Carla

John 14:1-4

2012-02-02T05:06:00.001-08:00

Jesus is the only way to God, He is the truth that sets man free and the light that shines on humanities darkness and offers them salvation. Just believe!

Jesus told His disciples not to be troubled, but to trust Him. Everybody has a longing for a permanent, secure place. Such places have already been set aside for all of God’s children.

Peter may have failed Jesus, but Christ will not fail to return for Peter and for everyone else who has believed in Him.

John 14:1-4

14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Mark 16:9-19

2012-01-31T06:16:00.001-08:00

The whole of salvation depends upon knowing that Jesus was crucified, died and was buried, He rose and physically appeared to many. He was all man AND all God. We can rest assured that He who raised Him from the grave will also raise those who trust in Him and in the salvation given to man through Father, Son and Holy Spirit. BELIEVE!

Although the women had been commissioned to tell of Jesus’ resurrection, none had actually seen Jesus until He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. Jesus’ resurrection was evidently not expected by anyone in spite of His repeated predictions. After Judas’ demise, the disciples were known for a while as the eleven. Jesus upbraided these disciples for not believing the accounts of eyewitnesses, but He pronounced a blessing on “those who have not seen and yet have believed”.

Those who believe in Christ will be saved.

Mark 16:9-19

⁹ Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. ¹¹ And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

¹² After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. ¹³ And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

¹⁴ Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Job 15:34-35

2012-01-30T04:13:00.001-08:00

The powers of this world like stirring up the masses without thought to truth or the peaceful wisdom of God. It is all about control! I long for the day that truth reigns and we are set free! We need to rise above the fray.

Remember the innocence of Job.....not all things are as they appear to be!

In mentioning the fire that will consume the tents of the wicked, Eliphaz employs the same two words that describe the fire of God that devoured Job’s sheep and servants.

Job 15:34-35

³⁴ For the company of hypocrites will be barren,

And fire will consume the tents of bribery.

³⁵ They conceive trouble and bring forth futility;

Their womb prepares deceit.”

Acts 13:36-41

2012-01-27T05:26:00.000-08:00

We will all be given the chance to accept or reject Jesus Christ and the salvation that only He can give........enter into God’s grace!

Justification is a legal term meaning “declared innocent” It is a legal declaration that a person is acquitted and absolved. It is by justification that a person is righteous and acceptable to God. The death of Christ was the payment of our sin debt, so that we might be forgiven.

Acts 13:36-41

³⁶ “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; ³⁷ but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. ³⁸ Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; ³⁹ and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

⁴¹ ‘Behold, you despisers,

Marvel and perish!

For I work a work in your days,

A work which you will by no means believe,

Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”

Daniel 7:13-14

2012-01-26T04:39:00.001-08:00

Come Lord Jesus come....then and only then will the world rejoice and peace reign!

Son of Man is Semitic for “human being.” Daniel saw One like the “Son of Man,” indicating that He is not a man in the strict sense, but rather the perfect representation of humanity. Jewish and Christian expositors have identified this individual as the Messiah. Jesus Himself used this name to emphasize His humanity as the incarnate Son of God, who will reign over all things as the regent of Almighty God. His dominion is … everlasting.

Daniel 7:13-14

¹³ “I was watching in the night visions,

And behold, One like the Son of Man,

Coming with the clouds of heaven!

He came to the Ancient of Days,

And they brought Him near before Him.

¹⁴ Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

Which shall not pass away,

And His kingdom the one

Which shall not be destroyed.

John 8:12-18

2012-01-25T04:35:00.001-08:00

Christ within the hope of glory! The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are sealed by Him and belong to God. It matters not that others know.... it matters that He does.

As the sun is the physical light of the world, so Jesus is the spiritual light of the world. The religious leaders formed conclusions based on human standards and an imperfect, external, and superficial examination. Jesus did not judge according to human standards or outward appearances.

John 8:12-18

¹² Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

¹³ The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”

¹⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. ¹⁶ And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. ¹⁷ It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. ¹⁸ I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

Colossians 3:17

2012-01-24T05:15:00.001-08:00

Everything that we do should reflect on our love and gratitude for the salvation that God provided in Jesus Christ. Without Him we are incapable of loving others as much as we love ourselves. Without Him we are incapable of loving Him above anyone or anything in our lives. We need to live with an attitude of gratitude for the agape love God has for all of His creation.

In this verse, Paul sums up how Christians should live. We should commit everything we do or say to Jesus and continually thank God for all His good gifts.

Colossians 3:17

¹⁷ And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Luke 11:49-52

2012-01-23T05:17:00.001-08:00

The self righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and their desperate need to keep control of the masses caused them to stifle or kill any truth that would create an even spiritual playing field for all people. They did not want to accept the truth that God sent to them and they definitely did not want others set free by it.

Jesus charged the lawyers with doing the opposite of what they claimed their calling to be. Rather than bringing people nearer to God, they had removed the possibility of their entering into that knowledge, and had prevented others from understanding as well.

Luke 11:49-52

⁴⁹ Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ ⁵⁰ that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, ⁵¹ from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

⁵² “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

Acts 22:9-11

2012-01-20T05:12:00.001-08:00

For every Christian there is a job to be done if we only listen and then act. Everyone may not understand your calling but it is enough that God does.

Paul listened!

The men who had accompanied Paul heard the sound but could not understand the words that were being spoken to Paul.

Acts 22:9-11

⁹ “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. ¹⁰ So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’

Acts 22:6-10

2012-01-19T05:31:00.001-08:00

Whatever you do to the least of His children you do to Him. Whatever you do for the least of His children you do for Him. His followers were considered heretics to the Church. They were all the little people with no power of their own but they were willing to die for His truth.

