everything is going to change some more!

 ~ everything is going to change some more! ~  

subtitled: Diversity and Differences in God’s Universe and University

(Please send thoughts, suggestions and corrections/edits to comment box)

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Part One:

It is Unity Month at Faith Christian Fellowship. In February many churches in Baltimore celebrate Black History Month as do many in secular circles. Someone asked our pastors years ago why we did not celebrate it. They said "Good question!" Today and for some few years our church has celebrated February as Unity Month to promote Christian unity and reconciliation between diverse peoples. Our congregation has as many or more blacks as whites (I think) and not a few Asians and at least two Hispanic families I know of. Race is a touchy subject, and can be so even at our church! (And FCF is a very politically diverse too!) I have not been favorably disposed to participating in the sunday school in February, or the annual conference. Only this year have I wanted to embrace Unity Month at FCF church, and only because God has done such a deep work of grace and agape in me which makes me want to love others as He loves us. Thanks, Jesus. I needed that more that I knew, much more!!! Here are some observations have been welling up in the mind God has been transforming in me:

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

• Why am I a christian? What do I want to be, to do, to get, to give, to happen because I am a christian?
• What does God want me to be, to do, to get, to give, to happen because I am a christian?
• Why are we christian? What do we want to be, to do, to get, to give, to happen because we are christian?
• What does God want us to be, to do, to get, to give, to happen because we are christian?
• What is a Christian? 
• What is FAITH? Hebrews 11:1; and 6 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ~ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” 
• What is a fellowship? (Recently I learned that in Hebrew parlance fellowship carries with it the strong content of partnership. That leads me to think about covenant relationship.)

And so as a christian, and a member of Faith Christian Fellowship, hey! What’s it all about?

God is different from us, or why should John have written the scripture I quoted just above? Yet and BECAUSE God is different from us He calls and commands us to become like His Son who is like Him!!! Jesus is so much like God He is God!

We see ourselves as different than each other, but God sees us by our faith and by His Son's blood as ALL just like Jesus!

Being like Jesus we forgive all as He forgave all those who broke His Holy Perfect heart! Yes?

Men and women without believing, without trusting Christ cannot become like Him. But being born again IN Christ, and trusting Him is the key opening the door to the school of the Holy Spirit where we learn of Him (Matthew 11:28 to 30) and do in realty become just like Him! Flawlessly? Not yet, although Jesus in us is capable of producing a change in us, and even more so in this life in our flesh and blood than we can imagine!

So the we ought, ought we not, to ask for that which we cannot imagine, and that we would daily trust Him to bring us to a more complete likeness of Him, Jesus, God’s Son, who died and rose redeeming us from sin and from the power of sin, from the slave market of satan and from hell.

1) Did I confess my sins last Sunday?

2) Did God forgive me then?

3) Have I sinned since then?

4) If I ask God to forgive me NOW, will He forgive me NOW?

5) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.

How big is God?
Is God, are Dios Themselves diverse? (“trick” question! Dios being Spanish for God!))

Am I different than God? Than Jesus? Than the Holy Spirit? Am I diverse from God?

A young Africam American neighbor of mine in my “hood” asked me one day what color Jesus was. It was not the first time I had been asked that by a “black” person who was firmly persuaded Jesus was a “black” man. It is not an easy question to answer, for I wasn’t living when Jesus walked among men. It is almost pointless to say He was a Jewish man and likely olive skinned. But on this occasion the Lord dropped an answer into my mind which startled me a bit but quickly gave me great joy, and I was able to tell Him the color of Jesus is holy! I pray you see that as from God. Essentially it takes the issue of color and race out of the picture and places God in the Light of His being different than fallen sinful men of any and all colors. 

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

The Light is Holy, yes? So is holy a color? You dear one may be the judge!

Romans 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, 

• present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
• be not conformed to this world: 
• be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may 
• prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 
• do not think of [your]self more highly than [you] ought to think;
• think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

 And being beseeched by Paul and by God, ought we not, being beseeched, go on to submit to the transforming power of God’s Word and Spirit? WE ARE called and commanded to become holy and perfection. To have the mind of Christ! Philippians! We can HAVE the mind of Christ! 1 Corinthians 2!  Ought we not to also beseech each other?

1. Love: good, kind, merciful, generous, Agape, LOVE, God!
2. Holy: Everywhere, Knowing everything(one),  Governing everything(one) He is Righteous in all His judgment, “that they may KNOW that I am the Lord.”
3. Perfect: He is Righteous in all His judgment, and perfect in all His Ways. (flawlessly!) 

• 
  

1. We will love like Jesus loves. 
2. We will be forever joined to God who is Holy, we will be holy. 
3. We will be perfect. 

