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2 Peter 2:1-3 – But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
In the times of men, wherever God has done a work, the enemy, who so envies God, tries to create a counterfeit. We see that when God made the staff of Aaron became a serpent, then the Egyptian magicians, used evil power to make their staffs turn into serpent (Exodus 7:8-11). Of course the supreme example of the devil trying to imitate God is the Antichrist comes as a false savior (Revelation 13). Of course we must remember that the God’s serpent was more powerful and ate the evil serpents (Exodus 7:12) and that the Antichrist will seem undefeatable until the return of the true Christ, Jesus Christ, who will utterly defeat the Antichrist (Revelation 19:19-21). Such is the difference between God and all else. He is God and no-one and nothing else is. He is omnipotent and no-one and nothing else is. Praise God!
Important to express is that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are still in operation in the church today. However, as in the days when the Bible was being written, there are imposters among us. There are also well meaning people who are mistaken. Whether in the past, the present or the future, there are people being used by the evil one to spread dissension, confusion, and lies in the world and among the people of God. We should not just believe anyone who claims to have a prophetic message, or who claims to be a prophet. Many are deceived by people who make false claims. Family, know the Word of God and so be protected against such people. People who know the truth recognize lies. So the “Antivirus” against the infections of the enemy is the Word of God.
If someone says they have a message from God to you, a prophecy, then here are some steps to ask yourself: 1) Is it scriptural? If it is not scriptural, it is not from God. Not ever. 2) Does it ring right with what the Lord is telling you? You also have the Spirit of God within you. Is the Holy Spirit within you confirming or denying what you were told? Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you discernment. 3) Ask the Lord to confirm it via scripture, another person, or a sign. Be cautious about anyone who would demand instant acceptance of what they have said. If what a person has told you is from God, then God will verify it through scripture, another person (who rightly knows the Word), or even the Lord will give you a sign. Be careful, know the Word. The Word of God is the greatest weapon we have against being deceived.
In no way am I discounting the gifts of the Spirit. The Lord has used them to bless me. I thank God for them. But not everybody who says “thus says the Lord” is right on. Be careful. At the same time, let the Holy Spirit within you guide you. Not your feelings, but the Holy Spirit.
Finally, a message from God is meant to encourage and build you up. Yes, it could be a correction. If it is correction, then absolutely the Word of God will back it up. Mostly, like correction from God, it is to build us up and not tear us down. One does not need a prophetic message to help another who is walking in error. We have the Word of God for that. A message from God is likely encouragement and edification from God. It may be an answer to something you have been praying. But then, you will know that because it will ring true as an answer to your prayer, especially if it is a prayer the person did not know anything about. So, we must understand the gifts of the Spirit are real for us today. But we must also be cautious because, as he always has, the enemy is also at work in our world.
There are not only people who falsely say they have word from God, there are also plenty of so-called pastors who preach doctrine contrary to the Word of God. They to come to confuse, hurt and destroy the flock. Even if they seem nice, charismatic, or genuine. If what is being preached does not line up with the Word of God, the whole Word of God, be wary! Run from, avoid and do not listen to anyone who speaks heresies against the Word of God. Remember that the devil came against God’s Word in the Garden when he said to Eve ““Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? (Genesis 3:1)” The enemy will attack God’s Word. Any person truly representing God never, not ever, will. For the charlatan, the deceiver, have nothing to do with them. For the deceived, deliver to them the true Word of God. If they will not listen, do not allow them to get you dirty with their lives and their doctrine. You have the pure Word of God living within. You have the pristine written Word of God in the Bible. Praise God who loves and protects us so!
“Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” God has seen the folly and the evil of deceivers long before they were ever born. They think they escape the consequence for their evil. They think that because the penalty does not come immediately it will not come at all. They are those who stand on a spiritual railroad tracks with a train a mile away and blowing its horn. They think that standing on the tracks with no immediate harm happening to them means that no harm will ever happen to them. That is foolishness. They can get off the tracks, or die. So that is for those who distort the Word of God or who purposely give false messages from God. They need to get off that track they are standing on, or they will surely die. Surely.
As for us, we have the Truth within and a sure hope that holds our gaze to guide us home. Praise our God who protects and loves us! Praise our God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
by Bob with
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Isaiah 40:28-31 – 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
When I’m feeling great, I think on the person of God. How good, how great, how wonderful He is. Though I may think that I can feel no better than what I am feeling, considering who God is, and that He loves me and claims me as His own, lifts me even higher. It is good to be in the presence of God. How wonderful it is to be united with those who love and serve the Lord and give praise to Him. How wonderful it is to be alone with the Lord and to give praise to Him. God Almighty, who is higher than all else, loves and cares for us. What a wonder that He who needs no one, who is complete within Himself, has chosen to love and care for us. Selah, think about it. He who has no equal, the Almighty God, has His eyes upon us. He cares for us. He loves us. Being our Creator He knows we are weak and our sustenance can only be Him. Stopping and considering the greatness, and humility of God, and that He loves us, brings peace to our souls and joy to our hearts and minds. I cannot help but rejoice that the Almighty God loves me. That He should even consider me “blows me away.” It is too much to fathom.