Be very careful whom you choose to dismiss as insignificant........He may strongly disagree!

Paul shared his personal testimony. God has given to each of us a testimony of how He has changed our lives. We must share that testimony to everyone who will listen.

Acts 22:6-10

⁶ “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. ⁷ And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ⁸ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

Acts 26:6-8

2012-01-18T05:39:00.001-08:00

Jesus Christ came to earth to end deaths emotional hold on us......He came back to our dimension after His death to prove to us once and for all that death had lost its sting. We will be raised from the dead and have everlasting life with God through Him. Just believe!

Paul was not being judged because he had done something wrong. He had not turned against his own Jewish heritage. Instead he fervently believed in the promises God had made to the nation of Israel: the promise of a coming Messiah and the reestablishment of the kingdom of God. Paul did not reject the hope of salvation for Israel. Instead he saw that hope fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The fact that Jesus had been raised from the dead confirmed to Paul that all believers would be raised from the dead to enjoy the blessings of the promised kingdom of God.

Acts 26:6-8

⁶ And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. ⁷ To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. ⁸ Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

John 3:13-17

2012-01-17T06:48:00.001-08:00

January 17th, 2012

When we lift up Jesus Christ, and not ourselves and our beliefs, allowing the Holy Spirit to move then people can see His goodness and His mercy and believe in Him, that they might see and understand and be saved.

In order to refuse a gift you must be aware that a gift is being offered, and everyone will have the opportunity to accept...when the Spirit knocks let Him in! This gift fixes everything!

The most precious gift of the Triune Godhead, the Holy Lamb of God heaven and earth are filled with His glory.....may the Spirit open our eyes to behold Him!

New birth is by the Son, by the Cross, and by faith. When Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, those who looked at it lived. So it is with the Son of Man. When a person trusts Christ, he or she is born again and receives eternal and spiritual life, God’s kind of life.

God’s love is not restricted to any one nation or to any spiritual elite. World here may also include all of creation. At His first coming, Jesus came so that the world through Him might be saved. When Jesus comes again, He will come in judgment upon those who refused His offer of salvation.

John 3:13-17

¹³ No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

1 Corinthians 14:26-33

2012-01-16T05:49:00.000-08:00

I have been under the proverbial weather since Tuesday of last week with a cold that has held onto my hubby since Christmas Day........I am determined that it will let me go... today!

Strange that in most of our Churches today no one speaks in tongues or gives prophesy.....thoughts to ponder. Are we missing out on the very words that God wants to speak to His Body today? How sad in such troubling times that we stifle the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

If each person brings to the meeting the special ability that God has given him or her, and if everything is done for edification, the church as a whole will benefit. As beneficial as prophesying is, Paul sought to limit the activity. Prophets were not to monopolize the limited amount of time the church members were together. Let the others judge indicates that no one, not even a person exercising a spiritual gift, is exempt from accountability to the church.

Revealed indicates that prophesying as described here is different from what we call preaching or reading from Scripture. The prophesying that Paul referred to is similar to OT prophecy in which God gives a revelation to one of His servants who, in turn, gives that revelation to God’s people.

1 Corinthians 14:26-33

²⁶ How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. ³⁰ But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. ³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 2:9-15

2012-01-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

May we continually be filled with the glory of God through the precious blood of Jesus Christ and the knowledge given to us by the Holy Spirit.....the mind, body and heart of God.

Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the truths of God. We could never have discovered the mysteries of God or the benefits of Christ’s death by ourselves. But we can know them by experience because they have been freely given to us by God.

1 Corinthians 2:9-15

⁹ But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

¹⁰ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

¹³ These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. ¹⁶ For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Ezeiel 24:9-13

2012-01-09T05:08:00.000-08:00

Is there no hope for the world? Do we ever learn from the mistakes of the past or are we doomed to repeat them? What does God require of us? He requires us to love Him above all others and to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.....so easy to say and so hard it seems for us to carry it out in deeds as well as words. What we do to the least of our brothers we do to Him.....

God does not play favorites; His judgment would fall equally on all inhabitants of the city, for they all had sinned. The people failed to deal with the sin, so God declares that it would remain exposed to His judgment.

Ezekiel 24 9-13

⁹ ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Woe to the bloody city!

I too will make the pyre great.

¹⁰ Heap on the wood,

Kindle the fire;

Cook the meat well,

Mix in the spices,

And let the cuts be burned up.

¹¹ “Then set the pot empty on the coals,

That it may become hot and its bronze may burn,

That its filthiness may be melted in it,

That its scum may be consumed.

¹² She has grown weary with lies,

And her great scum has not gone from her.

Let her scum be in the fire!

¹³ In your filthiness is lewdness.

Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed,

You will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore,

Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.

Joel 1:2-5

2012-01-06T04:31:00.001-08:00

Has earth ever experienced as many natural disasters as it has in this decade? Every nation has been affected by the devastation wrought by them. We have to wonder what does all this mean? Is it due to man’s failure to take care of what God created and turned over to him to tend OR should we be accessing the times and looking up knowing the time of the end is nearing? Regardless, wisdom would tell us there is an end and God controls eternity and He want no one to perish.....go tell it on the mountains before the new wine of the Holy Spirit and the fruit that only He can produce in man is taken away...... Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation!

The calamity of recent days was unprecedented in the memory of the people. Many interpreters have viewed this locust swarm as foreign armies that attacked Judah in successive waves—Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome. Yet literal locust plagues were one of the judgments promised if the people disobeyed God and broke their covenant with Him. Further, Joel’s description of the damage done by the locusts compares with eyewitness reports. The impression given is one of overwhelming devastation.

Joel 1:2-5

The Land Laid Waste

² Hear this, you elders,

And give ear, all you inhabitants of the land!

