelled.</u> You may not have the same gifts and responsibilities that Jesus' disciples had when He walked the earth, or in the book of Acts, or in the other New Testament books, but you can do something to help feed Jesus' sheep, or to help those who are feeding His sheep, monetarily or otherwise. <b>But on the other hand if you give yourself completely to God and ask Him for the Holy Spirit</b> (Luke 11:13) and <b>get the Holy Spirit, God may give you gifts you never had before!</b> <u>Who knows, maybe you would be given a special spiritual gift like what He gave to His disciples?</u> <i>Who knows, maybe you would be given a gift to tend to Jesus' sheep?</i> <b>How to feed Jesus sheep?</b> <u>Seek to emulate His example in the description of The Good Shepherd below.</u><br />
<br />
<br />
<h1>
The Good Shepherd</h1>
Jesus declared, “<b>I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd</b><b> lays down His life for the sheep.</b> <u>He who is a hireling, and not a</u><u> shepherd</u>, <u>who is not the owner of the sheep</u>, <u>beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep</u>, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters <i>them.</i> <i><u>He flees</u></i><u> because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep.</u><b> I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me</b>, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; <u>and</u><u> I lay down My life for the sheep.</u> <b>And I have</b><b> other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also</b>, and they shall hear My voice; and <u>they shall become</u><u> one flock <i>with</i> one shepherd.</u> <b>For this reason the Father loves Me, because I</b><b> lay down My life</b> that I may take it again.” John 10:11-17 NASB.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Points about the Good Shepherd:</h2>
<ol>
<li>The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.</li>
<li>The Good Shepherd takes care of the sheep even when troubles, trials, or problems come; He never leaves His sheep.</li>
<li>The Good Shepherd is the owner of the sheep. (Jesus).</li>
<li>The Good Shepherd is concerned about His sheep.</li>
<li>The Good Shepherd knows His sheep and His sheep know Him.</li>
<li>The Good Shepherd has sheep in other folds or Churches or groups, seeks them out and brings them into His fold, that there be one fold and one Shepherd.</li>
<li>The Father loves Jesus, the true Shepherd, because He lays down His life for His sheep.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h2>
Points about the hireling (those who don’t know or love Jesus):</h2>
<ol>
<li>The hireling (those who don’t love Jesus) don’t lay their life down for His sheep.</li>
<li>The hireling (those who don’t love Jesus) when troubles, trials or problems come leave His sheep.</li>
<li>The hireling doesn’t love or know the owner of the sheep, Jesus.</li>
<li>The hireling is not concerned about His sheep.</li>
<li>The hireling doesn’t love Jesus' sheep, and doesn’t love or know Jesus.</li>
<li>The hireling doesn’t go to other folds or Churches or groups to seek out Jesus' sheep and bring them into His fold.</li>
<li>The Father is not pleased with the hirelings, because they don’t lay their life down for His sheep.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h2>
Points about those who love and know Jesus:</h2>
<ol>
<li>Those who love and know Jesus lay their life down for His sheep.</li>
<li>Those who love and know Jesus, who have been given charge over Jesus' sheep, when troubles, trials or problems come do not leave His sheep.</li>
<li>Those who love and know Jesus, know the owner of the sheep.</li>
<li>Those who love and know Jesus are concerned about His sheep.</li>
<li>Those who love Jesus' sheep, show that they love and know Jesus.</li>
<li>Those who love and know Jesus go to other folds or Churches or groups to seek out Jesus' sheep and bring them into His fold that there may be one fold and one shepherd.</li>
<li>The Father is pleased with and loves those who love and know Jesus, because they lay their life down for His sheep.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h1>Are you a hireling or among those who love and know Jesus?</h1></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Or maybe you haven’t tried to do anything to help others yet? <b>If you find that you have been a hireling Christian, there is still time to repent.</b> If you haven’t done anything to help others yet because you still need help yourself – hang in there, and believe that God loves you and will help you. <u>Jesus loves you and died to save you!</u> If you have been a hireling Christian and not cared enough about Jesus' sheep, if you will just confess your sin to God, throw yourself on His mercy, and pray for that change where you would learn to love Him all the way and really know Him - then He will fill you with His love and give you the power to love Jesus' sheep. <b>If you find that Jesus' sheep irritate you with their problems, sins, and wanderings from God, you may need a conversion, or at the very least to confess this to God and ask for His help to be patient and kind and loving to them.</b> <u>When you are converted you will start to care for Jesus' sheep, and not get mad at them for wandering from God or for their sins.</u> When you really love and know the owner of the sheep, a wonderful change will come over you, and you will finally have love, patience and mercy for Jesus' sheep, including those in other folds. (If you love Jesus' how can you do otherwise?) <b>Jesus said to Peter before the cross:</b> “<u>but I</u><u> have prayed for you [Peter], that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.</u>” Luke 22:32 NASB. <b>Jesus is praying for you too!</b> <i>If you will believe this promise, He will help you to turn again and strengthen your brethren, and you will start to live like the true shepherd, getting His character and caring for His sheep, and may want to help bring in His sheep from other folds (other denominations), so that there may be one fold and one shepherd.</i> <b>It is only after you have ‘turned again’ from denying your Lord, and receive new life from Him that you will be able to strengthen your brethren and feed Jesus' sheep.</b> It is only then that you can truly strengthen your brethren and be a blessing to others. <u>This is one of the reasons for the problems in the church, because many have not completely ‘turned again’ or are denying their Lord.</u><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>Listen to the song: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRNWW4UAXxY">Someone is praying for you!</a></b>
<p></p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pRNWW4UAXxY" width="560"></iframe>
</blockquote>
<br />
<h1>
Faithfully feeding your Lord’s sheep:</h1>
<br />
<b>Jesus said,</b> “<u>Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.</u> <b>Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?</b> <u>Blessed <i>is</i> that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.</u> Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.” Matthew 24:44-47 KJV. <b>Do you want to be that faithful and wise servant, who at His lord’s return, was found faithful in giving His lord’s household their meat in due season, whom Jesus was speaking about?</b> <u>Blessed is that servant!</u> Now read our theme text again from the NIV: “<u>So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.</u> <b>Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?</b> <u>It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.</u> <b>I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.</b>” Matthew 24:44-47 NIV.<br />
<br />
<b>If you are Jesus’ sheep, you will hear His voice and follow Him.</b> John 10:27. <u>If you continue in His word, then truly you are His disciple.</u> John 8:31. <i>If you don’t love Jesus you will not hear Him or keep His word.</i> John 14:24. Those who don’t love Him do not hear His voice; they don’t hear Him tell them to feed His sheep. <b>You are His disciple if you keep His word, this means that you love Him, and He and His Father have come to you and made their abode in you, by the Holy Spirit.</b> John 14:24. <u>You are His friend if you do whatsoever He commands you</u> (John 15:14) – <u>this makes you His disciple.</u> <b>This means that you love one another as He commanded you</b> (John 13:34-35) and <b>are going preaching and teaching and making disciples of all men, or helping others to do so, as He commanded all of His disciples to do.</b> Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus said, ‘<u>He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me</u>’ John 14:21 NASB95. <b>What commandments?</b> <u>All of them, especially His command to love one another and help the gospel go to the whole world, helping in some way to make disciples of all men, as we just stated.</u> Any place Jesus talks about His commandments or His Father’s commandments, you can also include loving one another and making disciples of all men too, since these are His commandments. <b>Do you have Jesus' commandments in your heart, keep them in your thoughts and ask for help to keep them?</b> <i>If you do then you love Jesus and are His disciple or you will be soon!</i> <u>You are Jesus' disciple if you bear much fruit for God</u> – this is how you glorify God! John 15:8.<br />
<br />
<u>If these things are true about you, then you are doing your best to set before others the best spiritual food that they might be saved and grow spiritually.</u> <b>How can you give others their spiritual food at the proper time?</b> In what way has Jesus inspired you to do this? <b>Have you received any benefit since you gave your heart to the Lord and were baptized?</b> <i>Are you happy he took all your sins and burdens away?</i> <u>Do you wish to share this good news of what He did for you to others?</u> Do you know anything or have anything that can help someone else? <u>Do you have a testimony to give about how you were lost but now are found, was blind but now you see?</u> Do you have any skills or resources to help others with? <u>The world is filled with those in need: the sick, the hungry, the naked, etc., and those who are dying spiritually who need help.</u> <b>Do you hear Jesus' voice?</b> If you love Him you will hear His question: ‘do you love Me?’, and will hear and heed His command to go and feed His sheep. <i>Don’t deny your Lord, but confess the wonderful things He has done for you, when He rolled your burden of guilt away and forgave you.</i> <b>How will you know when you really love Him?</b> <u>When no one and nothing can hold you back from spreading the news of His love to everyone you can, regardless of the trials and troubles that come upon you</u> –<b> because you won’t be able to help yourself, once you learn to love Him.</b><br />
<br />
<h1>
Do you love Jesus?</h1>
<br />
<b>Dear Reader, Jesus asks, ‘Do you love Me?’</b><br />
<u>Yes Lord you know I love you.</u><br />
<b>Jesus says, ‘Then feed My sheep.’</b><br />
<br />
<b>Dear Reader, Jesus asks, ‘Do you love Me?’</b><br />
<u>Yes Lord you know I really love you!</u><br />
<b>Jesus says, ‘Then feed My sheep.’</b><br />
<br />
<b>Dear reader, Jesus asks, ‘Are you sure you really love Me?’</b><br />
<u>Yes Lord, you know that I really love you!</u><br />
<b>Jesus says, ‘Then feed my sheep!’</b><br />
<br />
<b>May the grace of God be with you as you decide if you want to feed Jesus' sheep.</b> <u>Rich blessings of love and joy await you if you decide to do so!</u> Then you won’t be denying your Lord, and Jesus will confess that He knows you to the angels of God at the end of the age. Luke 12:8-9. And He will take you to His home in Heaven where you will know the endless peace, the endless joy, the endless love, and the endless delight of the eternally saved! <b>Amen.</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<h1>Songs for Today:</h1>
<p></p>
<b>Listen to the song:</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BeLCoOCfEk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><b>Feed My Sheep Song</b></a>
<p></p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4BeLCoOCfEk" width="560"></iframe>
</blockquote>
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">By <b><a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about">John Foll</a></b>, written 01/29/2019, 03/29/2019 – 03/30/2019, 7/12/2019 -7/27/2019.<br />
© Copyright 2019 John Foll </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="display: inline-block; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0em; width: 100%;">
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#Feed #My #Sheep #Jesus #Peter #Love #Follow #Deny #Lay #Down #Life #Holy #Spirit #Good #Shepherd #One #Fold #Goats #Hireling #Know
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-28976066539978349912019-03-01T19:05:00.003-06:002020-10-10T13:49:58.301-05:00The Truth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Do you know the truth?</b> Many people think or say that they know the truth, but do they really? We want to get to the bottom of this. <b>What is the truth</b>? <b>And how do you know if you have found it?</b> It’s important to know if you know the truth or not. <br />
<br />
“Jesus said to him, ‘<u>I am the way</u>, and <u>the truth</u>, and <u>the life</u>; <b>no one comes to the Father, but through Me.</b>’” John 14:6 NASB.
<br /><br />
<b>If someone doesn’t know Jesus, really know Him, then they really don't know ‘the Truth.’</b> Someone may think that they know ‘all truth,’ but not know ‘the Truth.’ Knowing right from wrong is a good place to start, but in order to do what is right you need a power beyond yourself. Many make the mistake of thinking that a mere knowledge of the truth and the belief in it is enough, but it is not unless they know Jesus, because He is <u>the only way</u> and <u>the truth</u> and <u>the life.</u> Without the power to be good, knowing the truth is not enough. <b>If you don't know Jesus, you will not have that new life that He wants to give you, or have life more abundantly.</b> John 10:10; 1 John 5:12. You need to know Jesus in order to be born again. <u>Jesus declared that only those who are born again will be able to enter the kingdom of Heaven.</u> John 3:3, 5. If you have the Son you have the life, if you do not have the Son you do not have the life! 1 John 5:12 NASB. <b>If you want to know 'the truth,' you must get to know Jesus, because He is ‘the Truth.’</b> <u>Otherwise you do not have it.</u> <b>This life from Him that He longs to give you is a vibrant relationship with Him, where He opens to you the way of the truth and gives you the power to do it!</b> <u>Do not be deceived, without knowing Him you cannot do or keep the truth and will stumble on the way.</u>
<br />
<br />
<b>What did Jesus mean when He said that ‘no one comes through the Father but through Me?’</b> <u>Those who think that they are going to be saved because of their knowledge of the scriptures, or because of their knowledge of the truth as given by other inspired Christian authors, or because of their own good works, without having to go through Jesus to be saved will be in for a rude awakening at the second resurrection.</u> <br />
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“<b>Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power ***</b>” Revelation 20:6 KJV. <b>But what is the second death? And why is it that we don’t want to be resurrected at the second resurrection?</b> Because Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto <u>the resurrection of life</u>; and <u>they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.</u>” John 5:28-29 KJV. <b>The two resurrections Jesus describes here are: 1) the resurrection of life, and 2) the resurrection of damnation.</b> <u>This is why Revelation 20:6 declares that ‘blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection,’ because the second death is the resurrection of damnation!</u> <b>The second death does not sound good, does it?</b> We don’t want any part of that! </blockquote>
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<b>Many people think that a knowledge of the truth or their belief in it will save them, but it will not, unless they get salvation from Jesus.</b> <u>No one can be saved, except those who come through Jesus to get to the Father.</u> <b>Only Jesus’ blood forgives their sins and makes them acceptable to God.</b>
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There may be some people who are saved, who didn’t know Jesus or the basics of Christianity. <u>God can choose to forgive them based on the blood of Jesus,’ this is His prerogative, since He is a God of love and justice and fairness.</u> <b>But doesn’t this contradict what we just stated?</b> <u>No.</u> God doesn’t hold someone accountable for what they didn’t know and couldn’t learn in their lifetime. This is important to understand. People who don’t know about Jesus can still be saved by Jesus, not by anything that they have done or not done. <u>We are all saved by the merits of Jesus’ blood alone.</u> <b>Are we saying that you don’t have to be a Christian at all to be saved?</b> Not exactly. <b>In the times of ignorance God winked, but He is now commanding men and women everywhere to repent and believe in Jesus.</b> The apostle Paul declared: “<u>Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.</u> <b>And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent</b>: <u>Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained</u>; <b>whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.</b>” Acts 17:29-31 KJV. <u>Jesus loves poor sinners who don’t know Him, and will plead His blood for them if they were honest and doing the best that they could with what they knew.</u> <b>But no one can be saved without Jesus’ blood.</b> <u>No!</u> <u>It is impossible!</u> <b>That is what Jesus meant.</b> <i>But as Paul plainly indicated, even though that in the times of ignorance God winked, there will come a day when people who don’t know Jesus will be held accountable for their ignorance (including those who believe that they are Christians but don’t really know Him), if they fail to avail themselves of the opportunity of learning about Him, and they resist the Holy Spirit.</i> <u>So once they learn about Jesus, they need to come to Him for forgiveness and life, and not try to be saved in any other way, or through their own merit or goodness.</u> <b>It must be remembered, that the unpardonable sin for a sinner is resisting the Holy Spirit or failing to obey His pleading in their heart.</b> John 16:8-11; Acts 7:51; Mark 3:22-30. <u>The unpardonable sin is the one sin that will keep someone out of Heaven</u> - <b>which is resisting the Holy Spirit.</b>
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<b>It is possible to study the truth of the Bible your entire life and not know the most essential truth of them all - Jesus.</b> This is the one thing you cannot do without! <b>How does this happen?</b> It is done by doing your own thing, or by rendering less than a full consecration to God, and resisting the pleas of the Holy Spirit.<b> If you cooperate with God and listen to the Holy Spirit, He will testify to you of Jesus, so that you can know Him.</b> John 15:26. It’s your choice what you will do and whether you will have the new life that Jesus is offering you or not. <b>Someone who “knows” the truth, who doesn’t know Jesus and has not devoted themselves to Him cannot help but have deep spiritual problems.</b> <u>When someone tries to keep the truth without knowing Him, they will either sink into a legalistic quagmire</u>, or <u>into a careless state that some folks have who think they can do what they like, since they are ‘saved.’</u> (This is the way they have been taught by the lukewarm professors of ‘the truth’, where ‘the truth’ is picked out and made to contradict other portions of the Bible and against itself.) A lot of God’s people seem to fall in either one of these categories. <b>Neither of these groups know Jesus, because He plainly declared that if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”</b> "<u>If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.</u>” John 8:36 NASB. Jesus stated this in response to what took place here: “Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘<b>If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine</b>; and <u>you shall know the truth</u>, and <u>the truth shall make you free.</u>’ <b>They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham's offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You shall become free?'</b>” Jesus answered them, ‘<u>Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.</u> <b>And the slave does not remain in the house forever</b>; <u>the son does remain forever.</u>’” John 8:31-35 NASB. <b>Jesus’ response indicated that they needed to be made free.</b> They believed that they were OK since they were descended from Abraham. <u>But Jesus told them that since they had committed sin that they were slaves of sin, needing to be made free.</u> <b>Thus they were not really free like they thought they were.</b> They were in as much need of being free as we are in our day! <u>No human being is not in need of being made free; we all need this freedom which only Jesus can give.</u> <b>Those who have addictions to sin that they can't break out of are definitely not free indeed.</b> <u>Clearly these do not know Jesus yet, because He came to free the captives</u> (Isaiah 61:1-8; Luke 4:18) and <u>make them free indeed.</u>
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<b>Therefore if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed!</b> Just believe it. He cannot lie! <u>If He has made you free, you will be free indeed!</u> <b>Has he made you free dear reader?</b> <u>This is the real gospel that Jesus and the disciples preached.</u> <b>Freedom!</b> This freedom can be yours too if you greatly desire it! Jesus has promised this to you if you are tired of being a slave to sin! <b>Why not claim this promise for yourself and finally be free?</b> <u>You owe it to yourself to do this!</u> This is the best thing that will ever happen to you and will help you on your way to Heaven!
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<b>Those who do not know Jesus cannot be free indeed.</b> <u>Those who do not know Jesus cannot obey Him.</u> <b>Those who do not know Jesus cannot possibly please Him, regardless of how many Bible texts they try to stack up to indicate that there is no need to.</b> <u>They try to drown out God's requirements in the Bible that declare that the wages of sin is death</u> [Romans 6:23] <u>and that we need to live holy lives for Him</u> [1 Peter 1:15-16], <u>confessing our sins to Him.</u> 1 John 1:9. And unfortunately many today also teach that confession of sin to God is not needed for someone who gets 'saved,' because they say 'it was finished' at the cross or some other mumbo-jumbo nonsense. <b>But someone who knows Jesus will want to please Him!</b> It is automatic. <u>They won’t be doing it to save themselves, but because they love Him, and because He gives them the power to obey.</u> Those who don’t love Him, don’t please Him and don’t obey Him. Maybe this is the problem.
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<b>The Bible should never be read or studied in such a way as to make it contradict itself; we should seek out the closest harmony in it, because God is a God of order.</b> “<u>For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.</u>” 1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV. And: “<u>Let all things be done decently and in order.</u>” 1 Corinthians 14:40 KJV. <b>Yes you are saved by grace alone, not by your works.</b> <u>But this does not negate the rest of the Bible.</u> <b>Yes God offers forgiveness for your sins and mistakes when you confess them, but He wants you to live a holy life, and He has provided a way for you to do so, if you will become a partaker of the divine nature through Jesus.</b> “<u>For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature</u>,<b> having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.</b>” 2 Peter 1:4 NASB.
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<b>Jesus declared: “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”</b> Matthew 5:48 NASB. <u>Many people live, teach and act as if Jesus didn't mean what He said, and said what He meant here!</u> <b>They seem to think that it is impossible for them to live a good life this side of Heaven.</b> <u>But what did Jesus say?</u> <b>He said be ye perfect therefore as your heavenly father is perfect. </b><u>This is a command, not something you can do if you want to.</u> If what Jesus said was not true, this would make Him a liar! <b>God forbid!</b> Now who is the liar? The liar is the one who says we don’t need to concern ourselves with what Jesus said here; they use other scriptures to try to negate it. The liar is the one who says that Jesus didn’t come in the flesh (living as we do, tried and tempted as we are in all points, yet without sin [Hebrews 4:15] – thus showing us how to live). John writes: “<b>For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.</b> <u>This is a deceiver and an antichrist.</u>” 2 John 1:7 KJV. And: “<b>Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? </b><u>This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.</u> <b>Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also</b>.” 1 John 2:22-23 NASB. Anyone who teaches that we don’t need to obey all of what Jesus taught, or that we can be saved by any other way than through Jesus is the liar. (Including that they can be saved merely through their knowledge and belief in ‘the truth.’) <b>How can anyone be right, regardless of their quotes or reasoning if they contradict Jesus?</b> <b>Who does John say this is?</b> <u>The antichrist!</u> There, I have done it! I have invoked the title of the arch evil one for that lie, for he is the father of lies! <b>The liar is the one who contradicts Jesus.</b> <u>The liar is the one who says that we do not need to crucify the flesh with its sinful passions and desires.</u><b> Paul declares, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”</b> Galatians 5:24 NASB. <u>The liar is the one who teaches others to not believe Jesus or teaches unbelief.</u> There can be no misunderstanding of what Jesus stated here in Matthew 5:48 with someone whose mind is open to ‘the way, the truth and the life’ - Jesus. You don't have to have a doctor's degree in theology to figure out what He meant. <b>He said be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, and that is what He meant.</b><br />
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<b>Jesus also stated that those who love Him keep His word, and that those who don't love Him do not hear Him or keep His word.</b> “<u>Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;</u> …’” John 14:23 NASB. And: “<b>He who does not love Me does not keep My words</b>; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.” John 14:24 NASB. And: “Jesus said to them, ‘<u>If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God</u>, for I have not even come on My own initiative, <u>but He sent Me.</u> <b>Why do you not understand what I am saying?</b> <u>It is because you cannot hear My word.</u> *** <b>If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?</b> <u>He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.</u>’” John 8:42-47 NASB.
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<b>The problem here is that unbelief blocks the plain words of Jesus, making them seem obscure or something that is unimportant</b> or something that cannot be right, <u>without considering the ramifications of this view.</u> <b>Of course many people don't view this as making Jesus a liar, but it's true.</b> <u>Either what Jesus said is true or what they believe is true that contradicts Jesus.</u> <b>But they cannot both be right.</b> <u>Those who truly believe in righteousness by faith, learn true faith.</u> When they learn that God is to be fully trusted, they start to take the word of God as it reads, and stop quibbling over what it says and simply believe it. <b>All would do well to get to this point in their spiritual life, where they simply believe the word of God without any doubt.</b> (Take the Bible as it reads, unless you are reading a passage which is clearly symbolic and needs interpreting, but then study other portions of the Bible to learn what it means. The Bible will explain itself if you let it and want to know ‘the Truth.’) <u>But this language that Jesus used is so unmistakable, so unavoidable - a child should be able to understand it.</u> <b>So why is it that many adults cannot understand what He said?</b> <u>It is because of unbelief!</u> <b>People schooled in years of unbelief, stuck in addictions or trying to be good by themselves are those who come up with humanistic theories that contradict the plain word of God, such as the error</b> that <u>we do not need to be perfect or cannot be perfect.</u> Jesus would not have commanded His followers to be perfect if it were not possible through His help to do so.
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<b>If you wish to be saved and please God, you must believe what is written in the Bible, because it is the word of God. </b><u>You must believe in the promises of God to free you from sin and save you, otherwise you have no hope of being saved.</u> John 3:16-17. <b>Why waste your time with a religion that doesn't offer you hope?</b> <u>This is not the gospel of the Bible at all, but another gospel.</u> 2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6-26. This is not the gospel that Jesus, Paul, David or John or the many cloud of witnesses in the Bible preached. “<b>Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, <u>let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us</u>, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto <u>Jesus the author and finisher of our faith</u></b>; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV. <u>But the devil's sophistry blinds people to the clear truth.</u> If you want to be undeceived by his lies and deceptions, pray to God to be merciful to you a sinner and He will help you! Luke 18:13. This is something He will be happy to do! We promise you! <u>And He will open your mind to ‘the Truth.’</u> <b>Is that what you want? But what truth is that?</b> <u>That you would know the one and true God and Jesus His Son, who made the sacrifice for your sins, that you might be forgiven and be made free indeed!</u> <b>Jesus prayed to His Father for all of His disciples </b>(which can be you too if you want to be His disciple)<b>: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”</b> John 17:3 NASB. <u>This is the true gospel!</u> <b>Everything outside of this is another gospel and not the truth.</b> Stop wasting your time on spiritual rubbish or half-truths that are of no value (Isaiah 55:1-3), and <u>learn where real life comes from, and where the real power comes from – Jesus.</u> <b>There is no other name than Jesus, given among men, whereby you must be saved.</b> Acts 4:12. <u>If you just get to know Jesus, your life will be changed forever, as long as you abide in Him.</u> John 15:4-6, 9-10. <u>God guarantees it!</u>
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<b>All your righteousnesses are as filthy rags.</b> Isaiah 64:6 KJV. <u>But this does not mean that God cannot provide you a robe that is pure and spotless!</u> <b>Oh no, this is not true!</b> <u>For this is the promise of the Gospel!</u> The gospel is useless if it cannot make you a better, kinder and gentler person. <b>The gospel is more than forgiveness, it takes away your shame and gives you hope - that you don't have to be or continue to be a miserable failure!</b> The way many preach ‘the gospel’ today is no gospel at all. <u>The real gospel doesn't give you a pass on your sins, or just heap upon you legal requirements that you can never meet.</u> The real gospel forgives your sins when you confess them. The real gospel helps you to keep God’s requirements and makes you happy! <b>The real gospel provides a way to lift you up out of the mud and set you on high, in Heavenly places</b>! <u>If the Son has made you free, you shall be free indeed! </u>
<b>When will people start to believe what Jesus said, that if He has ‘made you free, you will be free indeed?’</b> <u>Why is it that so many people don't see their need of being free, or how or why Jesus will do this?</u> <b>Why can't people believe the word of God as it is written?</b> Why is it that they can't see that Jesus wants to make them free? <b>Have they not heard that He loves them?</b> Have they not heard that He died on the cross for their sins? <b>Have they not heard that He promised to give them freedom and change them and save them?</b> Do they not love Him? <b>Do they not desire these wonderful gifts for themselves?</b> <u>Or do they think that these are beyond the ability of Jesus to give?</u> <b>Or do they think that they can do this on their own without Him?</b> - as many believe, because pride doesn’t have to take the back seat when the person does it themselves, instead of humbling themselves before God. But pride comes before the fall (Proverbs 16:18), and no one can be saved without humbling themselves before God and getting His forgiveness and help to live a good life for Him.
