Thursday, July 31, 2014
Earth-Does It Feel Pain?
Bible Questions Answered:
“Romans says creation is groaning in
pain. Does the earth feel pain?”
Bonnie/ Hampton, New Hampshire U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
Romans 8:20-22 NLT
20 Against its will, all creation
was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,
21 the creation looks forward to
the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from
death and decay.
22 For we know that all creation
has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the
present time.
Does the earth feel pain? Holy Scripture states the earth groans in
pain. Anything living feels pain, we must then of necessity ask the
question, is the earth alive, and the answer to that question is an
absolute yes, it is.
The earth is alive with all forms of life. The earth is “not,”
all rock, but water, plants and trees, etc. Trees cycle from giving
out oxygen, to taking in carbon dioxide, cycles based upon day and
night, sun and darkness. As the earth breaths, so too does man.
Seasons show life and change, lunar tides, giving a heart beat.
Volcanoes, earthquakes and constantly changing weather, all show the
earth to be alive and vibrant. Someone has said, “God never created
a dead body!” And how true that is.
All of creation came under the curse of God, when Adam choose to join
his wife in sin.
Genesis 3:17-19
KJV
17 And unto
Adam He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife,
and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou
shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow
shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also
and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the
herb of the field;
19 In the sweat
of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground;
for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt
thou return.
Since that day, all of creation has been groaning. “Thorns also
and thistles (Gen. 3:18), were not apart of God's original
creation plan.
And the earth is in pain today, because of the harmful things man
does, that hurt the earth!
And God has promised to punish them!
Revelation 11:18
KJV
And the nations
were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that
they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy
servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy
name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy
the earth.
Our God keeps some very accurate records.
Daniel 7:10 KJV
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand
thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were
opened.
Revelation 20:12
KJV
And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is The Book Of Life: and the dead
were judged out of those things which were written in the books,
according to their works.
Judgment awaits
those who give the earth pain:
Psalm 92:7 NLT
Though the
wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be
destroyed forever.
Proverbs 5:21,22
KJV
21 For the ways
of man are before the eyes of The Lord, and He pondereth all his
goings.
22 His own
iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with
the cords of his sins.
II Thessalonians
1:7-9 KJV
7 "...The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His
mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and
that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of The Lord, and from the glory of His power;
Victory Ahead!
One day coming, the curse of sin will be done away with, and all
things will be made new!
Isaiah 25:9 KJV
And it shall be
said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He
will save us: this is The Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be
glad and rejoice in His salvation.
Isaiah 65:17 KJV
For, behold, I
create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be
remembered, nor come into mind.
II Peter 3:10-13
KJV (Day of purification.)
10 But the day
of The Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein
shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then
that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for
and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens
being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless
we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Edenic
Restoration:
Romans 8:21 KJV
the creation looks forward to
the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from
death and decay.
Isaiah 11:6-9
KJV
6 The wolf also
shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the
kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a
little child shall lead them.
7 And the cow
and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together:
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 And the
sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child
shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
9 They shall
not hurt nor destroy in all My Holy Mountain: for the earth shall be
full of the knowledge of The Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Revelation
21:1-27 KJV
1 And I saw a
new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John
saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.
3 And I heard a
great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is
with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people,
and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And He that
sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And
He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And He said
unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, The Beginning And The End.
I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of
life freely.
7 He that over
cometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall
be My son.
8 But the
fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whore mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death.
9 And there
came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full
of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I
will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he
carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and
shewed me that great city, The Holy Jerusalem, descending out of
heaven from God,
11 Having the
glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even
like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a
wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve
angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve
tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east
three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and
on the west three gates.
14 And the wall
of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the
twelve apostles of The Lamb.
15 And he that
talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates
thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city
lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he
measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length
and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17 And he
measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits,
according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18 And the
building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold,
like unto clear glass.
19 And the
foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of
precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second,
sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth,
sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth,
beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a
jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the
twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl:
and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent
glass.
22 And I saw no
temple therein: for The Lord God Almighty and The Lamb are the temple
of it.
23 And the city
had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the
glory of God did lighten it, and The Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the
nations of them which are saved shall walk in The Light of it: and
the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.
25 And the
gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no
night there.
26 And they
shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
27 And there
shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are
written in The Lamb's Book Of Life.
Revelation
22:1-21 KJV
1 And he shewed
me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of
The Throne Of God and of The Lamb.
2 In the midst
of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the
tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her
fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of
the nations.
3 And there
shall be no more curse: but The Throne Of God and of The Lamb
shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4 And they
shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there
shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of
the sun; for The Lord God giveth them Light: and they shall reign for
ever and ever.