Has anything like this happened in your days,

Or even in the days of your fathers?

³ Tell your children about it,

Let your children tell their children,

And their children another generation.

⁴ What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten;

What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten;

And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.

⁵ Awake, you drunkards, and weep;

And wail, all you drinkers of wine,

Because of the new wine,

For it has been cut off from your mouth.

Jeremiah 3:22

2012-01-05T04:26:00.000-08:00

Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding.

Ecclesiastes 12:6-7

2012-01-05T04:12:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is never guaranteed and each day is a gift given to us to use wisely. Each of us will return to the Creator and our eternal life is ultimately in His hands.... seek to know Him now!

This verse describes the destruction of four significant objects—a demonstration of the finality of this life.

Ecclesiastes 12:6-7

⁶ Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,

Or the golden bowl is broken,

Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,

Or the wheel broken at the well.

⁷ Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,

And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Daniel 12:9-11

2012-01-04T03:36:00.001-08:00

There will come an end to life as we know it. I fear for those who do not know of our Savior or who have rejected Him. Send workers into your fields Lord so that Your message of hope and Your desire that no one perish can reach as many people as possible.

Many will be purified, made white, and refined. Suffering will refine the righteous, but the wicked will continue in their evil.

Daniel 12:9-11

⁹ And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. ¹⁰ Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

Ezeiel 22:6-12

2012-01-02T03:56:00.000-08:00

Sin clouds our minds and causes misconceived notions of grandeur and worldliness. It gives us the idea that it is acceptable to mistreat others in the name of progress and in the pursuit of money and happiness...our own.

Jerusalem’s princes had shed the blood of innocent people. These evil leaders had been: (1) taking advantage of parents and the weak (2) rejecting God and His covenant, leading to ungodliness and inhumanity (3) murdering the innocent by slandering them (4) preferring idolatrous religion and its immoral rituals (5) engaging in sexual immorality with neighbors, family, and relatives and (6) loving money and using it to get ahead of fellow citizens.

Ezekiel 22:6-12

⁶ “Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you. ⁷ In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow. ⁸ You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths. ⁹ In you are men who slander to cause bloodshed; in you are those who eat on the mountains; in your midst they commit lewdness. ¹⁰ In you men uncover their fathers’ nakedness; in you they violate women who are set apart during their impurity. ¹¹ One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter. ¹² In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord God.

Ezekiel 34:11-16

2011-12-30T04:04:00.000-08:00

God knows those who are His and He will find us no matter how far we roam. When we are hurt by the very people that are supposed to be our spiritual leaders He knows and He acts in our behalf. He takes our pain, shows us His truth and He turns what was meant to destroy us into our good.

Compare the Lord’s persistent shepherding and guiding of His people with the faithlessness of Israel’s leaders. See also Ps. 23, where similar ideas pertain to God’s shepherding of the individual rather than corporate Israel.

Ezekiel 34:11-16

¹¹ ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. ¹² As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. ¹³ And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. ¹⁴ I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. ¹⁶ “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”

Acts 16:29-34

2011-12-29T04:14:00.000-08:00

What must we do to be saved? Believe in Jesus Christ......it is that simple. This precious gift of life cost God dearly but is given freely to you as a gift!

The events surrounding the arrest of Paul and Silas, the way they responded to suffering, and the mighty acts of God brought the jailer to his knees. He finally knew he needed God’s salvation. But how could he be reconciled to God? Paul and Silas’s answer was simple—just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. No other work was needed. The jailer and his family placed their trust in God and immediately expressed that faith by being baptized.

Acts 16:29-34

²⁹ Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. ³⁴ Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

Luke 11:52-54

2011-12-28T05:40:00.000-08:00

The Holy Spirit will take the things of God shown through Jesus’s life teachings and explain them to you so that you will not remain ignorant. Don’t let others steal the joy and peace that comes in being forgiven through the Cross. Faith alone pleases God! Whoever asks receives and whoever knocks the door is opened.

Jesus charged the lawyers with doing the opposite of what they claimed their calling to be. Rather than bringing people nearer to God, they had removed the possibility of their entering into that knowledge, and had prevented others from understanding as well.

The scribes and Pharisees began challenging Jesus in the hope that He might make a blunder that would allow them to destroy His ministry. They were lying in wait for Him.

Luke 11:52-54

⁵² “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

⁵³ And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, ⁵⁴ lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.

Luke 13:1-5

2011-12-27T03:40:00.001-08:00

Bad things happen! Make peace asking for God’s forgiveness. Place your trust in Father, Son and Holy Spirit alone. Through Jesus and in the unity of the Spirit they will take your life and turn it into something usable for your good and the good of the Kingdom.

Jesus’ question reflected the opinion of His audience. The idea that judgment and death are the results of sin led to the belief that tragic death was the result of extreme sin. Jesus’ point here is that everyone stands at the edge of death until repentance occurs. The death in view here is spiritual, not physical.

The manner in which a person dies is not a measure of righteousness; what is important is not to die outside of God’s grace and care. The way to avoid such a fate is to repent, to come to God through the care of the physician Jesus.

Luke 13:1-5

13 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? ³ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Mark 2:17

2011-12-26T03:14:00.001-08:00

Jesus, all God, came in the form of a man to save us from our own perceptions of self righteousness. What is impossible for us to accomplish He did. For there is no one righteous, no not one. Open your mind, heart and soul to Him who made you from the beginning and who has the means to save you for eternity....praise Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In this instance Jesus was speaking tongue-in-cheek when He used the word righteous. None are righteous, though some, such as the Pharisees, fancied themselves as such. Instead, Christ came to call sinners to repentance. Jesus did not condone the activities of sinners, but required repentance—a change of mind that recognizes the need of a Savior and recognizes Jesus Christ as the only Savior.