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<b>To summarize this lesson: </b><br />
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<u>Jesus said, that He ‘is the way, the truth, and the life.’</u> <b>Do you believe now?</b> No one can enter into Heaven or get out of this world of sin, but through the blood He shed on the cross for their sins. No one can come to the Father except through Jesus. <b>There is nothing you can do that will give you an entrance into Heaven, except through the atoning blood of Jesus for your sins.</b> There is no way for you to know ‘the truth,’ unless you know Jesus. <u>No one can know ‘the truth,’ if they first do not know Him, really know Him, and have given themselves to Him.</u> <b>No one can know ‘the way,’ unless they know Him.</b> There is no universal salvation that everyone gets. There is no salvation that anyone gets without knowing ‘the Truth’ - Jesus. <b>And no one can have ‘the life,’ if they do not know Him: It comes through Him alone.</b> <u>Salvation is given only to those who know the way, the truth and the life.</u> <b>Regardless of how many ‘truths’ someone learns from the Bible or by any other inspired writer, unless they know Jesus and are born again</b> (John 3:3, 5) <b>they will in no wise enter the kingdom of Heaven</b>, <u>regardless of which Bible texts they quote to show they can be saved in another way.</u> The Bible doesn’t contradict itself, and nothing that contradicts Jesus is correct. <u>Any interpretation of any Bible text which contradicts the plain words of Jesus cannot be the truth and is a lie, for He is ‘the Truth.’</u> Those who think that because they know and believe all of the truth in the Bible, who think that this makes them good and will save them, who haven’t been changed by Jesus and softened by His love and made into kinder gentler people filled with His Spirit, have deceived themselves. <b>Jesus is coming back to save those whom He knows.</b> Jesus declared, “<u>Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven</u>; <b>but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.</b> Many will say to me in that day [the judgement], Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? <u>And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.</u>” Matthew 7:21-23 KJV. <b>In the day of the judgment, those who do not know Jesus - will have to depart from Him, and will be cast out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.</b>
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<b>Dear reader, if you have found that you have relied on your own knowledge of the truth to save you, and did not really know Jesus, there is still time to repent and get to know Him.</b> <u>Dear reader, if you didn’t know that you needed to obey Jesus’ commands, you can now seek for God’s help today.</u> This will bring you much joy and power! <b>None of your Bible knowledge or anything else, no matter how correct it is, will save you unless you know Jesus and are born again.</b> Unless you love Him and His Father, and have allowed Them to fill you with the precious Holy Spirit, you cannot know the way, the truth and the life, regardless of how much you have studied the Bible or what any minister has told you. <u>God loves you and wants to save you.</u> Do not resist Him! <b>Put your full trust in Him, and in the merits of Jesus’ blood to atone for your sins, and allow the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin, fill you, and help you to live a righteous life for God.</b> <u>Let Jesus make you free indeed, breaking your slavery to sin and bad habits that are destroying you or hurting others.</u> This is our prayer for you. Amen.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b> </b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>May the grace of God be with you, as you get to know ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ - Jesus! Amen.</b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b> </b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>By <b><a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank">John Foll</a>, written between 2/23/2019 and 2/27/2019 </b><br />
© Copyright 2019 John Foll</b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b> </b> <br />
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#Essential #Truth #Know #Knowledge #Way #Life #Jesus #Father
#Perfect #Abundant #Believe #Belief #Save #Legalism #Son #Made #Free
#Gospel #Liar #Antichrist </div>
John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-91034747959041858282018-09-04T21:49:00.002-05:002018-09-09T09:44:13.100-05:00Every Plant that My Heavenly Father did not Plant will be Uprooted<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, 9/2/2018 to 9/3/2018.<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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<h2>
They Were Offended by Jesus’ Rebuke:</h2>
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<b>“Then the disciples came and said to Him [Jesus], ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?</b>’ But He [Jesus] answered and said, ‘<u>Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.</u><b> Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.</b> <i>And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.</i>’” Matthew 15:12-14 NASB.<br />
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<b>The Pharisees had a lot of pride which caused them to be offended by Jesus’ rebuke to their sins.</b> They were wrong, but their pride wouldn’t let them see it. <b>What happened that caused Jesus to rebuke them?</b><br />
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<b>Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ‘Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.’</b> <u>And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?</u> <b>For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.'</b> <u>But you say, 'Whoever says to <i>his</i> father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given <i>to God,</i> he is not to honor his father or his mother.'</u> <b>And <i>by this</i> you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.</b> <u>You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you</u>: '<b>THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.</b> <u>BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.</u>'" <b>After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand. <i>It is</i> not what enters into the mouth <i>that</i> defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."</b> Matthew 15:1-11 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>We will only go into the main point of this passage. </b>So don’t relax thinking that this article is not a lesson for you, since you are not a Pharisee who lived back in the days when Jesus walked this earth with His disciples. <b>Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for holding the tradition of ‘the elders’ above the requirements of God, and in some circumstances ignoring the requirements of God.</b> <u>Their sin was pointed out, and it offended them.</u> <b>Why?</b> <u>Because they did not want to admit they were wrong.</u> <b>Jesus proved to them from the Bible they were wrong.</b> <b>This is the main problem here!</b> We are all sinners and have sinned and maybe have had wrong beliefs at one point, <u>but if anyone refuses to listen to the truth, when their sin or wrong view of the truth is pointed out, then this is a big problem.</u> “<i>Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.</i>” Proverbs 16:18 KJV. <b>So what is the answer to the question what defiles a man?</b> <u>It is what comes out of his mouth.</u> <b>Is it not pride and all sorts of hurtful words?</b> It is pride and sin on the inside that defiles the man, producing all kinds of evil.<br />
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<h2>
An Enemy Has Done This:</h2>
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<b>Who planted these plants that Jesus said that the Heavenly Father didn’t plant, that He would uproot? </b><u>Pride and disobedience to God are fruits that the Heavenly Father did not plant.</u> <i>An Enemy hath done this!</i><br />
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Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "<b>The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.</b> <u>But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.</u> But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. <b>The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'</b> <u>And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!'</u> <b>The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?'</b><u> But he said, "No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.</u> Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest <b>I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."</b>' Matthew 13:24-30 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>The devil is the enemy that did this!</b> <u>Jesus only plants the good seeds!</u> But some people do not keep Jesus in their heart, and some have never known Him. <u>These received the seed from the enemy of righteousness, who planted the bad seed in their heart.</u> If they do not let God uproot these plants, they grow up unchecked and produce a harvest of tares. Which in turn causes other people to have tares growing in them too.<br />
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“Then he [Jesus] left the crowds and went into the house. <b>And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."</b> He answered, "<u>He who sows the good seed is the Son of man</u>; the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; <u>the weeds are the sons of the evil one</u>, and <u>the enemy who sowed them is the devil</u>; <b>the harvest is the close of the age</b> [the end of the world], and <u>the reapers are angels.</u> <b>Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.</b> [The end of the world.] <u>The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers,</u><u> and throw them into the furnace of fire</u>; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” Matthew 13:36-42 RSV.</blockquote>
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<b>Let the tares and the wheat grow together until the harvest.</b> Within each person’s heart they can be either a wheat or tare, and sometimes both at one time in their life. <u>Every one is born a sinner, but this is no excuse for anyone allowing the devil’s seed to grow in their heart.</u> God has provided a way for us to overcome and be protected from all of the darts of the devil. See the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18 for more on this.<br />
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<b>What is the harvest and when will it be? </b>The harvest is the close of the age (RSV), or <u>the end of the world</u> (KJV). <b>As Jesus said, at the end of the world, He will send His angels and they will ‘gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and evil doers’</b> (RSV), <u>they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness</u> (NASB), and <u>they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity</u> (KJV). So there you have it from three different Bible versions, the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard Bible and the King James Version.<br />
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<b>What are these bad seeds that God didn’t plant that He will uproot?</b> <u>Pride, doubt, suspicion, temptations to sin, sinful entertainments, etc.</u> <i>We listed many of the plants that Jesus or the Father didn’t plant below.</i> The seeds may have been planted, but have they been watered and nourished until they grow up and fully manifest their evil? <b><i>You can water and nourish and cultivate the plants growing out of these bad seeds, or you can allow God to uproot them from you.</i></b> <u>The choice is yours.</u><br />
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Plants Which Your Heavenly Father Didn’t Plant:</h2>
<b>1) Pride</b><br />
<b>2) Stubbornness</b><br />
<b>3) Doubt</b><br />
<b>4) Anger</b><br />
<b>5) Lust</b><br />
<b>6) Unforgiveness</b><br />
<b>7) Impatience</b><br />
<b>8) Irritation</b><br />
<b>9) Covetousness</b><br />
<b>10) Unkindness</b><br />
<b>11) Unlovingness</b><br />
<b>12) Hate</b><br />
<b>13) Drunkenness</b><br />
<b>14) Hurtfulness</b><br />
<b>15) Revenge</b><br />
<b>16) Selfishness </b><br />
<b>17) Lack of Self Control or Intemperance</b><br />
<b>18) Drunkenness</b><br />
<b>19) Sin</b><br />
<b>20) Disobedience</b><br />
<b>21) Rebellion</b><br />
<b>22) Putting off doing what God has asked you to do</b><br />
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This is not a complete list, but it gives you the idea.<br />
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<b>Dear reader, do you have any plants growing in your life that the Heavenly Father didn’t plant?</b> <u>God may have spoken to you and asked you to do something or to get rid of something.</u> <b>Have you taken care of it yet? Or did you put it off?</b> Have you allowed Him to deal with it yet? <i>Maybe you were reading your Bible one day, and a text in it pierced through your very being, as you realized it was talking about you!</i> Or maybe you have forgotten what God had asked you to do, and your spiritual ears have grown dull or deaf. (We hope not.) If you are hearing what we are saying now, and your conscience is bothering you, even if you are not sure what is wrong, there is still hope, if you would pray to God and beg Him to reveal it to you! <b>Be like David who wrote:</b> “<u>Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts</u>: <b>And see if <i>there be any</i> wicked way in me</b>, and <u>lead me in the way everlasting.</u>” Psalm 139:23-24 KJV. Or ‘<b>try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me</b>’ Psalm 139:24 NASB. <u>If you pray this prayer and mean it, God will hear it.</u> <b>You can also pray this prayer from David too:</b> “Who can discern his errors? <u>Acquit me of hidden faults.</u> <u>Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me</u>; <b>Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.</b>” Psalm 19:12-13 NASB.<br />
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<b>Of all of the plants planted by the enemy, pride is probably the worst one.</b> <i>Pride will get you lost, unless you let God help you get rid of it.</i> <i>It was what caused the Jewish leaders to reject Jesus, because He rebuked their sins.</i> This is what He always will do at some point, rebuke sin. <u>He may let someone point out your sin or you may read about it in the Bible.</u> <i>It is your choice what you will do when your sins are pointed out.</i> <b>But every plant that your Heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted, as Jesus plainly declared.</b> <u>So you have a choice:</u> <u>you can allow God to uproot them from your life now, while there is still hope</u>, through confession and repentance with the help of the Holy Spirit, and submit yourself to Him. <u>Or you can allow these evil plants to grow unchecked, until they choke out the good plants that were growing in you</u>, which were planted by Jesus when you gave your heart to Him, and then you will be uprooted at the judgement, unless you repent quickly while there is still time.<br />
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John declared, ‘<b>The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.</b>’ 1 John 3:8 NASB. <b>Since Jesus came for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil, you have two choices:</b> <u>allow Him to destroy all of the works of the devil in your life, during your life’s probation: your bad thoughts, your bad words, bad deeds and bad habits, etc.</u>, or <u>He will deal with it at the end of the world, and you will be lost.</u> <i>Sorry if this is too candid for you, but these are the only two options.</i> If you are already clean with God, we are happy for you, then you have much peace! <b>Make Jesus your friend while there is still time, confess your sins, give your heart to Him, and allow Him to destroy the works of the devil in your life: to uproot all of the bad plants that have been growing there.</b> <u>Do not wait until tomorrow, tomorrow may be too late.</u> Give your heart to God now, all-the-way, and plead with Him to help you make the changes that are needed. <u>He will help you if you will let Him and want His help.</u> <b>If you have already given your heart totally to God today, and for awhile, then we are very happy for you, because this means that you have the Holy Spirit in full and are happy, with no guilt!</b> This is the way everyone should be!<br />
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<h2>
Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the Deeds of the Flesh:</h2>
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“<b>But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.</b> <u>For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.</u> But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. <b>Now <u>the deeds of the flesh are</u> evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these</b>, of which <u>I forewarn you</u> just as I have forewarned you <u>that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.</u>” Galatians 5:16-21 NASB.<br />
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<b>If you confess all of your sins and allow God to cleanse you from all unrighteousness</b> (1 John 1:9), <b>you will receive the Holy Spirit to help you be good, as long as you continue to cooperate with Him and do whatever He asks</b>, without dragging your feet or being stubborn and doing your own thing again, against His will. <u>You can and should ask for the Holy Spirit:</u> Jesus said, “<u>If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall <i>your</i></u><u> heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?</u>" Luke 11:13 NASB. <b>Why not take up Jesus’ promised offer here for the Holy Spirit?</b> <u>If you ask and want this wonderful gift, it will be given to you.</u> Amen. If you ask for the Holy Spirit, He will help you to live a righteous life, and will help take away your shame that sinning again and again brings.<br />
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<b>No matter how hard it is to do what God has asked you to do, if you humble your heart before Him and plead for His help, He will help you to do what He has asked you to do</b>. <i>If you feel like you are losing your faith again, as storms of doubt seem to sweep you away</i>, <u>you will need to keep praying over and over again</u>: “<u>Lord, help me to be more willing.</u>” “<u>Lord, save me before I perish.</u>” <i>If you will continue to pray like this every time you have this need, God will save you every time! </i>Jesus and His Father love you and know that you are but dust. Psalms 103:14 NASB. <u>Don’t let go of their mighty hand to save!</u> They will help you with your pride and embarrassment, if you have something particularly nasty to make right, but you will feel better once you have done it. <b>It is not worth it to have those nasty weeds planted by your enemy growing in your life, choking out the very life of your soul! </b><u>If you want to have peace, be truly happy, filled with much love and joy, allow God to do some weeding in the garden of your soul!</u> <b>He is the Husbandman, the true Vine Dresser.</b> John 15:1-8. <i>Allow His kind and tender hands to prune away all of the dead growth and sinful things that have attached themselves to you like leeches, and all of the evil plants that need uprooting. Allow Him to give you a new heart and a new life, life more abundantly.</i> <b>He will help you greatly if you allow Him to do all of this for you, and you will wonder why you took so long to let Him do it for you!</b> <u>And always stay connected to the vine, Jesus!</u> You will lose your strength the minute you lose your connection to Him. <u>Stay connected to Him at all times.</u><br />
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<h2>
Conclusion:</h2>
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<b>Please allow God to uproot these noxious, poisonous plants from your life if they are still growing there before it’s too late!</b> If you want to be free from these bad plants in your life, Jesus will make you free indeed. “<u>If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.</u>” John 8:36 KJV. <b>If you need extra help, pray this prayer: ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’</b> Luke 18:13. <u>If you pray this prayer and mean it, you will go home justified or made righteous as Jesus promised in Luke 8:14.</u> <b>But don’t we all need extra help? </b><u>The Bible says that all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.</u> Isaiah 64:6. <i>And not one of us is good, not even one.</i> Psalms 14:3. <i>We have no hope of being good apart from God or cleared from our sins apart from confessing them to Him and receiving forgiveness. </i>1 John 1:9. <u>So you might as well pray that prayer, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’</u> <b>Why not?</b> <b>You have nothing to lose!</b><br />
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<b>May the grace of God be with you and help you to uproot all of the evil plants growing in your life!</b> <u>May you receive forgiveness for all of your sins, and a cleansing from all unrighteousness.</u> <i>May you receive God’s precious gift of the Holy Spirit to help you to be good and to be pleasing to God.</i> <u>Then your life will sing for joy!</u> And you will have wonderful peace, and will get God’s righteousness that flows like the waves of the sea! Isaiah 48:17-18. Amen.<br />
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<b>May the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all! Amen.</b>
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#Good #Seed #Bad #Plant #Weed #Blind #Pride #God #Vine #Enemy #Uproot #Gather #Tares #Burn #Fire #Wheat #End #World #Works #Devil </div>
John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-81234917046934147722018-06-10T22:51:00.001-05:002018-06-10T22:51:41.938-05:00You will seek Me and find me when you search for me with all your heart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, Finished 6/9/2018, 6/10/2018.<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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“‘<b>For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.</b> ‘<i>Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.</i> ‘<u>You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.</u>’” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NASB.<br />
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<b>No matter where you have been, or what you have done, or how much of a failure you have made of your life, don’t lose hope.</b> <u>God has a better plan for your life.</u> He wants to give you a future and hope for a better life. <i>Being able to be good and having eternal life are not beyond your reach, if you will grasp the Lord’s hands and allow Him to save you.</i> <u>If this is what you want, seek after God with all your heart, no holding back.</u> <b>Is that what you want?</b> What do you have to gain by holding back yourself from this wonderful hope and peace that God wants to give you?<br />
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<b>Do you feel like God doesn’t hear your prayers?</b> Are you unsure of what your future holds, or whether you can be saved? <b>Are you sure if you have what it takes to succeed and be the victor at last?</b> <i>Do you wonder if you are good enough, strong enough, smart enough, or wise enough, talented enough, and industrious enough to be able to provide for yourself and your family’s needs?</i> Are you worried you will fail? <u>Do you want to have the assurance of your own salvation?</u> <b>God declares here through His prophet Jeremiah that if you will search for Him with all your heart you will find Him.</b> <i>Much peace, hope, love and joy await you if you will just search for Him with all your heart.</i> <u>Then you will find Him.</u> <b>Are you tired of what your human nature and this world have to offer?</b> <i>Are you tired of its empty promises and lies?</i> Are you tired of trying so hard and failing? <u>Then it is time to try it God’s way, and search for Him with all your heart.</u> <b>When it is in your heart to do so, pray to Him and He will hear your prayer and answer it to the fullest!</b> <u>Oh so full!</u> If you are not there yet, then come to Him as you are, sins, failures and all, and beg Him to help you. <u>Don’t wait until you are ready all the way, or you never will be.</u> <b>But if you have been following Him and are ready to take your next step with Him, why not search for Him and seek to find Him with all your heart? What do you have to lose?</b> <u>If you are new to all of this, or a new Christian, or are not a Christian yet, why go through all the perplexity and trials of following God half-way and failing, when you can throw yourself on His side all the way and find Him and get all the power you need to succeed and to have a new life with Him?</u> <b>You will never regret it, we promise you. Cling to God, He is your only hope, Oh sinner!</b> He is your path, your light and your life. Deuteronomy 10:20; 13:4 NASB. “But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29 NASB.<br />
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“<b>Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.</b> <u>Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.</u> Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. <b>For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.</b>” Proverbs 8:32-35 KJV. <b>What is Solomon talking about here?</b> He is talking about wisdom. To be wise one must be willing to receive instruction. <u>Wisdom is receiving instruction - learning what you need to know to get life and have it more abundantly, and then do it.</u> <i>Seek after it daily from God’s Holy word, the Bible, and through much prayer with Him.</i> <b>This is where you will obtain instruction from Him.</b> <i><u>This is how you will find life and obtain favor from the Lord, by receiving His instruction for your life.</u></i> Note the counsel that king David gave his son Solomon: “<b>As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind;</b> <u>for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts.</u> <b>If you seek Him, He will let you find Him;</b> but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9 NASB. There is no hiding from God. There is no hiding your words, your actions or your thoughts from Him, He knows them all.<br />
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<b>Now put it all together: If you wish to have life and not die, receive the instruction that you need to seek after God with your whole heart and a willing mind.</b> <u>If you will seek Him, He will let you find Him.</u> <b>Is that what you want, dear reader? </b><u>Then seek after God with all your heart, and He will be found by you, and your whole life will change for the better.</u><br />
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<b>As God told Abraham, ‘<u>I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward</u>’</b> Genesis 15:1 KJV, <b>He also tells you, if you will seek after Him, He will be your shield and exceedingly great reward.</b> Abraham was called the friend of God. James 2:23. Many people cannot understand those who want to live a life of love and devotion to God, to give up the sins and pleasures of this world, and it’s wealth and ‘baubles’, with a willingness to give themselves to God all-the-way and serve Him, living an unselfish life to serve Him and others – it seems like there is nothing in it for them. Why would they want to do it? <u>But they have vastly underestimated the great reward in finding and knowing the Lord, a great reward indeed!</u> God and His precious Son Jesus are both great rewards to those who love and serve Them. <b>This great joy can only be known by those who seek after God with their whole heart.</b> <i><u>Those who only seek Him half way are shortchanging themselves, and will never know this sweetest, full joy.</u></i> And those who do not seek after Him, and those who do not find Him will know an eternal loss.<br />
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<b>God tells the saved that He is their great and exceeding reward.</b> <u>In contrast to this Paul tells us that the real loss of the lost - is to be forever shut out from the presence of the Lamb</u>: “*** <b>when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire</b>, <i>dealing out retribution to those who do not know God</i> and <u>to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.</u> <b>These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, <i><u>away from the presence of the Lord</u></i> and from the glory of His power</b>, <u>when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day</u>, and to be marveled at among all who have believed — for our testimony to you was believed.” 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NASB. <i>Jesus and His Father are the source of life and of every blessing that you would ever need.</i> <b>They are your eternal security blanket, if you will just put your trust in Them.</b> <i>But those who will not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, who do not accept His salvation, will be cast out from His presence</i>, <u>paying the penalty with eternal destruction, away from His loving presence that alone can bring peace, everlasting life, blessings, love and joy.</u> <br />
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“<b>Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear.</b> <u>But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.</u>” Isaiah 59:12 NASB. <i>This is one of the chief reasons why God does not answer everyone’s prayers, and why He doesn’t hear them.</i> <b>There is no room for halfway measures, half-hearted love and devotion to God.</b> <i>Your sins have separated you from God until you confess, repent and humble yourself before Him.</i> <u>He will save you regardless of how bad you are or what you have done, if you will just throw yourself on His mercy, and seek after Him with all your heart.</u> <i>Half-hearted seeking is for all who would fail.</i> <b>If you have only sought after God half-way or have not been consistent in seeking Him every day with all your heart, you can still seek after Him with all your heart and find Him, there is still time!</b> <i>But wait not another day or for a convenient season.</i> <u>Do not be like Felix who said to Paul, ‘when it is a convenient season I will call for you – a season which never came for him.</u> Acts 24:25 KJV. <b>Now is the day of salvation, while you hear God’s voice, His call to your heart.</b> “For He says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” <u>Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION</u>” 2 Corinthians 6:2 NASB. <b>Harden not your heart against Him, He loves you!</b> Listen to His counsel to you here: “<b>Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, to day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts</b>, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: <u>When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.</u> <b>Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.</b> <u>So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest.</u>) <b>Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.</b>” Hebrews 3:7-12 KJV. <u>Do not harden your heart against God, or have a heart of unbelief</u>, not believing that He will save you or not wanting His salvation. <u>Do not have a heart of unbelief, which is departing from the living God.</u><br />
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<h2>
Consider Jesus’ message here:</h2>
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“Then He said to them, “<b>Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him</b>’; and <u>from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you <i>anything.’</i></u> <i>I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend</i>, <b>yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. </b><u>So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.</u> <b>For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. </b><i>Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?</i> Or <i>if </i>he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? <b>If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will <i>your </i>heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?</b>” Luke 11:5-13 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>Consider the message that Jesus is trying to teach here: If you will be persistent with God, making your petitions known to Him for a new, better life with Him</b> – <u>wanting a change from the failure and the wreck that your life has been, He will hear your prayer.</u> <b>If you cling to God and persist in making your petitions known to Him for your desire to be saved and to be a better person, He will hear your prayer.</b> God is not like your earthly parents, who sometimes made mistakes or sometimes forgot your needs or sometimes only thought of themselves, but God really cares. <b>If your parents gave you good things in this life, how much more will your Heavenly Father give you the Holy Spirit when you ask Him?</b> <u>But you must ask Him, you must seek after Him, you must knock, and the door will be opened to you – the door to eternal life!</u> <i>You must be persistent and cling to God, not giving up, praying to Him and making all of your requests known to Him</i>, of your desire to have a new life with Him, and for the spiritual blessings that He wants to give you, until you get these desired blessings. <b>After God’s gift of His dear son Jesus for the world, His other most precious gift to those who belong to Him, is the gift of His precious Holy Spirit.</b> <i>He will give the Holy Spirit to all who ask, to all who seek after Him with all their heart.</i> <u>This is one of the gifts that all are required to have to enter Heaven and have eternal life.</u> John 3:3, 5. <b>All who wish to enter the Pearly Gates of Heaven will have to be born again of both the water</b> (have the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, symbolized by baptism in the water) <b>and by the Holy Spirit.</b> <u>These gifts from God allow you to become born again, Oh sinner, that Ye might be saved and be able to enter the kingdom of Heaven, like Jesus said in John 3:3, 5.</u> <b>The Holy Spirit is a most precious gift and reward for those who seek after God with all their heart, no holding back.</b> (Why would anyone want to hold anything back, not getting this sweetest of rewards? This is a great mystery.) <b>Dear reader, why would you want to hold anything back and not get this sweetest reward for yourself?</b><br />
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<h2>
The Conclusion of the Matter:</h2>
<b>Everyone who seeks after God with all their heart will receive the joy of their salvation, and have great peace, love and joy!</b> Everyone who seeks after God, and knocks, the door will be opened to them, the door to eternal life! Especially when they persist in clinging to God, and keep humbling their heart before Him every day, every hour, and learning to commune with Him in prayer. <u>Everyone who asks, and really wants it, can receive the best gift from God after forgiveness, the Holy Spirit.</u> <b>They will receive the Holy Spirit, the pledge of their redemption</b> (Ephesians 4:30 NASB)<b>, and have the assurance of their salvation</b>, <u>because God will tell them He loves them, and His precious Spirit will dwell in their heart and help them on their way to Heaven.</u> <i>They will have the continued assurance of their salvation, if they continue to seek after Him with all their heart, every day.</i> But the presence of the Holy Spirit gives them the strongest inducement to want to keep all this peace, love, joy and hope that He brings them. <b>When they have all this peace, love and joy and really value it, why would they want to give it up?</b> We do not know why anyone would give up God’s offer of mercy, forgiveness, peace, love, hope – much less the wonder and joy of having the Holy Spirit in their heart, and know that their life is pleasing to God, because they are letting Him save them, and He is giving them the power to live a righteous life. <b>What more could you want?</b> <u>This is everything your heart has been searching for!</u> <b>Just give yourself to God now, and forevermore and enjoy your new life with Him!</b><br />
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<b>The secret to having a better life, with peace and hope for tomorrow, is to seek after God with all your heart, and then you will find Him!</b> <u>You will be so glad you did!</u> We promise you, that if this is what you are searching for, you will be so glad you did, and <i><u>God’s love for you will be a well of water inside of you springing up into eternal life!</u></i> John 4:13-143. <b>God will be delighted to give this to you!</b><br />
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<b>May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.</b> Amen.<br />
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<h2>
Songs For Today’s Message:</h2>
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<b>If you seek Me, You will Find Me: </b>(Truth Songs)<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfb4HK6mKvk" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfb4HK6mKvk</a><br />
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<b>If you seek Me, You will Find Me: </b>(Hawaii Baptist Academy choirs)<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7jl61jkIDg" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7jl61jkIDg</a><br />
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#Lord #God #Plans #Hope #Seek #Me #Find #Search #All #Heart #Prayer #Love #Peace #Joy #Holy #Spirit #Half-way #Wisdom #Eternal #Life </div>
John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-66188774775129785022018-05-13T11:06:00.005-05:002020-10-10T13:23:12.481-05:00Abide with Jesus awhile…<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, Finished 5/12/2018 – 5/13/2018.<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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<b>Abide with Jesus awhile. Tarry with Him awhile. Abide with Him the rest of your life, why not? </b><br />
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Jesus said, "<b>Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.</b> <i>Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart</i>, <u>and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.</u> <b>For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."</b> Matthew 11:28-30 NASB. <i><u>Jesus invites all who are weary of all the troubles and trials of this world, who are weary from their burdens, worries and guilt, to take His rest, to take His yoke upon them, because His burden is easy, and His burden is light.</u></i> The yoke of love that Jesus offers you dear reader is much easier than struggling with your problems by yourself. It is a hard thing to try to order your steps and make all the right decisions and do all the right things and not make a mess out of your life. Or worry about how you can make your life a success. <i>But Jesus can take all your worries about not being good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to succeed, and help you fight the good fight to receive the crown of righteousness in the end, if you will give all of these worries to Him.</i> 2 Timothy 4:7-8. <b>No reason to worry about failure.</b> <u>No reason to be afraid or be in bondage to addictions or sin anymore, because Jesus came to set you free, dear reader!</u> He came that you might be free! Free from guilt, worry and shame and from the fear of failure. “<b>If therefore the Son</b><b> shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.</b>” John 8:36 NASB. This is what Jesus promised to you dear reader and all who will “come” and allow Him to make them free. <b>If He makes you free, ye shall be free indeed!</b><br />
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John declared, “<u>And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins</u>; and in Him there is no sin.” 1 John 3:5 NASB. <b>Jesus appeared on this earth and died on the cross to take away your sin.</b> <u>In “Him” there is no sin, because He was the spotless Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.</u> John 1:29. <b>John declared that He came in order to take away sin.</b> <u>Think on this, meditate on it, believe it.</u> It is a most beautiful promise when you see it and believe it! <b>Tarry with Jesus awhile and He will help you to be good and live a righteous life for Him.</b> And He will give you rest! This is because He can break your yoke of bondage if you let Him. <u>Better yet, why not abide with Him the rest of your life?</u> <b>What do you have to lose?</b> <i>He will help you to be a better, kinder and gentler person!</i> --> Derived from our article: <b><a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/04/if-anyone-loves-me-he-will-keep-my-word-part2.html">If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, Part 2</a> .</b><br />
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Dear reader, God says to you, “<b>Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.</b> <u>Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?</u> <b>Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance.</b> Incline your ear and come to Me. <u>Listen, that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, <i>according to</i> the faithful mercies shown to David.</u>” Isaiah 55:1-3 NASB. <b>What were the faithful mercies shown to David?</b> David loved God but had lost sight of Him several times and sinned greatly against Him, but God forgave him, even though he deserved to die. <b>But don’t we all deserve to die for our sins?</b> “<u>For the wages of sin <i>is</i> death</u>; <i>but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.</i>” Romans 6:23 KJV. <u>Not only did God forgive David, but chose to send Jesus His son through his lineage.</u> This text in Isaiah, when it talks about ‘the faithful mercies shown to David,’ is talking about the promise made to David, that his throne would be established forever, which was a prophecy about Jesus, the Messiah, who would die for the sins of the world and would reign forever and ever. 2 Samuel 7:12-16, 25-29. <b>What a promise God made to David!</b> <i>Not only did David not deserve this honor and privilege, but God was going to use his lineage through Jesus to save the world!</i> <u>No human that has ever lived has ever deserved God’s gift of His son to die for their sins.</u> John 3:16-17. So even though David and no human being who has ever lived deserved God’s mercy, God still sent His only son to die on the cross for their sins. <u>This is what it means when God declares that if you will listen to Him, He will make ‘an everlasting covenant’ with you ‘according to the faithful mercies shown to David.’</u> <b>Do you want the faithful mercies shown to David?</b> <b>Do you know that you are a sinner? Do you want hope?</b> <i>Do you want to listen to God and accept His covenant of grace for you?</i> <u>Then Isaiah 55 is for you!</u> <i>Everyone who thirsts can come. All who are hungry can come.</i> Turn no one away who is thirsty, hungry or weary!<br />
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<b>It is especially noteworthy what Jesus proclaimed in the synagogue on the Sabbath: </b>“And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and <b><u>as was His custom</u></b><u>, <b>He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath</b>, and stood up to read.</u> <b>And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him.</b> And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, ‘<u>THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.</u> <b>HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES</b>, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, <b>TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.</b>’” <i>And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him.</i> <u>And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’</u>" Luke 4:16-21 NASB. <b>After he closed the book and gave it back to the attendant all eyes were on Him!</b> <u>Here Jesus declared in so many words that He was the fulfillment of this prophecy from Isaiah.</u> The Holy Spirit was trying to convict all who were there listening to Him that He was the Messiah, the hope of Israel - that was why all eyes were fixed on Him after He read this passage and declared that this prophecy was fulfilled that day in their hearing! This was the event that the children of Israel had been waiting for, but sadly not all accepted Him. <b>But what does this passage really mean?</b> Study it carefully! <b>Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor, and to set the captives free! And to set free all those who are downtrodden.</b> Jesus also declared, “<u>And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.</u>” John 12:32 NASB. <i>Yes, Jesus was lifted up on that cross for you, He paid the penalty for your sins. This act will draw all who will to Him who want it, who see their need and want His help.</i> This is the power of the Cross! His death on the cross allows you to get rest and peace! <b>Jesus proclaimed that His mission was to preach the Gospel</b> (the good news) <b>to the poor, to set the captives free, and to set free all those who are downtrodden.</b> That is to say, He came to give you rest and to give you peace!<br />
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<b>Oh soul are you weary?</b> Do you long for rest? Do you long for peace? <b>Do you long to be free?</b> Free from all your guilt, sin and shame? Then let Jesus draw you to the cross, let His love move you, let it break your heart. <b>Take His yoke upon you and He will give you rest.</b> <u>His yoke that is easy and His burden that is light is the sweet bond of love He has for you that binds you closer to Him.</u> <b>Oh such love! I cannot fathom it!</b> No words I write can fully describe it! <i>Oh hungry soul, there is a Balm in Gilead and the great Physician there who has healing for your soul if you want it.</i> <b>Why thirst for the water of life or the bread of Heaven, when He is within your reach?</b> There is no reason to be thirsty or go around hungry anymore when He offers this life to you freely. <br />
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“<b>Blessed <i>are</i> they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.</b>” Matthew 5:6 KJV. <b>Do you long for a new, better life?</b> <i>Then hunger no more, because Jesus wants to fill you.</i> <b>Just let Him!</b> This promise is not for those who are happily filling themselves up with the spiritual “husks” of this world or with the false ideas that some have of how to be saved or to be happy, etc. This promise is not for those who don’t truly want it. <b><i>But this promise is for all those who are tired of sinning, tired of living in shame, tired of failing, tired of hurting themselves and others, tired of guilt who just want a better life.</i></b> Those who are tired of filling themselves up with the spiritual “husks” of this world, or with false ideas of how to be saved or be happy, can come - come to Jesus. <u>To all whose desire is this – come!</u> <i>Come to Him that you might have life and have it more abundantly! </i>Jesus said ‘<b>I am come that they might have life, and that they might have <i>it</i> more abundantly.</b>’ John 10:10 KJV. Is this what you want?<br />
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“In the last day, that great <i>day</i> of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, <b>‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.</b> <u>He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.</u>’ (<b>But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet <i>given</i>; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.</b>)” John 7:37-39 KJV. Yes, all who are thirsty come unto Jesus and drink, and out of their belly will flow rivers of living water! “<b>And Jesus said ‘come to the waters stand by my side, I know you are thirsty you won’t be denied.’</b> And I saw every tear drop when in darkness you cried. <u>And I strove to remind you that for those tears I died.</u>’” * From the song: “<b><u>For those tears I died</u></b>”.<br />
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“<b>The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.</b>” Revelation 22:17 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>So all who are thirsty, all who are weary, come and tarry with Jesus awhile.</b> Abide with Him for as long as you will. He will supply all your needs according to the riches of His grace. “<u>And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.</u>” Philippians 4:19 NASB. <i>And He will give you peace, and joy, and will take away your guilt and fears that you cannot make it; He will give you a new life!</i> <b>Is that what you want?</b> <u>He wants to give it to you!</u> He wants to be in you a well of water springing up unto eternal life! <br />
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<b>May the grace of God and the fellowship of Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit be with you all! Amen. </b><br />
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<h2>
Songs for the Message Today:</h2>
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<b>Abide with Me:</b><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYYyRcuNFZ0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYYyRcuNFZ0</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbkvjnwEDEw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbkvjnwEDEw</a><br />
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<b>Listen to Heritage Singers sing: ‘<u>For Those Tears I Died</u>’:</b><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZQv2_sS7oo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZQv2_sS7oo</a><br />
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<b>Read the lyrics to 'For those tears I died' here:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.songlyrics.com/heritage-singers/for-those-tears-i-died-lyrics/" target="_blank">http://www.songlyrics.com/heritage-singers/for-those-tears-i-died-lyrics/</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Watchword:</b></span><br />
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“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.'” John 14:23 NASB.</h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>White Raiment Evangelism</b><b> Revelation 3:18:</b></span><br />
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<b>In Revelation 3:18 Jesus said, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, and white raiment, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not</b>
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#Abide #Tarry #Jesus #Rest #Peace #Weary #Heavy #Laden #Yoke #Burdens #Light #Free #Thirst #Hunger #Faithful #Mercy #Gospel #Captives #Downtrodden #Spirit </div>
John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-14034391364437350122018-05-05T22:00:00.003-05:002018-07-18T21:19:04.417-05:00The Worthless Servant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, finished 5/5/2018.<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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“Then another came, saying, <b>`Lord, here is your pound, which I kept laid away in a napkin</b>; <u>for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.</u>' He said to him, `<b>I will condemn you out of your own mouth, <u>you wicked servant!</u></b> You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? <b>Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with interest?</b>' And he said to those who stood by, `<u>Take the pound from him, and give it to him who has the ten pounds.</u>' (And they said to him, `Lord, he has ten pounds!') `<b>I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.</b> <u>But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.</u>'" Luke 19:20-27 RSV.<br />
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<b>The NASB has this as, “you worthless slave”:</b><br />
"He said to him, '<b>By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave.</b> Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?” Luke 19:22 NASB. <br />
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<b>Jesus’ words here apply to all who make the claim of being one of God’s people and have been in the church or the synagogue for years, who are not doing enough or anything at all to help others or show them how much He or His Father love them.</b> <u>They are ‘worthless servants’, ‘worthless slaves’.</u> They knew what their master required of them, but did nothing about it. “<b>He hath shewed thee, O man, what <i>is</i> good; and what doth the LORD require of thee</b>, <u>but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?</u>” Micah 6:8 KJV.<br />