6 And he said
unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the
holy prophets sent His angel to shew unto His servants the things
which must shortly be done.
7 Behold, I
come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy
of this book.
8 And I John
saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I
fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me
these things.
9 Then saith he
unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and
of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of
this book: worship God.
10 And he saith
unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the
time is at hand.
11 He that is
unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be
filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still:
and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12 And, behold,
I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according
as his work shall be.
13 I am Alpha
and Omega, The Beginning And The End, The First And The Last.
14 Blessed are
they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without
are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore mongers, and murderers, and
idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16 I Jesus have
sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
I am The Root
And The Offspring Of David, and The Bright And Morning Star.
17 And The
Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.
And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take
the water of Life freely.
18 For I
testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this
book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him
the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any
man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God
shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy
city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20 He which
testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so,
come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Not only may
nature be free from judgment, but all those who call on The Lord, may be as well!
John 8:32-36 KJV
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.
Acts 2:21 KJV
And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of The Lord shall
be saved.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Hophni And Phinehas
Bible Questions Answered:
“Did God stop Eli's sons from
repenting?...”
Corliss/ Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
I Samuel 2:22-26 NLT
(Be sure to read the whole chapter.)
22 Now Eli was very old, but he was
aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew,
for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who
assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
23 Eli said to them, “I have been
hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are
doing. Why do you keep sinning?
24 You must stop, my sons! The
reports I hear among The Lord’s people are not good.
25 If someone sins against another
person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins
against The Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t
listen to their father, for The Lord was already planning to put them
to death.
26 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew
taller and grew in favor with The Lord and with the people.
The two sons of
Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were evil men, taking sacrifices for
themselves, and committed sexual impropriety with young women who assisted at
the Tabernacle (Exodus 38:8).
I Samuel 2:12-17
NLT
12 Now the sons of Eli were
scoundrels who had no respect for The Lord
13 or for their duties as priests.
Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a
servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed
animal was still boiling,
14 the servant would stick the fork
into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s
sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated
this way.
15 Sometimes the servant would come
even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would
demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used
for roasting.
16 The man offering the sacrifice
might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned
first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or
I’ll take it by force.”
17 So the sin of these young men was
very serious in The Lord’s sight, for they treated The Lord’s
offerings with contempt.
God had warned
Pharaoh of Egypt, 10 times, but he did not listen, until judgment
fell upon him.
Exodus 9:12 NLT
But The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s
heart, and just as The Lord had predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused
to listen.
Hophni and
Phinehas, had been warned by the people, their father Eli, and The
Lord, yet they would not listen.
II Peter 3:9 KJV
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Genesis 6:3 KJV
And The Lord said, My Spirit shall
not always strive with man..."
Psalm 95:7-11
NLT
7 for He is our God. We are the
people He watches over, the flock under His care. If only you would
listen to His voice today!
8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden
your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the
wilderness.
9 For there your ancestors tested
and tried My patience, even though they saw everything I did.
10 For forty years I was angry with
them, and I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from
Me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter My place of rest.’”
Proverbs 28:14
KJV
Happy is the man that feareth alway:
but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
Proverbs 29:1
KJV
He, that being often reproved
hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without
remedy.
Mark 3:28,29 KJV
28 Verily I say unto you, All sins
shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith
soever they shall blaspheme:
29 But he that shall blaspheme
against The Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of
eternal damnation.
Romans 2:5-11
NLT
5 But because you are stubborn and
refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment
for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous
judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what
they have done.
7 He will give eternal life to those
who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and
immortality that God offers.
8 But He will pour out His anger and
wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the Truth
and instead live lives of wickedness.
9 There will be trouble and calamity
for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and
also for the Gentile.
10 But there will be glory and honor
and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also
for the Gentile.
11 For God does not show favoritism.
Hebrews 3:12-19
NLT
12 Be careful then, dear brothers
and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and
unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.
13 You must warn each other every
day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be
deceived by sin and hardened against God.
14 For if we are faithful to the
end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will
share in all that belongs to Christ.
15 Remember what it says: “Today
when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did
when they rebelled.”
16 And who was it who rebelled
against God, even though they heard His voice? Wasn’t it the people
Moses led out of Egypt?
17 And who made God angry for forty
years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the
wilderness?
18 And to whom was God speaking when
He took an oath that they would never enter His rest? Wasn’t it the
people who disobeyed Him?
19 So we see that because of their
unbelief they were not able to enter His rest.
Hebrews 4:7 KJV
"...To day if
ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.
God The Holy
Spirit, pleads with men today, to repent of their sins and to turn to
The Savior, but men refuse.
To refuse the
message of The Lord Jesus Christ, and the promptings of The Holy
Spirit, is to refuse man's only lifeline. If the lifeline is refused,
how may they be helped, answer, they “never,” can be, they are
lost forever!