Considering the greatness of God and His love is the antidote for when we feel weak and tired. Again we consider His greatness and that He loves us and we are lifted up. Not by riling ourselves up, but by considering who our God is and yielding to the touch His Holy Spirit. Family, God loves us and that is a supernatural miracle in itself. Praise the Lord!
Our brother Andrae Crouch wrote this simple and truthful great song:
Chorus:
Jesus is the answer, for the world today,
Above Him there’s no other,
Jesus is the way. 2x
Verse One:
If you have some questions
In the corners of your mind,
Traces of discouragement,
and peace you cannot find,
Reflections of your past,
Seem to face you everyday,
But there’s one thing I want you to know,
that Jesus is the way.
Chorus:
Jesus is the answer, for the world today,
Above Him there’s no other,
Jesus is the way. 2x
Verse Two:
I know that you’ve got mountains,
That you think you cannot climb,
I know your skies looks so dark,
That you think the sun will never ever shine,
But in case you don’t know it,
I tell you God’s word is true,
Everything that he has promised,
I know that he will do it for you.
Chorus:
Jesus is the Answer, for the world today,
Above Him there’s no other,
Jesus is the way.3x
Instrumental break
Bridge:
Jesus is the Way (The Truth and the Light) 5x
https://youtu.be/9sEgDEs99go
To those who don’t know Him, it sounds too simple that Jesus is always the answer for every situation. Whether we are on the mountaintop, or feeling run over by the traffic of the world, Jesus is answer for us. As we consider the great love of God that has been expressed to us through our Savior and Lord Jesus, we find that in every circumstance in our life, Jesus is both the answer and the safeguard. Praise our God with all that we are! Praise Him continuously! How wonderful to consider the greatness of God and to know that God is good all the time and that He loves us for all time! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
by Bob with
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Psalm 86:1-5 – Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to You; save Your servant who trusts in You. You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to You all day long. 4 Bring joy to Your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in You.
Good Morning Father God, Jesus God and Holy Spirit God! I love You Lord! Your beauty overtakes me and my breath becomes like an excited child. I am a dog who waits at the door for You to arrive. I only want to be in Your presence. Opening my eyes is another opportunity to consciously pursue You. Oh how I love You Lord! Praise You Lord! Your love and kindness overwhelm me. I shout to You Lord! With all my strength, with all that I am, I lift You up. With my eyes focused on Your greatness I am a hound dog straining at the leash to start the hunt. Trained by Your voice and crafted by Your hands, knowing that You are ever with me, I have no fear. You are great! You are with me, I fear no one. How precious and wonderful to be called Your child! Oh Lord God, I bow at Your feet and thank You for Your love. Indeed You are good beyond measure and without end! I trust in the endless expanse of Your love! Praise You God! I start my day seeking Your eyes and Your smile. Once I have found them, though they have never left me, my heart and soul are full of Your peace and comfort. Help me Lord to walk in Your Spirit that Your will may be accomplished in me today. Thank You that I am safe. Thank You that I am protected. Thank You for Your love and grace that never leave me. Oh Lord, I love You! My mouth has no ability to express the overflows of Your touch upon my heart! Thank You Lord. My prayer is simple. My request You delight to fulfill. Today may I walk in the awareness of Your presence. If I have that, all is well. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
by Bob with
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Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
It would not be a good sign if we are exactly the same as we were before we became followers of Jesus the Christ. If fact, the Word of God makes it clear that if we belong to Jesus we are constantly being changed (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 4:16). Of course this is applicable to every area of our lives. If we are disciples of Christ, then we are becoming more Christ like.