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<b>Did you know that everyone is a ‘slave’ or a ‘servant’ to someone or something?</b> Paul declares: “<b><u>Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are</u></b> to whom ye obey; <u>whether of sin unto death</u>, or <u>of obedience unto righteousness?</u>” Romans 6:16 KJV. <b><i>So there are but two choices in this life, you can yield all the way to God and become His servant or you can become a slave or servant of sin and death.</i></b> Which will you have? <u>If you are a Christian that means that you are Jesus’ servant or disciple.</u> <i>Those who are not Jesus’ willing servant are not really a Christian at all.</i> Jesus will especially judge all who ‘claim to be a Christian’ by higher standards than those who don’t. Out of their own mouth they will be judged. <u>To know whose side you are on, you must know who you are yielding yourself a servant to obey.</u> The Holy Spirit or ‘the flesh’. <u>Once you know who you are yielding to, on a regular, daily basis, you will understand your life’s final destiny.</u> <b>That is why this parable of the worthless servant or worthless slave is so important!</b> For God will hold all of His servants accountable in the day of Judgement as we shall see below.<br />
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<b>This parable by Jesus in Luke 19:20-27 is an illustration of the coming judgement. </b><i><u>The “worthless slave” and the “wicked servant” represent the people of God who do not let their light shine for His glory.</u></i> Jesus called them a “worthless slave.” Also note what He said here: “<b>By this is My Father glorified,</b><b> that you <u>bear much fruit</u></b>, and <i><u>so</u></i><u> prove to be My disciples.</u>” John 15:8 NASB. In another related parable Jesus said: “And He began telling this parable: "A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. <b>And he said to the vineyard-keeper</b>, '<u>Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any.</u> <b>Cut it down!</b> <b><u>Why does it even use up the ground?</u></b>' "And he answered and said to him, <u>'Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer;</u><u> and if it bears fruit next year, <i>fine;</i> but if not, cut it down.’</u> "” Luke 13:6-9 NASB. <b>This parable represents the coming judgement.</b> <b>But it happens before the final judgement, because this was primarily a prophecy about the Jewish nation who were rejecting Him. </b>We are not saying this to bash the Jews, for many Christians also are not bearing fruit for the Master. <b>This prophecy applies to all ‘Christians’ as well who bear no fruit for Him.</b> <i><u>This parable is a warning to all of God’s people everywhere who are fruitless and lifeless.</u></i> Eventually everyone’s life’s record comes up before God. He gives all a chance to repent and get to know Him and bear fruit for His glory. Of all who make the claim of being His people, He looks at them carefully, longing for His own to finally bear fruit for His glory. James says, “<i>Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.</i> <b><u>Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it</u></b>, until he receive the early and latter rain.” James 5:7 KJV. <b>Here ‘The husbandman’ is God the Father.</b> Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and <b><u>my Father is the husbandman.</u></b> <u>Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away</u>: and <b>every <i>branch</i> that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.</b>” John 15:1-2 KJV. <b>Oh how our loving Heavenly Father waits for His ‘people’ to finally bear fruit for His glory!</b> He has long patience for it. <u>Every branch He prunes that it may bear more fruit</u> (John 15:1-2) and <u>every lifeless branch, gets cast into the fire to be burned.</u> Jesus said, “<b><u>If anyone does not abide in Me</u>, he is</b><b> thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.</b>” John 15:6 NASB. And so all who do not abide in Jesus - they will not bear fruit for God’s glory, and sadly they eventually will be gathered up and cast into the fire to be burned.<br />
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<b>James 5:7 is also making a reference to the coming judgement when he says</b>, ‘<i><u>Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.</u>’</i> <b>This message from James has a special application to all those who claim they are waiting for Christ’s Second Coming.</b> <i>Those who make the claim they are waiting for Jesus’ Second Coming, if they really believe it, will ask God to help them bear much fruit for His glory.</i> <u>Those who do not heed this message to bear much fruit for God will be in trouble.</u> <b>Jesus was repeating what the Father said when He said</b>, ‘<u>I have waited three years for it to bear fruit, cut it down.</u>’ <b>Jesus represents the gardener who said fertilize it and give it more time to bear fruit.</b> Jesus represents the vineyard keeper in this parable in Luke 13:6-9, because he said, ‘<i>I will fertilize it and dig around it – if it doesn’t bear fruit next year then cut it down.</i>’ <b>Jesus pleads with the Father to give His people more time to repent and bear fruit for His Father’s glory.</b> <u>Yes, the Father has long patience that His people would finally bear fruit for His glory, and if they would do all that He asks them to do, and seek Him with all of their heart.</u> <i>If they would seek after Him with all their heart, He would grant them the precious blessing of bearing fruit for His glory!</i> “<b>And you will seek Me and find <i>Me,</i> when you search for Me with all your heart.</b>” Jeremiah 29:13 NASB. <b>But make no mistake! The vineyard keeper or the gardener in the parable of Luke 13:-6-9, said</b>, '<u>Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer;</u><u> and if it bears fruit next year, <i>fine;</i> but if not, cut it down.</u>’ Luke 13:9. <i>Jesus said, leave the tree alone a year, until it has been fertilized, and if it bears fruit next year fine, but if not, ‘cut it down.’</i> This is in answer to God’s command and question: <b>Cut it down, why does it even take up the ground?</b> All of the true subjects of God’s kingdom are not ‘cumberers of the ground.’ They just don’t take up the ground, soaking up all the blessings from God, and the rich root of the vine, Jesus, but they bear much fruit for the Master.<br />
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<b>Back to our original text in Luke 19:20-27:</b> Jesus called that man a “wicked servant” in the King James Version. <b>The NASB version calls the man a “worthless slave.”</b> <u>Both are right.</u> Those who make the claim of following and believing in Jesus, yet do not bear fruit for the Father’s glory are not only a “worthless servant,” but a “wicked slave.” <b><i>God has provided everything we need to love and serve Him with: He gave us Jesus His Son for the sins of the world</i></b><i> (John 3:16-17)<b>, and He gave us the promise of the Comforter or the Holy Spirit.</b></i> Jesus said, “<b>And I will ask the Father, and <u>He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever</u></b>; <i>that is</i> <u>the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive</u>, <u>because it does not behold Him or know Him</u>, <b><i>but</i> you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.</b>” John 14:16-17 NASB. <u>But those who will not take the time to get to know God, love and obey Him, will not have this blessing, and will not be able to live a righteous life, which makes them “wicked” and “worthless.”</u> <b>Those that are trying to work out their own righteousness by their own skill or will, or those who make the claim of being God’s people</b> <b>who are not too concerned about the sin in their life</b>, <u>alike will not receive the blessing of righteousness that God wants to give them through the Holy Spirit</u>, and <u>will be that “wicked servant” whom God will take away even what they don’t have.</u> <i>Both of these examples are self-righteousness, because real righteousness only comes from God.</i> <b>Those who will not bear fruit for God, who make the claim of being one of His children will eventually be judged for this.</b> <u>God will eventually say, “Why does it take up the ground! Cut it down!”</u><br />
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<b>Unfortunately, someday soon these sad words will be uttered against all who refuse to let Jesus dig around the soil of their heart and receive the spiritual ‘fertilizer’ from Him, the dew of Heaven or the gift of the Holy Spirit.</b><i> This would have given them the spiritual growth they needed in order to please the Master of the vineyard.</i> This is what God will say someday to those wicked, worthless and lazy servants, unless they repent and allow Him to make a change in them that they cannot make themselves. <u>Bearing fruit for God is not salvation by works, but the lack of good works in these “wicked servants” shows that they had no vital connection with God, did not know Him, and had not availed themselves of His many precious promises.</u> “<b>Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises</b>: <u>that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.</u>” 2 Peter 1:4 KJV.<br />
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<b>All are promised salvation if they would only believe in Jesus, God’s only Son.</b> <b>And if they truly believe, they would get to know God, keep His word, and the Holy Spirit would be abiding in them, and then they would bear much fruit for Him.</b> <u>No! The wicked, worthless and lazy servants of God have not claimed His rich promises, nor believed in them, and have not been born again of the water and of the Spirit</u> (John 3:3, 5), <u>and will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.</u> Then it will be a sad day for their soul, because at the end of their probation at the judgment they will be accounted with the enemies of God, as Jesus said: “<u>But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay <i>them</i> before me.</u>’” Luke 19: 27 KJV. Those who will not avail themselves of the wonderful salvation that God has provided them through Jesus, and allow Him to fill them with the Holy Spirit, unless they repent, will become His enemies, and will be that “wicked”, lazy and “worthless” servant who doesn’t want Jesus or His Father to rein over them; <u>they will not have God rule over their heart, because they do not love Him.</u> Jesus reiterated this when He said: ‘<u>If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word</u>; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. <b><u>He who does not love Me does not keep My words</u></b>; and <u>the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.</u>’ John 14:23-24 NASB. <b>So only those who truly love Jesus and His Father will keep Jesus’ word and have Him and His Father making their abode in their heart, through the presence of the Holy Spirit.</b><br />
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<b>From the words of their mouth will God judge those wicked servants.</b> <u>They knew that their Heavenly Father wanted them to bear much fruit for Him, so at the very least they should have put His talents that He gave them out to “the exchangers” and traded with it to increase it in some way.</u> They could have at least given money to God’s servants who were preaching the Gospel to the poor, and to His missionaries in foreign lands, instead of doing nothing. <i>But instead, they hid their talents that God gave them, showing their disdain for Heaven’s blessings.</i> While it is true that God is love, many people forget that they have a responsibility to others in this world to help them, and follow all of His commandments, which are to love Him more than anyone or anything else, and to love their neighbor as themselves. Matthew 22:36-40.<b> If you do not want to be that “worthless” or “wicked slave,” ‘trade your talents’ in such a way as to enrich God’s kingdom and help it grow.</b> <b>This is to teach your neighbor of God’s love or help them in some way, so that God’s kingdom can grow.</b> Those that do not love God enough to help Him grow His kingdom, do not really love Him or Jesus, and will eventually become that “wicked” “worthless” slave who is God’s enemy.<br />
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<b>Be not like that “wicked,” lazy, and “worthless” servant of God who did not avail themselves of God’s many promised blessings, and allow Him to make them all that He wanted them to be.</b> Let Jesus dig around the soil of your heart, allow the trials that He sends you to mold you and shape you. Allow Jesus to fertilize the soil of your heart, and give you the water of life, that you may become born again. <i>When you become truly born again, and get the Holy Spirit for yourself, it will be the most natural thing in the world for you to bear much fruit for God, it will be your greatest desire!</i> This will be proof that the Holy Spirit is in your heart and that you know God.<br />
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<b>Conclusion:</b><br />
Let’s finish out that parable by going back to the beginning of it, which takes place in Heaven, as those who love God are ushered into the Pearly gates:<br />
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“<b>When he</b> [Jesus] <b>returned, <u>having received the kingdom</u></b>, <u>he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading.</u> <b>The first came before him, saying</b>, `Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.' <b>And he said to him, `Well done, good servant!</b> <u>Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.</u>' <b>And the second came, saying</b>, `Lord, your pound has made five pounds.' <u>And he said to him, `And you are to be over five cities.</u>' Luke 19:15-19 RSV.</blockquote>
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<b>And the Parallel passage from Matthew:</b><br />
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“<b>And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.</b> <u>His lord said unto him, Well done, <i>thou</i> good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things</u>: <i><u>enter thou into the joy of thy lord.</u></i> <b>He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.</b> <u>His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things</u>: <b><i>enter thou into the joy of thy lord.</i></b>” Matthew 25:20-23 KJV.</blockquote>
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<b>So whether you have received 10 talents from the Lord, or 5 or 2 or even 1, invest them all for the glory of God</b>, <u>so that when Jesus comes back to take His people home He will say, ‘well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.’</u> <i>Enter into the joy of Heaven, that Jesus has prepared for all those who love Him.</i> <b>And there will be much joy throughout the endless ages of eternity – for those who have invested the Master’s talents for His service that He gave them!</b> Amen.<br />
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<b>May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you, and give you the refreshing dew of Heaven</b>, and <u>grant you many precious fruits to bear for the Master.</u> That you may enter into the joy of your Lord. Amen.<br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-58445935806142217712018-04-22T10:46:00.003-05:002020-10-08T00:17:25.879-05:00If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 9/15/2017 and 9/21/2017.<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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“<b>Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word</b>; and <u>My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.</u>’” John 14:23 NASB.<br />
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‘<b>If any man loves Me, he will keep my word.</b>’ <b>Is this really true?</b> How can anyone doubt what Jesus said? <u>But many today doubt whether they need to obey God</u>, sometimes out of ignorance or because they were taught this way, <u>not realizing that Jesus and His Father are one.</u> John 10:30. <i>Many don’t really understand everything He said, and have heard other parts of the New Testament taken out of context, or misinterpreted to say something different than what He taught.</i> <b>Therefore many are in fact doubting what Jesus said is true, whether they realize it or not!</b> <u>The truth of the matter is that if they don’t want to obey God, they cannot keep Jesus’ word either, because His word is really His Father’s word, as we learned in Part 1.</u> Because only God is good (Luke 18:19), the only way they can be good is if they get the Holy Spirit. And since the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32), if they don’t want to obey God, they cannot have the Holy Spirit. <u>This means that they cannot keep Jesus’ word either</u>, <b>because none of us are good, and the only way anyone can be good is if God helps them to be good through His Holy Spirit.</b><br />
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<i>But in this article, Part 2, we want to break it down further for you, especially if you are still undecided by what it means to keep Jesus’ word and whether God’s commandments are Jesus’ commandments or not.</i> <b>One thing is true that you can’t deny, that if you want to be born from above and filled with the Holy Spirit, you must want to keep Jesus’ word.</b> <u>Because if you love Him you will keep His word, and He and His Father will come to you and make their abode in you.</u> This is how you become born again!<br />
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Jesus’ Commandments versus God’s Commandments:</h2>
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<b>Some say that Jesus’s new commandment that we love one another</b> (John 13:34), <b>and His other commandments to His disciples are different than what God commanded His people to do in the 10 Commandments of Exodus 20.</b> <u>And that we don’t need to keep the 10 Commandments any more</u> (also known as God’s commandments), <u>just Jesus’ commandments.</u> <b><i>But it is not possible to keep Jesus’ commandments without keeping God’s commandments</i></b><i>, and if you keep God’s commandments, you are keeping Jesus’ commandments as well, because they are all about love!</i> <u>Those who break God’s 10 Commandments, and don’t confess these sins and repent of them do not love Jesus, and are not keeping His word.</u><br />
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<b>No one who sins, knows God.</b> “<u>No one who abides in Him sins</u>; <b>no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.</b>” 1 John 3:6 NASB. <u>No one who abides in Jesus sins.</u> <b>How do we know this?</b> See the previous verse 5: “<u>And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.</u>” 1 John 3:5 NASB. <b>The “He” here is clearly Jesus, because He appeared on this earth and died on the cross to take away our sin.</b> <u>And in “Him” there is no sin, because He was the spotless Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.</u> John 1:29. And John declared that He came in order to take away sins. <b>Therefore no one who abides in Jesus sins.</b> <u>Think on that, meditate on it, believe it.</u> It is a most beautiful promise when you see it and believe it! <b>Tarry with Jesus awhile and He will help you to live a righteous life, because no one who abides in Him sins.</b> <u>Better yet, why not abide with Him the rest of your life?</u> <b>What do you have to lose?</b> <i>He will help you to be a better, kinder and gentler person!</i><br />
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<b>But what is sin? What does John say?</b> “<u>Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law</u>: <i><u>for sin is the transgression of the law.</u></i>” 1 John 3:4 KJV. So let’s feed this back into 1 John 3:6 to get a clearer meaning of it: “<b>No one who abides in Jesus breaks the Law of God; no one who breaks the Law of God has seen Jesus or knows Him.</b>” This is serious folks! We believe that this text is talking about habitual sin here, not just momentary sins or mistakes. But momentary sins can turn into repetitive sins, if the soul does not turn to God for help. <u>Those who’s custom or practice is sin, do not really know Jesus or His loving Father!</u><br />
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<b>But what is the transgression of the Law?</b> <u>It is being unloving, unkind, disrespectful, hurtful, and selfish towards God or others.</u> Because Love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:10. <b>So let’s restate 1 John 3:6 yet again, to feed in this meaning into it too:</b> “<u>No one who abides in Jesus says or does hurtful things against others, or thinks bad thoughts about them</u>; <b><i>no one who says or does hurtful things against others, or thinks bad thoughts about them has either seen Jesus or knows Him.</i></b>” <u>Again folks, this is serious!</u> Think about what this text is really saying. “<b>Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness</b>; and <u>sin is lawlessness.</u> <b>You know that He appeared in order to take away sins</b>; and in Him there is no sin.” 1 John 3:4-5 NASB. <b>This tells us that those who practice sin are breaking God’s Law; breaking God’s law is the definition of sin.</b> This also tells us that Jesus came in order to take away sin. <u>So those who love God will want Jesus to take away their sins</u>, <i>i.e. to forgive them and help them to stop “practicing” lawlessness and breaking God’s Law.</i> <br />
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“<b>Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous</b>, just as He is righteous; <u>the one who practices sin is of the devil</u>; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. <b>The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.</b> <u>No one who is born of God practices sin</u>, because His seed abides in him; and <u>he cannot sin, because he is born of God.</u> <b>By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious:</b> <u>anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God</u>, <u>nor the one who does not love his brother.</u>” 1 John 3:7-10 NASB. <i>Jesus appeared so that He could destroy the works of the devil.</i> He wants to take away your sins from the books of heaven when you ask for forgiveness from God, and from your life, so that you can be pure.<br />
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<b>Still think that you don’t’ need to keep God’s Commandments, and that you only need to keep Jesus’ Commandments?</b> Read what John has to say here: “<u>By this we know that we love the children of God</u>, <b>when we love God, and keep his commandments.</b>” 1 John 5:2 KJV. <b><i>Now in the pure context of this verse it is quite clearly talking about God’s commandments, not Jesus’ commandments!</i></b> <i>This is also important, because John is reiterating in slightly different words, Jesus’ command to love one another here when he said, ‘By this we know that we love the children of God.’</i> <b>This is clearly the same thing as Jesus’ command to love one another, i.e. to love our Christian brethren.</b> <i><u>This statement by John makes a strong tie between Jesus’ new commandment to love one another, and keeping God’s commandments: it shows us that they are the same thing, just two different ways of looking at it.</u> <b>Because this is how you know that you love one another, when you keep God’s commandments:</b> <u>especially those in Exodus 20.</u></i> All of Jesus’ disciples, including His modern day ones, will love one another and keep Jesus’ words. John makes it so clear that if you read both of his books of John and 1<sup>st</sup> John and reason through it carefully with much prayer, that you need not miss it.<br />
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<b>Again why is 1 John 5:2 talking about God’s commandments?</b> <u>Because we already saw in Part 1 of this article that Jesus’ commandments are actually God’s commandments</u>, <b>because God gave His Son Jesus a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.</b> John 12:49. If anyone doubts what we are saying here, this is the testimony Jesus gave through His servant John and in other places. <b>We also saw in Part 1 of this article that Jesus kept all of His Father’s commandments.</b> <u>If Jesus kept all of His Father’s commandments and loved Him, shouldn’t you too?</u><br />
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<b>How do you know that John was Jesus’ servant, and wrote His words for you to read?</b> Read what he wrote at the beginning of 1 John: “<u>What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life</u> — and <u>the life was manifested</u>, and <b>we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life</b>, which was with the Father and was manifested to us — <b>what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us</b>; and <u>indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.</u> <b>These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.”</b> 1 John 1:1-4 NASB. The King James has this last part as ‘<u>And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.</u>” 1 John 1:4 KJV. <b>Why did John write the books of John, 1st John and our passage of 1 John 5:2?</b> <u>So that your joy would be made complete or full</u>, just as he stated. <b>John’s fellowship was with the Father and with Jesus His Son.</b> <i>If your fellowship is with Jesus, then you will receive and believe John’s testimony here in our passage of 1 John 5:2, and everything else John wrote as well.</i><br />
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<b>But how do you really know that this verse in 1 John 5:2 is talking about keeping God’s Commandments?</b> <u>Easy!</u> <b>Just read the verse before it</b>: “<u>Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God</u>, and <b>whoever loves the Father loves the <i>child</i> born of Him.</b>” 1 John 5:1 NASB. <b>Who begat Jesus? Who was Jesus the Son of?</b> <u>God.</u> John 3:16. <b>Then who is ‘God’ in 1 John 5:2?</b> <u>The Father.</u> <i>If you love God, you also will love His Son Jesus, because He proceeded from Him!</i> If you love Jesus, then you will love His Father also. If you love to obey Jesus, you will also love to obey His Father. If you love Jesus you will keep His word. <u>If you love Jesus you will also keep His Father’s word.</u><br />
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<b>Do you love God? Do you love Jesus His Son?</b> <u>Then keep God’s commandments, which are Jesus’ word.</u> <b>Still doubt that Jesus was sent from God or that His words were from God, the Father?</b> “<b>Jesus said</b> unto them, <b>If God were your Father, ye would love Me: <u>for I proceeded forth and came from God</u></b>; neither came I of Myself, <u>but He sent Me.</u> <b>Why do ye not understand My speech?</b> <i><u>even</u></i><u> because ye cannot hear My word.</u>” John 8:42-43 KJV.<br />
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<b>So if God is your Father, you will love Jesus His Son, because He proceeded from Him. </b>If you do not hear or believe our words or reasoning here, it is because you do not hear Jesus’ word. <br />
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Jesus’ Commandments are the Father’s Commandments:</h2>
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<b>Notice the similarity of these two messages from John. Notice that both are talking about love:</b><br />
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1) “<b>If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar</b>; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20 NASB.<br />
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2) “<b>The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him</b>; <u>but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.</u> <i>By this we know that we are in Him</i>:” 1 John 2:4-5 NASB.<br />
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<b>Therefore to hate your brother is the same thing as breaking God’s commandments.</b> <u>From this it is clear that ‘to love’ means ‘to keep God’s commandments.’</u> <i>That is why we say that keeping God’s 10 commandments are about love, for Love is the fulfillment of the Law.</i> Romans 13:10. <b>You cannot separate love from the 10 commandments, or the 10 commandments from love.</b> The 10 Commandments are the summary of the way God wants us to treat Him and others. They are general and easy to understand. <i>But their principles cover every aspect of life and help us to know how to love God and our neighbor as ourselves.</i> <u>You cannot keep the 10 commandments unless you have love for God and man.</u> <b>And you can’t keep the 10 Commandments or love unless you know God.</b> It’s that simple.<br />
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<b>How do we know if we have the love of God and have His love perfected in us?</b> <u>By keeping His commandments.</u> This is how we know if we really know Him, or if we are just ‘blowing smoke’, saying that we are a Christian and know Him. If we really know Him, it will not be a big struggle or a burden to treat others with kindness, love and respect, and to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and all our mind and all our soul. It will only be natural. “<u>Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God</u>, and whoever loves the Father loves the <i>child</i> born of Him. <u>By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.</u> <b>For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.</b> <u>For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world</u> — <u>our faith.</u>” 1 John 5:1-4 NASB. “<b>Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.</b> <u>He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.</u>” 1 John 4:7-8 KJV. <b><i>Whoever keeps God’s word and the 10 Commandments, the love of God has truly been perfected in them, for no one can really keep God’s word in their own strength and power.</i></b> <br />
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<h2>
The 10 Commandments are Jesus’ Commandments:</h2>
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<b>Jesus declared, “</b><b><u>Think not that I am come to destroy the law</u></b><b>, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.</b> <u>For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.</u> <b>Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven</b>: <u>but whosoever shall do and teach <i>them</i>, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.</u>” Matthew 5:17-19 KJV. <i>Some people try to say that since Jesus fulfilled the law, we don’t have to. Even though Jesus definitely kept His Father’s law perfectly on our behalf, this idea that since He did it for us that we don’t need to keep it, still goes against what Jesus said, when He said He didn’t come to destroy it but to fulfill it.</i> <b>So if Jesus’ death on the cross means we don’t need to keep the 10 Commandments, then Jesus’ would be destroying the law.</b> <u>But Jesus did not contradict Himself.</u> <i>In Exodus 19 God promised blessings if His people would obey His voice and then He spoke the 10 Commandments to them in Exodus 20.</i> <b>So if Jesus did not come to destroy the Law, how is it that His death on the cross makes it so we no longer need to keep the Law?</b> <u>If that were really true, then Jesus would be destroying the Law, or making it of ‘none effect’ if we didn’t have to keep it from then on.</u> <b>But what does Jesus say?</b> <u>‘I am not come to destroy’ [the Law].</u> <b>And why did Jesus say: ‘</b><b>Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?’</b> Matthew 15:3 KJV. He spoke this to the scribes and Pharisees of His day, but <u>we believe that if He were walking on the earth again in our day, He would say the same thing to those who hold any tradition or teaching that causes people to transgress the laws of God.</u> <b>And those who teach that God’s 10 Commandments do not need to be kept any more are definitely teaching others to ‘transgress the law of God’</b>, which is the same thing that Jesus reprimanded the scribes and Pharisees for doing. <u>If it was wrong for the scribes and Pharisees to do it, it is wrong for anyone in our day to do it as well.</u><br />
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<u>The plain meaning of the word ‘fulfill’ is to replenish or make it full.</u> Or to make it happen. <b>Jesus’ death on the cross and the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit provides the way for us to be forgiven, and to be cleansed from all unrighteousness,</b> 1 John 1:9, so that we can love Him and our neighbor as ourselves.<br />
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<b>Notice that Jesus declared that until heaven and earth have passed away, not even one jot or tittle, [not even the smallest portion of the law], shall pass away.</b> We know that some say that He fulfilled the law for us, so we don’t need to keep it, <i>but Jesus, as if in anticipation of this, informs us quite clearly that unless Heaven and Earth pass away, not even the smallest portion of the commandments will be done away with.</i> <b>Are heaven and earth still here?</b> <u>Yes.</u> <b><i>Then not even the smallest portion of the 10 Commandments have been done away with.</i></b> Some may say, ‘we are saved by grace’, meaning that we don’t have to keep God’s Law. [They imply it, but some even say that we can’t, and shouldn’t. Some even go as far as implying that it is a sin to keep God’s Law. Imagine that?] <u>But this is clearly refuted by what Jesus declared above.</u> <b><i>Jesus also declared that all who shall break even ‘the least’ or smallest of the commandments [of the 10], shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.</i></b><i> We believe that this is a curse.</i> <u>We don’t think that it is a good thing to be called ‘least in the kingdom of heaven’ by God.</u> <b>Why?</b> <i><u>Because Jesus contrasts this with His next statement</u>: <b>whoever shall do these commandments and teach them to others shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.</b></i> <u>We believe that it is clear that this is a blessing!</u> <i>Therefore the contrast of this blessing of being called great in the kingdom of Heaven is the curse of being called least in the kingdom of Heaven, because a curse is the opposite of a blessing.</i> We want this blessing of being called great in the kingdom of Heaven, because this is what pleases God and we want to please Him. <u>If anyone believes they don’t have to keep God’s law, they should keep it quiet!</u> If they tell anybody else this lie, they will come under God’s displeasure! Of course if they break His law and don’t confess it, they will also come under His displeasure too. <br />
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<b>David affirms this same truth that Jesus declared, that there is a great reward for those who keep God’s law:</b> “<u>The law of the LORD <i>is</i> perfect, converting the soul</u>: <i>the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.</i> The statutes of the LORD <i>are</i> right, rejoicing the heart: <b>the commandment of the LORD <i>is</i> pure, enlightening the eyes.</b> The fear of the LORD <i>is</i> clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD <i>are</i> true <i>and</i> righteous altogether. More to be desired <i>are they</i> than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. <b><u>Moreover by them is thy servant warned: <i>and</i> in keeping of them <i>there is</i> great reward.</u></b>” Psalm 19:7-11 KJV.<br />
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<b>Dear reader, do you want to be converted so that you can be saved?</b> Do you want to be warned so that you are not lost? <b>Do you want the promised great reward?</b> <u>Then ask God to help you keep His law of love, the 10 Commandments and read and meditate on them.</u> <b>For when you study them out and meditate on them, you will be warned, and converted, if you humble yourself before God, and allow His love to fully penetrate your heart!</b> <u>Moreover by the 10 commandments are God’s servants warned, and in keeping them is great reward!</u> <i>And as Jesus said, in teaching others to keep them there is great reward!</i> <b>Dear reader do you want to be Jesus and His Father’s servant?</b> <u>Then keep their commandments of love to you, it’s that simple.</u> <b>The power to keep God’s word is in His commands.</b> <u>Those who have faith in God will understand this.</u> <b>Do you want the promised great reward?</b> <u>Then teach others to love and obey God too, it’s that simple.</u> Yes, God’s 10 Commandment Law is perfect, and will last forever, since Heaven and Earth are still here, and Heaven will last forever.<br />
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<b>Therefore it is clear that the 10 Commandments are also Jesus’ Commandments, not just God’s Commandments, since Jesus did not come to destroy the Law.</b><br />
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<b>Still don’t believe that ‘the law’ that Jesus didn’t come to destroy is the 10 Commandments?</b> Then proceed to our next section where we will go into this, <u>to help you see that this passage in Mathew 5:17-19 is indeed referring to the 10 Commandments.</u><br />
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What is the difference between the 10 Commandments and Jesus’ command to love one another or to love your neighbor as yourself?</h2>
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<b>Without going into all of the details here, we want to show you what it means by illustrating it.</b> For additional evidence beyond what we are going to say here, please read our many other articles regarding this, (especially ‘<b><a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/02/who-is-my-neighbor-part-1.html" target="_blank">Who is my Neighbor Part 1</a></b>’ and <b><a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/03/what-did-jesus-mean-when-he-commanded-us-to-love-one-another-who-is-my-neighbor-part-2.html" target="_blank">2</a></b> <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/02/who-is-my-neighbor-part-1.html" target="_blank">http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/02/who-is-my-neighbor-part-1.html</a> and<br />
<a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/03/what-did-jesus-mean-when-he-commanded-us-to-love-one-another-who-is-my-neighbor-part-2.html" target="_blank">http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/03/what-did-jesus-mean-when-he-commanded-us-to-love-one-another-who-is-my-neighbor-part-2.html</a>) or our book, ‘<b><u>God’s Law of Love</u></b>’. You owe it to yourself to have a full understanding of this subject, because there are many who misunderstand it and hold errors regarding it.<br />
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<b>Is there a difference between the 10 Commandments and the command to Love our Neighbor as ourself and to love God with all our heart, mind and soul?</b> <u>No.</u> We will show you why.<br />
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<i><u>Jesus made it clear in Matthew 22:37-40, in answer to the lawyer’s question in verse 36, that ‘on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’</u></i> <b>Notice He referred to them as the two commandments, the ‘first and great commandment’ and “the second’ [great commandment].</b> <u>Paul comes to our aid here to help us understand that these two great commandments that Jesus’ spoke of are the same thing as the 10 Commandments</u>, <b>when he said that ‘love is the fulfillment of the Law’ and mentions some of the 10 commandments in Romans 13:8-10.</b> Here Paul says, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled <i>the</i> law. For this, ‘<b>YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY</b>, <u>YOU SHALL NOT MURDER</u>, <b>YOU SHALL NOT STEAL</b>, <u>YOU SHALL NOT COVET</u>,’ and <b>if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying</b>, ‘<u>YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.</u>’ <i>Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.</i>” Romans 13:8-10 NASB. Notice that Paul mentions 4 of the 10 commandments of Exodus 20:1-17. And he quite clearly links it to the 2<sup>nd</sup> great commandment that Jesus talked about in Matthew 22:37-40. <b>Thus i</b><b>n this passage, Paul clearly bridges the gap between what it means to love your neighbor as yourself</b> (one of the two great commandments) <b>and the 10 Commandments since he mentions several of them.</b><br />
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<b>The 10 Commandments are a summary of God’s law of love, which was the point that Jesus was making here in Matthew 22:37-40.</b> <i>Though the 10 Commandments do not mention in detail every possible sin or wrong in every possible way, they summarize them.</i> And Jesus summarized the 10 Commandments into 2 great commandments. <u>But everything that is wrong that can be thought, said, or done is contained in at least one of the 10 Commandments, and many times more than one of them.</u> <b>If someone says anything hurtful against someone else, neglects to do good when it is needed, hurts themselves or others, they are breaking God’s Law of Love the 10 Commandments.</b> <i>Some people who think they are keeping God’s commandments, say bad or hurtful things or have bad thoughts, etc., and think that their ‘mere’ outward observance of the 10 Commandments is accepted by God, but it is not.</i> <b>Rest assured that no one who is unkind, unmerciful, unloving, or even neglectful of others or their needs, who are selfish are keeping the 10 Commandments, regardless of their claims.</b> <u>No way.</u> <i>Because love is the fulfillment of the Law.</i> Romans 13:10.<br />
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<b>Those who do not love God above anyone else</b> (including themselves) <b>and everything else in this world are breaking the first commandment as found in Exodus 20:3 and Matthew 22:36-38.</b> <i>Did you catch that?</i> <u>It is not enough to keep God’s Laws out of a sense of duty, but they must be kept because you love Him.</u> <i>This is the first commandment, which is also the most broken commandment because all other commandments in the Bible, not just the other 10 Commandments, are contained in it.</i> <u>And those who do not love their neighbor as themselves or say or do hurtful things to them, or neglect them are breaking at least one of the other 6 commandments of the 10, and possibly others too.</u> <b><i>The first four commandments deal with loving God more than anyone and anything, and the last 6 commandments deal with how to love your neighbor as yourself.</i></b> <u>If someone just tries to keep God’s commandments out of a sense of duty, they are not really keeping them completely, if at all.</u> <i>The only way you can keep His commandments is if you love Him, and if you love Him you will not lie, cheat or steal, or kill, etc.</i><br />
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<b>The only way you can keep His commandments is if you ‘know’ God.</b> 1 John 2:4. <u>And if you know God, you will love Him supremely and love your neighbor as yourself.</u> <b>This is the proof that you know Him, because ‘God is love.’</b> 1 John 4:8. <b><i>And those who know Him, He abides in them and they in Him, and He fills them with His precious Holy Spirit!</i></b> Amen.<br />
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<h2>
No Tears in Heaven:</h2>
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<b>There will be no tears in Heaven, sorrow, pain, or death.</b> Revelation 21:4. <u>Or anything that hurts in God’s Holy Mountain.</u> Isaiah 11:9. Those who continue hurting God or others and don’t want His help to be better, will not be admitted into Heaven. <i>This is because Heaven is all about love, joy, and happiness.</i> But God will give a blessing to those who want to obey His law of Love. “<b><u>Blessed <i>are</i> they that do his commandments</u></b><b>, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.</b>” Revelation 22:14 KJV. And in the NASB it says: “<u>Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.</u>” Revelation 22:14 NASB. <i>All those who hang on to sin and do not let Jesus wash their robes from sin, will not be in Heaven and would not be happy there, because they did not want all the love, joy and peace that God wanted to give them.</i> <u>God wants all of His people to learn to love Him and others on this earth; to learn how to submit to Him and receive the Holy Spirit, so that He can help them to be good, and fit them for Heaven.</u> <b>We repeat, Heaven is all about love.</b> <i><u>The purpose of this life is to learn how to love.</u></i> This is what prepares one for Heaven. <u>Those who don’t want to love the Lord their God with all their heart and all their mind and all their soul will not be happy in Heaven, and will not be admitted there.</u> <b>Because there will be none to hurt in all of God’s Holy Mountain.</b><br />
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<b>God is love, 1 John 4:8, and will not allow the wicked into Heaven.</b> <u>Now we have all been wicked at least one point in our life, but God has provided the way for us to be there</u>, by forgiving our sins when we confess them, and by helping us to overcome if we accept His help. <u>God, who is rich in mercy and abundant in love, provided for our salvation by giving His Son to die on the cross for our sins</u>, if we confess them (1 John 1:9), and <u>by providing the Holy Spirit</u>, if we want to obey Him. Acts 5:32. This fits us for Heaven. <u>This is the gospel message, the good news.</u> <b>Dear reader, won’t you come and go with me to that bright and fair land in Heaven, where there will be no more hurt, suffering, sin, pain or death?</b> <u>Won’t you ask God to make you fit for Heaven?</u> <b><i>This is the Gospel!</i></b> Amen.<br />
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<h2>
Conclusion:</h2>
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<b>If you want to keep Jesus’ word and be filled with the Holy Spirit, you must want to keep all the words He spoke, and keep all of His words that were spoken by His servants.</b> Since His words come from God, you will also want to keep all of God’s words too, which include all of His servants in all ages.<br />
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<b>Why are we making such a big deal out of Jesus commandments being God’s commandments and keeping God’s commandments?</b> <u>So that you will not be fooled and can become born again.</u> <b>Because the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God or to those who want to obey Him.</b> <i>These are those who keep Jesus’ word, which is the same word that His Father gave to Him as a ‘commandment’ of what to say and what to speak.</i> <b>We are making a big deal out of this, because this is the only path of peace, love and joy!</b> <u>If you love God and obey Him (by His power) you will never regret it, we promise you!</u><br />
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<b>If you love Jesus, keep His word, which is to keep His Father’s commandments, including the Law of Love, the 10 Commandments of Exodus 20.</b> <u>If you love Jesus, the Father will love you, and you will be filled with the Holy Spirit!</u> <b>Amen!</b> This will help you to love your neighbor as yourself, and to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul! <b>And your life will be sweet with the dew of Heaven, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit and delight in loving and serving God.</b><br />
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<b>May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. </b><br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-38948793018582561882018-04-14T21:28:00.002-05:002020-10-27T00:11:58.980-05:00If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
“<b>Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word</b>; and <u>My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.’</u>” John 14:23 NASB. <b> </b><br />
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<b>This text is the watchword of our ministry, White Raiment Evangelism.</b><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Do you love Jesus?</b> </h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Then discover what Jesus meant when He said, ‘If any man loves Me, he will keep My word.’<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>What is the source of Jesus’ words that we are to keep?</b></h2>
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Jesus declared, “<b>For I did not speak on My own initiative</b>, <u>but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment <i>as to</i> what to say and what to speak.</u> <b>I know that His commandment</b> [the Father’s commandment] <b>is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."</b> John 12:49-50 NASB.</blockquote>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>So what is the source of Jesus’ words according to what He said?</b> </h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><u>They are the Father’s words.</u> ‘<b>The Father gave Jesus a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.</b>’ <u>God’s words are eternal life, therefore Jesus spoke just as His Father told Him.</u> <i>Think about that.</i><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Did Jesus say anything that was His own word and not from the Father?</b> </h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Jesus declared, "<u>I can do nothing on My own initiative.</u> <b>As I hear, I judge; and</b><b> My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.</b>” John 5:30 NASB. “Jesus therefore said, ‘<i>When you</i><i> lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He,</i> and <u>I do nothing on My own initiative</u>, <b>but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.</b> <u>And He who sent Me is with Me</u>; <u>He</u><u> has not left Me alone</u>, <b>for</b><b> I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.</b>’" John 8:28-29 NASB. <u>So there you have it from Jesus’ own words:</u> <u>He spoke nothing on His own initiative, but the things that the Father taught Him and gave Him a commandment to speak.</u> <b>He always said and did the things that pleased His Father!</b><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Why is the source of Jesus’ words so important?</b> </h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><u>Because some people make a distinction between Jesus’ words and God’s words, between Jesus’ commandments and the Father’s commandments, between the Old Testament and the New Testament, between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.</u> <i>But this is incorrect</i>, <b><i>because all of Jesus’ words were not from Himself but from His Father</i></b>, <i><u>as John 12:49 clearly states</u>.</i> <b>This is why Jesus is called the Word of God’ ‘made flesh,’ because He speaks for God.</b> John 1:1-5, 10-14. <i>It is important to understand this, because it will help save you from error, so that you can be happy in your love for God and not be confused about anything that He wants you to do.</i> Jesus also declared: “<u>He who does not love Me does not keep My words</u>; and <b>the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.</b>” John 14:24 NASB. <b>Who sent Jesus to this world that we might be saved?</b> Jesus declared: "<b>For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son</b>, <u>that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.</u> <b>For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.</b>” John 3:16-17 NASB. <b>So who sent Jesus to this world?</b> <u>God, the Father.</u> <b>So according to Jesus, whose words did Jesus really speak?</b> <u>God’s words.</u><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Think we are wrong on this?</b> </h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">“<u>We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us.</u> <i>By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.</i>” 1 John 4:6 NASB. <i>If our writings are not from God, they are of no value and please stop reading them.</i> <b>However, if they are from God, then they are the truth.</b> If we are not from God, there is no value to our work – then stop reading our articles. <u>But if our articles are the truth, they are from God, then please keep reading them.</u> <i>If you know God or want to know Him, you will listen to what we are writing, because the messages in our articles are from God, since they come from His Word, the Bible.</i> <b>By this you will know the spirit of truth from the spirit of error: if you know or want to know God, He will give you the Holy Spirit who will guide you into all truth.</b> John 16:13. <u>Then you will listen to what we are saying, if we indeed are from God.</u> But if you do not listen to God, you will not listen to us. We are not trying to make something of our selves here, but we intend to be God’s messenger of love to the world, to do our duty because we love Him and don’t want anyone to be lost. God has made a wonderful change in our heart and life, and it is not a burden but a great joy to serve Him! <i>We want you to know the truth of this and not be confused, because eternal life depends on listening to and knowing God’s will for your life; the essentials of salvation.</i> <b>And when you know the truth and love it, it will set you free.</b> John 8:32.<br />