• 
  

1. We can love like Jesus loves when we walk in His Holy Spirit
2. We can be holy like Jesus is when we walk in His Holy Spirit
3. We can be perfect like Jesus is when we walk in His Holy Spirit
   

The ability to love as God loves is hampered by the fall: by human frailty, the world, and by temptation; holiness and perfection are likewise hampered. The implication(s) of holiness are still above my pay grade, but I accept the command to be holy and trust the Lord to make me holy. Likewise to be perfect. Yet perfection is misunderstood to mean flawless. We are flawlessly perfect in God’s sight now but only by grace through faith in Christ under His blood, having flawlessness imputed to us as an inheritance future. Two greek words are used in the NT which we translate “perfect.” 1) plēroō / πληρόω and 2) telioos / τέλειος~  The gist of them is to be complete, full, finished! See Col 2:10; Acts 6:8; Hebrews 12:2 and others.

Hence we are transformed in Christ, and being transformed by the Holy Spirit, and to be like Him, we now can walk with Jesus on the narrow way of His Love!

We ARE the church God is building; we are building materials, living stones. God is Holy and what He builds is holy. [1 Peter 1:13-16; Matthew 5:1-48]

“Warriors tear down and destroy, FATHERS BUILD” (Douglas MacArthur).
Jeremiah 1:4-10   

1 Peter 2:5

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

John 17: “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

I am impressed that this prayer may be the greatest prayer ever prayed. A preacher from the subcontinent India named Koshi has said: “Our God is a prayer hearing God, our God is a prayer answering God. and our God is a wonder working God!” TRUTH!  The question that came to me is: If this is Jesus the Son of God praying to His Father God, was this prayer answered? I’m not sorry, but the answer I come to is Yes! Without a doubt YES! How could the Father (our Father!) deny anything to His flawlessly obedient Son Jesus our Lord and Eldest Brother??? What is the implication of that answer??? 

The disciples and all who are born again are ONE in unity and fellowship with God in Christ! It may be hard to see this, especially in light of the divisions over denomination, doctrine, form, and custom in Christendom, but essentially if you were, are being and will be saved in Christ to live with Him forever, you are in union with Him and all His born again children! As we grow in Christ, in God who is Love and in the Holy Spirit, our unity in Him will overcome our diversity and differences, not to worry how attached we are to them now, or how offended we are by the differences we see in others, Christ wins us so that we may win Him! And when that happens we win each other!

The following quote is by a Dutch preacher (whose name I forgot to note) seen in a documentary..

“There was an interview with a Dutch church historian, and they asked him, these BBC people, about the Dutch church, and he made the most interesting remark, he said, ‘We have dozens of protestant denominations and Christian groups because to the Dutch person truth is more important than unity.’ And when I heard it, I thought, I’ve tried to say in a whole sermon what you said in one sentence. What he meant by truth and rightly analyzed, is my interpretation of the Bible, my dogmatic views, my doctrinal views. But Jesus said, ‘I am the truth.’ Truth is not a teaching; truth is a person. And if you have that person you have that truth, and in that person is always unity. But if we put our understanding of the scripture and our doctrinal views higher than the person of Jesus… and I’m going to say maybe something very sharp, and I want to say it respectfully and honorably… we worship idols. Anything we place above the Lord Jesus is an idol. Our unity is not in a teaching, it is in a person and in a person you always find one another."  

It is important to understand this quote for it will truly help us to ENJOY the sweet fruit of the our love and fellowship of, in and with God! I am very persuaded of the critically important need to see the wonderful truth in this quote about unity, truth and Jesus. 

1 John 1

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Earlier I wrote that in Hebrew parlance the word fellowship carries with it the strong content of partnership. That leads me to think about covenant, and covenant relationship(s).  And this speaks to the truth that we are in a spiritual AGAPE LOVE relationship with God, which is personal AND corporate, AND EVERLASTING!!! It doesn’t get any better than this! 

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Part Two

We... “We the people...” It would be interesting to do a word study on the word we in the Scriptures! When any ONE says WE, they are speaking for others! And suddenly this true story comes to mind which ended with this exchange:

Exodus 19

7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

8 And all the people answered together, and said, “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.”

Did they speak as one, in unity? 

Also I am reminded of another amazing word from scriptures, the word “Amen!” When we gather to pray, most often one prays and then in Jesus name WE say Amen!

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

We are in Unity Month at my church, our church, and we are called to be one body in one faith by one God and Father of us all. When I began to follow Jesus in 1976 I came to see that as the scriptures say: Jesus is building HIS church. Now as the earth and humanity and believers are constituted we cannot all be gathered under one roof. Perhaps we ought to see the 2nd and 3rd heavens as a roofs. Because of human limitation we meet in congregations, 10’s, 50’s, 100’s  and larger. In heaven will there be a roof large enough? The reality is we don’t need a roof to cover us, for God our Divine Head is always above us. And by the majesty of His will, His Son: Lo! He is with us even now always! And to mention the Holy Spirit, Hallelu Yah!