Mark 2:17

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Nahum 3:3-4

2011-12-23T03:53:00.001-08:00

Beware of the seductiveness of wealth and security. The parameters of this world drawn by evil’s close proximity will entice you to care about yourself, (your children, your family, your Church, your nation) only....God never intentioned it to be that way. Jesus was given as a light to all people so that all could be saved. He came with shouts of “Peace, peace to the people on earth”.

A Blessed Christmas to everyone near and far.

Horses and chariots were instruments of war. Verse 3 describes the horrors of the nation’s war machine, which resulted in countless corpses.

Harlotries refers to paganism. Any worship of gods other than the God of Scripture is an act of spiritual prostitution. Nineveh was so adept at pagan practices that the city earned the descriptive title, the mistress of sorceries.

Nahum 3:3-4

³ Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear.

There is a multitude of slain,

A great number of bodies,

Countless corpses—

They stumble over the corpses—

⁴ Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot,

The mistress of sorceries,

Who sells nations through her harlotries,

And families through her sorceries.

Acts 13:44-47

2011-12-22T04:18:00.001-08:00

God, all knowing, sent Jesus to save the whole world, so that anyone who believed in Him would not perish but have eternal life. The light of His truth sets man free from the tyranny of Satan’s evil rule that tries to bind him.

A person who convinces himself that he does not need forgiveness from the Holy One has already condemned himself.

Acts 13:44-47

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. ⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. ⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,

That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Hosea 9:7

2011-12-21T06:01:00.000-08:00

Do not fear man who can only destroy the body.....Fear God who has the power to destroy eternal life. We need to love one another and our enemies and treat all people with dignity and respect if we want to obtain peace and curb unrest. To hate is to break God’s command to love one another and treat others the way that we want to be treated. The opposite of God’s agape (uncondictional) love is satan’s hatred for all of God’s creation. Don’t be a pawn in evil’s game.

Sinful Israel disdained God’s true prophets, regarding them as raving maniacs. Enmity refers to strong resentment that can give rise to violent behavior.

Hosea 9:7

⁷ The days of punishment have come;

The days of recompense have come.

Israel knows!

The prophet is a fool,

The spiritual man is insane,

Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity.

Luke 11:42

2011-12-20T05:40:00.000-08:00

The letter of the Law kills hope and breeds despair. Christ is our only hope and He offers peace with God through His blood. What we could never earn through the law He freely gives to all who place their salvation and trust in Him alone! Remember His love covers a multitude of sin.

The Pharisees worried about tithing ten percent, even down to the smallest herbs, which were tithed according to the dictates of tradition, not the Law of Moses. However, they neglected two basic things that the prophets also had warned about: love and justice.

Luke 11:42

⁴² “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Mark 6:4-6

2011-12-19T04:25:00.001-08:00

God walked among them and they knew him not! How devastating that we could be near to Him and not recognize Him. Look around and see Him at work in your Church and in your life.

A prophet is not without honor except in his own country is a maxim still repeated and still true today.

Mark 6:4-6

⁴ But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵ Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

2 Corinthians 2:5-11

2011-12-16T04:38:00.001-08:00

In the manner that we judge we will be judged and in the manner that we forgive we shall be forgiven. That pretty much sums up how we should treat others and how others should treat us. Satan would like nothing more than divide us.

The purpose of church discipline is repentance and restoration. Forgiveness should always follow the correction, just as Christ instructed. One of Satan’s devices, or designs, is to cheat the believer out of true forgiveness. The devil will try to divide the church any way he can.

2 Corinthians 2:5-11

⁵ But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. ⁶ This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ⁷ so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. ⁹ For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰ Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Psalm 46:1-2

2011-12-15T04:09:00.001-08:00

What comfort there is in knowing that no matter what life throws at us we are never left alone. God works those troubles into our good if we just trust in Him!

Our refuge and strength may be rephrased “our impenetrable defense.” The psalms regularly use imagery of a fortress to describe God. In the ancient Middle East, cities were built on heights with high walls for defense. Yet there was no city and no defensive structure that was impenetrable. However, the psalmist describes here the One who is a sure defense.

God is a refuge for His people against everything actual or imagined.

Psalm 46:1-2

¹ God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

2011-12-14T15:26:00.000-08:00

Luke 1:29-33

2011-12-14T04:42:00.001-08:00

Can you imagine the fear and anticipation of Mary? A young virgin visited by an angel and asked to accept by faith the impossible to bring forth the almighty Son Of God. She willingly accepted the will of God upon her life and brought forth the earth’s only hope for salvation. Blessed be her name and the fruit of her womb.

Jesus fulfilled (and will fulfill) God’s promise to David concerning an unending dynasty. The OT develops in detail this promise of an eternal Davidic kingdom. Mary was blessed because she received God’s favor and grace and accepted her part in His eternal plan to save us.

Luke 1:29-33

²⁹ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Hosea 10:12

2011-12-13T04:13:00.001-08:00

The sure mercies offered in Jesus Christ will not always be here for the accepting....seek Him now!

Hosea calls the people to repentance, reminding them that a decision could not be postponed, and that God’s blessings could still be restored. In Israel’s case, the people had to reestablish social justice—righteousness—and loyalty—mercy—in the land.

Plowing and planting are necessary preliminary steps for growing a crop, which eventually sprouts when the rain falls in season. In the same way, repentance would set the stage for restored blessing, which God would eventually rain down on His people.

Hosea 10:12

¹² Sow for yourselves righteousness;

Reap in mercy;

Break up your fallow ground,

For it is time to seek the Lord,

Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

Nahum 1:15

2011-12-12T03:50:00.001-08:00

God wins.....trust Him! Jesus was born with shouts of Peace, peace to the people on earth! He came to bring good tidings of salvation to all who would accept His gift.