Look up scriptures when Jesus taught about faith. How many do you find that said He had faith in the Father or the Holy Spirit? Or even if He had faith in Himself? I believe that you will not find one. Not one. Why is that so? I am hoping that my suit still fits so that I don’t have to buy anything new. Unless I try on the clothes, I don’t know for sure. After I try on the clothes, then I will know. So before I try them on I have hope and (some) faith the clothes will still fit. I am having faith and hope in what I do not yet know for sure. If I should try them on, and they fit, they I know it and I no longer need faith, because I know they fit. So, why did Jesus never mention that He had faith in the Father? Because faith is for something that we yet have, that to us, has not actually happened. Faith is for something that is not seen, something that we don’t know for sure. We may see evidence of it, but we do not actually know it to be true (though we see evidence to believe it may be). Jesus did not have faith in God because He had sure knowledge of God the Father. He had a sure knowledge because He was (and is) a member of the Holy Trinity, and He always has been. See, Jesus did not need faith because He had a sure knowledge. There was not guessing or hoping, He knew. He had no faith in God, just a sure knowledge.
We are saved by faith. It is essential to our relationship with God and to our salvation. But as knowledge of God is increased, is faith replaced by sure knowledge? Can the reality of God and His promises overtake our faith? Surely that is so. Faith is transformed by the Word of God, by God the Holy Spirit within us, to become less faith and more of knowledge. Well then how does that apply to the fact that faith is what saves us? That truth is not changed. God has said it and so it is true. That never changes. Yet what our faith is does change. At first our faith is very fragile as our knowledge of God is scant. As we grow in the Word, guided by the Holy Spirit, and as we experience God, we taste and see that God is good (Psalm 34:8). Faith that God may exist becomes a faith in God. Not a faith that is hopeful of His existence, but a faith that He does exist. As we grow in His Word and we delight in the experience of walking with Him, we become certain that He exists. In fact, our faith becomes a knowledge more sure than the rising sun. Don’t we know that God will exist beyond an eternity after the universe we live in has melted away (2 Peter 3:12)? Family, God, to me, is more real than any person or anything that I know. I have met people that I have met once and never seen since. It is likely I may never see them again. However, God is always with me and always communicating with me. Therefore, God, who is always with me, is more real to me than all people that I know, all of whom I may never see again. God touches me every day. It can be said of no-one else that they are with me every minute of every day. So, I confidently assert that my faith in God, grown by God, supported by God, and given life by God, no longer walks on wobbly legs but on legs that have grown strong by continual, and sometimes very strenuous, exercise.
Jesus did not have faith. He did not need it. First of all He never needed salvation, salvation came through Him. So Jesus is not saved by faith, He is the Savior. Also, only an insane person needs to be assured that He exists. Jesus knew who He was and who He was, and is, is one with God. Jesus had sure knowledge of God, not faith. One does not hope for, or have faith to receive, what one already has. That is silly.
The NIV states that “faith is confidence in what we hope for.” That is good, but I think it limits, a little, the great and mighty truth behind this verse. The NKJV expresses it this way “faith is the substance of things hoped for.” This talks about something that has taken on form, has taken on a reality that we hold onto. Faith brings what we hope for to life within us. We no longer say that we suppose that God exists. No, we say that we know God exists. We, who know God, know that He exists and there is no question in our minds of that fact. None! Oh yes, we know! Faith begins as a very elusive specter and then is transformed into a galaxy that our eyes cannot see the end of. What we learned of by faith has grown to knowledge. It is evidence for us. We read His Word and believe because the Holy Spirit within brings it alive. Also, we have trusted, over and over again, the promises of God and they have proven trustworthy. In these things God has been revealed to us by He Himself. What the world does not know is the love of God that springs eternal in our hearts. They would ask how we know that God exists and that, if He does exist, how we know that He loves us. We say with certainty that He lives within and we are daily filled with His love. We see the evidence of His existence in His creation and we see the evidence of His love for us in His many blessings. And while that is always true, there comes a point when evidence is no longer needed because of sure knowledge. As an example, I’m sure that many of us would say that we are already convinced that that God is good and that He loves us. That no further proof is needed to convince us. That is what Jesus is bringing us to. Isn’t the purpose of being a disciple to become increasingly like the master? Yes! Amen! Praise God!
Family, if we doubt, pull in closer to God. Knowledge chases away doubt. Faith brings us to and grows knowledge. Faith brings us to the foot of the throne and there are eyes behold. Once we have seen, once we have adored, our knowledge is sure. Family, dear Family, may our knowledge be certain and the footsteps of our walk sure. In all things, praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.