Essentially the unity of God in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is Spiritual and Relational. When we are born again He draws us via the Anointed Savior into a spiritual relationship with Him, with Them (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). He takes us as individuals into Himself, into the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit and we are changed! Headline: Whatever we were before that, we are not that anymore! We are (also) brought into the Body of Christ, joined in God and by God into a Spiritual unity with ALL the people of God already in Unity with each other THROUGH Him and TO Them. Who ever we were hanging with before has changed forever too.

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

HalleluYah !!!

Christian unity comes to the church by each one and all being reconciled to God, and THEREBY, THEREIN and THEREAFTER reconciled, unified to each other! Awesome! Paul writes that he and his fellow laborers we given the ministry of reconciliation. They were divinely inSpired persuaders of men who by the Power of God (the Holy Spirit) were reconciled to God and to each other. I have an unction in the moment to look up “reconciliation!”

Oh My! It just keeps getting better and better!

Lexicon Results

Strong's G2643 - katallagē  καταλλαγή

Transliteration katallagē

Pronunciation kä-täl-lä-gā' (Key)

Part of Speech feminine noun

Root Word (Etymology) From καταλλάσσω (G2644)

reconciliation
Outline of Biblical Usage

1) exchange

a) of the business of money changers, exchanging equivalent values

2) adjustment of a difference, reconciliation, restoration to favour

a) in the NT of the restoration of the favour of God to sinners that repent and put their trust in the expiatory death of Christ

Above I underlined in bold type the thing that stands out to me in the FCF context of unity month.

More questions: 

• How many appreciate the fact that God loves you?
• How many appreciate the fact that I love you?
• How many muslims appreciate the fact that Jesus the quintessential Jew loves them?
• How many white supremacists appreciate the fact that some African Americans love them. and that Jesus the quintessential Jew loves all African Americans?
• How many African Americans appreciate the fact that some white folks love them?
• How many Tootsies appreciate the fact that some Hutus love them?
• How many South African whites appreciate the fact that some kaffirs love them? 
• How many unbelievers appreciate the fact the believers in Christ and Jesus who is THE Christ love them?
• How many gentiles appreciate the fact that Messianic Jewish believers and Yeshua the quintessential Jew love them?
• How many gentile Christians appreciate the fact that Messianic Jewish believers and Yeshua the quintessential Jew love them?
• AND finally, how well, how much do I, do we appreciate the fact that Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit LOVE us with an everlasting LOVE? 

(( Definition of APPRECIATE

transitive verb

1a : to grasp the nature, worth, quality, or significance of

b : to value or admire highly

c : to judge with heightened perception or understanding : be fully aware of

d : to recognize with gratitude

2: to increase the value of ))

I submit that difference and diversity are essentially are words which have almost exactly the same meaning, and that diversity it is a politically correct code word, a buzz word for difference.  Differences ARE often very problematic until we are in Christ where ALL THINGS are made NEW! And they can remain problematic until we hear what God would have us to do to eliminate the problems!

Acts 17
26 And [God] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

And [God] hath made of one blood all nations of men!

Our diversities of color, ethnic membership, cultural history, cultural preferences, personal tastes are very important if we interpret them in the light of the Scriptures! They are the “artistry” of God, yes? no? If they are often/also a proving ground, even a fire of affliction on/in which God refines us into saints, we can be grateful for the process and the outcome if not the details of the differences!  The devil is in the details it is said, and he seems to often be in amongst “different” people(s) stirring up problems and sin.

But God’s outcome in you who abide in the Jesus the Vine is everlasting Life!

We all want to be loved. We all want what we are and who we are to be rejected... NOT!

We all want to be loved and accepted. And yet we are different, we see ourselves as different and we are seen as different by others! Some love or hate us for our differences. Some are indifferent to our differences and that can offend or please us too! We can also be loved or hated by those very similar to us!  Human problems arise from a multitude of diverse/different issues and reasonings!

What advantage do our differences, our diversities “bring to the table?” I see them as being inclusions on the God ordained platform(s) from which we all spring (we are His offspring!) into life, and why?

Revelation 4:11b “...for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

We need to bow to God the Creator our Maker and see ourselves as who we are:  “the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” Psalm 95  God essentially sees us as sheep. I wish were so dumb as sheep whom I have never heard hated each other over the curl or color of their wool!