It was not God,
but Hophni and Phinehas who forever refused, the lifeline, and who
reaped their eternal reward.
Epilogue:
I Samuel 2:27-34
NLT
27 One day a man of God came to Eli
and gave him this message from The Lord: “I revealed Myself to your
ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt.
28 I chose your ancestor Aaron from
among all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer sacrifices
on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he
served Me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests.
29 So why do you scorn My sacrifices
and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give
Me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of My
people Israel!
30 “Therefore, The Lord, The God
Of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi
would always be My priests. But I will honor those who honor Me, and
I will despise those who think lightly of Me.
31 The time is coming when I will
put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as My priests.
All the members of your family will die before their time. None will
reach old age.
32 You will watch with envy as I
pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your
family will ever live out their days.
33 The few not cut off from serving
at My altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and
their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death.
34 And to prove that what I have
said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas,
to die on the same day!
I Samuel 4:12-18
NLT
12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin
ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day.
He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief.
13 Eli was waiting beside the road
to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety
of The Ark Of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had
happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.
14 “What is all the noise about?”
Eli asked. The messenger rushed over to Eli,
15 who was ninety-eight years old
and blind.
16 He said to Eli, “I have just
come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.” “What
happened, my son?” Eli demanded.
17 “Israel has been defeated by
the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been
slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also
killed. And The Ark Of God has been captured.”
18 When the
messenger mentioned what had happened to The Ark Of God, Eli fell
backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and
died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for
forty years.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Jesus Christ's Wife
Bible Questions Answered:
“Pastor I read that a small document had been found that said Jesus had a wife. What is your take on this news?...”
Arnold/ Fort Worth, Texas U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
In 2012 a 4th Century scrap of papyrus, no larger than a business card, was discovered. The scrap of paper was bought by an East German, Hans-Ulrich Laukamp, who died in 2002. Rene' Ernest managing the Laukamp estate made the discovery public.
Writer of the fragment, is unknown. Experts say that it is written in Coptic (Egyptian) language and contains errors (according to the journal Harvard). The words “Jesus said to them, 'My wife...” have been written in a more bold print than the rest of the text, which experts mark as being “suspicious.”
And so this information, which many brand as dubious, begs the question “Did Jesus Christ have a wife?”
And the answer is...................................................
He sure did!
At least in three instances in The Word Of God, we see references to the bride of Christ!
Those three would be, Israel (God's chosen people), The Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, and The New Jerusalem.
Israel:
Isaiah 54:5 KJV
For thy Maker is thine Husband; The Lord Of Hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer The Holy One Of Israel; The God Of The Whole Earth shall he be called.
Isaiah 61:10 NLT
I am overwhelmed with joy in The Lord my God! For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.
Isaiah 62:5 KJV
For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
Jeremiah 3:14 KJV
Turn, O backsliding children, saith The Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Jeremiah 3:20 KJV
Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her Husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith The Lord.
Jeremiah 31:32 KJV
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an Husband unto them, saith The Lord:
Ezekiel 16:32 KJV
But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her Husband!
Hosea 2:2,13-16,19,20,23 NLT (Be sure to read the whole chapter.)
2 But now bring charges against Israel—your mother— for she is no longer My wife, and I am no longer her Husband. Tell her to remove the prostitute’s makeup from her face and the clothing that exposes
her breasts.
13 I will punish her for all those times when she burned incense to her images of Baal, when she put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about Me,” says
The Lord.
14 “But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.
15 I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to Me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt.
16 When that day comes,” says The Lord, “you will call Me ‘my Husband’ instead of ‘my master.
19 I will make you My wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion.
20 I will be faithful to you and make you Mine, and you will finally know Me as The Lord.
23 At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for Myself. I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not My people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are My people.’And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’”
Joel 1:8 KJV
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the Husband of her youth.
The Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ:
John 3:29 KJV
He that hath the bride is The Bridegroom: but the friend of The Bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of The Bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
John 3:29 NLT
The Bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with Him and hear His vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at His success.
II Corinthians 11:2 KJV
For I am jealous over you with Godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Ephesians 5:21-33 NLT
21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to The Lord.
23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of His body, the church.
24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her
26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s Word.
27 He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.
28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.
30 And we are members of His body.
31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”
32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.
33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Revelation 19:7-9 KJV
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of The Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And He (the angel) saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of The Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Revelation 22:17 KJV
And The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The New Jerusalem (Its Residents The People Of God) :
Revelation 21:2,9,10 KJV
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, The Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Does Jesus Christ, God's Eternal Son, have a wife? Yes and it is the people of God.
If you have received the Savior into your heart and life, you are joined to The Lord Jesus.