by Bob with
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2 Peter 1:19-21 – 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Joel 2:28-29,32a – “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days… And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved…”
John 10:25-30 – 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Bill comes to visit Joe at Joe’s house. It was a downpour outside. Joe gave Bill a hug and invited him in. They are brothers. Bill noticed that all of the curtains in the house were drawn closed. In the entryway, Bill observed an open Bible. Also, in the living room and the kitchen, in fact, in every room, were opened Bibles. Bill smiled as he considered Joe’s great love for the Word of God. After Joe had made and brought out hot tea for the both of them, along with pastries, they sat in the living room by a blazing fire. It was then that Joe noticed that Bill’s clothes were wet. Joe asked Bill why his clothes were wet. Bill laughed and told him that there was good rain falling and Joe would have known that if all his curtains were not drawn closed. Joe quickly asked again why Bill was wet. Bill thought Joe was kidding, but repeated that he was wet from the falling rain. Joe’s next words worried Bill as he again inquired why Bill was wet and added “If it were raining, then I would be wet.” Bill paused for a moment, he was trying to understand what was going on. He said “Joe, it’s raining outside.” Joe responded back “Nonsense, if it were raining, I would know. You know I live in this neighborhood too and it were raining then I would also be wet. Bill asked if Joe had been outside lately. Joe said that he had not and then repeated that if it were raining, then he would certainly know. Bill was wondering what could be behind what Joe was saying. Bill smiled at Joe and said “Come with me Joe, let’s go out the door and you shall see the rain. Joe declined. Joe said he had no need to step outside. Joe reminded Bill that he was a meteorologist so he understood weather and so he certainly knows if it is raining or not. Bill then said to Joe “Well if you will not believe me that it is raining, and you will not come outside so that I can prove it, then at least let me open the curtains so that you may look out of the window and see that it is raining.” Joe told Bill to leave the curtains as they are. Joe was getting upset with Bill. He told Bill that they should just change the subject because Bill was obviously not sharing why He was wet. He told Bill that if Bill had been rained upon then he would also have been rained upon. He said that since he had not been rained upon, then that is proof that it was not raining. Bill agreed with Joe to just change the subject. He knew that both Joe and he agreed that brothers should dwell in peace.
God has spoken to men and women as long as there have been men and women. Sometimes He speaks audibly, sometimes through signs and wonders, sometimes by scriptures. Except during a dark time between the Old Testament and New Testament, God has always spoken to His people. Always He has always spoken His people from different walks of life. Look at your Bible. God communicates to us in whatever manner He deems best. Always has been that way. That has not changed just as God does not change (Numbers 23:19).
Gideon received signs, Samuel physically heard the Lord speak to Him, Daniel records that a finger wrote on a wall, Balaam’s donkey spoke to Him, Jonah knew God’s will was certain when he was swallowed by a great fish, Moses was spoken to from a bush that was burning but not consumed. God has communicated through dreams and visions both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Peter writes that the scriptures have been received as God spoke to men through the Holy Spirit. Joel wrote that in the last days, in our times, God would pour forth His Spirit to sons and daughters and they would prophesy. God is clearly saying this would happen in the latter days. In our time. God has clearly said through His scriptures, using men “carried along” by the Spirit,that we would, as the Spirit who lives within us moves, prophesy in the last day (Not write scripture, but speak as God leads.) Joel clearly writes that some of us will dream dreams and see visions as led by the Lord. Jesus said in an unequivocal way those who are His sheep will know His voice. Yet people preach that God does not speak to us and we cannot hear God speak to us. At least not audibly. How outrageous! They think and say that because they are not wet and they refuse to witness the rain. They need to go outside and get wet! People, don’t let anyone tell you that the scriptures do not say what they clearly say. Do not let them tell you that they understand and you don’t. Don’t let them tell you that you need a mediator so that God can express Himself to you (1 Timothy 2:5). You have no need for a mediator, the veil is ripped in two the Holy Spirt lives with and speaks to us (1 John 2:27, Hebrews 8:10-12). There is no scripture that says that God no longer speaks to us. None. Men may use eisegesis to arrive at the conclusion, but they will never do it by exegesis. How arrogant a position it is to say what (other than what the scripture clearly states) God will do, or can do, and what He will not and cannot. In order to state that, outside of clear scripture, one must be omniscient. Family, only God is omniscient. If God says that He will continue to talk to us and that we will know when He does, don’t believe the man who has not gotten wet. Instead, go out and get wet. God has not changed and does not change (Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17). Not ever. It is essential to our faith and hope that He does not change. He has always communicated to His own and still does. Our loving Father, our dear Savior and Lord, and the precious Holy Spirit of God that lives within, speaks to us. What loving parent doesn’t? Yes, in many different ways He communicates to us. Some hear an audible voice. Some never hear an audible voice but receive God’s message to them by discerning when God is communicating through their thoughts. He communicates with us through our pastors and other people. Of course, He communicates to all of us through His scripture. In fact, all other forms of communication must stand the test of being verified in scripture. But people, God is pouring forth His Spirit on all of us. He loves us and is talking to us. Open your windows, go outside and get wet. The rain is good and standing in it is wonderful. Trust the Word of God. God is talking to us and we can know that, if we want to. Know the joy of getting wet! Praise our good and gracious God who loves us so! Get wet! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.
by Bob with
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Violent is the crime.