We are God’s workmanship! We are “what God does!” We are not His hobby either, we are His beloved full time “job!” And God is always successful to finish the job! Hebrews 12: 2 Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of our faith, of us! We are, ALL who trust Christ, in the Holy Spirit’s Finishing School.

Revelation 5:9

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Ephesians 2

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Eph.3:10)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

17 And came and preached peace to you (y’all) which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

I am not different than myself! I am what I am and that’s all that I am at any given point in time. In Christ I am a NEW CREATION, His workmanship. I am reconciled to Him by the Son as just as if I had never sinned, yet I’m being restored to the likeness of God in Christ!  God who lives outside of time and space is different than the thing I am today. He is flawless, Uncreated, Eternal, and as the Complete Jewish Bible is translated He is “More holy than the holiest holiness!” (Isaiah 6:3) AND...He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever. Can it be that when we get to heaven we will also be, in comparison with anything of flesh and blood on earth today, just like Jesus who IS “More holy than the holiest holiness?”  Astonishingly the answer will be yes! (in comparison, mind you!) And yet God will still be holier that that! 

More questions:

• Could I be comfortable coming to a place where I would never ever change, never become something other than I then am? 
• Do I want to be different in days to come? Why? Why not?
• Are the things in and about me that are different than the things in and about you important? Why? Why not? 
• Do the differences between us detract, add to, or change my life? Our fellowship?
• If you were to become a clone of me, or I were to become a clone of you, would it be an improvement for either of us?
• If I were to see Jesus and be like Him, would I be different from what I am now, would I be different from what you are now? 
• Am I different now from what you will be when you see Jesus?

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Five times in one verse: we! Our Faith, mine and yours is not different, it is not diverse, and it is through our same “like precious” faith (see 1 Peter 1:1) we receive the grace of God and His Holy Spirit and the Blood which saves us!

I am left imagining a celebration which never ends and where the fruit of the Spirit of Holy God is all that is ever served to us and by us!

Thanks be to God, whose in His everlasting mercy has forgiven US and saved US by His grace of Jesus the penultimate and the ultimate Messiah, and the ultimate King! And to mention the Holy Spirit...

Hallelu Yah !!!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo !!!!!!!!!!!!

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 7:24 to 8:39

everything is going to change some more!

In light of the rapid rate of political change in our nation, I believe strongly that we need to continue to DIG DEEP, and keep building upon the rock. Frankly we needed to do that at the height of our national success and affluence. Derek Prince taught that succeeding and prospering are more difficult tests of faith that failing and being poor. Matthew 5:1-12 seems to illuminate that teaching as true! The rebuke to the Laodicean Church bears witness too: “thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”  See also Ezekiel 16.

It may happen that the freedom we have to worship God in Christ will be encroached on more, as it has been so often in much of the world. There have been more christians martyred for the faith in the past 112 years than in all the 1900 years prior!

When we stand on the Rock, abide in the Vine, and continue to be discipled, and to disciple others, we can be assured Jesus our Rock and Vine is with us, giving us COURAGE to face whatever comes, even if it be martyrdom! I don’t want to be martyred, I want to live now for another 20 years and die having born more fruit that remains! But if we are faced with an executioner who offers pardon for a denial of the Lord and the faith, I trust the Lord our God will give me and thee the courage to accept an “early out!” 

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Luke 12:3-5

3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

1 Peter 5:5-6

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Galatians 6:8-10

8 ... he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Born Again

by David B Severy on Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 3:15pm ·

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To be "born" means to be carried. A woman who is pregnant bears or carries the child. Then it is birthed by her into the world on the "birth"day.  In a sense God is pregnant with all who live on earth now. He does however have much more to say about who He will bear into heaven. Being born again or anew is also said to be "born from above." The thing I take away from all this is that we are truly in the hands of a great and awesome God, who loves us dearly, yet requires that we repent and believe. Life is probationary, and reprobation is a sad reality and hell is a real place. That is why we need to be desperate before God for His mercy and grace.

Bob Mumford said we get saved this way: God chases us down (in His mercy and love), puts His foot on our neck, and the next day we declare "I found God." LOL, it is so true. We are very self absorbed and never see or so easily forget or that God made us and saves us for His purpose and pleasure. Revelation 4:11. The implication is that if we do not please Him for His heavenly pleasure and purpose He has prepared a place for us apart from Him. Being born again is a great privilege, the greatest. It is God’s purpose and pleasure to give us our second birth, we dare not deny Him. 