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<b>We want you to get it, so we will deeply explore this concept that the words or commandments that Jesus spoke were from His Father</b>, and <u>that there is no difference or separation between them or their words or commandments, because ‘They are one.’</u> Jesus Himself declared: “<u>I and <i>my</i> Father are one.</u>” John 10:30 KJV. <b>There are not two different gospels, the gospel of God and the gospel of Jesus.</b> <b>There are not two different truths on how to be saved, the truth for the Jews and Israelites of the Old Testament, and the truth for Christians in the New Testament.</b> <u>The conditions for Salvation have always been the same</u>: <i>We must believe that only God can save us, we must confess our sins, and love and obey Him, and let Him help and save us by His mighty power.</i> <b>Because no one can ever save themselves, it is only by faith in God that anyone is ever saved.</b> <i>This is what is taught in both the Old and New Testaments; it has ever been its theme, even though some people are confused on it, even in our day.</i> (We are not talking about ‘the holy days,’ feast days, rites and ceremonies of either Israelites or Christians, or the order or format of your Church services here, but the essential, fundamental truths that God revealed to His people in both the Old and New Testaments; they are the same. They are all based on the word of God, when His people follow God’s word!)<br />
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<h2>
Now let’s put our theme text with this meaning we have just learned:</h2>
‘<u>If anyone loves Jesus, they will keep the word of God, and they will keep the commandments of God</u> (as Jesus always kept His Father’s commandments and always did the things that pleased Him), and <b>His Father will love them, and Jesus and His Father will come to them and will make Their abode with them.</b>’ paraphrase John 14:23. <u>We think this clearly refers to the 10 Commandments here, God’s Law of Love.</u><br />
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<b>But wait, we also need to understand what Jesus meant when He said that He and His Father would come and make their abode in them. </b><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“In the last day, that great <i>day</i> of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. <b>He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.</b>’ (<i>But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive</i>: <b>for the Holy Ghost was not yet <i>given</i>; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.</b>)” John 7:37-39 KJV.</blockquote>
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<u>From this passage we see that all who believe in Jesus - out of their belly shall flow rivers of living water.</u> <b>Do you believe this dear reader?</b> <u>This has been promised to you, if you believe in Jesus all the way.</u> <b>Then you will love Him and His Father, and out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water.</b> This is Jesus description of what it’s like to receive the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost. When this happens to you, you will be given life, and will be bubbling over with God’s love and spiritual blessings, more than enough for yourself, and you will just long to share it with others!<br />
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<h2>
The importance of being born again:</h2>
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘<b>Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.</b>’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘<u>How can a man be born when he is old?</u> <i>He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?</i>’ Jesus answered, ‘<b>Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.</b> <u>That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.</u>’” John 3:3-6 NASB. <i>If you are born fully of the flesh, and the Spirit of God is not working in your heart, you will be unable to understand what Jesus is saying here</i>, <u>because what is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is Spirit.</u><br />
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“<b>And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal <i>this</i> to you, but My Father who is in heaven.</b>’” Matthew 16:17 NASB. <u>If you have received your testimony from the flesh, you will not understand this</u>, <i>but if flesh and blood did not reveal it to you but God, then you will understand it</i>, because you will be born again or becoming born again. Jesus also declared, “’<b>It is the Spirit who gives life;</b> <u>the flesh profits nothing</u>; <b>the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.</b> <u>But there are</u><u> some of you who do not believe.</u>’ <u>For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe</u>, and who it was that would betray Him.” John 6:63-64 NASB. <b>To be born of the flesh profits nothing, but to be born of the Spirit is life and peace!</b> Romans 8:6. <u>To be born of the Spirit leads to everlasting life and great joy!</u> <i>When this happens, you will be blessed beyond measure, and will have rivers of living water flowing through you!</i><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Sadly there are many who do not believe, truly believe who name themselves a Christian, even though they have the testimony of Jesus in the Bible, and the testimony of His disciples and apostles.</i> <b>Truly the Spirit gives life, the flesh profits nothing.</b> <u>They allow other preachers and teachers to snatch away whatever testimony God has spoken to their heart or mind, and doubt the plain words of God.</u> They reinterpret or ignore some of the plainest statements by Jesus, and instead accept what some theologian or preacher’s ‘interpretation’ of what the Bible teaches, based on a few verses in the New Testament. <i>These “supposed” teachings of these few verses in the New Testament are usually taken out of context, or not properly understood by those who are untaught or unstable, who also distort the rest of the scriptures.</i> Unfortunately many of these faulty interpretations of the scriptures are fairly mainstream or common in our day. This should not be.<i> <b>Please consider the testimony of Peter regarding this:</b> </i>“<u>Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord <i>as</i> salvation</u>; <b>just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all <i>his</i> letters</b>, speaking in them of these things, <i><u>in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.</u></i>” 2 Peter 3:14-16 NASB. <b>Our recommendation:</b> <b>Do not interpret Paul in any way that contradicts Jesus.</b> Do not take any lone statement by Jesus as a means of contradicting any of His other clear statements. Seek for the greatest harmony in the Bible. <u>If you don’t understand something, at least give the majority of the scriptures the credence and authority, until you thoroughly understand any apparent discrepancies to it from the remaining portions.</u> Don’t just latch on to any statement or word of any verse, and ignore the others. <b>When in doubt, always stick with the clear words of Jesus, because God does not contradict Himself.</b> <u>Whatever any apostle taught always has to agree with Jesus, because Jesus is the Word of God</u>, and because God is a God of order, and doesn’t make any mistakes or change His mind later. <u>No human being has the authority to change any of Jesus’ words.</u> <b>God will never send a prophet, preacher or teacher who contradicts His word or tries to change it.</b> This is the work of the adversary of our soul, not God. “<u>To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, <i>it is</i> because <i>there is</i> no light in them.</u>” Isaiah 8:20 KJV. <b>According to the prophet Isaiah, how much light is in those who contradict anything that is in God’s Law or 10 Commandments</b> (also known as the testimony in the Old Testament)<b>?</b> <u>None.</u> If a preacher, teacher or theologian says or writes anything contrary to the Law or Testimony, there is no light in them!</blockquote>
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Now back to our main point: <b>When Jesus and His Father abide in you, this is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; this is how you become born again.</b><br />
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<h2>
Now let’s update our theme text with this new understanding, to bring out its fullest meaning:</h2>
‘<u>If anyone loves Jesus, they will keep the word of God</u>, <b>they will keep the commandments of God</b>, and His Father will love them, and <b>Jesus and His Father will fill them with the Holy Spirit!</b>’ paraphrase John 14:23.<br />
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<b>Why is this understanding so important?</b> <u>Because this is how you become born again!</u> <b>When Jesus and His Father come and make their abode in you, and fill you with the Precious Holy Spirit, you become born again!</b> <u>Peter tells us quite clearly that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God, in Acts 5:32.</u> <b><i>This agrees perfectly with what Jesus said, when He said:</i></b> ‘<b>If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word</b>; and <u>My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.</u>’ John 14:23 NASB. You may not know the exact date or time when you start to become born again, but when this sweet influence manifests itself in your life and heart it becomes apparent! You become a new creature, your life and desires change for the better. <i>We are not saying here that you must first keep God’s commandments, then you will get the Holy Spirit, because no one can obey God without His help.</i> Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 19:17; Romans 13:12. <u>Only God is good.</u> <b> </b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><b>______ </b></div><div style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><h2><b>God gives the power to obey, </b></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><h2><b>you supply your choice to </b></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><h2><b>obey Him.</b> </h2></div><div style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><b>______</b> <br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><u>But when you get the Holy Spirit in full, God makes it very easy for you to obey Him, because your love for Him will outweigh every other consideration in this life.</u> <i>It’s only natural, if you love Him, to want to obey Him; it will be your sweetest desire!</i> There can be no doubt that those who have learned to love God want to obey Him. <i>And that they would never know this sweetest of joys, if they didn’t want to obey Him first.</i> This is the point of Acts 5:32. <u>The Holy Spirit is only given to those who want to obey God.</u> <b>Jesus also said regarding the Holy Spirit</b>, “<u>But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the</u><u> Helper shall not come to you</u>; <i><u>but if I go,</u></i><i><u> I will send Him to you.</u></i> <b>And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;</b><b> concerning sin</b>, <u>because they do not believe in Me</u>; and <b>concerning</b><b> righteousness</b>, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and <b>concerning judgment</b>, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” John 16:7-11 NASB. <b>The work of even wanting to obey God comes from the Holy Spirit</b>! <u>You cannot want to obey God or love Him, without the aid of the Holy Spirit!</u> <b>So the work of reforming your life, obeying God, is all God’s doing, you can just accept His work in your life and allow it to happen, and choose to do what He asks, or you cannot have all this peace, love and joy that He wants to give you.</b> And you must also choose to spend time with Him in prayer and in much Bible study, learning His will for your life. <b>When you delight in studying His word, and pouring out your heart to Him in prayer, this is how you get to know Him.</b> This is how you get the power to obey Him, because faith comes through hearing or reading the word of God. “<u>So then faith <i>cometh</i> by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.</u>” Romans 10:17 KJV. <br />
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<h2>
Conclusion:</h2>
<b>If you love Jesus, keep His word, which is to keep His Father’s commandments, including the Law of Love, the 10 Commandments of Exodus 20.</b> <u>If you love Jesus, the Father will love you, and you will be filled with the Holy Spirit!</u> <b>Amen!</b> Then you will be loving your neighbor as yourself, and will be loving God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul! <b>Then your life will be sweet with the dew of Heaven, because you will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and will delight in loving God and serving Him.</b><br />
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<b>May the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. </b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b> </b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 4/13/2108 to 4/14/2018.<br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-32685934695209056732018-03-31T21:55:00.001-05:002018-03-31T21:57:17.066-05:00The Gift of Living Water<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, finished 3/31/2018<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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<b>“Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”</b> John 4:10 NASB.<br />
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<b>A well of water springing up into eternal life! </b><br />
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<b>Is this not as true today as when Jesus first spoke it to the woman at the well?</b> How many really know the gift that Jesus wants to give them? <b>How many really know Jesus Christ, who has offered His life as a ransom for all?</b> How many really know how much God and Jesus His son love them? <u>Jesus is the gift that God gave to the world!</u> John 3:16. And Jesus promised everyone that they could have this gift of living water, which is none other than the full indwelling of the Holy Spirit, if they desire it! The Holy Spirit is God’s 2nd gift that He gave to the world!<b> Together they are God’s two most precious gifts to mankind! With these two gifts, everything you could ever want or need will be supplied.</b><br />
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<b>Dear reader, do you know my Jesus?</b> Do you know who He is? Do you know how much He loves you? Have you asked Him to give you that drink of living water?<br />
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<b>He wants so much to give you this drink, if you would have it.</b> If you are thirsty and hungry for a better life, and want to have peace, love and joy, than ask Him to give you this drink. If you know who He is and what He wants to give you, ask Him to give you this drink, that you will never thirst again!<br />
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<b>If you know the gift of God, and Jesus His Son, the one who will give it to you, you will ask Him and He will give you living water to drink, springing up unto eternal life!</b> "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” Isaiah 55:1 NASB. <u>Yes, all who are thirsty, come to the fountain of living water and drink from the well that will never run dry!</u> Everyone who drinks from this well will be forever satisfied with Jesus and His Father’s love. <b>Is that what you want?</b> <b>Then ask Jesus to give you this drink, that you will never be thirsty again!</b> <u>You will never regret it, we promise you!</u><br />
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<b>Yes, Jesus, the precious Lamb of God who takes away your sin, and the precious Holy Spirit both make up the pearl of great price, that Jesus described in Matthew 13:45-46.</b><br />
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<b>God supplies everything we need in this life and in the life to come!</b> He gave us life when we were born, He gave us talents, food, clothing, shelter and resources. Then He gave us new life when we confessed our sins, turned our life over to Him, and received the precious Holy Spirit. <b>Yes, we have much to thank God for in all the rich gifts He has bestowed on us, that we do not deserve.</b> <i>Let us thank and praise Him forever, for His abundant kindness and mercy.</i><br />
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<blockquote>
“And he that sat upon the throne said, ‘<b>Behold, I make all things new.</b>’ And he said unto me, ‘<b>Write: for these words are true and faithful.</b>’ And he said unto me, ‘it is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.<b> I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.</b> <u>He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.</u>’” Revelation 21:5-7 KJV.</blockquote>
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<b>If you continue to drink the water of life that Jesus offers you, you will overcome and inherit all the beautiful things that God has promised to those who overcome!</b> The water of life will be in you a well of water springing up unto eternal life, and you will be filled with joy forever! <b>Yes, Jesus and the Father will both make all things new.</b> <u>They will make you a new person, fit for Heaven, if you keep drinking this water of life they have offered to you freely.</u> <b>If you are thirsty, take this drink that they want to give you; it is offered to you without money and without cost.</b><br />
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<b>Ho! Everyone who is thirsty! </b>Come and buy the bread of heaven and the water of life, without money, and without cost. It is freely offered to all who would have it!<br />
Amen!<br />
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<b>May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all! Amen.</b><br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-53763801725849129342018-03-24T19:07:00.001-05:002020-10-08T22:36:11.156-05:00If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written 3/25/2018<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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“<u>Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’</u> Jesus answered him, <b>‘If I do not wash you,</b><b> you have no part with Me.</b>’” John 13:8 NASB.<br />
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<u>At the last supper, which was part of the Jewish Passover, the Jews had customs of washings, especially before religious events.</u> <b>Apparently servants sometimes washed the feet of those at these events, like the Passover, but since none of the disciples offered to take up this menial role, Jesus rose up and did the part of the servant. </b><u>But when He came to Peter, Peter said, ‘never shall You wash my feet!’</u> He didn’t think that Jesus should be washing anyone’s feet, since He was the Son of God. <b>Why would a king wash someone else’s feet?</b> <i>Whether or not we are right that the disciples expected someone else to wash their feet, i.e. a servant, it is clear that none of them got up to do the job.</i> <u>And so Jesus did.</u> But we think that this is true, based on Jesus’ comment below in Luke 22:23-27 and in John 13:12-17.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<u>And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.</u> [Betray Jesus.] <b>And there arose also a dispute among them <i>as to</i> which one of them was regarded to be greatest.</b> And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' <b>But <i>it is</i> not this way with you</b>, <u>but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.</u> <b>For who is greater, the one who reclines <i>at the table</i> or the one who serves?</b> <u>Is it not the one who reclines <i>at the table?</i></u> <b>But I am among you as the one who serves.</b>"” Luke 22:23-27 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>The disciples were bickering about who was the greatest among them, and did not think who would take the servant’s role of washing feet, or serve those at the table.</b> Maybe this was why none of them got up to serve the others? <u>But Jesus explained that the greater one is the one who serves.</u><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Simon Peter said to Him, ‘<u>Lord, <i>then wash</i> not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.</u>’ Jesus said to him, "<b>He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all <i>of you. </i></b><u>For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, ‘Not all of you are clean.</u>’” John 13:9-11 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>The disciples, except for Judas, were clean.</b> But they needed help and needed to make some changes. Each of them needed to stop bickering and seeking the first place for themselves, and they needed to be the servant of others. <b>They had lessons to learn on pride and self-seeking.</b> <u>In the same way in our day, those who are Christian, who should love Jesus and want to be His servant, </u><u>sometimes argue and bicker with each other.</u> <i>But unfortunately not all who claim to be Christian, who should be Jesus’ disciple, are clean</i>, and not all are truly His servant – some serve themselves during the week, and then come to Church. <b>But some are clean, and just need to learn this lesson of humility, to wash one another’s feet.</b><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<b>So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined <i>at the table</i> again</b>, He said to them, ‘<b>Do you know what I have done to you?</b> <i>You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.</i> <u>If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.</u> <b>For I gave you an <u>example</u> that you also should <u>do as I did to you.</u></b> <i>Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.</i> <b>If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.</b>’” John 13:12-17 NASB. </blockquote>
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<b>What things are you blessed if you do them?</b> <u>Wash one another’s feet, or to bear one another’s burdens; being the servant of the brethren and others.</u> <b>Is Jesus your Master? Yes?</b> Then do as He did and serve others, washing their feet and helping them. <u>Blessed are you if you do these things, following in your Master’s footsteps.</u> <b>Do you know what Jesus has done for you?</b> <u>Then walk in His footsteps.</u><br />
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<b>Dear reader, are you Jesus’ disciple?</b> Are you His servant?<b> Are you clean before Him?</b> <u>Have you let the Spotless Lamb of God take away your sins and make you clean?</u> <b>If you do not let Jesus wash you, you have no part with Him!</b> <u>You must let Him forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.</u> 1 John 1:9. <b><i>Then you will be His disciple</i></b><i>. If you appreciate His love for you, which took the guilt and burdens of your sins away from you and gave you peace, you should greatly love Him.</i> <b>If you love Him, you can’t help but want to be His servant.</b> <u>If you are His servant, you will want to bear one another’s burdens and wash the brethren’s feet.</u> <i>If you are His servant you will want to tell others about God’s love for you and how He saved you and took all your sins and burdens away!</i> <b>If He has done all of this for you, how could you not be His servant?</b> How could you not love Him all the way, and be filled with His love, joy, and wonderful peace? Something to think about… <u>Blessed are you if you do these things – wash one another’s feet and be Jesus’ servant and disciple.</u><br />
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<b>Do not seek to be first.</b> Do not seek your own way. Do not bicker with one another, or beat up on God’s other servants. <u>Be clean from all your sins, allowing Jesus to take them all away, and have wonderful peace!</u> <b>Let the kindness and love of God fill your heart, may His wonderful Spirit fill you, and make you His loving servant</b>, sacrificing all on the altar of your heart, counting all things but rubbish, but for the excellency of knowing and serving Him. <u>God forbid that we should glory in anything but the cross!</u> “<b>But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.</b>” Galatians 6:14 KJV. <br />
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<b>May the grace of God be with you.</b> <u>May you decide to follow Jesus, be clean and wash one another’s feet.</u> Amen.<br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-36033894016692636852018-03-04T20:04:00.003-06:002020-10-28T21:26:41.860-05:00What did Jesus mean when He commanded us to love one another? (Who is my Neighbor Part 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2>
What did Jesus mean when he said that we were to love one another?</h2>
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“Jesus said, <b>‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you</b>, that ye also love one another. By this shall all <i>men</i> know that ye are my disciples, <b>if ye have love one to another.</b>’” John 13:34-35 KJV.</blockquote>
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<b>Let’s explore what this means. </b><br />
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<b>In Part 1 of this article, we discovered <u>that whoever needs our help, who we have the ability of helping is our neighbor.</u> We also learned that we have an obligation and responsibility to do what we can for others, whoever and whenever we can help.</b> <u>We are held accountable to God not only for the wrong things that we have thought, said or done in this life, but also for the neglect of others.</u> Everyone in this world could literally be our neighbor, if we would think outside of the box and ask God for more ways to help them, not just the ones we have come in contact with in this life. <u>God doesn’t compel anyone, but if His love is not in your heart you won’t see the need or have the ability of helping others.</u> <b>And those who have done nothing to help others, will eventually be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven if they haven’t repented, and will be cast into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels. </b><u>This is what Jesus said, this is not our words.</u> <i>And those who have been helping others, even if they did not know they were doing it for Jesus, were doing it unto Him.</i> <u>And Jesus will invite them to go with Him to Heaven, with its everlasting love and endless delight, because what they did to help others, was done unto Him, as if He was the one they did it to.</u> They may not even have known that they were doing it unto Him, because it was in their heart to do it, and they didn’t give it a second thought, but they were! <b>Jesus takes all wrong acts of unkindness and neglect done to others as if they were done to Him personally, and all acts of kindness and love done to others, as if they were done to Him personally.</b><br />
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<b>The question what did Christ mean when He said that we were to love one another, does it mean that we are to love only the brethren of our Church?</b> Or does it mean something more? <b>Does it mean the same thing as God’s commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves?</b> We shall see.<br />
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<u>As you can see the answer to this question and its sub-questions are more complex.</u><br />
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<b><i>Whatever conclusion we come up with cannot contradict what we have already learned</i> from our previous article, <u>Part 1</u></b>, <u>where we learned that our neighbor is not just someone who is of our faith, or even of our same Christian denomination</u>, <b>because Jesus proved this idea to be wrong, as we conclude from the answer to His question given by the “doctor of the law,” the Jewish lawyer: </b>“<u>The one who showed mercy toward him.</u>" Luke 10:36. “The one who showed mercy toward him” <i>was a foreigner, a Samaritan, and thus not of the same faith as the Jews, who were much despised by them!</i> <b>From this we conclude that if we are to obey Jesus and His Father, we must love those outside of our faith, including those who are not even Christian.</b> <u>Because of what we know about Jesus and His Father, we conclude therefore that our neighbor is the whole world, whether they are Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Pagan, or even an Atheist!</u> <b>Is anyone left out from this list?</b> <i><u>No, all are our neighbor.</u></i> Our neighbor is whoever we have the ability of helping that needs our help, without reference to race, religion, creed, etc. because God is no respecter of persons. “Then Peter opened <i>his</i> mouth, and said, ‘<b>Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:</b> <u>But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.</u>’” Acts 10:34-35 KJV.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>There is evidence in the scriptures that there should be a special place in our heart for the brethren.</b> Do a search for the word ‘brethren’ in a computer Bible or on an Internet Bible site and see what it comes up with, if you want to know more of this. They are too numerous to mention here. <b>But here are a few references for you to check out if you wish:</b> <u>Greet the brethren:</u> Romans 16:3, 5-6, 8, 11; 1 Corinthians 16:19-21; 2 Corinthians 13:12-13; Philippians 4:21-22; Collisions 4:14, 15, 18; 1 Timothy 5:26; 2 Timothy 3:17; 4:19-21; Philemon 1:23; Hebrews 13:24; James 1:1; 1 Peter 5:15; 2 John 1:13; 3 John 1:14. <u>There is a work for us to do within the church, for the widows, the orphans, etc.</u> 1 Timothy 5:3-20. James 1:27. <u>We are not to take believers to a court of law before unbelievers, because it brings dishonor to God.</u> 1 Corinthians 6:1-6.</blockquote>
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To begin our discovery of what the answer to this question is, let us start here:</h2>
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<b>The apostle John declares that </b>“<b>We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we <i>love the brethren.</i></b> <u>He who does not love abides in death.</u> Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. <b>We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.</b> <u>But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?</u> <b>Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.</b>” 1 John 3:14-18 NASB.<br />
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Again John says, “<b>We love, because He first loved us.</b> <u>If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar</u>; <b>for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.</b> <u>And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.</u>” 1 John 4:19-21 NASB.<br />
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<b>So another question that can be asked is: Who is my brother?</b> <u>Is it someone from your faith or Christian denomination?</u> <b>Or is it someone who is a Christian?</b> <i>This seems to be indicated</i>, but we believe it also has a deeper meaning, and includes all who might become a Christian at a later date, whether they are now or not. <u>In the end your brother can be the same thing as your neighbor.</u> <i>Since we don’t know who will accept God’s invitation to be saved or not, we need to treat everyone as if they would eventually be saved.</i> <u>This is impossible to do without God’s help, so we must pray for His help to do it.</u><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<u>Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.</u> <b><i>The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.</i></b> By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son <i>to be</i> the propitiation for our sins. <u>Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.</u>” 1 John 4:7-11 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>Who are we to love?</b> According to John, ‘<b><i>the one who does not love does not know God.</i></b>’ So we had better get to know God, so that we can love others. <i>Even though the first part of this text is saying that we should love ‘one another’, <u>verse 8 doesn’t seem to limit it to just ‘one another’ or just ‘the brethren.’</u></i> <i>I.e. our love should not be limited just to those who go to our Church denomination.</i> <i>There is no doubt that we are to love the brethren of our Church, which is probably John’s main point.</i> <b>But what about all those who are not currently a part of God’s Church?</b> <u>If they can be brought into the fold of the true Shepherd and give themselves to God, they would become our brethren too, would they not?</u> <b>So is John really excluding all non-Church members here or all non-Christians, or those who are not members of your Church denomination here?</b> <i><u>We think not.</u></i> John clearly states here that the one who does not love does not know God. <i>And God does not love just those who are believers in Jesus, but the whole world</i>, and desires all to accept His offer of eternal life – He is not willing that any should perish! 2 Peter 3:9. See also John 3:16-17.<br />
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<b>We need to know the answer to this question, whether we should limit our love just to the brethren in our Church, or should our love be more than this?</b> Jesus said, <b>“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you</b>, that ye also love one another. By this shall all <i>men</i> know that ye are my disciples, <b>if ye have love one to another.</b>” John 13:34-35 KJV. <i><u>The answer to this question is VERY important, because Jesus stated that this would be how people would know if we are His disciple or not!</u></i> <b>Those who don’t’ ‘love one another’ are not His disciple!</b> We want to make sure that we are on the right side of this, because we want to be Jesus’ disciple.<br />
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<b>Jesus clears up the answer to our question here with this statement:</b><br />
“<u>But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.</u> Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. <u>Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.</u> <b>If you love those who love you, what credit is <i>that</i> to you?</b> <u>For even sinners love those who love them.</u> <b>If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is <i>that</i> to you?</b> <i><u>For even sinners do the same.</u></i> <b>If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is <i>that</i> to you?</b> <u>Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same <i>amount.</i></u> <b>But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and <u>your reward will be great</u>, and you will be sons of the Most High</b>; <u>for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil <i>men.</i></u> <b>Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.</b>” Luke 6:27-36 NASB. See also Matthew 5:43-48.<br />
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<b>We see from what Jesus’ said above, that those who we love should not be just those who love us back, or treat us kindly and fairly.</b> Since we should be able to expect those who are Christian to treat us with kindness and love, based on Jesus’ command to love one another, <u>His statement here in Luke 6 seems to indicate that if we love others who don’t love us, like He asked us to do, that this also includes non-Christians and people who are not of our faith.</u> <b>Did you catch that?</b> Jesus statement here in Luke 6 seems to indicate that we should love those who are not even a Christian yet, or not of our faith.<br />
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<b>From Jesus’ command that we are to ‘love our enemies’, we conclude that there must be a larger group of people than those who are of our Christian denomination, or even of those who are Christian, that we are to love.</b> <u>Because a Christian’s enemies can most certainly come from those whose beliefs are hostile against Christianity, which includes a large group of people in this world.</u> <b>So clearly the non-Christian is included in who we are supposed to love, by Jesus’ statement above.</b><br />
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<b>So when Jesus said that we were to love one another, does this not also mean that we are to love those who are not a Christian or of our particular faith yet?</b> <u>Yes, we think this is clear.</u><br />
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<b>Jesus’ statement above in Luke 6:32 also tells us that we are to love those who persecute us, and to be meek and humble with those who would make demands of us</b>. <u>And we are to do good to those who need our help, especially to those who can’t pay us back or help us back.</u> <b>Jesus also stated that persecution could come out of your own household or your Church when He said</b>, “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, <b>but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.</b>” John 16:2 NASB. <i>This indicates that persecution can arise out of your own faith!</i> What could be clearer than this? Jesus further declared: “<u>Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth?</u> <b>I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on <u>five <i>members</i> in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.</u></b> They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Luke 12:51-53 NASB. <b>What is Jesus talking about here?</b> Not everyone loves Him and His Father supremely, some become embittered against the truth when their sins and defects are made plain, and will not bear patiently when someone, even in their own family, takes their stand for Jesus and wants to love and obey Him all the way, it makes them look bad! So this is the cause of some of the persecution that can happen.<b> Who were the people that Jesus was talking to in John 16:2 above?</b> <u>They were all Jews.</u> <i>The first Christians were all Jews, but they learned new truths that were not accepted by all Jews, so this produced persecution. </i>Probably the majority of the Jews didn’t accept Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, because He pointed out their sins. And the first Jewish Christians were forced out of meeting with the other Jews in the synagogues at one point. Jewish Christians were literally cast out of their Synagogues!<br />
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<b>But something similar to this also happened to true Christians during the Middle Ages, during the great persecution that occurred there, where they were persecuted for believing the truth, which went against what the established Church was teaching.</b> And unfortunately this also happened here in the United States, before we were a nation from some Christian denominations towards others who didn’t believe exactly as they did, and it has happened after we were a nation too. We don’t want to go there in this article, but you probably get our point now, don’t you? <b>The fact that someone is a member of your Christian denomination doesn’t mean that they love you, and will not try to persecute you if you stand up for your beliefs that God is teaching you, it may come to a point where they will cast you out of their ‘synagogues’ too.</b> <i>And we can most certainly be persecuted by those who are not Christian at all, who are antagonistic against Christianity, because they know not the love of Jesus and His Father for the human race.</i> <u>Yes, there is a cross that we all must bear if we wish to be Jesus’ disciple.</u> But this is not the main point of our article. <u>But Jesus said that we are to love one another, that we were to also love those who persecute us, who are trying to make our life miserable.</u> <b>We are to love even those who are trying to steal our sweet Christian peace, love and joy and our Crown of life that Jesus and His Father want to give us.</b> Those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will war against Him. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<b>Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you</b>: <u>But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.</u> <i>If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you</i>: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. <u>But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or <i>as</i> a thief, or <i>as</i> an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.</u> <i>Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.</i> <b>For the time <i>is come</i> that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if <i>it</i> first <i>begin</i> at us, <u>what shall the end <i>be</i> of them that obey not the gospel of God?</u></b> <i>And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?</i> <b>Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls <i>to Him</i> in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.</b>” 1 Peter 4:12-19 KJV.</blockquote>
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<b>In Matthew 5 Jesus says that ‘if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing <i>than others?</i></b> Do not even the Gentiles do the same?’ Matthew 5:47 NASB. <i><u>Jesus makes it clear here that we are to love not just our brethren or the Christians who believe as we do</u>, but He also enjoins us to love non-Christians as well.</i><br />
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<b>Jesus gives the reason we are to love our enemies and pray for them</b>: ‘so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on <i>the</i> evil and <i>the</i> good, and sends rain on <i>the</i> righteous and <i>the</i> unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45 NASB. <u>Jesus makes it clear that God sends the rain and blessings on both the righteous and the wicked</u>, and <b>that we are to be like our Heavenly Father and love everyone, not just those who love us back, but even love those who persecute us.</b> <u>If we want to be sons of our Heavenly Father in Heaven, we must love others like He does.</u> <b><i>And not just love the ‘brothers’ of our own denominational faith and not just those who are Christians.</i></b> <u>Because Jesus said that we are to love our enemies, His command to love one another also means that we are to love those who are not even Christian yet.</u> We need to let God’s sweet Spirit fill our heart with His love and not be partial to any, but do our best to help others, sharing His love with them whether they can help us back or repay us or not. <i>Because God is kind to the unkind, unloving and undeserving, so should we.</i><br />
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<b>We are not suggesting here that we can walk together with unbelievers in sweet accord, or to those who don’t believe exactly like we do, but that we are to still love everyone.</b> The prophet Amos declared: “<u>Can two walk together, except they be agreed?</u>” Amos 3:3 KJV. The apostle Paul says, “<b>And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?</b> <u>for ye are the temple of the living God</u>; as <u>God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in <i>them</i></u>; and <u>I will be their God, and they shall be my people.</u> <b>Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate</b>, saith the Lord, <u>and touch not the unclean <i>thing</i></u>; and <b>I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.</b>” 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 KJV.<br />
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<b>Is there anyone that we should not love? </b><u>No.</u> <i><u>We are to love those who love us of course, but we are also to love those who don’t love us, if we would be Jesus’ disciple.</u></i> <i>But there is a special love we should have for the brethren who believe like we do, all those who love Jesus like we do, who have the same kind of faith as ours. Peter makes this clear when he writes:</i> “<b>Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, <u>To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours</u></b>, <i>by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ</i>: <b>Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; </b><i>seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.</i> <u>For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of <i>the</i> divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.</u>” 2 Peter 1:1-4 NASB. Here Peter says that he is greeting all who have the same kind of faith as he had. <b>What was that same kind of faith that Peter had?</b> He declares that it is the faith in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. <b>And Peter blesses those who have the same kind of faith as he had with this special blessing: ‘grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord’.</b> <i><u>Dear reader, we hope that you have the same kind of faith that Peter had, in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ</u>, who is mighty to save, and His Father more so.</i> For no one is able to snatch you out of His or His Father’s hands!<br />
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Jesus declared: “<b>My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;</b><b> and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.</b> My Father, who has given <i>them</i> to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch <i>them</i> out of the Father's hand.” John 10:27-29 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>Do you believe this dear reader? Do you love Jesus and believe that no one can snatch you out of His hand, or out of His Father’s hand who is greater than He?</b> <i>It’s true! Just believe it!</i> You are the only one who can take yourself out of God’s hand. <b>If you believe that God can save you, and that no one can snatch you out of His hand, then you have the same kind of faith as Peter had!</b> <u>It’s a simple as that!</u><br />
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<b>So yes, there is a special greeting that we can give only to those who have the same kind of faith that Peter and the apostles had.</b> We can only share this kind of comradery with those who are of a like mind, who in a like manner love Jesus as we do.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><h2><i><b>______ <br /></b></i></h2><h2><i><b>But unfortunately not all of ‘the brethren’, who call </b></i></h2><h2><i><b>themselves ‘Christian’, have the same kind of faith that </b></i></h2><h2><i><b>Peter and the other Apostles of the New Testament had.</b></i></h2><h2><i><b>______ </b> <br /></i></h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><u>This is, to use a cliché, a crying shame, literally!</u> <b><i>All who name themselves Christians should have the same kind of faith that Peter and the Apostles had!</i></b> It is not God’s fault that they have this lack! <u>He is not to be charged with this.</u> <u>It is their own fault for not taking advantage of the many precious promises that God has given us for a new life with Him.</u> Or this could be due to ignorance or to false teachers and false professors of the Christian faith. Or this could be due to those who are well meaning, but are teaching a faulty or incomplete understanding of the truth, failing to explain the truth of God’s many precious promises that we may become partakers of His divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4.<br />
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<b>There is a great lack of faith and unbelief in the promises of God, manifested today by many Christians, with the lack of the true knowledge of how to be saved, or of their great need to be born again </b>(John 3:3, 5), <b>or else there would be more born again Christians, and this world would be a better place.</b> <u>Yes we know that there are many who claim to be born again, and some of whom have stickers on their cars or signs outside of their houses or businesses saying, ‘Jesus is Lord.’</u> <b>But if we go by the Bible standard of being born again, that we love one another and love our neighbor as ourselves, that we should have the fruits of the Spirit</b> (Galatians 5:22-23), <b>and in many other texts in the New Testament, their life comes up short of the mark.</b> But the final chapter in their life hasn’t been written yet, and God will make the decision whether they merit His grace or not, or whether they are weighed in the balances and found wanting. Daniel 5:27.<br />
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<b>Many Christians do not believe the plain reading of the Bible, where Jesus states that we are to love God with all of our heart, mind and soul, and to love our neighbor as ourselves</b>, <u>which He infers is the same thing as the Law or the 10 Commandments, and is the main teaching of the Law and the Prophets</u>, which is a term that refers literally to the whole Old Testament, and by extension to all of the New Testament as well. <u>They think that His Law of Love or the Old Testament are done away with, superseded by the Gospel of Grace or the New Covenant, not realizing that Jesus’ command to love one another, and to love God are one and the same as the 10 Commandments of Exodus 20 of the Old Testament, and that God has always been about Grace and Love, even in the Old Testament!</u> <i>But Jesus breathed new life into these commands, and showed us more fully what they mean, and gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to keep them, if we are born again</i>. John 3:3 5. <b>Consider well Jesus’ statement here in regard to this: “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”</b> Matthew 22:40 KJV. This is in reference to the command of God to love Him with all of our heart, mind and soul and to love our neighbor as ourselves. <b>This proves to everyone who believes in Jesus, that the commandment to love our God with all our heart, and all our mind and all our soul, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, is the whole purpose and reason for the Old Testament, and even the whole New Testament as well!</b> We don’t want to go into the proofs here regarding all of these assertions that we are making here – we have already covered them in other articles and in several of our books. We cite this here as an aid to the understanding of the question: ‘Who is my neighbor?’ and what Jesus meant when He said that we are ‘to love one another.’ <b>It is not the hearers, but the doers of the Law of Love who will be right in God’s sight.</b> Romans 2:13. <u>But all those who love God will be wanting to keep His divine injunction and ask Him for the help to do it.</u><br />
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<b>From all of this we conclude that not all who name themselves Christians have the same kind of faith as ours, or the same kind of faith that Peter and the Apostles had, i.e. the same kind of faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and His Father, and of their ability of making us righteous too.</b> <u>So when Jesus says that we are to love one another, this would have to be a broader scope than our own Christian denomination or faith</u>, <b>because more than likely not all of those of your Christian denomination, if you are a Christian, have the same kind of faith that Peter had</b>, or <u>believe the plain reading of the Bible or believe the plain words and commands of Jesus.</u> <b>Sad but true.</b> We are saved as individuals, not as a group of people. Church membership is not a membership into the club of the saved. <u>We are not saying here that we shouldn’t have brotherly love towards those who are of our same Christian denomination, who may not have the same kind of faith that Peter and the other Apostles had, because we are to ‘love one another’ as Jesus loved us.</u> <b>But the fact is that all don’t have the same kind of faith that Peter and the other Apostles had.</b> So we cannot have the same comradery with those who don’t believe as we do. <i>Draw your own conclusions</i>. <u>It takes more than a mere profession of faith to have the same kind of faith that Peter and the other Apostles had.</u><br />