Ephesians 5:31 KJV
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Salvation Prayer
“Pastor I read that a small document had been found that said Jesus had a wife. What is your take on this news?...”
Arnold/ Fort Worth, Texas U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
In 2012 a 4th Century scrap of papyrus, no larger than a business card, was discovered. The scrap of paper was bought by an East German, Hans-Ulrich Laukamp, who died in 2002. Rene' Ernest managing the Laukamp estate made the discovery public.
Writer of the fragment, is unknown. Experts say that it is written in Coptic (Egyptian) language and contains errors (according to the journal Harvard). The words “Jesus said to them, 'My wife...” have been written in a more bold print than the rest of the text, which experts mark as being “suspicious.”
And so this information, which many brand as dubious, begs the question “Did Jesus Christ have a wife?”
And the answer is...................................................
He sure did!
At least in three instances in The Word Of God, we see references to the bride of Christ!
Those three would be, Israel (God's chosen people), The Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, and The New Jerusalem.
Israel:
Isaiah 54:5 KJV
For thy Maker is thine Husband; The Lord Of Hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer The Holy One Of Israel; The God Of The Whole Earth shall he be called.
Isaiah 61:10 NLT
I am overwhelmed with joy in The Lord my God! For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.
Isaiah 62:5 KJV
For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
Jeremiah 3:14 KJV
Turn, O backsliding children, saith The Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Jeremiah 3:20 KJV
Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her Husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith The Lord.
Jeremiah 31:32 KJV
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an Husband unto them, saith The Lord:
Ezekiel 16:32 KJV
But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her Husband!
Hosea 2:2,13-16,19,20,23 NLT (Be sure to read the whole chapter.)
2 But now bring charges against Israel—your mother— for she is no longer My wife, and I am no longer her Husband. Tell her to remove the prostitute’s makeup from her face and the clothing that exposes
her breasts.
13 I will punish her for all those times when she burned incense to her images of Baal, when she put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about Me,” says
The Lord.
14 “But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.
15 I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to Me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt.
16 When that day comes,” says The Lord, “you will call Me ‘my Husband’ instead of ‘my master.
19 I will make you My wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion.
20 I will be faithful to you and make you Mine, and you will finally know Me as The Lord.
23 At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for Myself. I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not My people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are My people.’And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’”
Joel 1:8 KJV
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the Husband of her youth.
The Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ:
John 3:29 KJV
He that hath the bride is The Bridegroom: but the friend of The Bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of The Bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
John 3:29 NLT
The Bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with Him and hear His vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at His success.
II Corinthians 11:2 KJV
For I am jealous over you with Godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Ephesians 5:21-33 NLT
21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to The Lord.
23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of His body, the church.
24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her
26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s Word.
27 He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.
28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.
30 And we are members of His body.
31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”
32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.
33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Revelation 19:7-9 KJV
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of The Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And He (the angel) saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of The Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Revelation 22:17 KJV
And The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The New Jerusalem (Its Residents The People Of God) :
Revelation 21:2,9,10 KJV
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, The Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Does Jesus Christ, God's Eternal Son, have a wife? Yes and it is the people of God.
If you have received the Savior into your heart and life, you are joined to The Lord Jesus.
Ephesians 5:31 KJV
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Salvation Prayer
Friday, July 25, 2014
Bible Lesson: Parables-Our Lord's: The Wicked Farmers.
Bible Lesson: Parables-Our Lord's:
The Wicked Farmers.
Occasion: Evil Farmers, Rob,
Cheat, And Steal From The Landowner.
Lesson: Be Sure Your Sin Will
Find You Out. (Numbers 32:23 KJV)
Bible Text:
Matthew 21:33-46 NLT
33 “Now listen to another story. A
certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a
pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then
he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another
country.
34 At the time of the grape harvest,
he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.
35 But the farmers grabbed his
servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
36 So the landowner sent a larger
group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the
same.
37 “Finally, the owner sent his
son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’
38 “But when the tenant farmers
saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir
to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for
ourselves!’
39 So they grabbed him, dragged him
out of the vineyard, and murdered him.
40 “When the owner of the vineyard
returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those
farmers?”
41 The religious leaders replied,
“He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the
vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each
harvest.”
42 Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t
you ever read this in the Scriptures?
‘The Stone that the builders
rejected has now become The Cornerstone. This is The Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’
43 I tell you, the Kingdom of God
will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce
the proper fruit.
44 Anyone who stumbles over that
Stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls
on.”
45 When the leading priests and
Pharisees heard this parable, they realized He was telling the story
against them—they were the wicked farmers.
46 They wanted to arrest Him, but
they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a Prophet.
Mark 12:1-12 NLT
1 Then Jesus began teaching them
with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it,
dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout
tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to
another country.