A problem is that we have let born again people and not born again people determine what we believe about being born again (people). Instead we should look to the scriptures and the Holy Spirit to instruct our faith. John Ch. 3 is really very plain that we must be born again. It remains for us to learn it of Him who said it is so.

creepy cartoon

Thou O Lord Art A Shield Around Me, My Glory and the Lifter of My Head!

by David B Severy on Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at 11:37pm ·

Our salvation was not accomplished by any violent defense of the right to live. It was accomplished by Jesus simply being the Son of God who could never be defeated! Yet He suffered the "defeat" of death for us! He tasted death for every one of us, and all of us since Adam sinned have been born into defeat, conceived in sin and born into mortality. Jesus could suffer death in His Mortal flesh and be raised by the power of God. He did not need to defeat anyone in order to do this.

What He did in dying and rising is fight for us the battle we needed to fight and to win, but that battle we could not win even in all the fighting we might do! Since we were powerless to win the fight He who could not lose it fought it for us and won it FOR US!!!!!!!!! Jesus simply absorbed, broke the power of sin and and canceled the penalty for sins which we did and do.

Do you believe this? Do you receive this from Jesus the savior and the Lord of all, to whom all power in heaven and in earth is given? Then you are saved for all eternity to come! Jesus won for you by taking away your sins which gave satan the accuser the cause of condemnation. 

John 1:12  ...as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name

John 8
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Since we have the confidence of living sinless lives in the Kingdom of God for all eternal life to come, we can see how sin is broken off us and made powerless. As we se more and more of the glorious Truth of God in our Life hear and now we shall become zealous to receive the fullness of the anointing of the Messiah and the Holy Spirit to break off satan's yoke and then take the yoke of Jesus on our necks! 

Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

Matthew 11
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 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.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The way to see more and more of the Glorious Truth of God in our lives is to live by faith in His literal Presence, for God is Omnipresent!

Psalm 139
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Do not be afraid of Islamists that can kill the body...

Do not be afraid of Islamists that can kill the body...

by David B Severy on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 7:31am ·

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Only 7% of all muslims are terrorists! That is good yes? Not really, because 7% of all muslims equals 91,000,000 muslims. Nevertheless:Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.   

Sometimes the truth needs to be told even if it hurts! It is not sane or safe to tolerate the Islamic "religion" whose Jihad seeks to destroy Israel and subjugate all non muslims. Islam does not even save one for heaven! Islam is really just a beard for a tyrannical Islamic clergy bent on world hegemony. Most muslims are in almost as much danger from Islamic terrorists as non muslims. 

We are certainly to love muslims, but we cannot tolerate their goals or their false doctrines. It is better love to preach the gospel to them than to live silently at peace with them as they take over the world.

Caliphate, Sharia, Taqiyya, Jihad, Cultural Jihad, Shahid, Dhimmi, Dhimmitude...

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THESE words/phrases MEAN? IF YOU DO NOT, you are ignorant of the goals and the methods of Islamic politics. Get an education, google them and study. Islam is essentially Satan's theocracy. If you do not think so AFTER learning these real practices and goals of Islamic leadership, then answer my comment!

Jesus did not tolerate sin, he exposed it and he forgave it. We can forgive muslims for following their false god, and even their many murders,  but we ought not ever hide the truth that it is a false god and one that cannot save them or any man. Muslims should be glad we tolerate their presence in our communities. They do not always tolerate our presence in theirs. If their goals are advanced successfully, they will be killing infidels anywhere, even in the USA, who will not submit to their Jihad and Sharia. It is for the muslim to be at peace with us, and to exercise the first amendment rights we hold dear, WITHOUT becoming violent with what we are free to say about them. 

We all want peace in this life. Jesus is the Prince of true peace, but not peace that compromises truth. Jesus will be sending all unrepentant muslims to hell! No, you say? Yes he will, and those muslims he loves are being saved by dreams, visions and epiphanies of Jesus in their homelands where their "leaders" have closed their borders to christian missionaries for years! 

Are we afraid that open criticism of the false religion of Islam  will stir up some Muslim to attack us on the street? Personally I trust Jesus to protect me from all harm, and have great confidence that nothing touches me without his attention. So it you see that I have been kidnapped or jailed by muslims, it will be God that is overseeing something greater than my personal freedom requires. 

I am not looking for martyrdom, but the definition of martyrdom does not always include death or violence. To be a martyr is to believe Christ, to confess Him before men as Lord and Savior, and to do His will, even giving up ones claim the "good life." Being murdered for being a martyr is something that happens today, and , ore than ever! But I would rather live to preach the gospel than die as a result of believing. Notwithstanding , "not my will but Thine be done!"

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

If all we want is to peacefully co-exist here and now, we should rather want to make disciples of the Lord who can give true peace AND everlasting LIFE! And make disciples of those deceived by Islam!

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

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

We would all benefit greatly by looking at the many things Jesus said between these two verses and in all the gospels. Such as:

John 15

17 These things I command you, that yes love one another.

18 If the world hate you, yes know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If yes were of the world, the world would love his own: but because yes are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

27 And yes also shall bear witness...

Jesus did not tolerate sin, he exposed it and he forgave it. We can forgive muslims for their false god, but we ought not to hide the truth that it is a false god and one that cannot save a soul. 