A heart pierced,
And left bleeding.
It bleeds within,
No-One sees
The drip.
Slow death,
Hidden by,
A cover smile.
An ear to the chest,
Would hear the
Heart struggle.
But no ear,
Is there.
No-One sees
The drip.
Slow death,
Hidden by,
A cover smile.
The perpetrator,
Knows who is guilty,
But hidden cords,
Bind the hands.
Hidden tape,
Covers the mouth.
The eyes are,
Wide open,
White around,
The color,
Because of,
Horror.
He wears no
Blindfold.
He can see,
What He has done.
He can hear the drip,
Within.
No-One sees
The drip.
Slow death,
Hidden by,
A cover smile.
Guilty of not,
Heeding,
The warning call.
Two were hurt.
One is self,
Self is guilty.
Other is,
Innocent,
Pure, pristine,
No guilt.
One wonders,
How other is.
Yet it is
A consequence,
A sentence,
To wonder.
As a condition,
Of parole,
One cannot
Know.
No-One sees
The drip.
Slow death,
Hidden by,
A cover smile.
Terrestrial
And
Ephemeral
Is the wound.
And the pain.
For now,
It shall be borne,
Look deep and see
The twinkle
In the eye,
Has a part
Missing.
No-One sees
The drip.
Slow death,
Hidden by,
A cover smile.
One deserves,
No compassion,
Cry for
Other.
One does.
No-One sees
The drip.
Slow death,
Hidden by,
A cover smile.
IHS 7-25-17
by Bob with
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2 Peter 1:12-15 – 12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
Every morning we should be waking up and considering who God is and how greatly He has blessed us. Peter is expressing the importance of being reminded of what we already know. Don’t we know that the enemy wants to distract us from the precious knowledge that God has given us. He wants to get us into the “Yeah, but” stage. He wants us to not be clear, to not be sure of what God has said. If the devil cannot get us to forget what we have hidden in our hearts, he at least wants us to throw a lot of worldly stuff on top of it so that the memory of fuzzy. He wants it to be at the bottom of an overstuffed closet. When the memory is fuzzy, we may add things to the Word of God, or we may take things away from it. Having a fuzzy memory of the Word of God, memories that we haven’t recently accessed, or maybe have not accessed in a long time, is the enemies playground.
Let’s recall the following: Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. Genesis 3:1-6
Eve responded to the serpent’s question about the eating of the forbidden fruit, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
Here is what God actually said “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:16-17
Notice that added on to Eve’s version is “you must not touch it.” God did not say “you must not touch it.” He said don’t eat from it. Also, the devil knew exactly what had been said about the forbidden fruit. Eve had left out that they would “certainly” die. The devil, added it back in. Oh, he knew exactly what God’s warning had been. He also knew exactly what they were free to do and what they were not to do. What Eve said to the serpent gave him an opening to deceive her. Her fuzzy remembrance left an opening. I can just imagine that as the serpent said to her that she certainly would not die that that he used her additional words (Not touch it) against her. Perhaps, as he was saying that she would not die, he was touching the forbidden fruit. She could see that he was touching the fruit and he was not dropping dead. So, using her added words, he deceived her to believe that what God had said was not true. He was touching the fruit and was not dropping dead. He gave her a visual of what she had said to him was not true. How was he able to mislead her along? By her adding to the word of God. We are not to add to, or subtract from, the Word of God (Deuteronomy 4:2). Even the word “certainly” that the devil added back in, was used against her. He was touching the forbidden fruit and had not died. Taking away or adding to the Word of God is dangerous indeed. To change the Word of God, to not understand what was meant, or to be lax and not remind oneself, is to put oneself in danger.
Often, when a fellow believer is struggling with something, when they are looking for answers, I tell them “Let’s reverse the roles. Suppose I am the one who is struggling and you are the one I have come to for advice. What would you tell me?” Usually this person will tell me pretty much what I would tell them. I then will remind them to do what they already know to do.
Family, we need to every day remind ourselves what God has spoken to us through His Word. Let’s not be fuzzy, that we might add to His Word, or take away from it. Let’s know exactly what it says. Let’s remember the goodness, love and kindness of the Lord. How do we do these things, the same way learned the alphabet, repeat it in our minds over and over again. Tell, or sing it, to others. Once we learned the alphabet we shared it with as many people as would listen. We ought to do the same with the knowledge of God and His Word. Every morning we should rise and start off our day praising God (Psalm 59:16). We should remind ourselves of the goodness, the greatness, and the love that He is (Psalm 143:8). We should remind ourselves that nothing is impossible for Him (Matthew 19:26). After spending time doing that we should remind ourselves of how good He has been to us (Psalm 77:11). We should recount, over and over again, and to our children (Joel 1:3) and all who will listen (Acts 1:8), how good and loving God has been to us.