2 At the time of the grape harvest,
he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop.
3 But the farmers grabbed the
servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.
4 The owner then sent another
servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head.
5 The next servant he sent was
killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed,
6 until there was only one left—his
son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking,
‘Surely they will respect my son.’
7 “But the tenant farmers said to
one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him
and get the estate for ourselves!’
8 So they grabbed him and murdered
him and threw his body out of the vineyard.
9 “What do you suppose the owner
of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will
come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.
10 Didn’t you ever read this in
the Scriptures? ‘The Stone that the builders rejected has now
become The Cornerstone.
11 This is The Lord’s doing, and
it is wonderful to see.’”
12 The religious leaders wanted to
arrest Jesus because they realized He was telling the story against
them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the
crowd, so they left Him and went away.
Luke 20:9-19 NLT
9 Now Jesus turned to the people
again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased
it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for
several years.
10 At the time of the grape harvest,
he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the
farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back
empty-handed.
11 So the owner sent another
servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away
empty-handed.
12 A third man was sent, and they
wounded him and chased him away.
13 “‘What will I do?’ the
owner asked himself. ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely
they will respect him.’
14 “But when the tenant farmers
saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this
estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’
15 So they dragged him out of the
vineyard and murdered him. “What do you suppose the owner of the
vineyard will do to them?” Jesus asked.
16 “I’ll tell you—he will come
and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.” “How
terrible that such a thing should ever happen,” His listeners
protested.
17 Jesus looked at them and said,
“Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The Stone that the builders
rejected has now become The Cornerstone.’
18 Everyone who stumbles over that
Stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls
on.”
19 The teachers of religious law and
the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they
realized He was telling the story against them—they were the wicked
farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction.
God's Vineyard,
The Old Testament:
Psalm 80:9-19
KJV
8 Thou hast brought a vine out of
Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
9 Thou preparedst room before it,
and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
10 The hills were covered with the
shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
11 She sent out her boughs unto the
sea, and her branches unto the river.
12 Why hast thou then broken down
her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
13 The boar out of the wood doth
waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
14 Return, we beseech thee, O God Of
Hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
15 And the vineyard which thy
right hand hath planted, and The Branch that thou madest strong for
thyself.
16 It is burned with fire, it is cut
down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
17 Let thy hand be upon The Man Of
Thy Right Hand, upon The son Of Man whom thou madest strong for
thyself.
18 So will not we go back from thee:
quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
19 Turn us again, O Lord God Of
Hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
Isaiah 5:1-7 NLT
(A Song about The Lord’s Vineyard.)
1 Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about His vineyard: My Beloved had a vineyard on a rich
and fertile hill.
2 He plowed the land, cleared its
stones, and planted it with the best vines. In the middle He built a
watchtower and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then He waited
for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter.
3 Now, you people of Jerusalem and
Judah, you judge between Me and My vineyard.
4 What more could I have done for My
vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes,
why did My vineyard give Me bitter grapes?
5 Now let Me tell you what I will do
to My vineyard: I will tear down its hedges and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls and let the animals trample it.
6 I will make it a wild place where
the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed, a place
overgrown with briers and thorns. I will command the clouds to drop
no rain on it.
7 The
nation of Israel is the vineyard of The Lord Of
Heaven’s Armies The
people of Judah are His pleasant garden.
He expected a crop of justice, but instead He found
oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead He heard
cries of violence.
These Old Testament
verses tell us that The Lord used the vineyard as a symbol of Israel,
His people.
Isaiah 5:7 KJV
The nation
of Israel is the vineyard of The Lord Of Heaven’s Armies The people
of Judah are His pleasant garden,
He expected a crop of justice, but instead He found oppression. He
expected to find righteousness, but instead He heard cries of
violence.
Matthew 21:45 NLT
45 When the leading priests and
Pharisees heard this parable, they realized He was telling
the story against them—they were the wicked farmers.
Jesus asked His listeners to determine the fate of the wicked
farmers.
Matthew 21:41 NLT
The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a
horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his
share of the crop after each harvest.”
The Lord, is The Husbandman (Land Owner), He has placed a hedge of
protection around about His people.
Job 1:10 KJV (The devil-states the facts.)
Hast not thou made an hedge about him (Job), and about his
house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed
the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
King David and his descendants had truly watched over them as a
nation. God had watched over them and provided for them. He had
expected a crop of righteousness with thanksgiving, but that crop did
not appear.
He sent them Prophets with signs and wonders, yet they mistreated and
killed them. Lastly He sent to them His Only Begotten Son. Though He
came with a message of forgiveness, and love, with signs and miracles
following, yet they hated Him, and killed Him.
The vineyard was given to others, the Gentiles, who in a measure
accepted Him, receiving God's blessings.