Caliphate, Sharia, Taqiyya, Jihad, Cultural Jihad, Shahid, Dhimmi, Dhimmitude...

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THESE words/phrases MEAN? IF YOU DO NOT, you are ignorant of the goals and the methods of Islamic politics. Get an education, google them and study. Islam is essentially Satan's theocracy. If you do not think so AFTER learning these real practices and goals of Islamic leadership, then answer my comment!

the rifle

the rifle

and THE KORAN!

rifles

AND the KORAN

the rifle

the rifle

Destiny with amplifications

by David B Severy on Sunday, October 21, 2012 at 7:41am ·

Just as God sent Israel into Canaan led by Joshua, so he sends the church into the world today! The difference? The battle strategy is now made Love; the Tactic now prayer and the Weapons now spiritual and mighty through God.

He sent Israel into Canaan at the first, so now He sends them in again this last time. He sent them in with Joshua, a few in number, a stiffnecked and unrighteous nation, yet a people belonging to Him.  So he sends them today, not yet born again (made righteous), still small stubborn and yet a people belonging to the patriarchs to whom He promised the land forever!

Some people believe the great cloud of witnesses (martyrs) of Hebrews 12 to be the church in heaven looking out over the church on earth. It makes a lot of sense to me! I can imagine my grandmother and my aunt there, rooting for me as I run and fight here in the world. I think anyone who has saved relatives who have died would agree. So can we see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs, Samuel, Esther, as even Ruth and Rahab, there in the galleries of heaven rooting for their kin here in the world today? And can we see Jesus, Son of God and the brother of the Jews rooting and praying for them? I think it is impossible to see the Jews today as abandoned at all. Blinded in part is as much as the scriptures declare them to be. And so I believe that it is essential, and perhaps even a test of gentile loyalty to choose to love, to bless and to minister to the chosen people. Isn’t what God has done after Jesus came and went simply to level the playing field? It may be even more than that, for He seems to have given the gentiles an advantage for almost 2000 years!

And for that advantage gentile pride says the Jews are no and forever excluded from the continuance of their Jewish family, and the promises God made to their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are voided. A very careful reading of Romans 9-11 is necessary. In these Chapters Israel refers to Jewish Israel.

Romans 11 (ESV)

11 So I’m asking you: They haven’t stumbled so that they’ve fallen permanently, have they? Absolutely not! But salvation has come to the Gentiles by their failure, in order to make Israel jealous. 12 But if their failure brings riches to the world, and their defeat brings riches to the Gentiles, how much more will come from the completion of their number! 13 I’m speaking to you Gentiles. Considering that I’m an apostle to the Gentiles, I publicize my own ministry 14 in the hope that somehow I might make my own people jealous and save some of them. 15 If their rejection has brought about a close relationship between God and the world, how can their acceptance mean anything less than life from the dead?

But how can we say He has excluded Jewish people? The eleven and Matthias were Jews. All those in the upper room were Jews!  We know of no gentile to be saved at Pentecost, and Jesus sent Peter first and then Paul to minister reconciliation to gentiles. For much of the 1st and 2nd centuries the church was Jewish. Culturally and religiously! Yet the history of what happened to the thriving Jewish church is largely untaught today.

Regardless of the past, TODAY we have an opportunity given by God to observe, the be taught by Messianic Jewish teachers and to minister to the Jewish people. As small as they are (no more than 17,000,000 in the earth) and smaller yet the Messianic Jewish community (250,000 some say worldwide and perhaps 15-20 thousand in Israel) as few as they are for this man it is impossible for me to see how God is not in the midst of all that pertains to Israel, saved and unsaved.

To say that even one Jew can be saved by trusting Jesus is to say that any and all of them can be saved by Him. To say even one Jew is excluded and replaced by the gentiles is to exclude them all. It is not for us to determine who is saved and who is not saved between Jew and gentiles. It is our calling to love them, even and especially for their unique role in History, and to declare to them the soul saving Gospel of Adonai Yeshua Hamashiach; The Lord Jesus Christ. I think by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus we can do no less for them or anyone at all.

The Jew today and Israel the Land today are to me a key ingredient to our understanding of world events, and of God;s Eternal Plan and Kingdom. God has wrought the Jews, chosen them, chosen them now a second time and if my reading of prophesy is correct they are the first and the last! The were chosen by God at the first and became refuse in the eyes of the gentiles, even the gentile “church!” They were the first made last! To the point 6,000,000 (1/3) of them being slaughtered in the holocaust! And they and we who love them say “never again.” And now these last ones will be made first again in the Plan of God! They will rise into prominence from last place to first! All Israel will be saved! And sensible gentiles will love God’s doing this and love them and cheer them on!