In order to remember how good God has been to us we must have given Him the credit and thanks when the good occurred. If we do not thank God for the blessings, then we have nothing to remember and be grateful for. On the other hand, if we start off our day remembering how wonderful, how great and powerful He is, understanding that we exist from and for His good pleasure, that He is God and we are not, then we will start off our day right. When challenges, or needs come our way, then we know that our God is big enough to take care of it. We also know that He is good and loves us and that He desires to bless us. We remember these things about God because we think and pray about them every morning. These truths are strengthened within us because we remember and pray about them every day. Because we expect God to move daily in our lives we see when He does. We thank Him as often as we are able, and our reasons to know how great He is continues to grow. Our list of blessings that reveal how good and loving He is to us continues to grow. Thereby He is revealed to us more and more. All this builds our faith. Therefore the words of Peter ring true in our souls and in our spirits. They are “firmly established.”
While we walk in these earthly tents, it is good to refresh our memory. In fact, it is vital. Soon enough we will all be moved from these earthly tents to our celestial forever bodies. Then we will not need to remind ourselves of the goodness and love of God, for we will be with Him for all of eternity to see that what we held onto in faith was absolutely true. He is good all the time and He loves us! Praise God!
Peter knew His time on this earth was soon coming to an end. He was ready. We may not know when our time on earth will end, but we will be wise if daily remind ourselves of the goodness and love of God. We should remind ourselves that this world is not our eternal home. No we look past this world and longingly gaze to when we will be ever live with Him in bodies that have no curse upon them. We should refresh our memory, and help to refresh the memory of all our brothers and sisters. Especially those who are under spiritual attack. If we love each other, let’s support each other. Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves and each other that Jesus loves us, that we know that, and in the perspective of eternity, His love and grace is the eternal knowledge, the most important thing for us to remember and cling to. Most everything else on this earth passes away. Only God remains. And we remain because we are in Him through Jesus our Savior and Lord. Praise the Lord…everyday! Remember!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.
by Bob with
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2 Peter 1:3-11 – His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” Revealed within these scriptures is the struggle that is still with us. By having God the Holy Spirit within us, we have all that we need to live exactly, yes perfectly, as God has called us to live. We have all that we need to know and experience the fullness of God in our lives. With the Holy Spirit we have within us the ability to know the character, the qualities, and beauty of God. In all these things we have the full victory of God within us now, yet the victory is not complete until we are finally out of these bodies of death and revealed to be with Him in our eternal bodies (Romans 7:14-25). We must remember that we are born into this world as a citizen of it. Not the world that God intended us to live in, but a fallen world, a fractured world, a world that was pulled out of perfection because of the rebellion of man. Peter says that by the great promises of God we have escaped the corruption of the world. Escaped – like a wild animal that was trapped, and then released back into the wild, we run from what once held us. We run from temptation. We run from bad habits that lead us to sin. We run because Jesus has released us from the trap that held us prisoner so that we may be free. We run from a peril that would have been eternal death. Thank you Lord for setting us free. Freedom is to no longer be pulled in chains to do the things of the world, but having the chains broken so that we may be free to serve and please our God.
We are not only set free to flee the evil ways of this corrupt world, but once freed, we are guided by the Holy Spirit within. He is our teacher and our guide to, if we heed His voice, avoid the traps that the enemy sets along the way. Genesis 22:8 “Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.” Here a sacrifice was needed. When times were most desperate, the faith in God, and the knowledge of God Himself, that Abraham had, was borne out. God Himself provided Himself as the answer. Jesus is the Truth that set us free and He is the answer that, through the Holy Spirit, God provides to us to lead us home and avoid to be ensnared. Going further, should we stray and again be trapped, it is God Himself who, by the work of Jesus that was completed once and for all, will open the jaws of the trap that holds and hurts us, to set us free. God really has thought it all out. Our victory is complete by the promises of God. It is easy for us to draw back from promises because man makes promises and does not keep them. We must not equate the promises of God to the promises of man. God keeps His promises, He cannot do otherwise. He keeps them every single time. Every. Single. Time. Praise God, we are eternally safe in Him.