The image is that of a herald of peace.

With the promise of future deliverance from oppression, the prophet called for the people to live in righteousness and expectation. There is nothing better for the people of God in any age than to live in obedience to Him and in anticipation of His coming deliverance.

Nahum 1:15

¹⁵ Behold, on the mountains

The feet of him who brings good tidings,

Who proclaims peace!

O Judah, keep your appointed feasts,

Perform your vows.

For the wicked one shall no more pass through you;

He is utterly cut off.

Jeremiah 1:4-8

2011-12-09T06:56:00.001-08:00

If God leads you to it He will get you through it. God uses whom He wills and all we need to be is willing and compliant.

Jeremiah was keenly aware that the call of God in his life had been determined by God from before his conception. As God’s word became a reality in his life, the prophet understood that God knew him and had called him to proclaim a critical message at a crucial point in the history of the nation. The word knew refers to an intimate knowledge that comes from relationship and personal commitment. That intimate relationship was made apparent in God’s sanctifying work, whereby Jeremiah was “set apart” (made holy) for special service. Jeremiah’s role was to be a prophet to the nation of Judah as well as a messenger of God for all nations.

Jeremiah would not go and speak alone or of his own accord, but according to the word of the Lord and with His powerful presence. The term deliver is used in Jeremiah to indicate the saving of the people from their captors, the deliverance of the poor from their oppressors, and the safety of the prophet from possible harm before national leaders.

Jeremiah 1:4-8

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

Before you were born I sanctified you;

I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

⁶ Then said I:

“Ah, Lord God!

Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”

⁷ But the Lord said to me:

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’

For you shall go to all to whom I send you,

And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

⁸ Do not be afraid of their faces,

For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 46:12-13

2011-12-08T03:36:00.001-08:00

God is merciful and kind even when we stray far from Him but there will come an end to the grace He has extended in Jesus Christ. We stay grounded in our circumstances out of fear of the unknown or complacency. It is easier to be stagnant than to reach for the Star of Bethlehem.

As there were those in the first Exodus who longed to return to Egypt, so in the second Exodus there would be those who refused to leave the comfort and security of Babylon and Persia. In spite of the Israelites’ long history of rebellion, God loves His people Israel and has never utterly cast them aside.

Isaiah 46:12-13

¹² “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted,

Who are far from righteousness:

¹³ I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off;

My salvation shall not linger.

And I will place salvation in Zion,

For Israel My glory.

Mark 4:39-41

2011-12-07T04:31:00.000-08:00

^{One of the hardest things that we will ever do is to put our total trust in God to direct our lives and to protect us from the unknown}^{. It is this total trust that elevates us above ourself and into His agape love.}^{At this Holy time of the year it is good to remember that He sent His only begotten Son that we could have an abundant life free from fear.}

Jesus’ command over the wind and the sea demonstrates His full and complete deity. Only God the Creator can calm wind and sea. Mark uses the disciples’ question “Who can this be?” to evoke a similar response in the minds of his readers. Mark relates the works and words of the one he calls “Jesus Christ, the Son of God”

^{Mark 4:39-41}

³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” ⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

John 8:34-36

2011-12-06T04:29:00.003-08:00

What is impossible for man is accomplished through the Son. Faith alone pleases the Father and His priceless gift to us cost Him everything so that we could be set free from the tyranny of sin and death. Believe in Him!

Jesus was speaking of spiritual slavery. Such a slave cannot break away from his bondage. He must have someone else set him free.

A slave was not a permanent resident of a house. A son remained a family member with family privileges forever. This proverbial saying is applied in v. 36. The application proves that the “Son” here is Jesus Christ . As a family member, the Son can bestow family privileges on others.

John 8:34-36

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Luke 12:47-48

2011-12-05T04:57:00.000-08:00

There is a price to pay for being enlightened to the truth of Jesus Christ. We would do well to consider the cost and then to choose our path with care. Those who hold onto the truth until the end of their tenure here on earth will be rewarded for their faithfulness. According to the Scriptures the only unforgivable sin is calling what is done through the Holy Spirit evil. God will not tolerate us grieving His heart, the Holy Spirit, who gives us light through sharing with us the truth of His Son.

The parable suggests degrees of God’s punishment: The faithful are rewarded, the ignorant are disciplined a little, the disobedient are disciplined moderately, and the blatantly disobedient are executed. In each case, the stewardship of the servant is evaluated.

Luke 12:47-48

⁴⁷ And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸ But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Jeremiah 39:15-18

2011-12-01T04:20:00.001-08:00

From the beginning it was meant to be so......put your trust in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and then let go and let God be God! No matter what adversity life brings, in Him you are safe, loved and protected and He will turn it for your good.

Ebed-Melech, who had carefully rescued Jeremiah from the muddy cistern in the prison court, was promised safety and deliverance by the Lord because of his assistance to Jeremiah and because he had put his trust in God.

Jeremiah 39:15-18

¹⁵ Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, ¹⁶ “Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. ¹⁷ But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. ¹⁸ For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”

another pearl of wisdom by Max Lucado

2011-11-30T05:43:00.000-08:00

Grace! It makes all the difference. I like this quote:

Gone are the exertions of law-keeping, gone the disciplines of legalism, gone the anxiety that having done everything we might not have done enough. We reach the goal not by the stairs but by the lift . . . God pledges his promised righteousness to those who will stop trying to save themselves.

Grace offers rest. Legalism? Never.