The purposes of God in Joshua's day are essentially unchanged. He is judging the world and getting ready to purge from His Kingdom people all those who will not receive the only and ironically “final solution,” Jesus the Lamb for sinners slain from the foundation of the world!

The Land of Israel is the foreshadow of the New Jerusalem and the New heavens and earth. The Promise to Abraham is a foreshadow of the promise made to promise made to we who have received the righteousness of Christ in faith, who are now redeemed, justified, and being sanctified in this Spiritual and material Kingdom, and prepared for everlasting service (ministry) in the Everlasting Spiritual and Glorified Material Kingdom of God coming! 

In complete, full, mature, (pleroma perfect) faith we are now in the Heavenly Spiritual Canaan doing battle in the Spirit against the unseen angelic hosts of Satan!!! We have more than conquered them and satan through Jesus who loves us!

Because Jesus made a forever covenant with Abraham, this earth’s Land of Israel will be theirs forever as long as time lasts. It should have been theirs at every moment without their ever having been exiled, but they were unfaithful. God knew this and in His Plan from before Creation provided for redemption, salvation and sanctification covenantally, dispensational and eternally in Jesus our Savior! Step out from the trees and behold the forest!

We study it out like engineers, like scientists, even political scientists, and “theologically,” but God planned it all and executes it all from outside of time. Yet He did come into to time to lay that prophetically much heralded, final and so Personal “New” foundation of salvation (Jesus means salvation). To us it seems like it came in the middle of everything, in the middle of this huge and very imperfect mess, but God, who is living forever in timeless glory and flawless perfection, had planned it before He spoke those wonderful words “Let there be...”

I believe with all my heart that we must honor, esteem and highly value all the History of God (FOUND IN THE BIBLE), all the people of faith, and that includes the Jews, who though they so often strayed from the Way set before them have never been abandoned by their God. Faith is given in measure to every man and all have sinned, and certainly no less to any Jew, who all have sinned. The question remains for Jews, will they properly receive that faith not only from God, but from His Son by His Name? Will they  say “blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord” knowing the Name of the Lord IS Yeshua? God has not changed and they are still called and the gifts of God’s promises to them hinge only on a turning to their Messiah.

Romans 11 (KJV) 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

God would elect ALL mankind, and by Jesus blood covenant ALL could run for that office. And there is an office for ALL who believe in God’s Kingdom it is the office of SAINT!

Be NOMinated in the NOM of Jesus. Run the race and fight the good fight of and in the faith (the confidence and in the fellowship) in Jesus. Be faithful and you will be elected!

Having been nominated (called) I will run and being elected I will serve!

For me, a gentile, once excluded by God’s decree from Israel in the flesh, and from Israel of the promise, from Israel of God(!) I can only bow to our God who will save in Christ those whom He did now bring back again for the last time, IN the last time: the JEWS.  God invested 2000 years in the people of Abraham and Isaac and I believe every generation of Isaac had it’s faithful ones. Even when Moses, Joshua and Caleb were the only ones of them all! God has graciously grafted us into the tree He cultivated in the soil of the law. (Not into the law itself)  Yet even today the law has a “medicinal” effect on we who study it as it reveals through a glass darkly the character and holiness of God. Those Jews who follow the law today still receive in part the blessings which come from notstealing, not committing adultery, and from honoring mother and father, and all the rest. They have invested something too, all the way from Abraham  the man of faith to todays Jews still blinded in part until the fullness of the gentiles is accomplished! To God we owe a debt we cannot pay. To the Jews we owe a debt of love, for God sent them into the land of Canaan and into the world as neighbors to us gentiles, even if they are now enemies of the Gospel for our sake, to our advantage, that we be saved into the cultivated tree, the vine which IS Jesus. 

John 15

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Jesus spoke these words to eleven Jewish men. He is the vine, they are the branches and we are grafted into this vine that the Father has been husbanding since Abraham. 

John 4 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Most gentiles, even churched gentiles today do not know much at all about whom they worship! If it is true that Jews refused Jesus, how much is it so that gentiles refuse YHWH? If the Jews, to whom God revealed Himself to through miracle in Egypt, the wilderness, by Elijah and Elisha and finally Jesus AND His followers, If the Jews refused that, will gentiles refusing that know God any better? 

It seems to me that many gentile Christians today embrace the Gospel that justifies them but exclude the Gospel that humbles them. But there is only ONE Gospel. 