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<h2>
Conclusion of What did Jesus mean when He commanded us to love one another?</h2>
<b>We conclude therefore, that even though there is a special comradery among those who have the same kind of faith that we have, Jesus’ command to love one another goes way beyond the membership of our particular Church faith, and even beyond to all people who are Christian.</b> <u>It should also include those who could be our brothers or sisters, but are not yet; we should do all that we can to help them love Jesus too.</u> <b><i>We also conclude that Jesus’ command to love one another, is the same thing as or similar to God’s command that we love our neighbor as ourselves.</i></b> And to reiterate what we discovered in our previous lesson, part 1, <b>our neighbor is whoever needs our help, and is literally anyone in the world that we have the power and the ability of helping.</b> <u>Those who go into the kingdom of Heaven with Jesus at His second coming, are those who have loved their neighbor as themselves, clothed the naked, fed the hungry, visited those who were sick and in prison and shared the gospel of Jesus and His Father’s love with them.</u><br />
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<b>Dear reader, we hope that you can see the necessity of loving your neighbor as yourself, and loving one another, including those who are not of your faith yet, or not even Christian yet.</b> This is what Jesus wants you to do. If you want to be pleasing in His site, ask Him how you can best serve Him and help others. <u>Pray for a fitness to serve Him with a pure, new heart, filled with love for Him and others, the ones whom Christ died for.</u> <i>Don’t hold yourself back from this precious joy of showing others His love or helping them in their needs.</i> You will never regret it, we promise you! If you will allow God to help you to help others in their needs, be it physical or spiritual needs, then you will be greatly blessed. Then your life will be a pleasing aroma to God. God wants His children to reproduce His character of love. <u>This is part of the reward of Heaven, it is love, pure and simple.</u> <b><i>If you have been given love, you cannot help but want to share it with others, or your springs of joy will dry up.</i></b> Everyone who names the name of Christ should be happy they have been loved and forgiven by God - this should produce in them the strongest inducement for them to want to serve Him. <i>Freely you have received from Him, freely give from your storehouse of resources, time and means to help others, for your God whom you love.</i><br />
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<b>May the grace of God be with you, dear reader, as you ask for help from God to love your neighbor as yourself, and for His help to ‘love one another’ as Jesus loved you.</b> Amen.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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This article is an answer to a question posed by one of the readers of our White Raiment Evangelism Blogs and some of our books:<br />
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<b>If you have not read our previous article</b>, “<a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/02/who-is-my-neighbor-part-1.html" target="_blank"><b>Who is My Neighbor? Part 1</b></a>”, <b>we recommend that you read it,</b>
because we don’t want to cover all of it again here, but to find the
answer to this second question, and put it all together for you. </blockquote><a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/02/who-is-my-neighbor-part-1.html" target="_blank"></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 02/05/2018 to 02/11/2018, and finished on 03/3/2018.<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll <br />
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#Love #One #Another #Who #Neighbor #Needs #Help #Brother #Church #Denomination #Christian #non #Enemy #Hate #Persecution #New #Life #Grace #Faith #Peter </div>
John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-26934776778127703502018-02-11T13:05:00.000-06:002018-03-04T14:38:20.020-06:00Who is My Neighbor? Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 02/05/2018 to 02/11/2018<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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<b>A reader of our White Raiment Evangelism Blogs and some of our books has posed two extremely important questions to us.</b> 1) <u>Who is my neighbor</u>, and 2) <u>What did Jesus mean when He told us to love one another?</u> (Not his exact wording.) <b>Implied in question 2 is: Who is the ‘one another’ from Jesus’ command to ‘love one another’? Is it the same thing as ‘who is my neighbor?’ or does it mean something else?</b> We will deal with this one in another blog article as God permits, because it requires more study to nail it down thoroughly, and we don’t want to make this article you are reading now too long or too complex. We are withholding this person’s name to respect their privacy, but we want to personally thank them for posing this question! Thanks!<br />
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<b>Why are we writing up these questions and answers in our blog?</b> <u>Because we believe these questions and their answers are vitally important to everyone’s soul!</u> <b>The answers to these questions would greatly bless those who read it, if they would accept it, maybe even saving them, not just blessing the person who posed these questions!</b> There may be someone out there who just doesn’t get it yet. And we want everyone to get it. <i>We believe that many people out there don’t know the importance of the answer to this question, ‘who is my neighbor?’, and how it’s answer should guide their life; to know what to do about it, or is it just a theory to them?</i> <u>We hope and pray that this article will help everyone who reads it to know and understand the answer to this question.</u> <b>We hope and pray that you, dear reader, will understand what the Bible is teaching you here, and that you will accept it, so that you can receive the blessings of God, for now and for all eternity.</b> Amen. Let it be so!<br />
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<b>The answer to this question is so important, we feel compelled out of love for our readers to tell them, so we must write this article!</b> This question is <u>SO</u> fundamental to Christianity, but many people just don’t get it, or they don’t fully understand who their neighbor is, or what their responsibilities for their neighbor are, according to the Bible. <i>Some of you may have an idea where we are going with this, but we want to lay it out in some detail here, so that everyone can understand.</i><br />
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<b>This is such an important topic!</b> <u>The answer to this question separates the wheat from the chaff; it separates the wheat from the tares.</u> <i>It separates those who love God from those who love Him not, or but little.</i> <b>Prayerfully, carefully consider all the words in this article.</b> You may have to get down on your knees often in prayer over this, that you may be where God wants you to be on this.<br />
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For many of the texts regarding the wheat and the tares and the chaff, read: Matthew 13:24-30; 3:11-12. Luke 3:16-17; Psalms 1:1-4; 83:13-18; Isaiah 5:1-30; 41:10:-20; Jeremiah 23:28-29; Zephaniah 2:1-3; Malachi 4:1-3. </blockquote>
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<b>This question, ‘Who is my neighbor?’ is one of the most important and fundamental questions in Christianity that you can ask!</b> We can’t really think of a more important question than this except the questions: ‘<b>How do we love our neighbor as ourselves?</b>’, and ‘<b>How do we love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind and soul?</b>’ (But we will not deal with this later question here, only ‘Who is My Neighbor?’ And we think, as you go through this article with its texts from the Bible that we will show you, that you will also understand the answer to the question, ‘How do we love our neighbor as ourselves?’)<br />
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<b>How do we know why this question, ‘Who is my neighbor?’ is so important?</b> <u>Because God has revealed it in His word.</u> We don’t want anyone to be ignorant of the answer to this question! <i>We didn’t used to know this like we know it now, but the importance of this has been greatly impressed on us.</i> We don’t wish to be labeled by God, as one Christian writer wrote it that we greatly admire, as a ‘cumberer of the ground’. We don’t want Jesus to say about us, ‘Cut it down! Why does it even take up the ground?’ “He [Jesus] spake also this parable; <b>A certain <i>man</i> had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.</b> <u>Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?</u> <i>And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: <u>And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.</u></i>” Luke 13:6-9 KJV. Jesus also said, “<b>Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire</b>.” Matthew 7:19 NASB. <b>What are the fruits that Jesus is expecting from His vineyard or His people?</b> Hint: 1 John 4:7-8.<br />
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<b>Apparently the Jews of Jesus day were discussing the answer to this question too, because one of them posed it to Jesus.</b> We think that they already knew the answer, but didn’t like it, and were seeking for a way out, that they might evade the condemnation of God. <b>Isn’t that at the heart of every false religion – seeking for a way out other than the one God has stated?</b> <u>They were under a heavy load of guilt, because the Spirit of God had revealed to them that they were transgressors of His Law of Love, in the answer to this question.</u> <b>But Jesus didn’t make it any easier on them.</b> They probably thought that they had entrapped Jesus, in making Him say that one of the 10 commandments were more important than the others. Or who their neighbor was. If the legalist could figure out the answer to this question, they reasoned, they might have peace after all. <b>But Jesus’ answer revealed to them that no one who is obeying God can ignore the needs of their neighbor!</b> – <u>Jesus even tells them who their neighbor is!</u> But we are getting ahead of ourselves here. We will get to this question by the Jews and Jesus’ answer to them shortly.<br />
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* <b>Note the lesson to be learned from all of this is when God reveals something to you in His Holy Bible or through the Holy Spirit whispering to your heart, don’t ask what your family thinks about it, don’t ask what your co-workers think about it, and don’t ask what your pastor thinks about it.</b> <u>The only thing that matters to you in the end is what God thinks about it.</u> <i>Get your witness from God, not from men.</i> <i>Don’t be like those who were trying to argue with themselves and possibly with Jesus of who their neighbor was, or who they should help.</i> <u>In your heart you probably know who your neighbor is <i>already</i>, and whatever else God is telling you from His Holy Bible.</u> Please don’t question it! Just ask God for help to do it and do it.<br />
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Now back to our article.</blockquote>
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<b>At the heart of this question is whether we really need to keep all of God’s commandments or not.</b> A lawyer asked Jesus this question:<br />
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“But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. <i>Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying</i>, <b>Master, which <i>is</i> the great commandment in the law?</b> Jesus said unto him, <u>Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.</u> <b>This is the first and great commandment</b>. <i><u>And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.</u></i> <b>On these <u>two commandments</u> <u>hang all the law</u> and <u>the prophets.</u></b>” Matthew 22:34-40 KJV.</blockquote>
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<b>The lawyer was asking Jesus what is the great commandment of the Law?</b> <u>Jesus answers His question with two commandments instead of one.</u> Without going into detail here or trying to prove it, <i><u>the first commandment of loving God supremely is number one in importance</u>, <u>but it leads to the second one, which is to love your neighbor as yourself.</u></i> You can’t do one without doing the other, they are integrally tied together! <b>And these are both a summary of the 10 Commandments of Exodus 20.</b> <u>If you keep both of these two great commandments you are keeping all of the 10 commandments!</u> See Romans 13:9 for more on this. <i>That is why John said that one who doesn’t love His brother does not know God</i>; (or love God either, which John implies). “<b>We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we <i>love the brethren.</i></b> <u>He who does not love abides in death.</u>” 1 John 3:14 NASB. “<b>Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.</b>” 1 John 3:18 NASB. John also declared: “<b>The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”</b> 1 John 4:8 NASB. <b>What does this have to do with the text in Matthew 22?</b> <u>It has everything to do with it!</u> <b>Jesus summarized the 10 Commandments into two great commandments:</b> 1) <i>To love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your mind and all your soul,</i> and 2) <i>To love your neighbor as yourself.</i> If you don’t love God supremely or your neighbor as yourself, you are not keeping the 10 Commandments, regardless of your belief or your profession. <b>Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 11:13, 22; 13:3 and Leviticus 19:3 here, thus showing His respect for the Law, and Moses’ writings</b>. <i>This Jewish lawyer could have nothing to say against Jesus, for if he did, he would have been going against the law he professed to believe in!</i> <u>It’s always best and safest to stick with the word of God, and not state human opinion on any matters regarding eternal life!</u> You can never go wrong if you do this. This is what Jesus always did: ‘Thus saith the Lord’ or ‘It is written,’ even though He didn’t always prefix what He said with these two expressions. <i>His entire teaching was rooted and grounded firmly in what God had already revealed in the Old Testament</i>, but He breathed new life into what people thought it meant, and He explained the will of God more clearly then what had been revealed before, so that no one could fail in understanding. <u>That is why He is called ‘the Word of God’ ‘made flesh.’</u> John 1:-5, 10-14. <u>And ‘God with us.’</u> Matthew 1:23. <b>It is important for you to understand here that the words that Jesus spoke here, were not His own but Him who sent Him, the Father.</b> Jesus said, “<u>For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment <i>as to</i> what to say and what to speak.</u> <b>I know that His commandment [the Father’s commandment] is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."</b> John 12:49-50 NASB. <u>Therefore there is no difference between God’s commandments</u> (in the Old Testament) <u>and Jesus’ commandments</u> (in the New Testament of the Bible), <u>they are the same, because Jesus and His Father are one!</u> John 10:30.<br />
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<b>But wait a minute! There is another version of these two great commandments recorded by Dr. Luke that reads like this:</b><br />
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“And a lawyer stood up and <u>put Him to the test</u>, saying, "<b>Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?</b>" And He said to him, "<b>What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?</b>" And he answered, "<u>YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.</u>" And He said to him, "<b>You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.</b>" <u>But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus</u>, "<b>And who is my neighbor?</b>" Jesus replied and said, "<b>A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.</b> And <u>by chance a priest was going down on that road</u>, and <u>when he saw him</u>, <u>he passed by on the other side.</u> Likewise a<u> Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him</u>,<u> passed by on the other side.</u> <b><u>But a Samaritan</u>, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, <u>he felt compassion</u>, and <u>came to him and bandaged up his wounds</u>, pouring oil and wine on <i>them</i></b><i>;</i> and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. <u>On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.'</u> <b>Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' <i>hands?</i></b>" And he said, "<u>The one who showed mercy toward him.</u>" <b>Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same.</b>"” Luke 10:25-37 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>Who does Jesus say was the neighbor here?</b> Was it the priest? <b>No.</b> Was it the Levite? <b>No.</b> <u>It was the unclean foreigner, a Samaritan, a sinner who helped the fallen man left for dead by the robbers!</u> Notice that the Jewish Lawyer didn’t even say the race of the one who helped the wounded man, ‘a Samaritan!’ <i>It has been said that there was much religious bigotry between these two races, and it was likely we think, that the wounded man was a Jew, because Jesus’ said, ‘a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho.’</i> <b>Why did the Priest and the Levite pass the wounded man by?</b> <u>Because it would have been greatly inconvenient for them!</u> <i>In the law of Moses, if one came in contact with the dead or the unclean in any way or any uncleanness, especially for a Priest or a Levite, they became ritually impure and could not take part in their religious obligations, until their uncleanness period had passed and they washed themselves (probably in most cases).</i> <i>They may have felt embarrassed if this were to happen, so they sought to avoid becoming ritually impure, rather than having compassion on the man left for dead by the robbers.</i> And in some cases, it required a purification ritual to cleanse them! See Leviticus 5:2-3 and other places in the law of Moses. <b>So it was a lot of trouble, and greatly inconvenient to them to help their own countryman.</b> <u>Sound familiar?</u> <i>How many times have we driven by someone who had a car that was stopped along the road that we might have helped? We could have at least asked them if they needed help, but because we were in a hurry going to work, to church or somewhere else important, we didn’t take the time to help them.</i> <u>The wounded man may have appeared to be dead or almost dead, Jesus didn’t say for sure on this.</u> <b>These men probably thought that their jobs were too important for them to stoop and help one of their own countrymen, and become ritually impure!</b> Or they were just in a hurry? … Or maybe they were afraid the robbers were still around? Who knows? <u>But they refused to help and sought to evade their responsibility to help, in what in all probability, was one of their own countryman.</u> <b>But notice the lawyer’s response to Jesus before Jesus gave him the story of the good Samaritan</b>: “<u>But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus: ‘And who is my neighbor?’</u>” This was something this lawyer probably greatly wanted to know. <i>Perhaps he did not have peace on this subject himself.</i> <b>It seems like his conscience was bothering him about it.</b> He was probably hoping that Jesus would clear things up, so he would not end up being a transgressor of God’s Law, like his conscience may have been telling him he was.<br />
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<b>We could stop right here with this text and the analysis above, for nothing else really needs to be said after this.</b> <u>What is there to say after Jesus gave the answer to this question?</u> <i>There is really nothing else that needs to be said.</i> <u>But we will still explore this further so that everyone reading this blog can understand it better, and hopefully fully get what Jesus was saying.</u> <b>We want to pair this up with other Bible passages to flesh it out, give it life, and break it down, so that all may understand this teaching fully.</b><br />
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<h2>
Your neighbor is whoever needs your help!</h2>
<b>The answer to that question, which the lawyer asked Jesus, ‘Who is my neighbor?” is - <u>your neighbor is whoever needs your help, that you have the opportunity, the ability and the resources to help.</u></b> It also includes all you don’t even know yet, that you haven’t even met! Paul said, <b>“I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.</b> <u>So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.</u>” Romans 1:14-15 KJV. <b>Who was Paul’s neighbor here?</b> <u>Paul states it: the Greeks, the Barbarians and the Romans!</u> <b>I.e. Paul’s neighbor was the world – all the people he could preach God’s love too!</b> <i>There was a cost to Paul to love his neighbor as himself, but he didn’t mind we think, because of his great love for God. <u>He was raised up by God as a messenger of His love to the Gentiles!</u></i> You and I probably have much to thank God for in sending Paul, his trainees and other workers to the Gentiles. I know that I do! Acts 13:44-48; Galatians 2:-2, 7-10. <b>What would have happened to us if Paul hadn’t loved his neighbor as himself, people he hadn’t even met, among the Gentiles (that’s us)?</b> Think about that.<br />
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<b>We all have been given talents, skills and gifts and a way of some kind that we can provide a livelihood for ourselves.</b> Matthew 25:14-30. <u>But we need to think not only of ourselves and our family, but we must also think of those in need, who are not as fortunate as ourselves.</u> To some who have knowledge of the truth and the way of Salvation, they owe others who do not know how to be saved or know how to have a better life with God, or how they might make their peace with Him. Romans 1:14-15. To others who have much means, they can use this to help the poor or to help finance God’s work of saving souls, or something…. <i>Those who have strong backs and a willing heart can use their strength to help people in need.</i> But everyone can do something, if they would! <u>There are many things to do for the Master!</u> <b>There is no shortage of things to do! In fact, there are not nearly enough people to do the work that needs to be done!</b> (Unless God vastly strengthens them, because the Lord can save by few or many. 1 Samuel 14:6.) “<u>Seeing the people, He</u> [Jesus] <u>felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.</u> <b>Then He said to His disciples, <u>The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.</u></b> <b><i>Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.</i></b>" Matthew 9:36-38 NASB. <u>If you feel this way then yes, pray to the Father and ask Him to send out laborers into the harvest, ask Him to send you!</u> <i>But only say this sweet thing to God if you mean it!</i> Deuteronomy 23:21-23. <b>We promise you, that if your heart is right before God when you pray this to Him, that you will be blessed beyond measure!</b><br />
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<b>Jesus promised: “Give, and it will be given to you.</b> <u>They will pour into your lap a good measure</u>—<u>pressed down, shaken together, <i>and</i> running over.</u> <b><i>For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.</i></b>” Luke 6:38 NASB. It has been said by some that people used to try to make it look like the cup that they were giving was fuller with the coins in it than what it actually had. <b>But Jesus said that it will be pressed down, shaken together and running over.</b> <u>In other words you will be getting a cup that is fuller than normal, more than you deserve with the blessings of God.</u> <b>You can’t out give God!</b> <i>What God will give in return for what you give is not a stingy blessing, but more than you actually deserve!</i> I.e. running over! <b>Is that what you want? To be blessed beyond measure?</b> <u>Then give, and it will be given to you, like Jesus said above.</u> <b>What blessings do you want from God?</b> <u>If you want to be blessed by God, give to others to help them - for God’s cause, because what you measure out, will be measured out to you again.</u> <b>If you measure out bad deeds, criticism and terrible things, or say terrible things about others behind their back, it will be measured back to you again.</b> <u>But if you give out blessings to others, then blessings will be given back to you.</u> Some of these blessings or curses will not take place in this life for you, but at the judgement for the curses, or in Heaven for the blessings. <i>If you live your life just for yourself or just for your family, then you may find the blessings of God stingy for yourself.</i> <u>What you measure out will be measured out to you in return.</u><br />
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<b>Solomon declares: “</b><b>Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do <i>it</i>.”</b> Proverbs 3:27 KJV. Let’s read this also from the New American Standard Bible: “<u>Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do <i>it.</i></u>” Proverbs 3:27 NASB. <b>God doesn’t ask any more than this!</b> Jesus said, “<u>For ye have the poor always with you</u>; but me ye have not always.” Matthew 26:11 KJV. <i>You cannot help everybody in the world - there are far too many people in this world who need far too many things</i>! The poor will always be there, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t help them. <u>But do what you can do that is within your power (and in your heart) to do, if your heart has received of the richness of God.</u> <b>You cannot do any more than that.</b> You cannot give what you haven’t received. <i>If it is not in your heart to help others, you haven’t yet received the richness of God, or you haven’t acknowledged it yet, which is worse.</i> <b>All should have something that they can give or share with others who are in need, or else they have nothing themselves.</b><br />
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<b>Whatever God has given you the ability or the resources to do which is good, do it with all your might:</b> Solomon councils us: “<u>Whatever your hand finds to do, do <i>it</i> with <i>all</i> your might</u>; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 NASB. <b>What is Sheol?</b> <u>It is a Hebrew word for the grave.</u> <b><i>Whatever God has put in your heart that you have the ability of doing, do it with all your might while you still can – before it’s too late</i></b><i>.</i> <u>When you die, there is no further good you can do.</u> <i>If you feel that you need more help from God to help others or do more for Him, <u>then by all means come to Him in prayer</u>, in the quietness of your own room, away from the cares of this world, and make your petition known to Him, of your desire to help Him or to help someone for Him, or to ask Him for the gifts and resources to do it. – <b>Or to make you more willing.</b></i> <u>We promise you that if your heart is clean before God through confession to Him, and if you are listening to the Holy Spirit and wanting to obey Him, that God will richly bless you more than you can imagine!</u> -- <b>If you are wanting to be Jesus’ disciple and to use the gifts that God gives you to bless others.</b> Paul tells us that we can become a partaker with them [the Jews] ‘of the rich root of the olive tree, * * * <i>remember that</i> it is not you who supports the root, but the root <i>supports</i> you.’ Romans 11:17-18 NASB. <i>This richness is provided by God, through His Son Jesus Christ, to all who would want it.</i><br />
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<b>Jesus’ sought out the lost, He didn’t wait for the lost to seek Him out first.</b> Matthew 18:11-14. <u>To Jesus and His Father this whole world was their neighbor!</u> <b>We are God’s neighbor because we need His help! </b><i>Those who love God will want to do their best, and will ask Him for His will regarding how they can serve Him best: how they can help their neighbors and love them as themselves</i>; <u>they will not seek to excuse themselves from doing what He wants them to do.</u> <b>Those who don’t care, do not know God, and He doesn’t know them either.</b><br />
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<b>We have personally witnessed people who were careless of the divine injunction concerning this.</b> <u>We believe that way too many in the Christian world are breaking this divine injunction.</u> There is way too much selfishness in this world! We used to have a real problem with this too, and would still have it but for the grace of God, and He is still working on us; we still feel we are not doing enough! Only God can change the heart! <b><i>If you watch or read the news you can see that this world is in very serious trouble:</i></b><i> if you look at all the crime, wars, strife, and selfishness, while some in the world just need something to eat or drink, and have to go to bed hungry!</i> And many are dying every day, when many are well clothed and well fed. <u>And of these many people who are starving to death or dying from other things, how many of them know about God’s love for them, or how they might be saved and have a conscience free from guilt?</u> <b>How many of them gave their heart to the Lord? </b>Do you see the problem?<br />
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<b>Those who don’t love their neighbor as themselves – don’t know God or Jesus His Son.</b> This is very serious! Please don’t write this off, dear reader. <u>Those who hurt in any way, injure with their words or actions, any person on this earth will have to answer to God for it.</u> <b>But we are also held accountable for neglect!</b> Matthew 18:6-7, 10; Psalms 145:19; Exodus 22:21-23; Job 34:28. If anyone has neglected to help someone on this earth, which was within their power to do, God will hold them accountable for it. <b>We are all the property of God, our creator, and He loves us all so very much!</b> <u>The world and all it contains belongs to Him.</u> Psalms 50:7, 10-12; 1 John 4:8; John 3:16. <i>It is because of His great love for us, that He bears with us when we are unkind to others, to ourselves or to Him.</i> 2 Peter 3:9. <b>God has made provision for our sins, with forgiveness and the ability to change to love our neighbor as ourselves.</b> <u>He alone can bring about this change!</u><br />
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<b>In the Judgement Day, it will not be well with those who have broken God’s divine injunction to love their neighbor as themselves, unless they have confessed these sins and repented of them!</b> Being born a sinner is no excuse! <u>God has provided a way that everyone can become more like Him and be a partaker of His Divine Nature.</u> “<b>For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises</b>, <u>so that by them you may become partakers of <i>the</i> divine nature</u>, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 2 Peter 1:4 NASB. <b>At the end of everyone’s life, of those who haven’t loved their neighbor as themselves, they will come up weighed in the balances and found wanting.</b> “TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” Daniel 5:27 KJV. <b>Right now there is still mercy, thankfully, to all who want it. </b><u>But wait not until your life is over or nearly over to make amends.</u> <i>Ask God to help you to love your neighbor as yourself</i>, then you will be able to reap the rewards that Jesus promised to all who would give their best for Him, to help others know God and be as happy as you are!<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Jesus said, </b>“<b>Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven</b>; <u>but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.</u> <b>Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?</b> <u>And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.</u>” Matthew 7:21-23 KJV.<br />
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“<b>But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.</b> <u>All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats</u>; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.<br />
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“<b>Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.</b> For I was hungry, and you gave Me <i>something</i> to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me <i>something</i> to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' <b>Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You <i>something</i> to drink?</b> 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, '<u>Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, <i>even</i> the least <i>of them,</i> you did it to Me.</u>'<br />
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“<b>Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels</b>; for I was hungry, and you gave Me <i>nothing</i> to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' <b>Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'</b> Then He will answer them, '<u>Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.</u>' <b>These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.</b>" Matthew 25:31-46 NASB. </blockquote>
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<b>How can we face Jesus in the Judgement Day, if we knew that it was in our power to help those in need and did not do it?</b> <i>We will be speechless on that day, unless we make a full repentance now.</i> <u>Jesus will really hold all accountable who do not love their neighbor as themselves, even if they think they are keeping all of God’s commandments!</u> <b><i>All who do not love their neighbor as themselves, who claim to be a Christian and know God are liars, and the truth is not in them</i></b><i>, <u>unless they have confessed this sin and repented of it with God’s help.</u></i> <b>At the judgement day, all the blessings of God that He wanted to give to those who are lost, of the wonderful joy of serving Him and helping others, they might have had, but they stubbornly refused to listen to the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit.</b> <u>Now they must go into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels, like Jesus said above!</u> But thankfully, there is still hope and the judgement day hasn’t happened yet! <b>There is still hope for you, dear reader, if you find that you are not where God wants you to be on this issue, or you don’t have a clean record on this.</b> If you are still alive you can make amends and ask God to help you to love your neighbor as yourself, that you enter not into the judgement as a goat, on Jesus’ left, and go not into the flames prepared for the devil and his angels. <b>There is no reason for this to happen to anyone!</b> <u>God has made provision for all who want it!</u> <b>Just humble your heart before God today, accept His help, and let Him help and bless you!</b> You will be so thankful that you did! Amen. Let it be so!<br />
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<b>If someone needs your help, do not refuse them if you have the ability of helping them.</b> Matthew 5:39-48. <i>But you should pray about it too.</i> <u>Work while it is day, before the night cometh and no man can work.</u> John 9:4. <i>Do what you can to relieve the suffering of those in need while you still can, whether it be food, clothing, spiritual food or spiritual water to satisfy their hunger and thirst, or to help someone do something that they need help with.</i> <b>How can you turn your back on someone whom Jesus died for and loves, if it is within your power and means to be able to help them?</b> <u>You cannot, if you have tasted of the goodness of God and the good things to come.</u> Hebrews 6:4-8. <i>This is the reason why so many do not help others like they should, or they may feel guilt for not doing more</i> (if they haven’t gone too far) - <i>because they haven’t tasted of the good things of God or haven’t drank deeply enough from this cup.</i> But all who are thirsty will drink from it. <u>B<i>ut there is no reason for this lack of doing more for God or others or for this guilt</i></u><i>, when all who name the name of Christ on their lips, who make the profession that they know Him, <u>who are not doing enough could have the richness of God in their life!</u> </i>–<b> It’s because they haven’t yet tasted or fully tasted of the goodness of God, so they do not see the need or they are unable to do so or do not want to do so.</b> So sad for them. <u>We are sad that they are ignorant of the richness and blessings of God!</u> <b>We are so sad, because they are missing out on the best, most joyous experience that anyone could ever have!</b> <i>The selfish heart can never know real peace or the true joy of loving God and serving Him and helping others, unless there is a complete change made in them.</i> <u>Only God can provide this experience that brings the joy of serving Him to the soul who loves Him or is learning to love Him!</u><br />
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<b>It is humanly impossible for you to make this change in yourself.</b> “<i>Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? <u>then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.</u></i>” Jeremiah 13:23 KJV. <b>If you are accustomed to doing evil, even though your heart may be the blackest of the black, and stained with much sin, there is still hope for you, if you would receive God into your heart and want to confess your sins to Him, change, and want to obey Him.</b><br />
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<i>Let selfishness be banished from the hearts of all of God’s people!</i> <b>Oh that all would crave the richness of what God longs so much to give them!</b> <u>Just to be in God’s lovely presence, so Holy, pure, kind and true, is an experience that outweighs all of the treasure in this world!</u> <i>And out of this experience, the soul becomes born from above:</i> “<b><i>Beloved, let us love one another</i></b><b>, for love is from God</b>; and <u>everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.</u>” 1 John 4:7 NASB.<br />
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<b>When you become born of God, you will not find it hard to help the needy, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, or to help those who are starving spiritually, for it will be your greatest and sweetest desire!</b> You will not ask who your neighbor is, or try to excuse yourself. <i>If you see someone in need, and you have the power or the means to help them, you won’t give it as second thought and just do it.</i> <u>You can’t hold someone back from helping others who has tasted of the good things of God!</u> <i>No you just can’t do it! No can do!</i> <b>There is a sweetness in their life, a song in their steps that spills over into their daily life – they just can’t help it, any more than a flower can help being a flower.</b> <i>They don’t make excuses, they pitch in and do what they can, whenever there is a need or something that needs to be done that is within their power to do!</i> And they are not quick to complain when things aren’t to their liking. <u>That joy that God brings makes life’s burdens and travails seem light and easy or easier to bear.</u> Don’t let that crushing weight of guilt and doubt and selfishness weigh you down and take you down to the pit! <b>God longs to free you from this that you might experience the true joy of giving!</b><br />
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<b>Let selfishness be banished from the hearts of God’s people!</b> Amen. Let them know the joy of knowing the Lord and putting their trust in Him, then their salvation will spring forth as the dew of the morning!<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<b>Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness</b>: <u>let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation</u>, and <u>let righteousness spring up together</u>; <b>I the LORD have created it.</b>” Isaiah 45:8 KJV. </blockquote>
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<b>May the grace of God be with you as you decide if you want to love your neighbor as yourself.</b> We hope and pray that you will not withhold from yourself this wonderful blessing that will keep on giving to you, from now until eternity! <b>If you do this, you will know that Jesus and His Father will be happy with you, and their love will sustain you, because you will be developing a character like Them, who love you so much!</b><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Jesus answered and said to him, <u>‘<b>If anyone loves Me</b></u><b>, <u>he will keep My word</u>; and My Father will love him, <u>and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.</u></b>’” John 14:23 NASB.</blockquote>
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<b>Devotional Song: There’s a new song in my heart</b>:<br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-9692023717355734022018-01-27T23:52:00.003-06:002020-10-10T20:41:19.221-05:00God Gives Grace to the Humble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 1/26/2018 to 01/27/2018<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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“<b>But He [God] gives a greater grace.</b> Therefore <i>it</i> says, ‘<u>GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.</u>’” James 4:6 NASB.<br />
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<b>What does it mean when James says God ‘gives grace to the humble'?</b> Let us look at what it means.<br />
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<b>The book of Psalms declares:</b> “The humble have seen <i>it and</i> are glad; you who seek God, let your heart revive. <b>For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise His <i>who are</i> prisoners.</b>” Psalm 69:32-33 NASB. <u>Evidently it must be important, because it says here that God hears the prayers of the needy, and of the prisoners who are His who cry for His help.</u> <i>Those who are saved cry to God for help, this is their secret!</i> “<u>In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help</u>; <b><i>He heard my voice out of His temple</i></b><i>, and <u>my cry for help before Him came into His ears.</u></i>” Psalm 18:6 NASB. <b>Do you want God to hear your prayers dear reader?</b> This is so important! <u>Then cry to Him for help.</u> Many come to God in prayer with a list of things they want from God, <b>but have they asked Him for help or confessed all of their sins to Him?</b> <u>Those who want God’s grace and mercy must first cry to Him for help; those who don’t cry to Him for help will probably not get helped, whether they prayed or not.</u> <b>What would you cry to Him about for help?</b> If your problems are overwhelming you, if you have an addiction or something you do over and over that you know that you should stop doing. Or if you don’t feel like you are saved or good enough to be saved, or your sins keep coming up in your mind over and over again and you are weary of it all? <u>Do you want that sweet peace, wonderful peace, and want the assurance of your salvation?</u> <b>Do you know that you are bad and have done wrong; where can you get relief?</b> <i>Then call upon the name of the Lord, cry out to Him for help and He will always hear you!</i> Jesus said, “<u>Come unto me, all <i>ye</i> that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.</u> <b>Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.</b> <i>For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.</i>” Matthew 11:28-30 KJV. <u>If you will just come to Jesus and tell Him all of your troubles, He will give you rest.</u> <b>Is that what you want, rest?</b> <i>Then cry out to the Father in Jesus’ name, and He will hear your prayer! </i>Just confess your sins to Him. <u>If you find that you are in need, tarry there awhile with Jesus in the quite of your own ‘prayer closet’</u>, <b>which is any quiet private place free from the noise and clamor of this world, perhaps in nature or in a quiet room by yourself, wherever you can find some quiet time with Jesus, He loves you!</b> Matthew 6:6. <u>And He will give you rest.</u> <i>For His burden is light, and His yoke is easy, it is much easier than that yoke of guilt and sins and addictions that keep dragging you down!</i> <b>His yoke is easy, because it is a yoke based on love.</b> <u>It is something you shouldn’t mind, because it will give you peace and bring you much love and joy, if you will continue to tarry with Jesus awhile in prayer and Bible study, meditating on God’s rich promises to save and bless you.</u><br />
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<b>Listen now to Moses’ account of God leading the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years, after leading them out of Egypt where they were slaves:</b> "<u>You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years</u>, <u>that He might humble you, testing you</u>,<b> to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.</b> <u>He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know</u>, nor did your fathers know, <u>that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.</u> Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. <b>Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.</b>” Deuteronomy 8:2-5 NASB. In the same way as God disciplined the children of Israel as they made their way to the Promised Land, Canaan, God will also discipline you on your way to the Heavenly Canaan, the Promised Land, if you will just let Him do it for you, and not chafe under His kind hand. <u>God will help you to be humble if you will just let Him.</u> <b><i>You may be proud now, and not know how you can get His grace for yourself for all of your past sins and failures, but if you will just let Him help you,</i> and allow the discipline He gives you to work His will in your life through the trials you go through,</b> <u>He will help you to humble yourself before Him, so that you may receive His grace.</u> Because God gives grace to the humble, which is for those who allow Him to humble them.<br />
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<b>When does God give grace to the humble?</b> <u>When they cry out to Him for help, and only then.</u> <i>If you are satisfied with your life the way it is, or want to handle your burdens and problems by yourself, or in your own way, or just want to do your own thing, you will not find any rest or peace.</i> <b>It is not within any man’s or woman’s ability to be able to direct their own paths, or solve their own problems without the aid of God and have it turn out good.</b> <u>Whenever anyone attempts this, it is self-righteousness.</u> <i>Self-righteousness always leads to death, but crying out to God for help and confessing your sins to Him leads to life – eternal life.</i> <u>When the Lord sends the needed help, the humble will see it and be glad.</u> The humble cry to Him for help. <b>If you will humble yourself before God and cry out to Him in prayer, your heart will see His salvation and be glad!</b> <i>Is that what you want?</i> <b>Then read on! </b><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<u>It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.</u>” Lamentations 3:26 KJV. “<b>Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.</b> <i>Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.</i>” Micah 7:7-8 KJV.</blockquote>
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<b>So what are you waiting for?</b> <b><u>Cry out to Him for help now, so you can start to get your salvation!</u></b> When you see your need of Him and what He wants to do for you, and decide to yield your pride to Him and confess your sins and cry out to Him for help, He will surely save you and give you His grace! <br />
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<b>Being humble is the same thing or similar to being meek or gentle.</b> Jesus said, “<u>Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.</u>” Matthew 5:5 NASB. The King James has this as: “<b>Blessed <i>are</i> the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.</b>” Matthew 5:5 KJV. This reminds us of a psalm David wrote: “<b>Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; <i>it leads</i> only to evildoing.</b> For evildoers will be cut off, <u>but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.</u> Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be <i>there.</i> <u>But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.</u>” Psalm 37:8-11 NASB. <b>What is David talking about here?</b> <u>Those who humble their pride and allow God to take care of them, will inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.</u><b> Has this fully happened yet here on this Earth?</b> <u>No.</u> For the most part the world looks up to those who are the strong, the wealthy, the powerful, the famous, the infamous, the most beautiful, the smartest, the greediest, the wickedest, etc. While some of these are not necessarily wrong in themselves the others are, but they are often accompanied with great pride and wrongdoing, while the needs of the poor in this world’s goods or the poor in spirit are looked down on or trampled on. The ruler of this world, the prince of the air, has given the things the world values to those whom he controls. John 12:30-31; 14:30; 16:11. Matthew 4:8-11; Luke 4:5-8; Ephesians 2:2. <b>So if the meek haven’t inherited the earth yet, when will it happen that the gentle, the meek, and the humble will inherit the land?</b> <u>Jesus is quite clear here that the meek will eventually inherit the earth as He promised!</u><br />
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<b>Jesus declared: ‘Verily I say unto you, <u>Except ye be converted</u>, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.</b> <u>Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.</u>’ Matthew 18:3-4 KJV. This is just as true today as when Jesus spoke this 2000+ years ago. <b>Jesus said that you must be <u>converted</u> and <u>become as a little child</u>, if you would enter the kingdom of Heaven,<i> which means to love and obey your Father in Heaven, as little children are to love and obey their earthly fathers.</i></b> But you cannot do this, unless you first humble yourself before God in prayer.<br />
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<b>So when will the meek and humble inherit the earth?</b> The prophet Isaiah gives us a clue when he writes: “<u>The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid</u>; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and <u>a little child shall lead them.</u>” Isaiah 11:6 KJV. <u>You can equate this child leading the wolf, the lamb, the leopard and the kid</u> (goat or sheep lamb) with what Jesus said, <u>when He said that unless you become as little children you shall never enter the kingdom of Heaven</u>, as He stated in our text above in Matthew 18. <u>It is only someone who has humbled themselves as a little child who will make it there and lead the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the kid in Heaven.</u> Read this whole prophecy in Isaiah 11:1-9, especially verse 9: “<b>They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain</b>: <u>for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.</u>” Isaiah 11:9 KJV. <i>Isaiah declares here that this will take place when their will be no more death and no more hurt on God’s holy mountain, <u>when the knowledge of God will cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea.</u></i> <b>Has the knowledge of God yet covered the earth as the waters cover the sea, with no disagreement among all mankind, and has all hurt, killing and death stopped?</b> <i>No.</i> <u>Clearly this will take place only in Heaven.</u> It says in Psalms, talking about this day in Heaven, after all the wicked are destroyed, “<u>The LORD is King forever and ever; nations have perished from His land.</u> <b>O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble</b>; You will strengthen their heart, <i>You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed</i>, <u>so that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.</u>” Psalm 10:16-18 NASB. <i>This is when the humble shall inherit the Earth, after all of the wicked have been destroyed by Him.</i> <b>This is all done by the grace of God, no one will deserve to be there. </b>Therefore let us praise His wonderful name and pray that we all will be there, with as many of our loved ones as possible, inviting as many as we can to also go there with us.<br />