Matthew 21:42-46 NLT
42 Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t
you ever read this in the Scriptures?
‘The Stone that the builders
rejected has now become The Cornerstone. This is The Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’
Psalm
118:22,23 KJV
22 The Stone which the
builders refused is become The Head Stone of the corner.
23 This is The Lord's
doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
43 I tell you, the Kingdom of God
will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce
the proper fruit.
44 Anyone who stumbles over that
Stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls
on.”
45 When the leading priests and
Pharisees heard this parable, they realized He was telling the
story against them—they were the wicked farmers.
46 They wanted to arrest Him, but they were afraid of the crowds,
who considered Jesus to be a Prophet.
The Jewish Council realized that Jesus was speaking about them, so
did they repent? No, they hardened their hearts and wanted to arrest
Him, but were afraid of the crowds.
Matthew 21:44 NLT
Anyone who stumbles over that Stone will be broken to pieces, and
it will crush anyone it falls on.”
Isaiah 8:13-15 NLT
13 Make The Lord Of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the
one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble.
14 He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah He will be A
Stone that makes people stumble,
A Rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem He
will be a trap and a snare.
15 Many will stumble and fall, never to rise again. They will be
snared and captured.”
Believers Today:
Ephesians 2:19-22 KJV
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 built together for an habitation of God
through The Spirit.
John 15:1-9 KJV
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.
6 If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is
withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they
are burned.
7 If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what
ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall
ye be My disciples.
9 As The Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in
My love.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
World-Love Not The
Bible Questions Answered:
“How can John say not to love the
world, I love hiking and biking. Last year I spent 230 days doing one
or the other...”
Darrel/ Norwich, England (United
Kingdom)
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Exodus 20:3-5 KJV (First Two
Commandments)
I)
3 Thou shalt have no other gods
before Me.
II)
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any
graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to
them, nor serve them: for I The Lord thy God am a jealous God..."
Isaiah 42:8 KJV
I am The Lord: that is My name: and
My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven
images.
Isaiah 48:11 NLT
I will rescue you for My sake—yes,
for My own sake! I will not let My reputation be tarnished, and I
will not share My glory with idols!
There is a vast
difference between the words Love and Obsession.
Obsession,
dominates the mind, occupies all thoughts.
God's creation is
beautiful, and we certainly are to appreciate it, with thanksgiving.
But it like so many other things may easily become an obsession.
Wealth,
possessions, worldly accomplishments, popularity, self-amusements
etc. etc.
All may become
obsessions.
Our Lord reminds
us:
Isaiah 42:8 KJV
I am The Lord: that is My name: and
My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven
images.
Obsessions are
idols, and they because so because they dominate our thoughts, and require
our devotion.
This may come as a
shock to some Christians, howbeit.
Christian people
are not on planet earth for the amassing of wealth, the accumulation
of possessions, Or awards for great achievements, be they academic or
other!
No!
Christians are here
with a call, and Christians are here on planet earth with a
purpose!
The Christians
Call And Purpose:
Matthew 10:7,27
KJV
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The
kingdom of heaven is at hand.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that
speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon
the housetops.
Matthew 28:18-20
KJV
18 And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of The Father, and of The Son,
and of The Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15 KJV
15 And He said unto them, Go ye into
all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Luke 9:2,60 KJV
2 And He sent them to preach the
kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead
bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
John 15:10,14
KJV
10 If ye keep My commandments, ye
shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments,
and abide in His love.
14 Ye are My friends, if ye do
whatsoever I command you.
Acts 5:20 KJV
Go, stand and speak in the temple to
the people all the words of this life.
Acts 10:42 NLT
And He ordered us to preach
everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to
be
The Judge of all—the living and
the dead.
II Timothy 4:1-5
KJV
1 I charge thee therefore before
God, and The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall Judge the quick and the
dead at His appearing and His kingdom;
2 Preach The Word; be instant in
season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long
suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they
heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their
ears from The Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things,
endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry.
Today, we live in a
hedonistic society.
Hedonism:
1.the doctrine that
pleasure or happiness is the highest good.
2.devotion to
pleasure as a way of life: The later Roman emperors were notorious
for their hedonism.
(Dictionary.Com)
I John 5:19 KJV
And we know that we are of God, and
the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Our world is over
run with obsessive lustful pleasures of all kinds.
And yet we as
Christians, are “not,” called to a life of self-seeking pleasure!
We are called by
our Savior, with a purpose and a duty.
Matthew 10:38,39
NLT
38 If you refuse to take up your
cross and follow Me, you are not worthy of being Mine.
39 If you cling to your life, you
will lose it; but if you give up your life for Me, you will find it.
Matthew 16:24,25
KJV
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples,
“If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your
selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me.