Romans 13

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Jesus shed abroad Divine, power filled Love from His Heart to all humankind, are we not to do the same? WE ARE NOW SAVED! In His Holy Spirit, God’s Divine Love lives in us to be shed abroad through us to all men, to our families, to the church of Christ, to our neighbors and to our enemies! Since we are saved by the precious forever powerful blood of Jesus, we need not fear the consequences of sharing the love of God in Jesus to any man.

God hears prayer, and God answers prayer. This is TRUE. We are foolish indeed not to pray. Paul prayed:

“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” AMEN!

Paul prayed: Let all God’s children say AMEN!

“Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” AMEN!

Paul prayed: Let all God’s children say AMEN!

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” AMEN!

Paul prayed: Let all God’s children say AMEN!

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” AMEN!

Paul prayed: Let all God’s children say AMEN!

My prayer is that men KNOW God, that they KNOW Him as their Father, as His Son their Savior and as God’s Holy Breath, that Holy Spirit who is also God and the Person of God’s Power in the earth today! AMEN! I’m not Paul, but I believe the same God Paul believed, and I declare His name: Yeshua, Iesous, Jesus ! In Hebrew, Greek or English the Son of the Living God, our High Priest in heaven, our Savior from sin, death, hell and the second death... Jesus is Lord, He is the Lord of all.

Jeremiah 9

23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

2 Thessalonians 1

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

Homeward Bound

by David B Severy on Friday, October 26, 2012 at 9:53am ·

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If our heart was a land, a nation, it would be named Canaan. It would have tribes of pagan idolaters living in it. It would be celebrating false Gods and indulging in orgies of imaginations, lofty opinions and thoughts all raised against the knowledge of God. My heart is still a place where the battle is raging. I want to obey God but the pagan influences in my heart don’t pay any attention to me. I live as Paul who lived and died daily, as he described in Romans Chapter 7.

Many people all over the world do not want war. Yet we live in a time where 100,000,000 Islamic fundamentalists want war. Why? Why is mankind either fleeing or attacking? Why do they provoke and thrust good men into the bloody defense of their own loved ones?

Christian, you must know that the devil IS A REAL ANGELIC PERSON and he has a large angelic following who are all together committed to war against your soul. Yes Jesus has won the victory for us! We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us! But in His wisdom God has called us into His church where we as one people preach the sermon of God to all the angelic realms and to all the peoples of the world. As the creation is the sure evidence of God the  Creator, the church is sure Evidence of God the Redeemer and Reconciler and of the One who tramples down satan and his followers!

The battle from heaven’s HQ was once against flesh and blood as Joshua led the army of God’s people into Canaan. But after Pentecost the battle tactics changed. The goal, the Master’s Plan didn’t change, but since the sending of the apostles the weapons, the armor, and the tactics have changed.

If we are to fight in God’s TODAY Army we will have to go through spiritual boot camp, and into spiritual training. The church trains to preach the Gospel and impart salvation by the Word of God in Christ. Our real enemy is the devil. All of us have to train and fight in the roles of our calling.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

We must accept and BELIEVE, and TRUST that God is SALVATION and He is LOVE and that He has brought us into life here to be saved and loved in the midst of what seems an impossible complex environment. 

In my “world” I have “peace.” I am rarely persecuted for my faith. The economic woes of my nation have not caused me great discomfort. It could and may get worse! But that will not change the truth or my destiny. In my mind and heart there is a spiritual battle taking place. My flesh wants to revive every day and have it’s own way.  Satan does persecute me, seeking to influence me to rebel against God. The world resists my being a son of God. But Jesus give REAL peace.

 John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

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

This body I live in is not permanent, nor is the earth. Everything is going to change one day. Those of us who have trusted God in Christ will pass from the battle field to the Kingdom of the Prince of Peace, the New Jerusalem and the New Heavens and Earth! 

It leads me to think we need to become like children all the more. We must simply trust God. We need simply to learn how God loves and love each other, neighbors and enemies like He does. All our trophies will be left here when we pass from this life to everlasting life. So shouldn’t our motives become enormously other directed? Our Everlasting future is secured in The Messiah’s finished work! We can’t lose our souls to the devil since we believe! He will not break His promises to us, and He will finish the work He began in us when we first believed.

The impossible complexities of this world will seem only as mild challenges to us living in our calling if we will simply be zealous, repent, turn to God every day and seek what God seeks: the lost and the dying souls of this age. If we seek this, God will be our strength of spirit, mind and body. He will be our courage. For He is our victory in faith.

He will supply all we need for life and godliness. If we think we do not have all we need, we need only to ask. 1John 5:14-15 Yet in this life: 1 Timothy 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Our hearts must be transformed from pagan Canaan to the Heavenly City whose builder and maker is God. The richness of that place is the Glory of It’s King. Wouldn’t we all rather have Jesus than silver of gold?