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<b>Note the message that John gives us from God in Revelation talking about that great day in the future in Heaven, when the meek shall inherit the earth:</b> “<u>And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, ‘What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?’</u> And I said unto him, ‘Sir, thou knowest.’ <b>And he said to me, ‘These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.</b> <u>Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple</u>: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. <u>They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.</u> <b>For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne <u>shall feed them</u>, and <u>shall lead them unto living fountains of waters</u>: and <u>God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.</u></b>’” Revelation 7:13-17 KJV. <i>Talk about the perfect security blanket!</i> <b>How can anyone go wrong, if they will just follow the Lamb where ever He goes?</b> Revelation 14:4. <u>He will dwell with them forever, and feed them and quench their thirst from the river of life that flows endlessly from the throne of God!</u> <i>And nothing shall hurt or destroy them on God’s holy mountain, for the former things of this world are passed away, when all wickedness is gone forever.</i><br />
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<b>Let us now sing God’s praises as we contemplate that great day in Heaven, when the meek will inherit the earth: </b>“<u>He [God] has done mighty deeds with His arm</u>; <u>He has scattered <i>those who were</i> proud in the thoughts of their heart.</u> <i>He has brought down rulers from their thrones</i>, <b>and <u>has exalted those who were humble.</u> HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS</b>; and sent away the rich empty-handed.” Luke 1:51-53 NASB. <b>Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness?</b> <u>Then you shall be filled!</u> Matthew 5:6. <u>It says here in our passage in Luke 1 that God will fill the hungry with good things, but will send those who are rich away empty handed.</u> Those who think that they are rich, who don’t see their need of God, will be sent away into the outer darkness where there will be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:36-43, 49-50.<br />
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<b>Have you been on a journey too with God like the children of Israel were in their wanderings on their way towards the Promised Land?</b> Have you had ups and downs in your struggles? Have you ever found it hard to say you were wrong to someone, or to give up something you wanted to get or to do that you know that God was asking you to stop doing or to give up? Did you have bad feelings towards someone, or feel bad for something you said or did and struggle with it? <b>Did you get peace?</b> <u>Don’t give up, there is still hope!</u> <b>Has God been shaping your life, putting you through trials?</b> <u>Take courage!</u> <b><i>If you will allow God to mold and shape you, if you will cry out to Him for help, and will allow Him to humble you, all of these blessings He has promised will be yours! </i></b><u>You can yet gain the blessings of eternal life, when the meek shall inherit the earth, because God will give you a greater grace, if you will allow Him to help you!</u> Amen. Just allow Him to mold you and shape you.<br />
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<b>So don’t be proud, humble yourself before God now in prayer:</b><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Prayer is a song we all can sing,<br />
A light that the blind can see,<br />
Prayer is a gift the poor can bring,<br />
However poor they'd be.<br />
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Prayer is a star that lights the way<br />
For those who are in despair,<br />
And when your heart kneels down to pray,<br />
God will hear your prayer.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* From the song <b><u>Prayer</u></b>, by Alfred Bryan and Edward Lisbona.</span></blockquote>
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<b>Do you want God to hear your prayer?</b> <u>Then kneel your heart before Him in prayer, then He will hear your prayer.</u> <b>This means give your heart to Him in prayer as my wife said, when I read the lyrics of this song to her and pointed out those last two lines of it to her.</b> I didn’t catch the meaning of those last two lines when I first heard this song, or when I first read these lyrics, but I eventually saw that it was not saying that we should bow our knees in prayer, but our hearts. <u>But it is true when you give your heart to God, that you can be sure He has heard your prayer!</u> <b>For God gives a greater grace to the humble, i.e. those who will humble themselves before Him.</b> He will show them His rich mercy! But those who will not give their heart to Him at all will not be helped.<br />
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<b>Yes God gives a greater grace and mercy to the humble and they shall inherit the Heavenly Canaan, the Land which is fairer than day, the kingdom of Heaven! </b><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<b>And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.</b> <i>And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying</i>, ‘<u>Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people</u>, and <i>God Himself will be among them,</i> and <u>He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be <i>any</i> death</u>; <i>there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’</i> And He who sits on the throne said, ‘<u>Behold, I am making all things new.</u>’ <b>And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’</b> Then He said to me, ‘<u>It is done.</u> I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. <b>I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.</b> <u>He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.</u>’” Revelation 21:2-7 NASB. </blockquote>
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<b>May the grace of God be with you, may you follow the Lamb of God wherever He goes, as He leads you to Heaven’s peaceful shore!</b> So cry out to Him now for help that this may be your story. Amen.<br />
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<b>Final Meditation, from a Psalm of David:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<b>Make me know Your ways, O LORD; </b><br />
<b>Teach me Your paths.</b> <br />
<u>Lead me in Your truth and teach me</u>,<br />
<b>For You are the God of my salvation; </b><br />
<b>For You I wait all the day.</b> <br />
<u>Remember, O LORD, </u><br />
<u>Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses</u>,<br />
<u>For they have been from of old.</u> <br />
<i>Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions</i>;<br />
<i>According to Your lovingkindness remember me</i>,<br />
<i>For Your goodness' sake, O LORD</i>.<br />
<b>Good and upright is the LORD; </b><br />
<b>Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. <br /> He leads the humble in justice, </b><br />
<b>And He teaches the humble His way.</b> <br />
<u>All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth</u><br />
<u>to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.</u> <br />
<b>For Your name's sake, O LORD, </b><br />
<b>Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.</b><br />
<u>Who is the man who fears the LORD?</u><br />
<i>He will instruct him in the way he should choose.</i> <br />
<b>His soul will abide in prosperity, and </b><br />
<b>his descendants will inherit the land.</b> <br />
<u>The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him</u>,<br />
And He will make them know His covenant. <br />
<u>My eyes are continually toward the LORD</u>,<br />
<u>For He will pluck my feet out of the net.</u>”<br />
Psalms 25:4-15 NASB.<br />
<b>See also Psalms 34:1-8.</b></blockquote>
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<b>The song <u>Prayer</u> that we quoted part of above lyrics can be found at:</b><br />
<a href="https://genius.com/Eddy-arnold-prayer-lyrics" target="_blank">https://genius.com/Eddy-arnold-prayer-lyrics</a><br />
<a href="http://hebronum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/May-June-2017.pdf" target="_blank">http://hebronum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/May-June-2017.pdf</a> . This pdf file contains both verses, search for ‘Prayer is a song we all can sing’. If you can ever get hear this wonderful song as sung by George Beverly Shae, listen to it over and over until the songs sticks in your head and you get what the song is saying.<br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/George-Beverly-Shea-An-Evening-Prayer-Favorite-Hymns-For-The-Days-End/release/1853967" target="_blank">https://www.discogs.com/George-Beverly-Shea-An-Evening-Prayer-Favorite-Hymns-For-The-Days-End/release/1853967</a> . This link has the album with this song on it track B1.<br />
<a href="https://www.bear-family.com/shea-george-beverly-i-d-rather-have-jesus-2-cd.html" target="_blank">https://www.bear-family.com/shea-george-beverly-i-d-rather-have-jesus-2-cd.html</a> . This cd has it I think.<br />
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<b>An Evening of prayer: (Sung by George Beverly Shae):</b><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjJny81DzGs&index=12&list=PL2849A9BCA49E7150" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjJny81DzGs&index=12&list=PL2849A9BCA49E7150</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbfFoxGtNm0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbfFoxGtNm0 </a><br />
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<b>Did you think to pray? (Sung by George Beverly Shae):</b><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiHIfqhGfc8&index=14&list=PL2849A9BCA49E7150" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiHIfqhGfc8&index=14&list=PL2849A9BCA49E7150</a><br />
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<b>The Prayer Perfect (Sung by George Beverly Shae):</b><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTAz9dSXR_w" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTAz9dSXR_w</a><br />
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#God #Gives #Grace #Humble #Trials #Needy #Cry #Help #Burden #Easy #Light #Rest #Confess #Sins #Prayer #Love #Peace #Salvation #Heaven #Meek</div>
John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-35611752492036626282018-01-12T18:31:00.002-06:002020-10-09T22:09:10.884-05:00Victory Over Sin - Disqus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Paul tells us clearly that we can gain the victory through Christ.</b> "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Romans 7:24 KJV. Then 2 verse later here he also says this: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1 KJV. And at the end of this chapter he says: <b>"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. </b><u>For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life</u>, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, <u>shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.</u>" Romans 8:37-39 KJV. <b>Paul himself also died a conqueror:</b> "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. <b>I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:</b> <u>and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.</u>" 2 Timothy 4:6-8 KJV.<br />
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<b>Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, and He is able to do what He says He will do for us.</b> We need to believe that. None of us are good, not even one, but God is good all the time, as is Jesus His Son. <u>God and His Son Jesus are more than able to deliver us and help us gain the victory, if we will seek after God with all our heart, and make Him our God, laying all on the altar to Him.</u> Then, when He is our God, He will save us, just like He promised He would, and will help us to gain the victory. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 KJV.<br />
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‘<b>But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’</b> 1 Corinthians 15:57 NASB.<br />
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<b>And contrary to the opinion of some Bible teachers, it is possible to gain the victory through Jesus Christ.</b> <u>The Book of Revelation affirms that there will be a group of people who gained the victory through the Lamb.</u> I want to be in that group. How about you? After the seven last plagues fall on this earth Revelation tells us about this group:<br />
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"<b>And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.</b> <u>And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb</u>, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." Revelation 15:2-4 KJV.<br />
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<b>So we see here that Revelation predicts that there will be a group of people that get the victory, despite what this world and the Beast try to do to them.</b> <u>This is only by God's power, not by anything found in themselves.</u> <b>Let’s talk faith and live it, not acting like God is powerless to save His people from their sins.</b> <u>This promise of salvation runs throughout the entire Bible!</u> Believe it! Receive it!<br />
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<b>The prophet Isaiah also tells us there will be a group of people waiting for God to save them, and He does:</b> (This is a representation of those who are alive when Jesus comes back in the clouds with great glory at the Second Coming): "<u>And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us:</u> this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isaiah 25:9 KJV.<br />
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<b>If you have this desire, dear reader to have this victory, God will give it to you, if you will humble yourself before Him and give your heart to Him all the way, He would be delighted to give you this victory!</b> "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Matthew 5:6 NASB. <u>Jesus promised through this text the victory who would hunger and thirst after God's righteousness.</u> <b>Believe it!</b><br />
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about"><b>John Foll</b></a>, 1/1/2018<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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<b>From my post on this Disqus: Monday 1/1/2018.</b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b> </b><br />
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#Victory #Over #Sin #Contrary #False #Teachers #Conqueror #Paul #Fought #Good #Fight #Jesus #Author #Finisher #Faith #Moses #Save #Salvation #Believe #Righteousness </div>
John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-27886794379622028802018-01-08T21:07:00.000-06:002018-01-14T10:28:09.433-06:00Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, finished writing 1/8/2018<br />
© Copyright 2018 John Foll<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It takes more than having the correct theory of the truth to be saved.</b></span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
* This blog is not for everyone, <i>but some may especially need to hear this message</i>. <b>If you are looking for a nice easy-going article that tells you that you are OK and just makes you feel good, this article is not for you.</b> We are sorry if it appears too strong. <u>But there are problems with the way many people believe about how they are saved.</u><b> Since Jesus gave this message or a similar one to it, it still needs to be heard!</b> <i>But if you are not ready for it, then don’t read this article.</i> <u>If you would like to find out what you may lack or need to do to be saved, read on.</u></blockquote>
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“And Jesus said to them, ‘<b>Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.</b>’” Matthew 16:6 NASB. “<b>Then they</b> [Jesus’ disciples] <b>understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of <u>the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.</u></b>” Matthew 16:12 NASB.<br />
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<b>Jesus’ statement here is still valid today!</b> <i><u>We need to beware of the leaven of the modern Pharisees and Sadducees!</u></i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Today there are two basic groups within Christianity: the left and the right.</span> </b><br />
(We are not talking about Christian denominations here.) We are not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings or put down anyone, but today there is a “general” condition of lukewarmness in many Churches that seems very hard to wake people up to, or it’s a cold spiritual state or it’s a party like happy-go-lucky state – no worries. <b><i>They just don’t get it.</i></b> <u>This is similar in some ways to when Jesus walked this earth warning His Disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.</u> <b>What can be done to wake people up to their peril?</b> This is our desire and ministry objective: Help people lose their lukewarm Christian state.<br />
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<b>In our day some have been taught to presume on God’s great mercy, that everything is taken care of by grace</b> … they don’t need to choose to let God help them, renounce the world, or make the changes He wants them to make, or they are taught that once they are saved that they cannot be lost. Some don’t think their choice plays any role in their salvation once they have become ‘saved’: it is automatic after this. Some believe that they don’t need to give themselves to God daily or don’t think this needs to be their concern, since they are ‘saved’ or because of ‘grace’ or whatever. <u>Or they don’t give it any thought at all, since they are falsely comforted by their teachers.</u> <i>And many of them are taught that they don’t have to obey God; that if they try to obey Him this is works and bad.</i> There are multiple variations and layers of this teaching, depending on which Christian denomination they are from. <b><i>But the end result of all of them will be the same, unless a miracle happens and they change.</i></b> <u>There is not as big a difference between the variations of these beliefs as many might think, the end result is the same:</u> <u>trick people into thinking that they are safe, when they are not, so that they will be lost.</u> <i>Trick people into thinking that since they have ‘the truth’ or the correct beliefs, that they are good and will be saved.</i> Some of them won’t admit that the points we are making apply to them. <b>They hide behind their belief that because they believe ‘the truth’ or because of something that they have done or are doing that they will be saved in the end. </b><i>Some people seem to think church membership is a membership into a club of the saved.</i><br />
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<b>And in our day there are others who claim that they ‘know the truth’, and probably think that they are keeping it. </b>But they really aren’t and they are often harsh and critical with others, not knowing their true need of God. <u>Some <i>believe that they are right because they believe ‘the truth’ and take a firm stand for it, and think that this alone makes them good</i></u> – <u>good enough to be saved.</u> And they think that if you don’t agree with them and do as they do, that you don’t get it, implying that you are lost. <i><u>They think that this is good behavior: talking about the sins and mistakes of others, but it is in fact, a terrible sin that will shut them out of Heaven, unless they repent of it.</u></i> Others think that their salvation is secure because of grace, but if you don’t believe like they do, you are ‘under the law”, implying that you are lost. <u>So this other side also believes that their belief saves them.</u><br />
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<b>Many have a theory of the truth but do not have a vital connection with God, or their connection with Him is inconsistent.</b> Many claim that the other side is in error without knowing that they are in error too. <b>There is nothing you can learn that will save you by itself, even if it’s the truth, without the need to humble yourself before God, confess all your sins, yield to Him all the way moment by moment, and be fully converted and born again.</b> <i>What can be done to wake people up to these delusions?</i> <u>Many don’t realize that belief alone will not save them, weather it is the truth or not.</u> <i>Or they may think they are saved without having to yield to God, because they are saved or were saved at one time.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you believe?</b></span><br />
<u>You do well, the demons also believe and tremble!</u> James 2:19. <b><i>The belief in the truth is a good place to start, but unless you are daily converted and born again it is not enough.</i></b> <i>But do you believe in all the truth, or just what has been “cherry picked” for you by your teachers?</i> <b>Have you studied out all that the Bible has to say, the whole thing, and tried to learn everything that it teaches, without trying to force it through what you have been taught to make it fit?</b> <u>Jesus says that we are to beware of the leaven or teaching, or the doctrines of the Pharisees (on the right) and the Sadducees (on the left)<i>.</i></u> <b><i>We believe that Jesus would still say in our day to beware of ‘the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees', if He were here walking and teaching on this earth</i></b><i>. <u>He would warn us that we are to beware of their teachings and attitudes that do not line up 100% with God’s word in the Bible.</u> And all attitudes that do not line up 100% with God’s love or are not compatible with it, should be discarded.</i> (We are not saying here that God will not eventually carry out justice here against the unrepentant sinner, or that rebuke to sinners is not necessary sometimes, but it is always to be given in love.)<br />
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<i>Many think that they know the truth, but if they are not changed by it to be kinder, gentler, more forgiving, more compassionate to others, more devoted to God, and more obedient to Him, it is of little value.</i> <b>You must be born again to enter the kingdom of Heaven, regardless of whether you believe the truth or not.</b> John 3:3, 5. <u>These are not my words, but Jesus’ words. </u><br />
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<b>Jesus also said to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy: </b><br />
“Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, ‘<b>The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; <u>therefore all that they tell you, do and observe</u>, <u>but do not do according to their deeds</u>; <u>for they say <i>things,</i> and do not do <i>them.</i></u></b><i>’”</i> Matthew 23:1-3 NASB. <i>Jesus’ definition of hypocrisy is when people say things and do not do them.</i> <b>Notice Jesus didn’t say that everything that the Scribes and Pharisees were saying were wrong.</b> <u>He clearly indicated that the things that they taught from the Bible should still be done</u>, <u>but that we are not to do as they do, because they said things and did not do them.</u> <b>Why?</b> <i>Because they had no vital connection with God, and no one can live a righteous life apart from Him.</i> <i>All their righteousness was pretended.</i> <u>We think this adequately describes many of those on the left, as well as many on the right in our day too.</u> <b>Did you catch that?</b> Yes you heard that right! <i>All their righteousness is pretended.</i><br />
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<b>Many on the left ‘claim’ that they believe that they are saved by grace, or that they believe in righteousness by faith, while they do not really know what saving faith is, or what it means to be born again, or they have forgotten or lost it.</b> And they believe that since they are saved by grace, that this is all that is needed. <u>They have a theory of part of the truth, but not the practice.</u> (Yes, we are saved by grace!) But the way many of them live is really a form of self-righteousness (or no righteousness at all), just like those on the right who are not born again. <u>Anyone who does not have Christ’s righteousness has either self-righteousness or no righteousness at all.</u> <b>No one can be good before God standing in the robe of their own righteousness or filthy rags.</b> Isaiah 64:6. <u>Only those who are confessing their sins and allowing God to cleanse them from all unrighteousness appear good in the eyes of God.</u> 1 John 1:9. Because Christ will be their righteousness, He will give it to them. Philippians 1:11; 3:9; Romans 8:10. <i>Only those who are yielding to God step-by-step, day-by-day are where God wants them to be.</i><br />
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<b>Many on the right seem to think that because they believe ‘the truth’ and take a vigorous stand for it, and put down those who do not do what they say, and those who don’t agree with their views on everything, that this makes them good.</b> What a joke. Many of them also say bad things about others behind their back, and try to assassinate their characters. (Many on the left do this too.) <i>But this behavior is anything but good.</i> <b>Jesus declared:</b> “<b><u>If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private</u></b>; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen <i>to you,</i> take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and <u>if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.</u>” Matthew 18:15-17 NASB. <b>The King James Version for this passage says that we are to ‘tell him his fault between thee and him alone.’ </b>But even though Jesus said this, it has fallen on deaf hears, for many do not seem to know that He said it, or they just ignore what He said. <b>This is such a big problem!</b> <u>This can cause souls to be lost and can divide churches!</u> (This could cause the soul of the person being talked about to be lost, as well as those who are talking about them, unless they repent.) <u>Belief in the truth is never enough by itself, there must also be a change of heart and a love for lost sinners, not desiring to hurt any - that all would come to repentance.</u> <i>It takes more than a theory of the truth! </i><u>The truth must take possession of the heart.</u> <i>The attitude must change.</i> <b>What truth especially? </b><u>The truth of God’s love for humanity and desire to save everyone!!</u> <i>We believe that some on both sides have parts of the truth, but it is not complete or is just a theory to them.</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">‘Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers’</span> Philippians 3:2 NASB: </b><br />
<i>Beware of the false teachings and bad attitudes of the left and the right.</i> To some, the left appear to be more correct, because they talk much of God’s grace and love, which is true and can be found easily in the Bible. But to others, the right appears to be more correct and in line with more Bible truths. (Some on the right believe that they are saved by grace too.) <b>But many Christians are not born again or have lost it, and think that because they believe ‘the truth’ and try to keep it that that it is enough to be saved, or for others who do nothing at all, because they think that all works are bad and are careless of God’s requirements.</b> <i>Those who are not listening to God do not know their own true spiritual condition: that they are blind, miserable, and naked.</i> Revelation 3:15-20. Those who don’t see their need to obey God’, or seek His help to obey Him are blind to their true condition. <u>But God’s Holy Spirit is given to all that obey Him</u> (Acts 5:32) and <u>to those who want to obey Him.</u> <b>And those who don’t want to obey Him</b> (or don’t think that He can help them obey) <b>most certainly do not have the Holy Spirit and are not born again.</b> <i>If someone is not wanting to obey, or do not think that they can obey Him by His power, you can be sure there is a big problem in their life that they need to confess, repent and forsake.</i> <u>There is nothing too hard for God that He wants to do for His people, if they want His help.</u> Jeremiah 32:17, 27. <b>If you are born again you will have the love of God in your heart for others, and will have pity for those who are erring, and will not talk bad about them.</b> <u>And you will also love to obey God, and be sorry when you make a mistake or sin.</u> <b><i>You will not seek to excuse sin, but get forgiven, and receive God’s sweet Holy Spirit into your life again.</i> </b>When you are born again, sharing God’s love for others is a delight for you, and your life is oriented around unselfish service to God, and for the salvation of souls, or for doing whatever God has given you to do to help others. (God gives different gifts to each person who belong to Him.)<br />
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<b>The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees are the partial truths, the half-truths, and the falsehoods that they believe are the complete truth, without knowing they are missing something essential.</b> <i>For some of them, it is their attitude towards others that is wrong, more than their beliefs<b>.</b></i> <u>These beliefs make them think that they are safe, OK, and right with God, when in fact they are not.</u> <b><i>They surround themselves with teachers who tell them they are OK as long as they have the correct beliefs.</i></b> They both believe that they are right and that the other side is wrong. <u>They say some things which are true, but do not do them.</u><b> Both need to be born again, or re-born again.</b> This is one of the ways the devil confuses people, he gets them into focusing on someone else as being in error, while they ignore their own errors. He holds up another group as being wrong, and gets them on a crusade against them. <b>Unfortunately a lot of people in both of these groups are lacking the Holy Spirit dwelling in their heart, that all are required to have in order to be able to enter the kingdom of Heaven.</b> John 3:3, 5. <u>You must be born again to enter the kingdom of Heaven.</u> <b><i>This is not a statement about someone’s beliefs, but a statement about what they are or are not – born again or not born again.</i></b> <u>Belief will not save anyone, being born again will.</u> (We are not talking about faith here, just people’s beliefs.)<br />
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Beware of the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees!<br />
Beware of those who say they believe the truth but do not do it!<br />
Beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees!<br />
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I</b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">t’s not ‘what you know’, but ‘Who you know’ that saves you:</span> </b><br />
Jesus says, ‘depart from Me, ye that work iniquity’ ‘for I never knew you’. “<u>Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven</u>, <b><u>but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven <i>will enter.</i></u></b> Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' <b>And then I will declare to them, '<u>I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.</u></b>'” Matthew 7:21-23 NASB.<br />
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‘<b>Do you know my Jesus?</b> Do you know my friend? Have you heard He loves you? And that He will abide till the end?‘ <b>Oh sinner, waste not a precious moment!</b> <u>Make the Savior your friend before your life is over.</u> <i>No one knows how much time they have left on this earth.</i> <b><i>Don’t believe for a moment that you are OK because you know the truth or that you are automatically saved by grace, and that you do not have to make a choice to humble yourself before Him, love, serve and obey Him.</i></b><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
* From the song ‘<b><u>Do you know my Jesus?</u></b>’ by Vep B. Ellis and William F. Lakey</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’</b></span> Acts 16:30 KJV.<br />
<b>If you know that you are not born again, or find that you have been in error on any of the points we discussed in this article, or any others, and God is convicting you on it, you can get a clean slate right now with God!</b> * <u>He is always willing to forgive!</u> <i>Just humble yourself before Him right now, and tell Him you are sorry that you didn’t love Him enough to yield to Him all the way before, and obey Him in everything He asked you to do, or for putting it off.</i> <b>Tell Him you are sorry that you haven’t given your heart completely to Him before.</b> <i><u>Ask Him to help you be born again and fill you with His sweet Spirit.</u> Ask Him to help you to love and obey Him in all things.</i> Ask Him to help you become meek, gentle, lowly, and kind. <u>Always obey Him willingly whenever He asks you to do something; ask Him for the help to do it.</u> If you want to do your own thing, God will not force you to change or stop you from doing it, but it will make Him sad, because He loves you! <b>If you decide to go your own way you cannot have this wonderful peace, love and joy in your heart that He wants to give you</b>, and <u>you will lose your earthly and heavenly security.</u> <i>But there is no reason for you to do this when you can have all the eternal riches that God wants to give you!</i> And you can start to gain some of them right now! <b>Do you want these eternal riches dear reader?</b> <u>They are yours if you will claim them!</u> <b>Give your heart to God now and every day and they will be yours!</b> You will be so glad that you did! <i><u>There will be a sweetness in your life that you probably never had or noticed before.</u></i> Your attitude will change towards others who used to get you upset before, and you will want to obey God. <u>And there will be Son-shine in your heart!</u> Amen!<br />
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<b><u>May the grace of God be with you</u></b><b>, as you decide if you want to give your heart to God all the way. </b><i>We hope and pray that you do.</i> We want to see you in Heaven, and know the joy of the eternally saved! Amen.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
* From the Song ‘<b><u>He</u></b>’, music written by Jack Richards, with lyrics by Richard Mullan.</blockquote>
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<b>Final Note:</b><br />
<b><i>There is a way to tell from the Bible if you are born again or not, if you will study it out.</i></b><i> <u>You should, your eternal life depends on it.</u></i> <b>But it must be more than a theory to you, you need to allow God to change you and you must give yourself to Him all the way.</b> <i>It must be your desire and practice. I.e. what you do, not just what you say.</i> <u>Only God can do this for you, but you must submit to Him completely, every day, if you want to be born again and stay that way.</u> <b>Amen, let it be so</b>!<br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-38113537020645723972017-11-05T13:00:00.003-06:002020-10-10T21:49:04.962-05:00He who is not with Me is against Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h2 style="text-align: left;">Jesus said, “<b>He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.</b>” Luke 11:23 NASB. </h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<b>This message is very important!</b><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>What does it mean to be ‘for Jesus?’</b></h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<u>It means to be His disciple, to bear much fruit for Him and His Father; this is to tell the wonderful news of salvation to those who don’t know.</u> If you are ‘for Jesus’ you will be unable to help yourself from doing something for Him, whom you love. Jesus said, “<b>My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and <i>so</i> prove to be My disciples.</b>” John 15:8 NASB. <i>To be for Jesus is to cast all on the altar to Him, to love and obey Him in all things.</i> To be for Jesus is to be for Him all the way. <i>But there are those who long for something better who haven’t discovered how good Jesus is yet, and do not know how much He and His Father love them.</i> They try to be a better Christian, but sometimes struggle against Him, sometimes getting proud, and sometimes drifting away from Him. This was me before I had the change that I now have. I don’t want to go back to the old me, before I discovered how much God loved and loves me, and wanted me to have a better life with Him. But He knew that I was searching for a better life, and that I wasn’t satisfied with what I had and wanted something better. <u>It is no real sacrifice to give all for Jesus and His Father when you know the value of what they offer you, and the sweet peace, love, joy and faith they will bring you when you yield fully to their love.</u> It only seems like a sacrifice when you are unsure how good God is, or whether you want to completely surrender to Him or not. It only seems like a sacrifice before you have fallen completely in love with Him! <u>Once you learn to love Him like this, then it will be an easy thing to surrender completely to Him, it will be no real sacrifice, because you get more than you lose - you get oh so much more!</u> And you will lose your desire for the things of this world that you once thought you needed that God wants you to give up.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>What does it mean to be ‘against Him?’</b></h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is the status quo. All who are not fully His or those living their life for themselves, who look to have their own way will sometimes or always be against Him, whether they are in the Church or in the world. <i>For those in the Church like this, this is a halfway conversion to Christianity: one foot in the Church and one foot in the world.</i> <b>The advantage to being in ‘the Church’ is to know the truth of the plan of salvation; to know how to be forgiven and to know how to be free from the slavery of sin.</b> Unfortunately we believe that many people do not know how to become free, even though they are a Christian, to not be a servant to sin anymore. They are not being taught this, perhaps because their teachers do not know about how to be free themselves or do not care to know how to be free. <u>But whether you are in the Church or not the real question is whether you are a servant of sin or not.</u> “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, <u>If ye continue in my word, <i>then</i> are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.</u> They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? <b>Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you</b>, <u>Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.</u> And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: <i>but</i> the Son abideth ever. <b>If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.</b>” John 8:31-36 KJV. <b>Has the Son made you free yet?</b> He wants to. If He has made you free, you will no longer be a servant or a slave to sin. <b>Please let Jesus free you from being a servant of sin.</b> Then you will be Jesus’ disciple and be ‘for Him.’ <u>If Jesus has freed you from the bondage of sin, you will be ‘for him’, and not scatter from Him.</u><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>What does it mean to ‘scatter?’</b></h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<u>You don’t have to try too hard to scatter; your human nature will take care of this for you.</u> <b>The unrenewed heart, when it manifests itself, turns others away from the kingdom of Heaven.</b> <u>The biggest threat to Christianity are Christians who are not fully on God’s side.</u> <b>If you are not for Him all the way you will be working against His plan in some way at some point, in His plan to help other sinners repent and want to be saved.</b> <u>If you have given your heart to God, and have the Holy Spirit in your heart, you can’t help but be with Jesus and work with Him to help Him gather souls for His kingdom in Heaven.</u> But if your love for Him is not paramount, you will be scattering to some extent, depending on how far you are from Him.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>To be ‘for Jesus’:</b></h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
“<b>Then Peter said to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?</b>" And Jesus said to them, "<u>Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.</u>” Matthew 19:27-28 NASB. <b>For those who have given up all to serve Jesus what will there be for them in Heaven?</b> They will get the special honor in assisting God in Heaven and provided with thrones to sit on. They will be given the responsibility of assisting God in the judgement of ‘Israel’ like it says above. [The details on how this is part of the judgement is outside the scope of this article.] <u>Jesus also says in Matthew 22:30 that the eternally saved will be like the angels in Heaven.</u> <b>Why?</b> <i>To serve God like the Angels do!</i> What a joy! What an honor! <u>Ransomed sinners allowed to act as messengers of God for the universe!</u> That is what an angel is, a messenger of God. Do you want to be a messenger of God? <b>Jesus then goes on to say in our Matthew 19 passage</b>, “<u>And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.</u>” Matthew 19:29 NASB. <b>Whatever sacrifice you make for your Jesus, whom you love, will be more than amply repaid out of the eternal riches of Heaven!</b> <u>And whenever you help someone on their way to Heaven, you will accrue joy and happiness throughout eternity as they thank you over and over again for inviting them to Heaven or helping them get there, and you will be so happy as you see their peace, happiness and joy!</u> <b>And you will also have the most wonderful joy of knowing that your loving Heavenly Father is pleased with you, because He loves everyone so much!</b> ‘For God so loved the world…’ John 3:16. You make Him happy when you help others know of His Love and help them to Heaven. <b>What kind of price tag can you put on this?</b> You can not. <u>Whatever you give up for God or sacrifice for Him is small and paltry compared with your reward.</u> <b>But if you have God’s love in your heart, you will not be doing it for the reward of the pearly gates and your mansion and crown of Gold you will receive, because love and joy is the reward of those who serve Him, <u>love is the true reward of the righteous.</u></b> Your mansion and crown of gold is just icing on the cake, to use a common expression! And if you decide to yield all the way now to God and serve Him, you will start to get your reward now! <b>Are you ready to get your reward?</b><br />
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<b>Jesus declared, “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and <u>your reward shall be great</u></b>, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and <i>to</i> the evil. <u>Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.</u>” Luke 6:35-36 KJV. <u>If you want the promised great reward, you must also love and obey God and love your neighbor as yourself, and teach others to do so too.</u><br />
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Study more of the importance of loving and obeying God, and loving your neighbor as yourself in Matthew 5:19; 22:36-40; Psalms 19:7-11; 1 John 4:8; John 13:34-35; Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 2:7-10; John 14:15, 21, 23, 24. (We have also written much on this in other blogs and in some of our books which you can read as well. We recommend that you read all of our blogs.)<br />
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<b>Why are we making such a big deal about being completely ‘for Jesus’ and doing what Jesus and His Father want you to do?</b> <u>Because being in the middle and not being for Him all the way is not the way of peace, joy, and happiness.</u> If you want God to be pleased with you do what He asks willingly. Give up all of your problems and indecisiveness to Him, and let Him help you be for Him all the way. <u>It is not hard to do what God asks you to do, if you will just learn to love Him and let yourself yield to Him.</u> God will help you, if you desire a better life and you cooperate with Him. <u>But it is impossible to make these changes by yourself.</u> <i>If you will yield to God all the way you will be at your happiest, and have all the peace, love and joy you were meant to have!</i> And you will have the promised great reward! But if you do not yield to Him all the way, you will eventually incur His displeasure, because you will work to scatter Jesus’ flock.<b> <i>If you are not for Jesus all the way you will scatter from Him, or teach others that it is OK to not love Him with all their heart, mind and soul, or to not love their neighbor as themselves, or you will teach them that God is not powerful enough to save those who turn to Him for help.</i></b> Or if you are not for Jesus, you will work in some way to prevent someone else from being saved. If you are not ‘for Jesus’ you will not go into Heaven yourself, and will try to prevent others from going in there. <b>Note here what Jesus said to a class of ‘God’s people’ who were doing this very thing:</b> “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, <u>hypocrites</u>, <u>because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people</u>; <b>for you do not enter in yourselves, <u>nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.</u></b>” Matthew 23:13 NASB.<br />
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<b>Sadly, many who call themselves Christian are not really for Jesus; they are only part time followers of Him.</b> <u>When it requires bearing a cross or separating from the world or worldly practices, they are not there yet.</u> Mark 8:34; 10:21; John 12:25-26; Luke 14:26-27, 33. Unfortunately there are many preachers who tell them they are OK the way they are, since they are under grace (the implication is that they don’t need to consecrate themselves fully to Jesus and His Father since they are under grace). <b>But to those who truly love Him, half-way service to Him will never be enough.</b> <u>They are so happy for the grace that they have received they can’t wait to tell or show it to others.</u> Or to help others who are not as fortunate as they, the poor, the sick or to visit those who are in prison.<br />
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<b>If you have God’s love in your heart, you will be completely for Jesus and the Father</b>. <i>But if you haven’t yielded your heart completely to them, you will not be completely for them, </i><u>which means as Jesus said that you are against Him.</u> <b>There is no middle ground.</b> Whoever is not totally on Jesus’ side will work against Him in some way or scatter in some way at some point. <b>You are either for Jesus or you are against Him.</b> <i>Let this sink in.</i> <u>If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he is none of His.</u> Romans 8:9. This is very serious. <b>Do you want to belong to Christ? Do you want His Spirit?</b> <u>He who doesn’t have His Spirit is against Him, scatters, and does not belong to Him.</u><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Do you want to belong to Christ and to be ‘for Him’?</b></h2></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>It is so sweet to belong to Him and to be ‘for Him!’ <b>It has to be experienced to be understood.</b></i> <u>When you belong to Him like this, you will love Him with all of your heart, mind and soul, and long to serve Him, helping Him gather in the harvest for the end of the world.</u> And you would do anything for Him! <i>Then you are for Him all the way, and not scattering or leading souls astray.</i> God can forgive you if you do not fully belong to Him yet, or if you have ever scattered from Him. <b>There is still time to repent!</b> <u>But it is much better and much sweeter to belong to God all the way now, so you can enjoy the sweetness in life you were meant to have, and enjoy serving Him and loving others!</u><br />
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<b>When you belong to Christ, you will be given ‘the Spirit of Christ’ and will be given all the help you need to serve Him with</b>, and <u>those unclean spirits of unkindness, ungratefulness, unforgiveness, no mercy, evil surmising, complaining, bitterness, and criticism of others will be gone</u> and <i>you will have sweet love in your heart for your brother or sister who has wronged you or gone against your beliefs, and not living right as some would say. </i>“Blessed <i>are</i> the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7 KJV. <b>Then you will help the sick and dying in this world from sin, and thus you will prove to be Jesus’ disciple, and <u>will bear much fruit for the kingdom of God, and God will be pleased with you.</u></b> John 15:8.<br />
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<b>Dear reader are you with Jesus or are you against Him? Do you gather with Him or scatter?</b><br />
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<b>We hope and pray that the grace of God will be with you as you ponder this message.</b> And He will be with you if you will listen to His voice. Please study and restudy this message, with much prayer and believe that God loves you and will help you, if you will seek after Him with all your heart. Amen. Jeremiah 29:11-13.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about"><b>John Foll</b></a>, finished writing 11/04/2017 and 11/05/2017<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-23446437606418324142017-10-29T11:40:00.005-05:002020-10-08T23:28:37.788-05:00It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written 10/28/2017<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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<b>Are you tired of hurting yourself and others?</b> It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.<br />
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“And it happened that as He [Jesus] was reclining <i>at the table</i> in the house, behold many tax-gatherers and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw <i>this,</i> they said to His disciples, ‘Why is your Teacher eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners?’ But when He heard this, He said, ‘<b><i>It is</i> not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.</b> <u>But go and learn what <i>this</i> means</u>, '<b>I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE</b>, '<u>for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.</u>’” Matthew 9:10-13 NASB77. <br />
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<b>There are two groups of people referred to by Jesus in this statement, ‘the righteous’ and ‘sinners’.</b> What does the Bible have to say about the righteousness of man? “<b>The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.</b> They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; <u>there is no one who does good, not even one.</u>” Psalm 14:2-3 NASB. ‘<b>T</b><b>he best of them is like a briar, the most upright like a thorn hedge.</b>’ Micah 7:4 NASB. <u>This is the way many are who say they are a Christian, but don’t have a true conversion and God in their life.</u> But those who see their need will turn to Him for help.<br />
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“<b><i>Is there</i></b><b> no balm in Gilead; <i>is there</i> no physician there?</b> <u>why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?</u>” Jeremiah 8:22 KJV. <b><i>Why are all of God’s people today not seeking healing from Him? Aren't we all sick?</i></b><i> <u>This is God’s message to His people in our day too!</u> There needs to be a balm in Gilead and help from the Great Physician, because many of His people in our day are in as much need of healing from the sickness of sin as they were when Jesus was dining with the tax collectors and sinners. </i><b>Unfortunately because many of His people do not know or care that they are sick and in need of the Great Physician’s help, in need of the balm of Gilead, they have not been healed.</b> <i>If anyone needs healing they must first see that they are sick and in need of help; otherwise there will be no help or healing for them.</i> <u>The tax collectors and sinners in our passage in Matthew 9 received their opportunity of healing from sin from Jesus, and one of them was Matthew the disciple and apostle!</u> See the verse before in Matthew 9:9. These were the sinners who the Pharisees were accusing Jesus of eating with. And at least one of them became Jesus’ loyal disciple, Matthew! <b>How many people have been blessed by the book of Matthew?</b> Aren’t you glad that Jesus ate with the tax collectors and sinners at Matthew’s house? We know that we are. There is hope for you too dear reader!<br />