VV5-9 – As we grow in our faith, these characteristics that are inherent in God become ours. We become more and more like our God. We increasingly know more of who He is. Our faith in Him grows. Our trust grows. When we have a close friend that we spend a lot of time around, we both grow increasingly alike. Having heard pastors of megachurches, and knowing who their mentors have been, I smile as I hear speaking mannerisms often echoed in the one who was mentored. So we, looking to God, begin to sound like, and love like, He does. We truly become “Chips off the Old Block.” How wonderfully exciting! We have double meaning as we cry out “Come quick Lord.” Yes, come back soon and take us home. Also, yes Lord come back to the world by changing me. Come back to the world by living through me. May I become so much like You Lord Jesus that the world is drawn to You. Oh, yes, yes, yes! Make me new, make me like you Lord Jesus! And the world, will be drawn to you and it will be a better place. If all those who are called by His name would live as He has called us to live, the world will organically become much more what we vote and hope it will be. Praise God! Lord Jesus, please, make me new and live in and through me.
V10-11 – Make every effort to confirm your calling. What is the effort we are to make? We are to draw nearer to the Lord. We are to love Him more today than we did yesterday. How do we do that? We start our prayers off by, and also we do throughout the day, consider how great and wonderful He is, and how great and wonderful He has been to us. That leads us to gratitude and the giving of thanks. As we draw near to Him, as we “hang out” with Him more than any other person, as we love and treasure Him, we are transformed by Him. How does this confirm our calling and election? Knowing that we ourselves cannot change our evil ways, as they are being changed, we do not rob God and take credit for the changes in our lives. We readily thank Him and praise Him and point people who notice the changes to Him. Even in this is we find a mystery from the mysteries of God. He calls us to make the effort, and He enables us to make the effort, and somehow He leaves it our responsibility and gives us the blessing for doing so. Herein is the mystery that is involved in a God who has given us free will and at the same time chosen, called, elected, enabled and enables. How do all these come together? Good question! Yet isn’t it much more important that we know it does because He knows how it comes together. After all, He is the grand Architect of it all! Men argue about the how. I am most gratified that I am convinced that I know that the Lord has worked it all out and He Himself will never fail me. I am the one who testifies against myself that I often fail. I am the one who testifies that it is the Lord who never fails me. He never has. He never will. By the love of God I love God and by the love of God I pull closer to God. Within that, I have responsibility. Also, by that, God reveals that I am His own. It is the same principle that is with persevering through trials. God is good! God loves us. He has done it all. Yet He calls upon our free will. It is so beautiful. It is so mysterious. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.
by Bob with
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2 Peter 1:1-2 – Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
“…a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ…” Peter refers to Himself as a bondservant, a willing “slave” to Jesus. A bondservant was a person who had served as a slave for six years and was to be set free. But the bondservant circumspectly considered his options and after considerable thought were convinced that they had a good master and a good situation being the slave to their master. If the slave decided to break his union with his master, then he must then go into the world and supply and fend for himself. He needed to start a business or find a job. Who knew if his business would succeed or if his new boss would treat him as well as his master had. His master supplied his needs. His master gave him a roof over his head, supplied him food and drink, protected him, and a good master was kind to him. The bondservant was one who decided that he had a good thing and he could think of no better situation than to stay with his good master. This bondservant wanted to serve his master. Peter was called by the Father to Jesus, selected by Jesus to be one of His closest disciples. Jesus had loved, cared for, given Peter words of eternal life, provided for him and protected Him. Peter understood that only Jesus is the Holy Son of God who had the “words of eternal life”(John 6:68). Peter, though a person who sometimes talked too soon, made poor and rash decisions, and even at one time denied the Lord, and then had been abundantly forgiven, knew that there was no-one else to go to. He knew that Jesus was the only option on whom one should give his life to. He knew that Jesus was Savior and Lord. Peter said I am willingly and thankfully a servant to Christ to do Hs bidding. Oh Lord, may I always likewise serve!
Peter identifies himself as an Apostle. Apostle means “sent out one,” or “sent one.” Of the great multitude who were disciples of Christ, Peter was one of the twelve who were closest to Jesus and, who were selected by Him to carry on with His work. Of the twelve, Peter was one of the even tighter group of three (Peter, James and John). Peter walked close with the Lord, understood who He was, and knew that He would serve Jesus during his whole life, with His whole life.