25 If you try to hang on to your
life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you
will save it.
“So many people
today, want to be like The Lord;......but not identical, to The
Lord.” JJR
Christians, we'd
better get it right soon, scores of churches are closing every day!
I John 2:15-17
KJV
15 Love
not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in
him.
16 For all that is
in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is
of the world.
17 And the
world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth
the will of God abideth for ever.
I John 4:4 KJV
Ye are of God, little children, and
have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he
that is in the world.
I John 5:4,5 KJV
4 For whatsoever is born of God over
cometh the world: and this is the victory that over
cometh
the world, even our
faith.
5 Who is he that over cometh
the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God?
John 17:1-26 KJV
1 These words spake Jesus, and
lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come;
glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given Him power over
all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast
given Him.
3 And this is life eternal, that
they might know thee The Only True God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou
hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the
earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest Me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou Me
with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the
world was.
6 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.
7 Now they have known that all
things whatsoever thou hast given Me are of thee.
8 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.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for
the world, but for them which thou hast given Me; for
they are thine.
10 And all Mine are thine, and thine
are Mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 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.
12 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.
13 And now come I to thee; and these
things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in
themselves.
14 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.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest
take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest
keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy Truth:
thy Word is Truth.
18 As thou hast sent Me into the
world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify
Myself, that they also might be sanctified through The Truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word;
21 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.
22 And the glory which thou gavest
Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 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.
24 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.
25 O righteous Father, the
world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these
have known that thou hast sent Me.
26 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.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Blessings And Cursings
Bible Questions Answered:
“In Matthew
5:44 Jesus tells us to love our enemies, but Paul, cursed
those who were different than he was. How can this glaring example of
UN-Christlike living be excused?”
Robert/ Berlin, Germany
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Matthew 5:44 KJV
But I say unto you, Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Matthew 7:1-5 KJV
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge,
ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be
measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote
that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in
thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy
brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a
beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the
beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast
out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
First may we address the mission of The
Lord Jesus.
Luke 19:10 KJV
For The Son Of Man is come to seek
and to save that which was lost.
John 3:16,17 KJV
16 For God so loved the world, that
He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not His Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be
saved.
John 8:10,11 KJV
10 When Jesus had lifted up Himself,
and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those
thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus
said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Luke 23:39-43
KJV
39 And one of the malefactors which
were hanged railed on Him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself
and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked
him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same
condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we
receive the due reward of our deeds: but this Man hath done nothing
amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord,
remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I
say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.
Of course these are
the words of The Lord Jesus.
And they surely do
not sound like the words of the apostle Paul!
Galatians 1:8,9
KJV
8 But though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed*.
9 As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed.
*Accursed-Greek:
Anathema (An-ath'-em-ah): A religious ban or excommunication
(thing or person): accursed, anathema, curse, x great.
“Pastor, sure
looks like a Bible error here, right?”
Only if one
carelessly does not consider “the whole counsel of God (Acts
20:27).”
Our Savior, loved
and forgave sinners, yes, but “NEVER,” would He compromise The
Everlasting Word Of God!
Alright, go back
and read that one more time!
Jesus Christ
addressed the Jews that rejected His message of salvation!
Matthew
12:28,30-32 KJV
28 But if I cast out devils by The
Spirit Of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
30 He that is not with Me is against
Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All
manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the
blasphemy against The Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word
against The Son Of Man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever
speaketh against The Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him,
neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Matthew
23:15,17,27,33 KJV
15 Woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one
proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child
of hell than yourselves.
17 Ye fools and blind: for
whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the
gold?
27 Woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited
sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within
full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
33 Ye serpents, ye
generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
Luke 11:29-32
KJV
29 And when the people were gathered
thick together, He began to say, This is an evil generation:
they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign
of Jonas the prophet.
30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the
Ninevites, so shall also The Son Of Man be to this generation.
31 The queen of the south shall rise
up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them:
for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of
Solomon; and, behold,
A Greater Than Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineve shall rise up
in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they
repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, A Greater Than Jonas
is here.
John 8:44 KJV
Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was
a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in The Truth,
because there is no Truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh
of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Was this the same
loving Jesus! Of course!
He loved mankind,
but “would never,” compromise The Holy Word Of God!
So what did the
Apostle Paul believe?
Romans 12:14 KJV (Apostle Paul)
Bless them which persecute you:
bless, and curse not.
And what then of
the meaning of his words to the Galatians .....
Galatians 1:8,9
KJV
8 But though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed.
The Gospel must
be defended at all cost against its enemies! The Gospel, The Word Of
God, is Holy, God Breathed,, the very Word Of God!