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<b>If someone see’s their need and allows Jesus to heal them from their sickness of sin, He will help them be good. </b><u>When they have this change wrought in their heart they will have mercy and compassion on others who are still sick and in sin.</u> <b><i>If you consider yourself to be ‘the righteous’, go and learn what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE’, if you do not already know it.</i></b> Hear now what God says here through Hosea the prophet, whom Jesus was quoting from In Mathew 9:13: “O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness <i>is</i> as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Therefore have I hewed <i>them</i> by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments <i>are as</i> the light <i>that</i> goeth forth. <b>For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.</b> But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.” Hosea 6:4-7 KJV. <u>God is saying here that He wants His people to have mercy and compassion on others</u>, to desire a true knowledge of Him and His ways of love, and to keep their covenant with Him.<br />
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<b>No one can be good or righteous if they are not kind and merciful to others; this is the way God is with mankind! </b>It doesn’t matter what someone says they believe, if they are not kind and merciful to others they are unrighteous! <b>To be a Christian and a disciple of Jesus, all must be kind and merciful to others.</b> When Moses asked God to show him His glory, God said, ‘I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and <u>I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious</u>, and <u>will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.</u>’ Exodus 33:19 NASB. The King James Version renders this as: “And He [God] said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and <u>will be gracious to whom I will be gracious</u>, and <b>will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.</b>” Exodus 33:19 KJV. <u>So we see here that God’s glory is His grace, mercy and compassion!</u> But all those who have been shown mercy and compassion by God, because they asked for it from Him, should be grateful for the kindness that He has shown them. This should awaken His love in their heart and sympathy for others who are still trapped in the bondage of sin and addictions. Those who are grateful for the help they have received from Him will have mercy on sinners and will want to help them, instead of tearing them down. <u>This is what Jesus meant when He said ‘Go and learn what this means.’</u> <b>Those who say that they know Him and are not kind and merciful to others do not really know Him yet, and if they don’t repent they will find themselves shut out from the kingdom of Heaven.</b> See Matthew 5:7, 6:12; John 13:34-35; 15:12, 17; 1 John 4:20; 2:4; Matthew 25:21-40; 7:21-23.<br />
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<b>We first heard someone using this text as a promise that God would help them ‘if they were sick’ by a dear brother in Christ.</b> He said that before he met Christ he did a lot of bad things. We believe he was looking for hope that life could be better for him, he was listening to the voice of God. After he started studying the Bible, when he read this text, he knew there was hope for him! He prayed something like this, ‘Dear Lord I am sick, so I need a physician. Jesus came to heal those who are sick. Please heal me!” <i>In his heart he knew that God heard is prayer, because he was sick! </i><u>And God helped him to become a better person and to stop doing bad things!</u> <b>All who see their sickness can pray to God, and receive forgiveness and healing from sin; and get help to stop doing bad things, just like our dear brother did!</b><br />
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<b>Yes, all those who are ‘sick’ can receive help from the Great Physician if they will plead for His help! </b><u>Jesus came to help those who are sick, not those who are sick but don’t think that they are!</u> God will not provide healing for someone like this until they see their need and freely ask for His help. He compels none. Those who do not see their great need will not be helped. <u>But there is love and mercy for all those who know that they are sick and are desperate for the help that only the Great Physician can supply.</u><br />
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<b>So there is a balm in Gilead and the Great Physician there to provide healing for all who are sick.</b> <u>Are you sick?</u> <b><i>Then there is hope for you!</i></b> <u>If <i>you pray the prayer that my brother prayed above, you will be healed, no matter how bad you are and no matter what you’ve done.</i></u><i> <b>Jesus came to call you, Oh sinner, if you would be healed!</b></i><br />
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<b>May the grace of God be with you all! May you see your need of Jesus and receive healing from all sin!</b><br />
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<b>P. S. We would like to thank our dear brother in Christ for his testimony on this text - that he knew that God would hear this prayer and help him when you prayed it! </b>How it gave him hope that God would save him because he was spiritually sick! We hope that his testimony and this article will be a blessing to others, giving hope to all who are sick and trapped in sin and want to be free! We want all to be delivered from the bondage to sin, all who want it.<br />
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<b>Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”</b> John 8:36 KJV. <u>So there is hope for all who want it!</u> There is the Physician and the balm of Gilead for all who see their need and want it. No reason anymore to be trapped in sin and guilt, when Jesus came to make all free! Amen.</blockquote>
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-1318876401067037992017-10-14T18:54:00.001-05:002018-10-07T14:10:45.792-05:00If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, finished writing on 10/14/2017.<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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“<b>But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light</b>, <u>we have fellowship with one another</u>, and <u>the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”</u> 1 John 1:7 NASB.<br />
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<b>This text is so true. This is looking at the truth in a different way. </b><u>We need to contemplate what this means, it is so important!</u> <i>Those who are walking in the light as God is the light will not be thinking that they do not need to be too concerned about their behavior or whether they are free from all enslavement and entanglement with the sins and things of this world.</i> Many surround themselves with preachers and others who believe that they do not need to be concerned very much about their behavior or entanglement with sin and the things of this world, and <u>little mention is made of the sinner’s need of walking in the Light of God, to repent and have a change made in them.</u> And others think that they believe in ‘the truth’ while they are not walking in the Light and have not His abiding presence in their heart. <u>It is every Christian’s privilege to choose to walk in the Light as God is the Light, whether they will listen to His sweet Spirit when He whispers to their heart or not.</u><br />
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<b>John the Beloved here is saying that if you want the blood of Jesus to keep cleansing you from sin, you must walk in the Light of God, allowing God to change you and make you into His image.</b> <u>What is that image?</u> <b><i>Simply put, love.</i></b><i> Love is the fulfillment of the Law.</i> Romans 13:10. <u>If you have the love of God in your heart, you will have fellowship with one another.</u><b> How do you get the love of God in your heart?</b> <u>First you must confess your sins to God and ask Him to help you.</u> 1 John 1:9. Then when He starts to change you, you must continue to walk in the Light, and go where He leads, not struggling against His will or the truth He has revealed to you in the Bible. <u>You must walk in the Light, if you want the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from all sin!</u> If you are not fully willing to do everything He wants you to do, or drag your feet on this or that, or stop making the changes that He wants you to make, or stop asking for His guidance, you will no longer be walking in the Light, and will lose the ability of having sweet fellowship with His other true believers, since He will no longer be your master. <u>If this continues, eventually the blood of Jesus will no longer cleanse the soul from sin.</u> <b>This is the progression.</b><br />
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<b>Unfortunately, many who go to church are no longer walking in the Light as He Himself is the Light, or they are not fully walking in the Light of His love and truth.</b> This is the cause of the lukewarmness in the Church which manifests itself: either they are not too concerned about making a complete repentance and obeying God, or they are often harsh and critical of others, and have a problem keeping the Spirit of the Law. Both are missing the divine spark of God’s love and willingness to obey Him in their life. <b>A belief in the truth and the soul’s duty to obey God is a place to start, <u>but is not enough.</u></b> <u>There must be a deep desire to obey God in all things, because the soul loves Him.</u><br />
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<b>If anyone continues willfully sinning, eventually the blood of Jesus will no longer cleanse them from sin. </b>“<b><u>For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth</u></b>, <b><u>there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins</u></b>, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” Hebrews 10:26-27 KJV. <i>This is not pleasant to think about. </i><u>But we don’t want anyone to be lulled into a false sense of security, but for all to know that all may get peace with God, if they will learn to love and submit fully to Him.</u> <b>Those that love God and His Son Jesus are not willful against them, and would do anything for them.</b> Peter and the disciples said that they were ready to die for Jesus, as they stated in Matthew 26:21-35, but did not know their own heart, but after Jesus’ death and resurrection, they eventually were ready, and tradition tells us that every one of Jesus’ eleven disciples except John died a martyr’s death. <u>The eleven truly learned to love Jesus, and were willing to obey Him in all things; this was a delight to them.</u><br />
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<b>If any want to have fellowship with one another, they must allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse them from all sin, confessing all of their sins to God, and to those whom they have wronged as far as possible, and ask and allow God to help them turn away from all sin and wrongdoing.</b> <u>Then the blood of Jesus will have cleansed them from sin, and then and only then, they will have fellowship with one another.</u> <b>This is because true love produces unity and trust between believers, but its absence destroys sweet fellowship.</b> Those who have not yielded to Jesus and His Father all the way, believed in Jesus, and received the Holy Spirit, will be unable to have true fellowship with one another. <u>If you will spend much time with God and learn to yield to Him, you will be brought into a sweet, close fellowship with Him, and He will make all the changes in you that are necessary for your salvation.</u> <b>Then you will walk in the Light of God and have true fellowship with other believers, because you will have allowed the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from all sin.</b><br />
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<b>If you want to have life, walk in the Light of God’s love, allowing Him to mold and shape you into a new creature.</b> <i>This is something you cannot do by yourself.</i> Renounce all sin, and yield to God willingly, giving yourself to Him, cooperating with Him at every point. <u>The only way you can have sweet fellowship with other believers, is to have God’s love in your heart, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.</u> <b>Then He will help free you from sinning over and over again, and the blood of Jesus will cleanse you from sin, and you won’t be guilty of the blood of Christ!</b> Then God will make you a new creature and give you the power to be Jesus’ disciple! <b>This is walking in the Light, as He is the Light!</b><br />
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<b>May you walk in the light of God, have fellowship with one another and let the blood of Jesus cleanse you from all sin!</b> Amen.<br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-11934897118063152342017-09-28T23:03:00.002-05:002017-09-28T23:09:59.153-05:00God’s Most Wonderful Offer To You of Forgiveness and the Holy Spirit…<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, in full partnership with the Holy Spirit, finished writing 9/28/2017.<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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<b>Please believe exactly what we are telling you:</b> Jesus wants to forgive you, cleanse you of all unrighteousness and give you the most precious gift – the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit!<br />
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<b>If you could know, even for a moment, how wonderful this is, how could you turn it down?</b> If you were ever to know the joy that we know right now, and lose it, you couldn’t live with yourself until you got it back! A few times we sinned and lost our connection for a few hours – we got so depressed! We never want that to happen again!<br />
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<b>You could live many lifetimes on this earth and accumulate all its wealth and power, and all of its pleasures, <u>but it could never equal one minute of the happiness and joy of yielding completely to the Holy Spirit!</u></b> Much less than the joys of heaven for all eternity! No human being can fathom the joys of heaven for those who love God and Jesus. But many people are ready to turn it down for a momentary sin or pleasure, never knowing the true peace, love, joy and power of God. And many Christians are living a sickly, lukewarm Christian existence, when they might have the vibrant new life the Jesus has promised to all who want it. We feel pity for them. <b><i>What can we do to convince you that it is worth every sacrifice to give yourself completely to God and receive the Holy Spirit in full?</i></b><br />
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<b>Jesus is offering this to you right now as a free gift, if you want it.</b> Why would you turn it down? <b>Will you get all of it now if you commit yourself to God?</b> It depends on how soon you really yield all of your sins, habits and stop doubting and resisting God and procrastinating. <b>But if you beg the Holy Spirit to come inside and totally cleanse you, it can happen very rapidly – if you will let Him!</b> You can pray to God, ‘Be merciful to me a sinner!’ Luke 18:13. <b>You can then ask Him to give you the Holy Spirit!</b> Luke 11:13.<br />
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<b>Please don’t turn down this special offer of mercy, help and comfort from God!</b><br />
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<b>May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!</b><br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-28227659905897435082017-09-18T08:01:00.005-05:002019-03-31T20:59:55.415-05:00A Cord of Three is not Easily Broken!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 9/15/2017 and 9/18/2017.<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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“And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him. <u>A threefold cord is not quickly broken.</u>” Ecclesiastes 4:12 RSV.<br />
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<b>This text is normally viewed as the bond between two or three people who are bound together in the ties of love or walking together in sweet accord, but we believe it has a deeper meaning.</b><br />
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<b>Our prayer for you is that you will live a successful Christian life and not be lacking in any good thing.</b> We want to help equip you for this. <b>What does it take?</b> <u>How do you overcome your trials and difficulties and problems?</u> Let’s see what else ‘a cord of three that is not easily broken’ might mean, and how it will help you to be an overcomer.<br />
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“Jesus answered and said to him, '<u>If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word</u>; and <b>My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.'</b>” John 14:23 NASB. If you love Jesus, keep His word, He and His Father will come to you and make their abode in you. <b>This is a most beautiful and precious thing that Jesus and His Father want to do for you!</b> <u>They want to come and make their abode in your heart, if you want it.</u> <b>Together, Jesus, His Father and you make three; this is a cord of three that is not easily broken!</b> <u>Unlike the friendships between two or three people on this earth, God is mighty to save and will never fail you!</u> <b>How does it happen, when Jesus and His Father will come and make their abode in you?</b> <u>Through the presence of the Holy Spirit.</u> Symbolically, the Holy Spirit will dwell in your heart on behalf of Jesus and His Father, if you seek to keep and obey His word, like He says. <b>But when this happens it is none other than the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart all together, a three-fold union!</b> <u>This three-fold union of divinity cannot fail, because God cannot fail, for there is no part of man in this union.</u> This is the strongest cord that can ever exist, because it is built on Divinity alone, which cannot fail. You don’t have to depend on your own strength, but on God’s power which cannot fail. <u>Jesus promised this three-fold union to all of His true disciples and those who would be, that is the Comforter, or the Holy Spirit.</u> <b>But who are His disciples?</b> <u>All that love and obey Him.</u><br />
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<u>You are never truly alone if you have Jesus and His Father dwelling in you, in the presence of the Holy Spirit or the comforter!</u> Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14:25-26 NASB. <b>Jesus promised His disciples that He would not leave them as orphans. And He will give you the Holy Spirit forever if you would be His disciple too.</b> He said, “<b>I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper</b>, <b><u>that He may be with you forever</u></b>; <i>that is</i> the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, <i><u>but</u></i><u> you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.</u> <b>I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.</b>” John 14:16-18 NASB. <b>From this we see that all who desire the Holy Spirit must get to know God.</b> Implied in this is that all who would have the Holy Spirit must confess their sins, humble their heart before God, want to obey Him, and yield to Him fully. This can be shown by numerous Bible passages. <u>Yes, Jesus comes to all that are His disciples, He will not leave them as orphans; He will come to them.</u><br />
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<b>How do you love Jesus and keep His word?</b> Jesus told Nicodemus that to be saved he must have a change wrought in him: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘<b>Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.</b>’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Jesus answered, ‘<u>Truly, truly, I say to you, <b>unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.</b></u>’” John 3:3-5 NASB. <u>The answer to this question is that God will provide this for you if you want it.</u> <b>You must allow God to work fully in your life to do His good pleasure.</b> Paul reveals: “<u>for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for <i>His</i> good pleasure.</u>” Philippians 2:13 NASB. Since it is a work from God, the only part you play is to allow Him to do it for you, so yield yourself to God totally and allow Him to do this for you and it will happen. <u>You will have to obey Him in what He has asked you to do at every point, without stubbornness.</u> <b>When doing what God asks you to do is an easy decision for you to make, then you will know that you are becoming or are born again!</b><br />
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<b>The answer to how you can love Jesus and keep His word, is to have this three-fold union of Divinity dwelling in your heart.</b> <u>God has made this provision for you, if you would have it and seek after Him with all your heart.</u> Jeremiah 29:11-13. The way has been prepared for you at the cross by Jesus and given by God with the outpouring of His Holy Spirit, which started in Acts 2, and is to be forever. <u>It is yours if you will claim it, and desire to love and obey God all the way.</u> <b>Don’t resist God, He loves you!</b> You must prepare your heart to receive the power of God’s Holy Spirit if you would have Him dwell in your heart.<br />
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<b>Jesus said, ‘I have given you the Holy Spirit forever.’ </b><b>John 14:16.</b> <u>What a precious promise!</u> Jesus will not leave His disciples alone or as ‘orphans’ as He promised, He will come to them! This is indeed the way you can live a successful Christian life, and have all the peace, love, faith, joy, and happiness that you were meant to have! Jesus doesn’t want to leave you alone, but longs to be in your heart! He and His Father greatly love you! <u>So you don’t have to cross over Jordan alone, as the song says.</u> Jesus stands behind His word and will not take away this promise of the Holy Spirit to His disciples, <u>He has given the Holy Spirit to His disciples forever.</u> <b>Why do we keep talking about this promise as being for His disciples?</b> <u>Because it’s true.</u> The messages given in John 13 to 17 were given by Jesus to His disciples, and to them that would believe through their testimony (or through the testimony of others who received it from someone who traces back to the original apostles). Jesus in His special prayer to His Father, before He was arrested and crucified said (John 17:1): “For their sakes [His disciples] I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. <b><u>I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word</u></b>; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, <i>are</i> in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, <u>so that the world may believe that You sent Me.</u>” John 17:19-21 NASB. <u>So we see from this that all who believe in Jesus through their word are to be His disciple too; it is implied.</u> So if you have believed in Jesus through the testimony of the Bible or from another Christian, His prayer applies to you to! <b>All who have been baptized as a Christian should be Jesus’ disciple, but sadly this is not true often enough.</b> It is only for those who want to be His disciple and for those who truly love Him. <u>If you love Jesus, you cannot help but be His disciple and keep His word.</u> Jesus also gives the reason why the Holy Spirit is given when He said above: “<u>so that the world may believe that You sent Me.</u>” <i>When you have the Holy Spirit in full, you cannot keep your love for Him quiet, but will want to tell everyone you can about it, and help everyone you can.</i><br />
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<b>Since Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and won the victory for us, all authority has been given to Him in Heaven and earth.</b> Go and make disciples of all men, and lo, He is with you always, even to the end of the world. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,<b> All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.</b> <u>Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost</u>: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: <b><u>and, lo, I am with you alway, <i>even</i> unto the end of the world.</u></b> Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20 KJV. If you are a Christian, you should be Jesus’ disciple too, and if you are Jesus’ disciple you are to follow His command to go and preach and teach all things that He commanded you, and <u>the promise if you do this is: Lo He will be with you always, even unto the end of the world!</u> Amen! <b>Is that what you want?</b> The author of Hebrews also tells us that God will never leave or forsake us: “<i>Let your</i> conversation <i>be</i> without covetousness; <i>and be</i> content with such things as ye have: <u>for He [God] hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.</u>” Hebrews 13:5 KJV. This promise applies only if God is abiding in you (or you want Him to abide in you), and you are living God’s Law of love (or you want to live it).<br />
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<b>If you belong to Jesus and are His disciple, then you will have this three-fold union of Jesus, His Father and the Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart.</b> <u>This cord of the Trinity in your heart is a power that cannot be broken, and will guide and protect you as long as you allow them to dwell there. </u><br />
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<b>May the grace of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all! Amen.</b><br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-83181331259316408622017-08-23T20:32:00.003-05:002017-08-23T23:28:27.471-05:00Order Upon Order, Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept! Part 2: The Unity of the Scriptures<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Unity of the Scriptures</span></b><br />
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By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 8/19/2017 and 8/23/2017, except for the start which came with Part 1. © Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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“<b>To whom would He teach knowledge, and to whom would He interpret the message?</b> <u>Those <i>just</i> weaned from milk?</u> Those <i>just</i> taken from the breast? <b>For <i>He says,</i> 'Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there.</b>' ” Isaiah 28:9-10 NASB.<br />
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<b>In this article we want to show you how to understand the Bible, by applying the principles of order upon order, line upon line, precept upon precept.</b> <i>We want to show the unity of the Bible and why it’s important, which shows order in the Bible, because God is a God of order.</i> “<u>Let all things be done decently and in order.</u>” 1 Corinthians 14:40 KJV. Colossians 2:5; Titus 1:5; 2 Chronicles 29:35; Psalms 119:133; Matthew 12:44.<br />
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<b>For the details of important truths you need to know that are taught by the Bible, please check out our new blog:</b> <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelismobey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">How To Please God</a>: <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelismobey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://WhiteRaimentEvangelismObey.blogspot.com/</a> .<br />
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<b><i>The articles in the series you are now reading:</i></b><b> “Order Upon Order, Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept!” <i>are designed to teach you the importance of studying the whole Bible and the principles needed to understand it.</i></b> They are a good lead into our new blog: <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelismobey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">How To Please God</a>, where we will study these precious truths of the Bible that you need to know in greater detail. <b>Why is it important to study these doctrines?</b> <u>So you can know how to please God and be eternally happy!</u> <b>Why aren’t we including them in our Love of God or our Faith Blogs?</b> <u>Because not everyone is ready for these truths yet.</u> <b><i>In our Love of God and our Faith Blogs we are trying to focus on the essentials of the gospel and how to be saved, have peace, love, joy, faith, hope, and how to become born again and be filled with the Spirit.</i></b> <u>Without these most essential and basic truths of the Gospel message fully believed and put into practice, your Christianity will become a “hollow shell”, with either self-righteousness or a carelessness of not loving God with all your heart, mind and soul, or a carelessness of not loving your neighbor as yourself.</u><br />
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<b>We have seen in some of our previous articles in our <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2017/08/order-upon-order-line-upon-line-precept-upon-precept-part1.html" target="_blank">Love of God Blog</a>:</b> <b><u>the Holy Spirit is given to all that obey God.</u></b> Acts 5:32. <b>What does this mean?</b> <i>We have thought about this a lot and have come to the conclusion that it is most important to believe, teach and live by all of God’s truth in the Bible, not just the pleasant things to think about like the Love of God.</i> (We already knew this at least in part, but had not connected it fully with Acts 5:32.) <u>It makes no sense to talk about getting the Holy Spirit, or to talk about getting peace, love, faith, hope or joy, etc. if someone doesn’t eventually want to obey God.</u> He gives us time to get to know Him and choose of our own free will to give our heart fully to Him or not. <b><i>If anyone wants the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus also refers to as ‘the spirit of truth’, instead of the spirit of error, they must want to obey God.</i></b> John 14:17; 16:16; 16:13. <u>Anyone can claim they have the Holy Spirit or that they are born again, but the proof in whether they are or not, and have the right Spirit, is if they love and obey God, and treat others with kindness, love and respect.</u> <b>This means to keep God’s commandments, which are to love Him with all your heart, mind and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself.</b> Matthew 22:36-40. The only way you can understand the Bible, is if you are listening to the Holy Spirit. <u>The only way you can obey God’s commandments is if you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart continually.</u> <b>But how do you know if you have the Holy Spirit?</b> <i>You must apply the Bible tests, you must keep God’s Law of Love.</i> John said about Jesus: “<u>And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.</u> But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. <u>He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.”</u> 1 John 2:3-6 KJV. <b>The promise of the Holy Spirit is a precious promise given to the believer who yields themselves to God.</b> The more you yield to Him, the more of the power of the Holy Spirit you will have. If you yield to Him fully, you will have the Holy Spirit in full, and your life will never be the same; then God’s will for your life will be your greatest desire! <b>The Holy Spirit is a precious gift that all Christians need.</b> <u>The Holy Spirit is also a reward given to those who want to obey God and love Him with all their heart, the Pearl of Great Price!</u> When you love God with all your heart, mind and soul, then you have the Holy Spirit in full. Then obeying God’s every wish and command will be a delight for you, not a burden. “<u>For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.</u>” 1 John 5:3 NASB.<br />
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<b>In case you are wondering, whose commandments is John talking about keeping here in John 2:3-6, Jesus’ or God’s?</b> <b>As we have shown in our previous blog article:</b> <b><a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2017/08/order-upon-order-line-upon-line-precept-upon-precept-part1.html" target="_blank">Order Upon Order, Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept! Part 1</a></b> <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2017/08/order-upon-order-line-upon-line-precept-upon-precept-part1.html" target="_blank">http://WhiteRaimentEvangelism.blogspot.com/2017/08/order-upon-order-line-upon-line-precept-upon-precept-part1.html</a>, <b>God’s commandments are Jesus’ commandments, and Jesus’ commandments are God’s commandments, because they are one.</b> <u>Jesus is the Word of God and came to this earth to reveal His Father’s will for mankind.</u> But Jesus restated God’s Law of Love in Matthew 22:36-40, and in John 13:34. (Note: Jesus wasn’t stating a new truth here, even though it may seem so, because this truth was taught first by Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4-6 and Leviticus 19:18.)<br />
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<b>You must listen to the Holy Spirit to understand the Bible, be born again or be saved, but you must also love and obey God’s word in the Bible in order to have the Holy Spirit.</b> <u>Therefore it is important for you to study the other doctrines of the Bible, to help you know all of what God requires.</u> This is the reason for our <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelismobey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">new blog</a>, “<a href="http://whiteraimentevangelismobey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">How To Please God</a>”; to teach the other essential truths of the Bible, so you can please God and have the Holy Spirit in full!</blockquote>
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<b>Now back to our current article “Order Upon Order, Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept Part 2”:</b><br />
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<b>We want to add to our order upon order, and line upon line doctrines: </b><br />
“<u>All scripture <i>is</i> given by inspiration of God</u>, and <b>is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:</b> that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV. <b>What scripture does Paul say is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness?</b> <u>All scripture.</u> <b>What scriptures were the scriptures in Paul’s day?</b> <u>Just the Old Testament.</u> Paul didn’t start to write any of his epistles until a long time after Jesus had gone back to Heaven, and most likely his own writings, although inspired, were not considered on the same level as scriptures until a later date. We don’t want to take the time to try to prove this to you in this article. We have talked about this in our books and other blog articles, and there is more too learn of it.<br />
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<b>We are making the point about the Old Testament being “all scriptures” because there are many in our day that are teaching that Jesus did away with the Old Testament or the 10 Commandments, etc.</b> and <u>that the Old Testament can be discarded in part, if not in whole, because some declare it to be “Old Covenant”.</u> To many people anything that can be labeled “Old Covenant” should be discarded. The devil is well pleased with this thinking, because once people start down this road, they end up carving up the New Testament too, with some parts being labeled ‘old covenant’ and other parts being labeled ‘new covenant’. This is destroying belief in the New Testament. <u>As we have said in some of our books, the New Testament uses the Old Testament to prove that Jesus is the Christ, and it is the starting point of the Christian Faith, and if it is discarded, it turns Christianity into a sham</u>, <u>because we must have confidence that Jesus is the Christ or the Messiah of the world.</u> <b>If the Old Testament is not valid anymore, it destroys the credibility of Jesus, because He spoke with favor on it.</b> Many things that He spoke can be found in the Old Testament. We have also shown in some of our previous blog articles, in our <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Love of God Blog</a> and in some of our books, that there are preachers in our day that are contradicting Christ by their incorrect views of what Paul taught in his epistles. <b>They tend to place their ideas of what Paul taught above the clear testimony of Jesus!</b> <u>A careful study of Paul’s writings reveal that he did not contradict anything that Jesus said.</u> What Paul was against was legalism, the effort to save one’s self by themselves, and he was for being a new creature, which is to be born again and walk by the Spirit, which is life and peace. Romans 8:5-10. But these are the same things that Jesus was for!</blockquote>
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<b>We are not saying that the New Testament is not the scriptures or ‘all scriptures’.</b> <u>Our point is to make you aware that the books of the Old Testament were the scriptures first, and they were the scriptures that Paul specifically referred to when he wrote the epistle of 2<sup>nd</sup> Timothy.</u> (He may have also been intending that his epistles and some of the other books of the New Testament that were written were scriptures too, but we haven’t researched this to know if it is true.) Many people probably haven’t thought of it this way, and may not realize what Paul meant in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. <u>This point is important to understand.</u> <b>Since Paul and the other Apostles had seen Jesus physically or in a vision and learned from Him, and received the Holy Spirit, their writings are also the word of God, thus ‘the scriptures’.</b> Many Christians make the New Testament their main or only scriptures, and are unsure whether the books of the Old Testament are also ‘the scriptures’ that are necessary for them to study and follow. <u>But to understand God’s complete will for man, and to have a full understanding of the plan of salvation, and to understand the future that lies ahead of us</u>, i.e. Bible prophecy, <u>the Old Testament must be studied and viewed as the word of God by every believer.</u> The writers of the New Testament did not fully expound on or list all of the truths of the Old Testament in their writings, because the people were exhorted to study the scriptures. In their day, there was no question that the Old Testament was the word of God to the believer.<br />
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<b>Paul also said</b>, “<u>Study to shew</u> [or show] <u>thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.</u>” 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV. <b>What does Paul mean by rightly dividing the word of truth?</b> <u>He means that we need to study the whole Bible</u> (both the Old and New Testaments), <u>know all of what it says, and know how to rightly divide it up by context to build valid doctrines without contradictions</u>, and <b>we also believe, comparing scripture with scripture, order upon order, line upon line, and precept upon precept, as our theme passage for this article series indicates.</b> This method of rightly dividing the truth is the method that God approves of. <u>Those who rightly divide the word of truth will not be ashamed in the Day of Judgment, when their life record is brought up and the fruit of their life is accounted for.</u> <b>There will be a great reward for those who have been faithful in honoring God’s law of love for mankind, and teaching others to do so, and teaching others the way of salvation!</b> We don’t know about you, but we want that great reward that Jesus promised! Don’t you too?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">See Matthew 5:19; 25:31-46; John 15:16; Matthew 10:32-33; 1 Samuel 2:30; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Psalms 19:7, 11; Romans 1:16; 10:11; 1 John 2:28; 2 Timothy 1:12-14.</span></blockquote>
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<b>We need to seek for harmony in the Bible and see how the Old and New Testaments work together! And that without either of them, we have an incomplete understanding of all truth!</b> We have also endeavored in our <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Love of God Blog</a> and in our <a href="http://whiteraimentevangelismfaith.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Faith Blog</a> to show that it has always been about faith. In the days of the Old Testament, it was about faith that Jesus would one day come to redeem mankind from their sins, to pay the price for our sins, and for the salvation that He and His Father would bring through the resurrection, and take His people home to be with Him forever in Heaven in mansions of glory and endless delight, as *the song says. And this is true in our day! <b>We have even more light of the scriptures shining on our path than the people in the days of the Old Testament had, but it is still about faith in Jesus and His Father, whereby we must be saved and always will be.</b><br />
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<b>One of the purposes of this <u>Order Upon Order, Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept</u> series of articles is to help you have full confidence that all of the Bible is the word of God; so that you can believe it, be happy, please God and receive the Holy Spirit in full</b>, <u>because the Holy Spirit is given to all that obey God</u>, Acts 5:32, and <u>to those who want to obey Him.</u><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>* From the Hymn: ‘My Jesus I Love Thee’: </b>Words by William Ralph Featherston, Music by Adoniram Gordon. Click on the link below to hear me singing this song on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX4x8FJP6fA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX4x8FJP6fA</a></span></blockquote>
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<b>In addition to Christians wanting to get rid of the Old Testament as part of their rule of faith, atheism, for some time now, has been trying to destroy our belief that God was the creator, as the Bible says He was in the book of Genesis.</b> And some Christians now are integrating “theistic” evolution into their beliefs; this goes along with their belief that the Old Testament is old covenant and not necessary for Christians. <u>Our purpose in this article is not to debunk evolution here, but to point out that it is a big factor in the errors that are plaguing our world today.</u><br />
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<b>What’s at stake?</b> <u>The unity of the Bible, and whether God really meant what He said, or whether He changed His mind and said something different at a later date.</u> <i>If you have been confused on this, we hope that you will want to learn the truth on the unity of the Bible, ‘all scriptures’.</i> If you don’t agree with this you will have trouble with many of our articles, because this is an integral part of what Acts 5:32 teaches, that if we want the Holy Spirit we must obey God. <u>And the only way we can obey God is if we want to obey everything He said in the Bible.</u> So we must study all of it. <b>There is a beauty and harmony with the truth, when it is understood with no contradictions; this is the only way to know true peace, and to have the Spirit of Truth that Jesus promised to all of His disciples</b><u>.</u> John 15:26; 14:15-17; 16:13-14.<br />
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<b>Jesus declared that those who read the scriptures and do not see that they testify of Him, do not have God’s word abiding in their heart.</b> “<u>And ye have not His word abiding in you: for whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not.</u> <b>Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.</b> And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.” John 5:38-40 KJV. <b>What scriptures was Jesus referring to when He said this?</b> <u>The Old Testament.</u> <b>How do we know this?</b> <u>Because the book of John was not written until about A.D. 90’s!</u> See <a href="http://www.freebeginning.com/new_testament_dates/" target="_blank">http://www.freebeginning.com/new_testament_dates/</a>. <u>It is impossible that the book of John could have been considered scriptures when Jesus spoke John 5:38-40!</u> The first book of the New Testament that was written was most likely the book of Mark, which was written about 60 - 70 A.D. See <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Mark/" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Mark/</a> . <b>So it is impossible that <u>any book of the New Testament</u> could have been scriptures when Jesus said this.</b> <u>Also it is impossible for any book of the New Testament to have been considered scriptures before that book was written.</u> <b>We believe that many Christians have not considered the fact that the Gospels or the book of Acts were not written until a much later date, after they took place</b>. And the other books of the New Testament were also written many years after Jesus went back to Heaven!<br />
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<b>The Old Testament scriptures declare the love of God and the plan of salvation.</b> <u>Throughout its pages, in its rites and ceremonies, laws, and stories, we see God’s mercy for our fallen world.</u> We see the plan of how Jesus would be sent to die on the cross for the sins of the world, how to live and be born again, how God would send the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, and how Jesus would one day return at the second coming and raise the righteous from the dead, and take all of His people home to be with Him and the Father in the mansions He has prepared for them. We also see the second resurrection and the judgement of the wicked and their eventual complete destruction by fire. <u>All of this was shown or predicted in the Old Testament in one place or another.</u> Much of this was shown in the daily rites, the festivals and other yearly rites of the sanctuary services with what the Priests did. And there were many prophecies from Moses, David and the Major and Minor Prophets throughout its pages. <i><u>To get a full understanding of the truth it is necessary to study the New Testament together with the Old Testament, comparing their teachings and Bible prophecies.</u></i> It is not good for anyone to reject the authority or the inspiration of the Old Testament, or to try to put it down as not being needed anymore for Christians. <u>Jesus said that the scriptures testify of Him, which were the Old Testament scriptures.</u> <b>How can anything that testifies about Jesus be bad? </b>These are the same "all scriptures” that Paul also spoke about that are profitable for the Christian, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete and lacking in nothing.<br />
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<b>Jesus said to the Tempter, when tempted to turn the stones into bread when He was hungry, near the end of his forty day fast:</b> ‘<u>It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.</u>’ Matthew 4:4 KJV. <b>If you study the words of Moses, and the writings of the Old Testament with an open mind, you will see that these are indeed the words of God!</b> <u>Jesus declared that we should not live by the bread that we eat for food alone, implying that we are not to live just by the works or the fruits of our hands; not just by how we earn our living or feed ourselves.</u> <b>But we are also to live by the words of God, <u>all of them.</u></b> We should take heed to all that God has said, unless it was of a temporary nature (not for our day), or conditional with conditions not met.<br />
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<u>We also have this testimony from Jesus regarding the importance of listening to Moses and the Prophets in this parable of the Rich man and Lazarus:</u> “"<b>But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.</b>' "<u>But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'</u> "<b>But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.</b>'"” Luke 16:29-31 NASB. Some may think that Jesus was only talking to the Jews here when He made this statement, and that we don’t need to be concerned about what He said here if we are a Christian. <b><i>But what Jesus said here was His main point!</i></b> <u>If someone will not believe the writings of Moses and the Prophets</u> (literally He is talking about the entire Old Testament here), <u>neither will they believe if someone should rise from the dead and tell them to repent.</u> <i>Think about what Jesus meant here!</i><br />
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<b>Do Christians have the Old Testament in their Bibles?</b> <u>Yes.</u> <b>Why?</b> Because Christians throughout the ages since Jesus went back to Heaven have been blessed by the Old Testament in its stories of faith, and the great and wonderful works of God! So it has been included in their Biblical canon. <b>Who has not been blessed by reading the Psalms? Those who are down and out and greatly need encouragement.</b> And there are many wonderful promises about Jesus the Messiah, particularly as found in the book of Isaiah the prophet. Who has not been blessed by these prophecies? <b>Do we as Christians have the testimony of Moses and the Prophets in our Bible?</b> <u>Again yes.</u> <b><i>Then you must accept the testimony of the Old Testament, because you have Moses and the Prophets, as Jesus said.</i></b> <u>If you don’t, neither will you believe if someone should rise from the dead telling you to repent!</u> Jesus was not just speaking to the Jewish race here!<b> David wrote: “<u>the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul</u>, <u>the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple”!</u></b> Psalms 19:7 KJV. This is found in the Old Testament. If you want to be truly converted, do not reject any of God’s counsel for you in any part of the Holy Scriptures, be it the Old or New Testaments.<br />
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<u>There is yet another point to be learned from Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus:</u> <b>Did someone rise from the dead and seek to tell His people to repent?</b> <u>Yes!</u> <b>Who?</b> <u>Jesus!</u> <i>Even though the Bible makes no mention that Jesus ever spoke to any of the leaders of the nation of Israel again after His resurrection, by proxy He did speak to them.</i> Through the testimony of Peter, James and John, the rest of the Apostles, and of course Paul. <u>They were all preaching that Jesus’ rose from the dead and that everyone should repent.</u> One place is Acts 2. <b>Did any of the Jews believe Jesus’ call to repentance after He rose from the grave?</b> <u>Yes, but not all.</u> We do not know the number, but it was probably not the majority. <b>Why?</b> Because Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. <u>For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.</u>” Matthew 7:13-14 NASB. <i>Many did not receive this testimony that He was risen, that His death for their sins alone could save them, and that they should repent.</i> <b>Why?</b> <u>Because they had not truly believed Moses and the Prophets, who all testified of Him!</u> If they had known and really believed these writings, they would have known Jesus too, for these writings prophesied of Him. <u>So we think that Jesus was making a prophecy concerning Himself in this parable of the rich man and Lazarus, that when He would rise from the dead, those who did not truly believe Moses and the Prophets would not believe His testimony either, as given by His Disciples telling them to repent.</u> This is quite a statement that Jesus made! <b>We wish all Christians would understand this, that if they will not believe the testimony of Moses and the Prophets, neither will they truly believe Jesus’ testimony to repent</b>.<br />