“…through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ…” Here Peter is acknowledging Jesus as both God and Savior. For those who deny the deity of Christ, this is a good scripture for us to refer back to us. To us who understand and believe in Jesus, the knowledge of His deity is sacrosanct and unassailable. Yet, we must remember that to those who do not know Jesus, this is vital, life-saving information. Yes, there is only one Lord, and one God (1 Samuel 2:2) and we know that the one God is our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Peter does not put himself above us, but humbly states that he and all of us share the same precious faith. When something is precious, it is something that is highly valued, something that is set apart from common things as more dear and valuable to us. Someone precious are those who are found deep in our hearts. Such is both Jesus our Savior and Lord and the faith that we have because of Him. He and our faith in Him, is the dearest, the most valuable of all to us. None can come between us, we will not allow that! Most precious to us are those we love most dearly, most tenderly. Indeed our Lord, and our faith in Him is the most precious to us. Nothing more valuable. No-one and nothing is more dear. Now, let us be wise, as Peter was, and remember that continuously and always. Let us live our lives based on that knowledge. How dear to us is He who first considered us dear to Him!
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” We are delivered from exclusion from God to the throne room of God by the work of Jesus and our faith in Him and it. Having that sure knowledge, not being “double-minded,” we receive the grace of God which brings us peace. Why do we need to worry when it is God who has secured a destiny for us? We have faith in what God has provided and promised. Yet we must have a knowledge to have faith. One does not believe in Jesus if one does not know of Him (Romans 10:14). We then progress, by the calling of God’s Holy Spirit, from knowing of Him, to knowing Him. The more we know Him, the more faith we have in Him. If our faith is lacking, our knowledge is lacking. So, as we know who Jesus is and what He has done we have faith in Him. As we draw ever more closely to the Lord, our knowledge is increased our deepened faith brings us to sure grace, and sure grace brings us peace. As we know Him more, He becomes ever the more “precious” and we are willing that all other parts of our life be set aside and we cling only to our precious Lord. He whom we consider most valuable and most dear to us is whom we cling to. As the adage goes “Know God, Know Peace. No God, No Peace.” With our faith in Jesus, there is our peace found. Jesus, there is none other! Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.
by Bob with
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1 Peter 5:12-14 – 12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
It is good to have a faithful friend, someone who you know loves you and cares about you. A person who believes in what God is doing in your life. A person who knows your strengths and weaknesses, and still loves you. Not a “yes man”, but a person who knows they are loved by you and will tell when they disagree with you. Someone who can know that you all too often fail, and sometimes in a big way, but still is with you. We need people who do not walk away from us. Someone who loves us deeply and nothing that we say or do will change that because they have decided to love us, and so they do, through thick and thin, “a faithful brother.” Blessed are you if you have such a person, or persons, in your life. This is invaluable. Still we have one who is closer than a brother, the Lord Himself (Proverbs 18:24b). Praise the Lord!
If we love each other we will encourage and strengthen one another (Acts 15:32). We want to “be there” for each other. This is a natural flow from love. We want to make sure that the ones we love know they are loved and cared for.
I remember someone being accused of wanting to be “Mr. Big Shot.” It happened many years ago when the person was still a young. It was because the person would want to buy things to bless people. So it was assumed of the person that it was important to that person for people look up to that person. The reason for that person wanting to buy gifts, or to “be there”, or to help as that person could, was not to build up an inflated ego. It was merely a flow from the person’s heart. That person just always felt bad if people that person love and care about do not have all the same blessings that that person has. If that person is blessed, then that person wants to bless. Now, that person has never been a “patsy.” That person just wants to be a blessing to those whom God has called that person to love. It burns within that person. Besides, that person would rather over give than withhold blessings from those that person is able to give them to (Proverbs 3:27). That person understands that all answer to God. May God direct that person’s path. May that person always have an ear to hear His directions and eyes to see where He leads. That person prays to have the heart of God to love and care for others, just as God has loved and cared for that person. As for me, I am still way to selfish, but the Lord has not given up on me, He keeps moving me along. Thank you Lord!
Family, as brothers and sisters in the Lord, we love and encourage each other in what we know is true, steadfast and eternal, the grace of God. It is from He who is the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46). Family, we must stand fast, we must be strong, in the confidence and faith of God who is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He created the grace we have, He gave it to us, He sustains us in it, and He brings us along till we arrive home (2 Timothy 1:12). What a great and true God we serve! Praise, gratitude and unending and indefatigable love to our God! Praise God!
“Greet one another with a kiss of love.” Such was their custom. But they did not do this merely because of “custom.” They did it out of genuine love for each other. Let us, however we are led, greet each other with enthusiasm and a welcoming love for each other. Not because we should, but because it flows from a heart of fellowship in Christ. May love overflow and may we strive to openly demonstrate it to all who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are borne from His love, may His love flow to each other from each other that the world may see that we are His.
Having the loving and safe fellowship that we have with God, and also each other, then the peace, which surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7), will be in our souls and spirits. May it be so with all of us. Family, may it be so with you! Praise our God who pours forth riches we are unable to contain! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.
by Bob with
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