Zephaniah 1:2-3

2011-11-30T05:40:00.001-08:00

It frightens me every time I am led to this passage. I long for Christ to return but I want no one to be hurt or lost in the process.... that is how God feels! If only we did not have free will none of this would happen....BUT...God wanted a people who would choose to love Him and to follow Him. The ultimate gentleman He values freedom and our right to choose what we believe in. He will not come into our lives unless we ask, even if our decisions destroy us and we break His heart by those choices.

The message of Zephaniah begins with a pronouncement of universal judgment. These words not only introduce the particular judgment that would be pronounced upon Judah, but they also speak of the final judgment that will usher in the kingdom of God on earth.

Stumbling blocks here refers to idolatry, or substitutes for God in the life and affections of a person. Because there is nothing in the universe that really may be compared to the Creator.

Zephaniah 1:2-3

² “I will utterly consume everything

From the face of the land,”

Says the Lord;

³ “I will consume man and beast;

I will consume the birds of the heavens,

The fish of the sea,

And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked.

I will cut off man from the face of the land,”

Says the Lord.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

2011-11-29T03:52:00.000-08:00

It is human to fear but we have an advocate, a helper in those times with the Holy Spirit. We can call on His power to do that which we are incapable of doing and the wisdom to call on and to rely in His intervention in our daily lives in good times and in bad. We do well to remember that His love conquers all!

The desire to discover, develop, and deploy our specific spiritual gifts should be like a fire blazing within us. The constant struggle of Christians is to be diligent about our work for God and not to slacken our pace in this spiritual race. We need to make a conscious effort to exercise our gift for the common good of the body of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the One who gives us spiritual gifts and empowers us to use them. God’s Spirit does not impart fear or cowardice, but power, love, and a sound mind, or “self-control.” The love the Spirit gives to us should be directed toward other individuals.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

⁶ Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Mark 2:21-22

2011-11-28T03:06:00.000-08:00

We are made new in Christ so that we can absorb the truth beyond the parameters of the traditions of man. Our past can stop us from entering into the glory of God, don’t let it be a stumbling block, let go of it. Seek the truth and precept upon precept it will set you free!

Mark records only four of Jesus’ parables—two of which he includes here. The comparison implies that the newness of His message, and of the new covenant to follow, cannot fit into the old molds of Judaism. The OT was preparation for the NT.

Mark 2:21-22

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. ²² And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

Daniel 8:15-17

2011-11-23T04:02:00.003-08:00

Throughout the Old and New Testament God used angels to convey messages and to explain their meaning to humans. Now we can be enlightened and guided by the Holy Spirit who resides in us. Jesus promised that He would never leave us alone and unprotected. In times of trouble we have an advocate and we need to be able to hear that small still voice that directs us.

This is the first mention of the messenger Gabriel in the Bible. The angel is mentioned three other times in Scripture. The time of the end is a reference to a time that may already be underway in some respects, but will not find its fulfillment until the Second Coming of Christ.

vision (Heb. chazon) (8:1; Is. 1:1; Prov. 29:18) Strong’s #2377: The Hebrew word for a dream or a vision is derived from a common Hebrew verb meaning “to see.” Dreams and visions were often recognized by the ancients as revelations from the gods, or from God Himself in the case of the Hebrews (Is. 1:1). Daniel received a visionary message from God that spoke about the future of the kingdoms of Persia and Greece. His dream was encoded in symbols which required the interpretive assistance of the angel Gabriel (8:15–27). The author of Proverbs insists that revelation from God is essential to the well-being of a society. Without God’s law revealed in Scripture, the foundation of a society crumbles (see Prov. 29:18).

Daniel 8:15-17

Gabriel Interprets the Vision

¹⁵ Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. ¹⁶ And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” ¹⁷ So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

Matthew 18:32-35

2011-11-22T03:17:00.001-08:00

To be forgiven we need to forgive....it is as simple and as complex as that! Lord, help me to forgive others and for others to forgive me.

This parable reiterates the principle that we should forgive others because God forgives us. If our forgiveness should be in direct proportion to the incredible amount that we have been forgiven, then we must always be willing to forgive.

Matthew 18:32-35

³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

1 Samuel 30:22-25

2011-11-21T04:54:00.000-08:00

We reap the rewards of a battle we did not fight in Christ Jesus and this is the ultimate example of sharing what we did not earn....and do not deserve.

It is human nature to want to keep to ourselves anything that we have, in our opinion earned, but it is God’s way to share the blessings that He has provided you with all who are in need. We provide a service or product but we are dependent on others to need and buy the service or product that we are supplying. No one without the participation of others makes a living. God’s ways are not man’s.

These men insisted that the spoil captured from the Amalekites should not be divided with the men who stayed at the Brook Besor with the supplies. David pointed out that the booty captured from the Amalekites was actually a gift from God, who had given them the victory. David’s band of warriors were one, although they had different strengths and abilities. They would share equally in the fruits of victory.

1 Samuel 30:22-25

²² Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.”

²³ But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. ²⁴ For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.” ²⁵ So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

John 10:7-10

2011-11-18T04:18:00.000-08:00

Jesus came to bring us an abundant life rich in His promises and to His Father’s glory. The ruler of this world seeks to destroy you by stealing your joy and taking away eternal life with God. Accept Jesus Christ into your life and live, fully and richly, live!

Jesus is the shepherd; here He is the door. Some shepherds lay down across the entry of the sheepfold at night to sleep. Wild beasts would be discouraged from entering, and sheep would not exit. Thus the shepherd was also the door. The thieves and robbers were the Pharisees. Jesus, the shepherd, gives spiritual life and access to spiritual food.

The thieves take life; the shepherd gives it. Abundant life includes salvation, nourishment, healing (v. 9), and much more. Life here refers to eternal life, God’s life. It speaks not only of endlessness, but of quality of life. With Christ, life on earth can reach much higher quality, and then in heaven it will be complete and perfect.