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<b>Conclusion:</b><br />
<b>Both of the Old and New Testaments are the Holy Scriptures that we as Christians need to study and ask God’s help to put into practice.</b> <u>We are to live by all of these words that proceed from the mouth of God!</u> If we want to understand God’s will for us, we will want to study everything that He has revealed in His Holy Scriptures, both in the Old and the New Testaments, and compare them, order upon order, line upon line, precept upon precept. <b>This is the way of peace, love, joy, happiness, and eternal life</b>! <u>If you would have life, search for Jesus in the Old Testament, as well as studying about Him in the New Testament, for all of the Bible testifies about Jesus</u>, and His Father’s love for our world. Amen!<br />
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<b>May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!</b><br />
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We hope to write further blog articles on this subject.<br />
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#Understand #Principle #Bible #Doctrine #Order #Unity #Old #New #Testament #HolySpirit #Obey #Love #Scripture #Reproof #Testimony #Jesus #Harmony #Believe #Rise #Dead John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-70553804578202026312017-08-09T08:14:00.001-05:002020-10-29T00:56:58.084-05:00Order Upon Order, Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept! Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 8/3/2017 and 8/9/2017.<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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“<b>To whom would He teach knowledge, and to whom would He interpret the message?</b> <u>Those <i>just</i> weaned from milk?</u> Those <i>just</i> taken from the breast? <b>For <i>He says,</i> 'Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there.</b>' Indeed, He will speak to this people through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, He who said to them, "Here is rest, give rest to the weary," And "Here is repose," but they would not listen.” Isaiah 28:9-12 NASB. [Or as it says in the KJV: <u>“this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”</u>].<br />
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<b>Yes that is the question:</b> <b>To whom will God teach knowledge? </b><u>Would He want to keep having to teach us over and over the basics of the truth when we should have already learned it long ago?</u> God prefers that His people advance closer to His ideal for them, instead of being “stuck in neutral” or backsliding.<br />
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<b>In this article, we want to discuss some important Bible study principles to help you to know how to properly study and understand the “saving truths” that you need to know</b>, and <u>not be deceived into the many errors that plague Christianity today and modern man.</u> We want to help equip you to know the truth if you don’t already know it. But we believe there is ever more to learn. <i>It’s time to get beyond the basics</i>, but to get beyond the basics the errors must be unlearned and true faith learned by all who would want to be weaned from spiritual infancy.<br />
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<b>God is a God of order and changes not; He is always a God of Order.</b> <u>He wants all to understand the order and precepts in the Bible and the beautiful harmony that exists between them without contradiction.</u> <b>Order upon order.</b> There needs to be an order to the way the Bible is studied, and there needs to be an order to the way truths are put together to make up the doctrines we believe. Our beliefs should not be haphazardly put together, but there should be a beautiful order, harmony and symmetry to them. We need to have order in our lives, God’s order, and not be blown about by every “wind of doctrine”. Ephesians 4:14.<br />
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<b>In our theme passage of Isaiah 28:9-10 we see that the key to a full understanding of the truth is order upon order, line upon line, precept upon precept.</b> We should always study the Bible carefully and in context. <u>The time has come to study the great themes and topics of the Bible together, not in a disconnected manner.</u> The way to do this is to compare scripture with scripture, command with command, to come up with the correct understanding of what the Bible means, not discarding any of God’s precious light that He blessed us with; <u>to remove apparent contradictions.</u> <i>The truth should not contradict itself.</i> <b>God is perfect and makes no mistakes.</b> All of His works, including His teachings in the Bible are perfect. A greater and greater unfolding of the truth occurred as the books of the Bible were written and completed, by His design, as mankind was able to use what God had given them. God’s prophets and writers may have made revisions to their words when writing, because they were human and needed to think about what they were writing, when the words were not dictated to them by God. But the words and thoughts were given to them by God and were always perfect, and He was guiding His messengers with His Spirit. “<b><u>As for God, His way <i>is</i> perfect</u>; the word of the LORD <i>is</i> tried: <u>He <i>is</i> a buckler</u></b> [or a shield] <b><u>to all them that trust in Him.</u></b>” 2 Samuel 22:31 KJV. <u>When the truths of the Bible are studied like this they really shine and a greater knowledge is gained, and faith is strengthened.</u><br />
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<b>We believe that verse 12 of our theme text, a prophecy by Isaiah, is referring at least in part to when Jesus walked the earth and taught the people more about the love of God and how to be saved and died for the sins of all mankind</b>. <u>This ‘refreshing’ for His people was completed with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, when His disciples and followers received power from on high, or a ‘spiritual refreshing.</u>’ <b>Is that what you want? A spiritual refreshing? </b><i>May God bless you greatly if this is your desire!</i> If you would be spiritually renewed and refreshed, learn the vital truths that are necessary for your soul, love and obey God. This is our prayer for you.<br />
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<b>God’s desire is that all would grow up into spiritual adults, as Isaiah indicated above. This same truth was also stated by Paul when he said</b>, “<u>And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.</u> <b>I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able <i>to receive it.</i></b> <u>Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly.</u> For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NASB. What Paul is saying is still true today unfortunately. <i>Many in our day are still spiritual infants, and need to be taught the same basic truths over and over again.</i> It is also time for everyone to make progress and shed the errors that they believe and become born again, born from above, a new creature in Christ.<br />
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<b>The writer of Hebrews said</b>, “<u>Concerning him we have much to say, and <i>it is</i> hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.</u> <b>For though by this time you <u>ought to be teachers</u>, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.</b> <u>For everyone who partakes <i>only</i> of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.</u> But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” Hebrews 5:11-14 NASB. <u>It’s time to learn to discern good and evil, discard all error, trust God all the way, and receive all of the blessings that He wants to give you. </u><b>Are you ready to receive these blessings yet?</b> <b><i>Are you ready to take the next step in your walk with God?</i></b><br />
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<b>Now back to our theme of order upon order, line upon line, precept upon precept:</b><br />
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<u>There are some Christians who believe that there are sections in the New Testament that should be discarded or reinterpreted.</u> <b>Why are we bringing this up in this article?</b><u> Because if you want to make spiritual progress you need to learn the truth and discard fallacies and falsehoods when you are convicted by the Holy Spirit.</u> If you already know and believe all truth this is good. <b>But are you born again?</b> <b>Do you have God’s power in your life to be good?</b> If you know that you are not where you should be with God, keep on the narrow road, and learn to yield yourself more and more to Him, and love and desire to obey Him, asking for His help until you gain His power in your life. <b>May God be with you if this is your desire! </b>This is our prayer for you.<br />
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<b>If you believe what some people teach or say, everything in the Bible is to be judged by whether it is “New Covenant” or can be labeled “Old Covenant”</b>. <i><u>Once something is labeled as “Old Covenant” by anyone whosoever, it can be discarded they think as a useless ‘relic’ of religion and cast on the trash heap.</u></i> <b>They don’t realize this is a big dishonor to God!</b> <i>Do they really think that God is pleased with them putting down His word and thinking that He couldn’t get it right the first time and had to change it for the better later?</i> <b>Or do they think that there is no need to be concerned if they are doing what God says anymore, since we are now under grace? </b>Those who put down any of the words of Jesus, that He spoke prior to His death on the cross, are greatly dishonoring Him and are acting as His judge. Some people like to “cherry pick” the teachings that Jesus spoke as being for new covenant Christians or not. But this is not good. We are disturbed by what some are saying or doing with His words.<br />
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<u>God said that all who honor Him He will honor, as the prophet Samuel declared.</u> 1 Samuel 2:30. <b>And in the Psalms it admonishes us that we should hide God’s word in our heart, treasuring it greatly, that we might not sin against Him:</b> “<u>Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.</u>” Psalm 119:11 KJV. We believe that Jesus lived by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God, as He told Satan. “But He [Jesus] answered and said [to Satan], "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" Matthew 4:4 NASB. <b>And we believe that Jesus especially hid His Father’s words in His heart that He might not sin against Him.</b> Jesus said, ‘if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; <u>even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.</u>’ John 15:10 KJV. We are to keep Jesus’ commandments as He kept His Father’s commandments. And the commandments that God gave to His people in Exodus 20 are the same thing as Jesus’ commandments or God’s law of love (Matthew 22:36-40), because Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, <u>but the will of Him who sent Me.</u>” John 6:38 NASB. <i>Be it known that it was God, the Father, who sent Jesus.</i> And: “So Jesus said, ‘<b>When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am <i>He</i></b><i>,</i> and <u>I do nothing on My own initiative</u>, <b>but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.</b> <u>And He who sent Me is with Me</u>; He has not left Me alone, <u>for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.</u>” John 8:28-29 NASB. “<b>For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment <i>as to</i> what to say and what to speak.</b> <u>I know that His commandment is eternal life</u>; <u>therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.</u>” John 12:49-50 NASB. And: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? <b>The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative</b>, <u>but the Father abiding in Me does His works</u>.” John 14:10 NASB. “<b>He who does not love Me does not keep My words</b>; and <u>the word which you hear is not Mine</u>, <u>but the Father's who sent Me.</u>” John 14:24 NASB. And Jesus prayed to His Father for His disciples saying: “<u>for the words which You gave Me I have given to them</u>; and they received <i>them</i> and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.” John 17:8 NASB. And John the Baptist said, which he most likely meant about Jesus, “<u>For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God</u>; for He gives the Spirit without measure.” John 3:34 NASB. <b>Can there be any doubt that Jesus’ words and commandments are God’s words and commandments? Can there be any doubt that God’s words and commandments are Jesus’ words and commandments? </b><u>Hebrews 1:1-3 NASB tells us that Jesus is the radiance of His Father’s glory, and the exact representation of His nature.</u> <b>Can there be any doubt among those who truly love Jesus and His Father that they are truly one and teach the same truth?</b> John 10:30; 17:11. <u>Listening to and believing in Jesus</u> [John 3:16] <u>and everything that He said is the secret to getting the victory, the power of God in your life, and eternal life!</u> [*Also God gave special commandments or directions to Jesus, as He directed Him.]<br />
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<b>You should study everything that Jesus said in the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and commit His words to your memory</b> (at least the ideas)<b>, and ask God for the strength and power to do all of them.</b> If this is your desire, our prayer for you is that you will be richly blessed by God! Amen. <b>Blessed are you if you do all the words that Jesus commanded or advised His people to do, and avoid the things He said we should not do.</b> <u>Jesus said at the last supper, “</u><u>If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.</u><u>”</u> John 13:17 NASB. <b>You are blessed if you do what things?</b> <u>Everything He told them to do at the last supper, but also everything else He had spoken to them that they should do or abstain from.</u> <b>How blessed are you if you do them! </b><i>Jesus was and is the word of God</i> (John 1:1-5; 10-17), and <i>everything He spoke is to be treasured by His people, not to be discarded as being ‘old covenant’ because He spoke them prior to His death on the cross</i>, or <i>because some think they don’t apply in our day since we are now living under grace.</i> What Jesus spoke, He spoke for all people until they end of time, it was not just for the Jews! John the Baptist and the Apostle John both bore witness that Jesus was the Son of God and was sent from God, the Word of God.<b> Can there be any doubt among those who love Jesus that He was and is the Word of God?</b> <i>If you want all the blessings from God that He wants to give you, that you will not be able to contain them all, then ask Him to help you keep His word and obey His precepts in the Bible, and not discard anything He or His Son told you to do.</i> Don’t ignore anything that some label as ‘old covenant’, unless you can clearly prove that it no longer applies to Gentile Christians after Jesus’ death.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[We wrote about this in our book: “<b><u><a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/the-ceremonial-law-sacrificial-syst" target="_blank">The Ceremonial Law & Sacrificial System: What does it mean to the Gospel Message? For Those Who Want To Know How the Law of Love and the Mosaic Law Relate to Christians Today.</a></u></b>” Also check out our book, “<b><u><a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/god-s-law-of-love" target="_blank">God’s Law of Love: For Those Who Want To Know Why God’s Law of Love Is Important.</a></u></b>”]</span></blockquote>
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<b>Summary:</b><br />
<b>So what did we learn in this article?</b> God is a God of order. We should study His word with order, and have an orderly way of putting the doctrines of truth together from the Bible, always being careful to take things in context, and seeking for harmony between all of the scriptures, not contradictions. And to not put down any of God’s words. And that Jesus’ words are God’s words, and God’s words are Jesus’ words. <u>And we should study out the four gospels in the New Testament, believing and desiring to obey everything that Jesus said, trying to commit them or their ideas to our memory.</u> God will honor all those who honor Him, and not those who dishonor Him.<br />
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<b>And to add to this in closing, Jesus said:</b> “Also I say unto you, <u>Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God</u>: <b>But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.</b>” Luke 12:8-9 KJV. And as Matthew puts it: “<u>Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.</u> <b>But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.</b>” Matthew 10:32-33 NASB.<br />
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It is our prayer, dear reader, that you will learn to truly love Jesus and His Father, and desire to do everything that they want you to do, and get help from them to do it, not seeking to deny them or to deny their words as being valid for you today. <b>May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!</b><br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-45018315502660089182017-07-31T22:27:00.007-05:002020-10-03T17:03:00.419-05:00The Joy of a Fool or the Joy of the Wise?By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="_blank"><b>John Foll</b></a>, written between 7/25/2017 and 7/27/2017.<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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<b>The Joy of a Fool or the Joy of the Wise?</b> <b>Which will you have?</b> <b>How can both the wise and the fool have joy?</b><br />
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“<b>Folly <i>is</i> joy to <i>him that is</i> destitute of wisdom</b>: <u>but a man of understanding walketh uprightly</u>.” Proverbs 15:21 KJV. <b>Now from the NASB: </b>“<b>Folly is joy to him who lacks sense</b>, <u>but a man of understanding walks straight.</u>” Proverbs 15:21 NASB.<br />
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<b>Solomon declared that foolishness or folly is joy to the man who lacks understanding.</b> The fool is compared with a man of understanding who walks uprightly, the wise man or the righteous man. <b>Is there also joy for the righteous?</b> <u>Yes true joy!</u> There are two paths to joy. <b>Which one will you choose?</b><br />
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<b>There are two paths: folly and wisdom, everyone must choose between them. </b><u>We want to compare the supposed joy of folly with the true joy of wisdom, to see how the joy from wisdom leads to righteousness and infinitely exceeds folly.</u> Study the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes for the folly of wickedness and why righteousness is the only wise course to choose. This idea of two paths can be found throughout the Bible, including the Psalms.<br />
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<b>The path of true wisdom is to study everything the God has to say in the Bible, not just taking a few verses, a single verse or words here or there to base your beliefs on.</b> Some confine themselves to just a portion of the New Testament of the Bible from a single apostle to build their beliefs, but this is not wise. <u>But Solomon says that the wise study matters and want to get understanding in order to make the right decision.</u> In chapter two of Proverbs, which can be viewed as an introduction to Proverbs, written to his son he sums up that we should treasure his commandments and listen to wisdom and want to get understanding: “<b>My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding</b>; <u>For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding</u>; <u>If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures</u>; <u>then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.</u> <b>For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth <i>come</i> knowledge and understanding.</b> <i>He stores up sound wisdom for the upright</i>; <i><u>He is</u></i><u> a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones.</u> <b>Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity <i>and</i> every good course.</b>” Proverbs 2:1-9 NASB.<br />
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<b>The Joy of the Fool:</b><br />
<b>Some try to live their life without the joy of the Lord in their life fully, and get grouchy and easily irritated with things that happen and with the mistakes and sins of others, and many times do not look to their own greatest need.</b> Some of these are focused too much on the folly of others, while giving themselves a pass on their own folly. They don’t understand the strong desire that some have who have given themselves completely to God and are strongly motivated to serve Him and others. <u>This desire and joy to serve God like this cannot be supplied by anything we can do, it is a gift only from God, given to those who desire to love and obey Him in all things.</u> But since they don’t have that joy from the Lord for themselves or fully, they don’t have the same sweet motivation to serve and obey God that the soul who has given and devoted themselves to God has. They can only feel a sense of duty, and know that they should be doing something better or different, and know fear and guilt. <u>But to have the joy that God wants everyone to have, it can only be had by yielding completely to God and obeying Him.</u><br />
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<b>Many are not concerned too much about sin because the Bible teaches that we are ‘saved by grace alone’, and they have been taught to believe that this is the sum of what they need to know. But many of them are missing another essential part of what they need to know to be saved. </b><u>They don’t know that those who are saved by grace should be so happy for this salvation that they would want to obey everything that God has commanded, so not much attention is given to trying to get victory over sin in their life by His power, because they have been blinded against this and other essential Bible truths.</u> <i>They think that living their life this way makes them happy and gives them joy, because they think they are freed from the need of living right, ‘no worries’. </i><b>Have you heard this?</b> <i>But this is the path of foll<b>y </b>because Solomon admonished us that we should consider the path we are traveling on and seek to do what is right.</i> <u>According to Solomon those who do not seek the path of wisdom and righteousness are on the path of folly.</u> <b>Most of those who are not too concerned will not listen to anything that is said regarding this. But this is as Solomon has already declared.</b> What has been will be again. <u>Those that love folly or those who are falsely comforted by the folly of error, will not hear anything else, because their heart is set on it.</u> <b>But the wise will see and hear the truth and understand when it is presented to them or study it in the Bible. </b><u>Solomon has dealt extensively with the idea that there is a path of wisdom and a path of folly in his writings, which is the opposite of what many believe in our day!</u> <b>The teachings of folly in our day are widespread, from the pulpits to the theatre and many popular entertainments</b>. <i>Satan has been busy spreading the idea to some that it doesn’t matter what they do, because God will save them regardless, and to others he tells them not to worry about sin since they are ‘saved’:</i> ‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law’ as A. Crowley wrote, the self-proclaimed ‘wickedest man’ in the world. A. Crowley had a great impact on the development of the wicked entertainments in the music world and Hollywood too through his many followers and devotees. <u>But what he wrote is not all that different than what is taught from many pulpits!</u> [Please don’t read his writings, or you might be deceived too.]<br />
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<b>What is folly?</b><br />
<u>It is doing the wrong thing, saying the wrong thing, or thinking the wrong thing, or believing something that is not right and living your life and basing your decisions in life on these falsehoods.</u> It is anything that hurts or destroys you, others, or hurts God. It is hasty speech, not thinking things through, being too proud or too lazy to correct problems after they become known. It is also unkind words, hurtful things, addictions, unconfessed or unrepented sins, these will shut out the soul from eternal life and from peace, love, faith, joy and happiness forever that God wants everyone to have, unless they finally repent. <i>It is folly to not humble your heart and repent and give your heart completely to God, since this leads to your salvation and all the peace, love, joy, faith, hope and happiness that God wants you to have, now and forever.</i> <b>Why would anyone not want what God has to offer?</b> <u>Yet God lets everyone decide what they will have; weather they will have life and peace and joy from Him and eternal life, or a nagging conscience, death, and be forever lost. </u><br />
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<b>Now why would doing foolishness appeal to anyone? And why would being a fool and doing foolish things or saying or doing or thinking foolish things be a joy to anyone?</b> Because the fool doesn’t want to think too much, but just to have a good time and always be in mirth and in laughter. I.e. ‘no worries.’ The foolish person does what feels good, and they don’t usually think very much about the consequences if at all; they just don’t care, even though some might think that they do.<br />
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<b>Being a fool leads to wickedness.</b><br />
Solomon said, “<u>I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out</u> wisdom, and the reason <i>of things</i>, and <u>to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness</u> <i>and</i> madness:” Ecclesiastes 7:25 KJV. <b>Solomon said here that wickedness is folly, even foolishness.</b> We are not sure why Solomon wanted to apply himself to folly, foolishness and madness like he said. He greatly sinned and had to repent of this once he came back to his senses, but it had a bad effect on the children of Israel that they never totally recovered from. <i>What a different course the children of Israel might have had if Solomon hadn’t experimented with wickedness, folly, foolishness and madness!</i> Solomon also warns us that: “<u>Understanding <i>is</i> a wellspring of life unto him that hath it</u>: <b>but the instruction of fools <i>is</i> folly.</b>” Proverbs 16:22 KJV. Fools teach folly to all who will listen, teaching them to be a fool too. “Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.” Proverbs 17:12 KJV.<br />
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<b>Note: In these Proverbs below Solomon tells what happens to the scoffer, which sounds similar to ‘the fool’ described in other places by Solomon and the Bible: </b>“He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, and he who reproves a wicked man <i>gets</i> insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, reprove a wise man and he will love you.” Proverbs 9:7-8 NASB. Or ‘scorner’ as it says in the King James. <b>And the psalmist Asaph compares the foolish with the wicked, and the proud: </b>“I said unto the fools, deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, lift not up the horn: Lift not up your horn on high: speak <i>not with</i> a stiff neck.” Psalm 75:4-5 KJV.<br />
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<b>The Joy of the Wise:</b><br />
<b>True joy comes only from salvation that Jesus brings you:</b> “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12 NASB.<br />
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<b>True joy is a fruit of being Jesus’ disciple like He said before He died on the cross to His disciples</b>: “<u>Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament</u>, but the world will rejoice; <u>you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.</u> Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. <u>Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again</u>, and <u>your heart will rejoice</u>, and<b> <u>no one <i>will</i> take your joy away from you.</u></b> <i>In that day you will not question Me about anything.</i> Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. <b>Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; <u>ask and you will receive</u>, so <u>that your joy may be made full.</u></b>” John 16:20-24 NASB. <b>Paul also tells us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is Joy: </b>“<u>But the fruit of the Spirit is</u> love, <u>joy</u>, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NASB. <u>Therefore to get true joy you must be born again</u> (John 3:3, 5), <u>which is also a requirement to be able to enter the kingdom of Heaven</u>, <u>which is how you get the Holy Spirit</u>, <u>who will also give you ‘the Fruits of the Spirit’.</u><br />
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<b>It is important to know what true joy is and get it for yourself, because there is a counterfeit!</b><br />
And to have true joy is an antidote against sin, because with it God helps you to want to be more like Him, serve Him, and if you continue cooperating with Him - you will get even more joy! Your cup will run over! Psalms 23:5. <b>And the Holy Spirit, which brings true joy, is the antidote against being deceived by the counterfeit, or ‘another gospel’ or ‘another spirit.’ </b>Some who think that they are born again and have the Holy Spirit may not in fact, have the Holy Spirit at all, but ’another spirit’ and believe in another gospel than what Jesus and Paul preached. “<u>For if one comes and <b>preaches another Jesus</b> whom we have not preached, or <b>you receive a different spirit</b> which you have not received, or <b>a different gospel</b> which you have not accepted, you bear <i>this</i> beautifully.</u>” 2 Corinthians 11:4 NASB. “<b>I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:</b> Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. <u>But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.</u> <b>As we said before, so say I now again, if any <i>man</i> preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.</b>” Galatians 1:6-9 KJV. This ‘another spirit’ preaches ‘another gospel’ which teaches you to stay in sin and get your joy from foolishness, this is ‘the spirit of error’, instead of having the true joy from the Holy Spirit. <u>So there is a true spirit and a false spirit.</u><br />
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<b>Why are we writing this article?</b><br />
<u>Because we don’t want you to miss out on the best thing in life that could ever happen to you, and lead to your salvation and eternal life!</u> <i>There are many today that think that because they are saved by grace that they cannot be lost, since they were baptized into the Christian faith and at one time took a public stand and gave their life to God.</i> And also there are many people who think that because they believe ‘the truth’ and take a firm stand against the world and sin that this makes them good, when they are missing out on the very joy that all Christians are supposed to have. <u>There is nothing wrong with wanting to take a firm stand against the world and sin by itself, but if someone is lacking the true born again experience that Jesus said that all are required to have to enter the kingdom of Heaven</u>, John 3:3, 5, <u>then it can be a detriment and turn others away from God.</u> Many of them are also lacking true peace, love and true faith, etc. but are very zealous to keep God’s Law or His requirements (they think). <b>Why are we picking on these two groups?</b> <u>Because we are hoping that if you have a problem in either of these areas that you will wake up.</u> All of us have probably been in one of these two groups or the other in our life at one time, maybe both. <i>We hope someone will be rescued from the pit of sin, and as many as possible by this article.</i> We used to have problems in this area too and would still have them, but for the grace of God. In our past we were lacking the real peace, love, joy, faith, hope, and happiness that God wants all Christians to have. See also 1 John 1:4:20-21; 1 John 2:3-6 how to know if you know Jesus. We do not want to go back to that way of living that we used to live, there is no peace, hope, joy or power or assurance of salvation in either of those paths; the end of these paths are always death, unless the soul humbles itself before God and allows Him to help them. <b>All need to know that Jesus came to give us life and more abundantly, and they need to know and have the hope that Jesus wants to give them.</b> John 10:10. And to let Him make them free indeed from all addictions and sin. John 8:36.<br />
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<b>We are also writing this article because there are some who think that they are born again and there are some who think that they have received the Holy Spirit</b>, <u>but their life is lacking the change that all who are born again should have.</u> <b>In any case, it is folly to try to live your life without yielding to God all the way and being fully born again. </b>Some think that they have the Holy Spirit because there is a lot of excessive joy, fun and excitement in their life. <b>And dare we say babbling?</b> Those who think that excited babbling in languages unintelligible to others is proof that they have the Holy Spirit, need to think carefully about whether they really have the Holy Spirit or not. <b>Those who think that they are born again should also think carefully about whether they are still born again, and all the way.</b> <i>And there are those who think that when they get a special feeling that this is God’s leading, without checking to know for sure.</i> <b>All who believe that they have received the Holy Spirit in full need to be especially on guard to make sure that they don’t have ‘the spirit’ that is contrary to sound reason or the Scriptures.</b> <u>Sometimes there is a problem with sin in the life that gets excused, because they believe that they can’t be lost since they are saved or because they have the Holy Spirit.</u> <i>Or they don’t think too much about their problems of sin or do not admit it to others, and are focused on ‘rooting out’ sin in other people or in other institutions, etc., in anyone but themselves.</i> <b>Is this really true? </b><u>You bet.</u><br />
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<b>Is there a false joy? </b><br />
<u>Yes, Solomon declared above in Proverbs 15:21 that a fool gets joy from his folly and foolishness.</u><br />
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<b>This also leads to the question is there a false Spirit too?</b><br />
<u>Yes.</u> “<i>Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.</i>” 1 John 4:1 KJV. <b>Are we to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us?</b> <u>Yes.</u> Paul says, “<u>Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit</u> who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB. Therefore we are all temples for the Holy Spirit to dwell in, if we would have Him; that means that the Holy Spirit should be there fully in everyone’s heart, this is the way God intended it to be. <b>Should you test the spirit that is in you to see if it is the Holy Spirit or another spirit of the antichrist?</b> <u>Yes.</u> 1 John 4:1-3. John also says, “<b>We are from God; he who knows God listens to us</b>; <u>he who is not from God does not listen to us.</u> <b>By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.</b>” 1 John 4:6 NASB. Those who listen not to the apostles in the New Testament, or Jesus or the prophets in the Old Testament do not have the Spirit of truth.<br />
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<b>Could a “wrong spirit” seduce any Christian who thinks they are saved or any who think that because they believe the truth they are saved?</b><br />
<u>Yes.</u> <i><u>Just because someone has seen miracles or had miracles happen to them does not mean that they have the Holy Spirit or still have the Holy Spirit.</u></i> Also when someone gets the Holy Spirit, that does not mean that the devil stops harassing them or trying to trick them into sinning; the tempter never gives up while life lasts.<b> If you think everything is going fine, then watch out!</b> “Be of sober <i>spirit,</i> be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NASB. <u>If you ‘have the Holy Spirit’, if you think you have had the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit be doubly on your guard!</u> Joy and miracles are not proof of the Holy Spirit, but the proof is in peace and love in the heart for God and others, in addition to joy, and in having more and more victory over sin as time progresses. <b>Are we trying to caution you against receiving the Holy Spirit?</b> <u>No way!</u> <i><u>We are advising you to be on your guard and pray diligently.</u></i> <b>If you have received the Holy Spirit this is the most wonderful thing you could ever experience this side of Heaven, and the Holy Spirit will help you to live a righteous life for God!</b> <u>There is no safety in your life, unless you have humbled yourself to God, and devoted yourself completely to Him and have received the Holy Spirit</u>, and have had great changes in your life to help you to be an overcomer.<br />
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<b>Now let us talk about the joy of the righteous that God wants to give everyone:</b><br />
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<b>The joy that the righteous can experience on this earth, and later for all eternity with the Lamb, far exceeds anything that can be experienced on this earth.</b> <u>True joy is found in the path of wisdom; in knowing, loving and obeying God.</u> “<b>You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;</b> <u>in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.</u>” Psalm 16:11 NASB. <b>The righteous’ prayer to their Heavenly Father is:</b> “<u>I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.</u>” Psalms 119:16 KJV. And “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Psalm 119:35 KJV. Yes the righteous delight or receive joy from keeping God’s commandments; this is something that those that don’t think they need to or can’t keep God’s commandments will never know, unless they repent.<br />
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<b>True joy is found in the things that the fool detests, and those with true joy detest folly.</b> “<i>The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul</i>: <u>but <i>it is</i> abomination to fools to depart from evil.</u>” Proverbs 13:19 KJV.<br />
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<b>Those who have found the path of wisdom, peace and joy, know that they can count on God to take care of them and save them.</b> “<i><u>But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy</u></i>, <b>because thou defendest them</b>: <u>let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.</u>” Psalm 5:11 KJV. <i>This is the only basis for real joy.</i><br />
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<b>Those who have found the path of wisdom, peace and joy are not afraid to give or serve God and help others, this is what they live for. </b>They know that giving to God and to others will only increase their joy and eternal riches in Heaven, where the most blessed are the most unselfish, and the most giving. And they have great joy! “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, <i>and</i> running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." Luke 6:38 NASB.<br />
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<b>God’s best gifts are given to those who love Him and are devoted completely to Him; His willing servants.</b> This joy cannot be known except by those who know it, or only partially by those learning to yield to God. We can describe it, but it can’t be understood until you get it for yourself (if you don’t already have it). <u>It is what makes life worth living, living for all eternity!</u> But if you have given your heart to God at one time, you probably knew at least part of this joy if not more. <b>Whenever this fully happens, it will change your life forever!</b> <u>It is very hard indeed to go back to your old ways without this peace, love and joy!</u><br />
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<b>Now for the conclusion of the matter:</b><br />
<b>The joy of wisdom exceeds that of folly and sinful pleasures and indulgences.</b> <u>It is as far is the east is from the west, and as far as righteousness exceeds wickedness and as the day exceeds the night.</u> Ecclesiastes 2:13.<br />
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<b>My desire for all is that they would cease to find joy in folly, and want to be wise, seeking after the wisdom from God, and become born again, filled with the Spirit and with much joy! </b><br />
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<b>May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you! </b>And may your heart be filled with God’s inexpressible love and joy! Amen.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<b>How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!</b> <u>But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.</u> He will be like a tree <i>firmly</i> planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” Psalms 1:1-3 NASB.</blockquote>
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#Joy #Fool #Wise #Wisdom #Folly #Path #Think #Consider #Study #Foolishness #Life #Peace #Riches #Happiness #Sin #Wickedness #Road #HolySpirit #Night #Day John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519378618079473158.post-28699660788312167402017-06-19T08:29:00.000-05:002018-12-22T13:53:13.448-06:00Get Up, Let Us Go From Here…<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By <a href="http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/about" target="”_blank”"><b>John Foll</b></a>, entered 11/29/2016 from notes and updated, and finished 6/10/2017 to 6/19/2017.<br />
© Copyright 2017 John Foll<br />
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Jesus said, ‘<b>But so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here</b>.’ John 14:31 NASB.<br />
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<b>It’s time to get busy serving the Lord and carrying out His will. Get up, let us go from here!</b> <u>This is what Jesus said as He went out of the last supper with His disciples, to allow Judas Iscariot and the mob to arrest Him and take Him to Jerusalem, that He might die on the cross for our sins.</u> <b>Men did a lot of bad things to Jesus, but it was necessary for our salvation and for the world that He submit to all that Satan and evil men would do to Him</b>; <u>that He would drink this cup that the Father had given Him to drink and die on the cross for our sins, a most cruel death, but He did it out of love for His Father and for you and me!</u> <b>But He would see all the people who would be saved, and be satisfied with His sacrifice.</b> “<u>He shall see of the travail of his soul, <i>and</i> shall be satisfied</u>: <b>by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.</b>” Isaiah 53:11 KJV. Never forget what Jesus did for you and the other sinners in this world! <u>Meditate on this often, never let it depart from your mind.</u><br />
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<b>In like manner, if we love Jesus and His Father, it is time, high time, that we go out from here to carry out God’s plan to save the world.</b> <u>God will give us the Holy Spirit and all of the gifts that we need to carry out His will, if this is our desire.</u> We will not worry what people will say or do against us, but will proceed to carry out God’s will. And no matter what cross we have to bear, or what hardship we have to endure, or what comfort or need we forgo to have the funds and resources to help others get to know Him, it will all be worth it in the end, for we will see the work of our life in the souls we have helped and won God’s power and be satisfied, like Jesus was, who is our Master. <u>There will be much joy in Heaven for those who have been faithful in serving God and their fellow man.</u> This is the reward of the righteous. <u>This joy will be compounded and accrued throughout eternity!</u> <b>What kind of price can you place on someone else’s soul; for their love, joy and happiness throughout eternity?</b> Have you no thought or care for their needs? <u>Look at what Jesus did for you and the eternal peace, joy and happiness He bought for you.</u> <b>Does this not bring forth gratitude and love in your heart for Him?</b> <b>How can you hold back this love and joy that He has given you?</b> <u>You cannot, if you have received His forgiveness and love into your heart.</u><br />
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<b>Get up, let us go from here.</b> <u>The fields are white for the harvest. </u><b>“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.</b> Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and <i>then</i> comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. <b>Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.</b>’” John 4:34-36 NASB.<br />
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<b>Jesus said, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and <i>so</i> prove to be My disciples.</b> <i>Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.</i> If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. <b>These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and <i>that</i> your joy may be made full.</b>” John 15:8-11 NASB. <u>Yes, God the Father would be glorified if you bear much fruit for Him; if you would lay everything on the altar and do everything that you can to win many precious souls for Him.</u> <b>How can you prove to be Jesus’ disciple?</b> <u>If you abide in His love as He abode in His Father’s love.</u> This is how you keep His commandments, by abiding in His love. <u>This is how you glorify His Father, like He did; by always doing exactly what He has commanded you to do.</u> <b>This is how you can have your joy made full, by abiding in Jesus’ love and bearing much fruit for God.</b><br />
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<b>Do not worry if you are not sure how you can serve Him or think that you don’t have the skills or gifts needed.</b> <u>God will not ask you to do some great thing beyond your ability.</u><b> Notice we didn’t say “current ability” or the gifts and abilities that you were born with.</b> You might be surprised, if you have faith and believe, God is not limited in what He can do for you! <u>He is your creator and loves you and can miraculously provide you with new gifts and abilities that you never had before, or help you to develop skills that you didn’t think that you had!</u><b> Nothing good is impossible with God!</b> Do not fear that God is asking you to do something that you cannot do. <u>Do not say, ‘What can I do?” with the idea that you cannot do anything at all.</u> Do not feel bad if you are not good at doing things that others feel are more important or that you should do. Do not look at what others are doing or not doing as your guide, but let your love for God and desire to serve Him fuel your efforts. <u>Do not let others try to tell you what you should or should not do to serve God.</u> Do not look to man to figure out what you should or should not do. Lean not to the flesh.<b> Some may have wise counsel that you should listen to, if they know you well and are ‘Spirit filled’, but many people see things only as man sees them, not through the eyes of faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God.</b> Hebrews 11:6. It is not wise to listen to those who have not yielded themselves fully to God and do not fully believe. Or to those who have not experienced the joys of serving God. <u>Look to God who cannot fail.</u> <b>If the Christians that you are close to or observe are lukewarm and not doing anything, this will have no bearing on you, if you love Jesus.</b><br />
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<b>If you love Jesus, you will be willing to serve Him, and ask Him for the help and direction needed to serve Him effectively.</b> <u>If you are willing, and trust Him, you will be given what you need to serve Him.</u> In the verse before our passage above in John 15:8-11 Jesus said, <u>“</u>If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7 NASB. <b>If you listen to all of Jesus’ words, and meditate on them in your heart, and allow them to work their way through to your soul, you will be transformed into His likeness.</b> <u>Then you will ask what you will need to serve Him with, and it will be given to you, because you abide in His love.</u> <b>You can be very bold in your requests to God, if you are clean before Him and have yielded yourself fully to Him!</b> He will always listen to your prayers if you truly love Him! <b>If you love Jesus and His Father, do not be afraid to ask them for the help you need to glorify them and to help save the lost, or to help in whatever way they would be pleased for you to serve.</b> <u>The Father would be delighted to give you all the gifts that you need and the direction as to how you can best serve Him.</u> If you yield to Him all the way, He will give you all the help you need to succeed! This is His promise to you.<br />
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<b>Jesus told all who would be His disciples how they can receive the gifts that they need to serve Him with when He said,</b> <u>“</u><u>Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater <i>works</i> than these he will do; because I go to the Father.</u> <b>Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.</b> <u>If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do <i>it.</i></u><i>”</i> John 14:12-14 NASB. <b>This asking of anything in Jesus’ name to the Father is not a blank check to ask for anything that you would want to ask, but is anything that would glorify Jesus and His Father, that is to do the ‘greater works’ than what Jesus did while He was on this earth. </b>They are ‘greater works’ because of their extent throughout the world; various followers of Jesus would spread the good news of God’s love throughout the earth!<b> Jesus has promised you, that if you ask anything in His name, He will give it to you.</b> <u>To ask in His name is to ask for what you need to carry out His will.</u> <b>You should know that if you have yielded yourself fully to Jesus and His Father, then your heart will become ‘knit’ with them, and you will ask them for all the gifts that you need to serve them with.</b> <u>God would be delighted to give you your requests, whenever you pray in Jesus’ name, believing in Jesus, as this passage plainly states.</u><br />
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<b>Do you want to receive the wages of the reaper or the gatherer?</b> <b>Do you wish to serve Jesus in telling the world of His Father’s love?</b> <u>Then your food and drink will be to do the work that He has given you to do.</u> <b>Your greatest desire will be to serve Him and do all that you can to help others know and be saved too.</b> Whether you are a sower or a reaper you will rejoice in being given a part to play in this great work of God’s love for the world, and you will have your reward. <u>If you love Jesus and His Father, you will do exactly as He has commanded you:</u> <u>To go out and make disciples of all men</u>, <u>teaching them all things that He has commanded</u>, and <b>lo, He will be with you, until the end of the world.</b> Matthew 28:18-20. Amen. <u>Jesus has commanded all of His true followers, His disciples, until the end of the world to bear much fruit for His Father and win many souls for the kingdom.</u> <b>This brings honor and glory to God, for God is love!</b> 1 John 4:8. And He is not willing that any should perish. 2 Peter 3:9.<br />
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<b>Do you want to prove to be Jesus’ disciple?</b> <u>Then get up, let us go from here!</u> <b>Go out in His strength, and bear much fruit for His Glory! Amen.</b><br />
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John Follhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04585905371816743269noreply@blogger.com0