Deuteronomy 8:3
KJV
And He humbled
thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which
thou knewest not,
neither did thy
fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by
bread only, but
by every Word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of The Lord doth man live.
II Samuel 22:31
KJV
As for God, His
way is perfect; The Word Of The Lord is tried: He is a buckler
(shield) to all them
that trust in
Him.
I Kings 8:56 KJV
Blessed be The
Lord, that hath given rest unto His people Israel, according to all
that He promised: there hath not failed one Word of all His good
promise, which He promised by the hand of Moses His servant.
Psalm 12:6 KJV
The Words Of
The Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth,
purified seven times.
Psalm 19:8 KJV
The statutes of
The Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of The Lord
is pure,
enlightening
the eyes.
Psalm 111:7 NLT
All He does is
just and good, and all His commandments are trustworthy.
Psalm
119:9,50,89,105,130,140 KJV
9 Wherewithal
shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according
to thy Word.
50 This is my
comfort in my affliction: for thy Word hath quickened me.
89 For ever, O
Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
105 Thy Word is
a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path.
130 The
entrance of thy Words giveth Light; it giveth understanding unto the
simple.
140 Thy word is
very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
Proverbs 6:23
KJV
For the
commandment is a lamp; and the law is Light; and reproofs of
instruction are the way of Life:
Proverbs 29:18
KJV
Where there is
no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is
he.
Isaiah 8:20 KJV
To the law and
to the testimony: if they speak not according to this Word, it is
because there is no Light in them.
Isaiah 40:8 KJV
The grass
withereth, the flower fadeth: but The Word Of our God shall stand for
ever.
Isaiah 45:19 KJV
I have not
spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the
seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me in vain: I The Lord speak righteousness, I
declare things that are right.
Matthew 5:18 KJV
For verily I
say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall
in no wise pass
from the law,
till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 24:35
KJV
Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.
Mark 12:24 KJV
And Jesus
answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know
not the scriptures,
neither the
power of God?
Luke 8:11 KJV
Now the parable
is this: The seed is The Word Of God.
John 5:39 KJV
Search the
scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are
they which testify of Me.
John 12:48-50
KJV
48 He that
rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him:
The Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last
day.
49 For I have
not spoken of Myself; but The Father which sent Me, He gave me a
commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know
that His commandment is Life everlasting: whatsoever I speak
therefore, even as
The Father said
unto Me, so I speak.
John 15:3 KJV
Now ye are
clean through The Word which I have spoken unto you.
John 17:17 KJV
Sanctify them
through thy Truth: thy Word is Truth.
John 20:31 KJV
But these are
written, that ye might believe that Jesus is The Christ, The Son Of
God; and that believing ye might have Life through His name.
Romans 1:16 KJV
For I am not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one
that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 15:4 KJV
For whatsoever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we
through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Ephesians 6:17
KJV
And take the
helmet of salvation, and The sword Of The Spirit, which is The Word
Of God:
II Timothy
3:16,17 KJV
16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for
instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man
of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Hebrews 4:12 KJV
For The Word Of
God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of
the heart.
I Peter 1:25 KJV
But The Word Of
The Lord endureth for ever. And this is The Word which by the gospel
is preached unto you.
II Peter 1:19-21
KJV
19 We have also
a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a Light
that shineth in
a dark place, until the day dawn, and The Day Star arise in your
hearts:
20 Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation.
21 For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake as they were
moved by The
Holy Ghost.
In a day when those
of false beliefs, are ready to die for their ideals, many (so called)
Christians can't dilute their gospel fast enough!
Deuteronomy 4:2
KJV
Ye shall not add unto The Word which
I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may
keep the commandments of The Lord your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy
12:32 KJV
What thing soever I command you,
observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Proverbs 30:5,6
KJV
5 Every Word Of God is pure: He is a
shield unto them that put their trust in Him.
6 Add thou not unto His Words, lest
he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Ecclesiastes
3:14 NLT
And I know that whatever God does is
final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose
is that people should fear Him.
Galatians 1:8,9
KJV
8 But though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed.
Revelation
22:18,19 KJV
18 For I testify unto every man that
heareth the words of the prophecy of this Book, If any man shall add
unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this Book:
19 And if any man shall take away
from The Words of The Book of this prophecy, God shall take away his
part out of The Book Of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the
things which are written in this book.
Love for the lost,
yes, but never at the expense of diluting one jot or tittle of the
Holy Word Of God!
Matthew 5:18 KJV
For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass
from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Be A Defender Of The Faith:
Titus 2:13-15
KJV
13 Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of The Great God and our Savior Jesus
Christ;
14 Who gave Himself for us, that He
might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort,
and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Revelation 12:11
KJV
And they have defeated him by The
Blood Of The Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their
lives so much that they were afraid to die.
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