John 10:7-10

⁷ Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 15:1-4

2011-11-17T05:09:00.001-08:00

Be thankful if you are facing trials and tribulations in your life....it means that God is not done with you yet! Rejoice in your victories. Remember whom He loves He refines in the furnace of affliction until looking upon them He can see His Son. His love, peace, and kindness to others will reflect in you so that the world may see His glory!

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control.

With such a vinedresser, the branches can experience complete confidence and security. Jesus’ purpose was to move His disciples from servants to friends. This would involve a process of discipline in regard to His commandments. No plant produces fruit instantaneously; fruit is the result of a process. Such is also the case with believers. Once the fruit is on the vine, the vinedresser cleanses the fruit of bugs and diseases. The spiritual counterpart is cleansing which is done through the Word.

For the branch to produce more fruit, it must abide, which means to dwell, to stay, to settle in, to sink deeper. The way to abide in Christ is to obey. The believer who lovingly obeys the Word of God produces much fruit.

John 15:1-4

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Ephesians 4:29

2011-11-16T05:34:00.001-08:00

1 Timothy 5:1-2

2011-11-16T05:29:00.001-08:00

There is wisdom in just keeping silent about the failures of someone and speaking up on the good they have done. There are things that we all would have done differently given the chance and there is no man perfect, no not one.

Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

1 Timothy 5:1-2

5 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

Zechariah 10:5-8

2011-11-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

God is full of mercy and grace and He wants everyone to have the choice of eternal life with Him so.....He provided the sacrifice once and for ALL in Jesus. He will strengthen us and we will rejoice. Ask the Lord for His blessing so that you can be a blessing. What we cannot do He does with just a word! Lord, rain down on me.

The promise I will bring them back is a promise of restoration. The dispersed remnant of Israel would return to the Promised Land.

As a shepherd signals his sheep, so the Lord will whistle for His people to return to the land. God will deliver them from sin and from the bondage of captivity.

Zechariah 10:6-8

⁶ “I will strengthen the house of Judah,

And I will save the house of Joseph.

I will bring them back,

Because I have mercy on them.

They shall be as though I had not cast them aside;

For I am the Lord their God,

And I will hear them.

⁷ Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man,

And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine.

Yes, their children shall see it and be glad;

Their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.

⁸ I will whistle for them and gather them,

For I will redeem them;

And they shall increase as they once increased.

Jonah 2:1-10

2011-11-14T03:48:00.000-08:00

Outside of God’s will for our life is a dangerous place to be. He will do whatever it takes to show us the stupidity of our choices and to bring us back to the center of the cross where God met man in Jesus Christ. I have been there and I am filled with gratitude that our Father is full of mercy and grace and never leaves nor forsakes those prodical children who place their trust in Him alone.

The phrase the Lord his God shows that Jonah, even though he was disobedient, was a true believer in God. Jonah was terrified. When the sailors threw Jonah into the sea, he seemed to be “as good as dead.” Thus for Jonah, the sea became like Sheol, the place of death. The man who had run from God’s presence was alone, yet he clung to the hope that God would not abandon him. Jonah reaffirms his faith in the Lord and renews his commitment to Him.

The focus in the story of Jonah is on the Lord’s sovereign control over creation to bring about His purpose.

Mercy (loyal love), the term that so often describes God’s faithfulness to His covenant and to His people is used as a name for the Lord. Jonah declares that he will keep his promise, a pledge both to sacrifice and to acknowledge God’s help. It is the Lord who delivers His people. God acts on behalf of His creation and the redeemed community to insure a relationship with them.

November 14th, 2011

Jonah 2:1-10

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. ² And he said:

“I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,

And He answered me.

“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,

And You heard my voice.

³ For You cast me into the deep,

Into the heart of the seas,

And the floods surrounded me;

All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.

⁴ Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;

Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’

⁵ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;

The deep closed around me;

Weeds were wrapped around my head.

⁶ I went down to the moorings of the mountains;

The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;

Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,

O Lord, my God.

⁷ “When my soul fainted within me,

I remembered the Lord;

And my prayer went up to You,

Into Your holy temple.

⁸ “Those who regard worthless idols

Forsake their own Mercy.

⁹ But I will sacrifice to You

With the voice of thanksgiving;

I will pay what I have vowed.

Salvation is of the Lord.”

¹⁰ So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Isaiah 12:1-2

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Humbled beyond measure, filled to the brim with gratitude and full of His mercy and grace in Christ Jesus...this is how I feel after His cleansing in my life. I praise you Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

The first you is singular, representing the remnant as an individual. The anger of God had caused the people to be dispersed among the nations; His grace would lead to their regathering.

ah, the Lord, by its repetition, emphasizes that Israel’s covenant-keeping God—and not the nations—brings salvation

Isaiah 12:1-2

12 And in that day you will say:

“O Lord, I will praise You;

Though You were angry with me,

Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.

² Behold, God is my salvation,

I will trust and not be afraid;

‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;

He also has become my salvation.’ ”

Ezekiel 34:20-24

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God cares about all of His creation but He especially watches over and protects those that have no power and no one who cares for their needs. Today I am thankful that through our votes we have shown that Ohio cares for God’s children, all of them!

The leaders of Israel had failed to lead properly. They had used their positions of power to their own advantage and to the disadvantage of the people.

The change from the pronoun I to he in this verse indicates that God would continue operating as the Chief Shepherd through this chosen future ruler from the Davidic line. He is the Messiah—God’s only Son and His servant.

Ezekiel 34:20-24

²⁰ ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. ²¹ Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, ²² therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. ²³ I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them— My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. ²⁴ And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

1 Corinthians 14:26-32

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Do we limit the power of the Holy Spirit by not allowing or encouraging all of His gifts in our churches? We need to allow Him full reign knowing that in all things He desires order, peace and unity.

If each person brings to the meeting the special ability that God has given him or her, and if everything is done for edification, the church as a whole will benefit.

Revealed indicates that prophesying as described here is different from what we call preaching or reading from Scripture. The prophesying that Paul referred to is similar to OT prophecy in which God gives a revelation to one of His servants who, in turn, gives that revelation to God’s people.

1 Corinthians 14:26-32

²⁶ How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. ³⁰ But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. ³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

John 1:14-18

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Do we truly understand this, can we fully comprehend the meaning of these passages? The Word of God became man to set us free with His truth and to save us with His grace. No greater gift can be given than eternal life with Him to all who believe!

The Son of God who was from eternity became human, with limitations in time and space. This is the doctrine of the incarnation: God became human. All who trust Christ are born of God. In the Gospel of John, these “born ones” are called children of God, but Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. He is the only Son who is fully God.

When God revealed Himself to Moses, He proclaimed Himself to be “abounding in goodness and truth” (see Ex. 34:6). As applied to Jesus Christ, this phrase marks Him as the author of perfect redemption and perfect revelation.

Grace is God’s favor expressed to sinful humankind apart from any human works or worth. God became visible to human eyes in the man Jesus. It is through seeing the Son that we see God. The One who is the Father’s only begotten Son and who knows God intimately came to earth and declared Him.

John 1:14-18

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵ John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

¹⁶ And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Matthew 26:39

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Jesus understands our fears because in His human nature He feared. Through Him we have the privilege of calling on His intervention in our circumstances. We have an advocate to the divine through Him, all man AND all God. His peace He gives to us, not the peace of the world, but the peace of the Godhead to face whatever life throws at us. He was separated from His Father so that we don’t have to be.

It was not the impending physical suffering, as terrible as it would be, that caused Jesus to pray this way; it was the reality of the sinless Son of God bearing the sins of the world and facing separation from His Father. Jesus became a curse for us and took the brunt of God’s righteous wrath against sin.

Matthew 26:39

³⁹ He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Matthew 1:17

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God keeps His promises from generation to generation. They are not on our time but on His. We are drawing close to the Holy Season let’s all remember that Jesus is the reason behind the celebrations. We live because Jesus was born, was crucified and He rose again to conquer sin and death so that we don’t have to. God’s family is important to Him just like ours is important to us....our family can be broken in death but His family will last forever. The good news is that all of us can choose to be adopted into His family He comes to us with open arms and a forgiving heart waiting for us to ask Him for the salvation that only He can provide!

The genealogy is broken down into three groups of names with fourteen generations in each list. The name David in Hebrew has a numerical value of 14. Because the heading of the list is “Son of David”, Matthew may have been drawing attention to the Davidic emphasis in these names.

In the first group, the Davidic throne is established; in the second group, the throne is cast down and deported to Babylon; in the third group, the throne is confirmed in the coming of the Messiah. Further, a basic covenant is set forth in each of these three periods: the Abrahamic covenant in the first; the Davidic covenant in the second, and the New Covenant in the third.

Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.

Hear, and your soul shall live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—

The sure mercies of David.

2 Chronicles 21:7 Yet the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

Matthew 1:17

¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations

Acts 13:36-41

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The letter of the Law kills the grace of God given in Jesus Christ who gives eternal life to all who choose to believe. Just believe!!

Justification is a legal term meaning “declared innocent” It is a legal declaration that a person is acquitted and absolved. It is by justification that a person is righteous and acceptable to God. The death of Christ was the payment of our sin debt, so that we might be forgiven.

Acts 13:36-41

³⁶ “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; ³⁷ but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. ³⁸ Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; ³⁹ and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

⁴¹ ‘Behold, you despisers,

Marvel and perish!

For I work a work in your days,

A work which you will by no means believe,

Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”

Jeremiah 51:56

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What we do to others will return to us....good for good OR bad for bad. We need to treat others in the way that we want to be treated!

Babylon would be destroyed for killing so many in Israel.

Jeremiah 51:56

⁵⁶ Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon,

And her mighty men are taken.

Every one of their bows is broken;

For the Lord is the God of recompense,

He will surely repay.

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Don’t judge other people or you will be judged. Matthew 7:1

Jeremiah 18:5-11

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God is long suffering towards man and wants everyone to be with Him forever but there will come an end to His patience with us. Love is the line drawn in the sand for man, we either love God above all and others as much as we love ourselves and prove it by our actions, or we will put up walls of defense to the agape love of God and shut Him out of our life.

The Holy Spirit will do whatever it takes to teach us the destruction of following our flawed human nature and teach us the way to eternal life with God......we can learn the hard way or the easy way but we will learn our lessons.

The potter’s remolding of the clay into an acceptable and unblemished work symbolized God’s action in reforming Israel. The people had become marred and defiled and had to be reformed into a vessel fit to be identified with the Lord.

If a nation threatened with destruction would turn from its evil, God would relent of the promised disaster. God the Potter was more than willing to forgive the iniquity and stubborn rebellion of Judah. In Gal. 4:19, Paul uses this imagery to depict the formation of the image of Christ in the obedient Christian.

A nation to whom God has promised His blessing may forfeit its preferred status through disobedience. In such a case, God would relent of the good He had promised and bring calamity upon the rebellious people. God was fashioning a disaster, a calamity, for Judah if it did not repent or return to Him and change its actions from evil to good.

Jeremiah 18:5-11

⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ⁶ “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! ⁷ The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, ⁸ if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. ⁹ And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, ¹⁰ if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

¹¹ “Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.” ’ ”

Ambition

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By Max Lucado

The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Job 28:28, NKJV

Ambition is that grit in the soul that creates disenchantment with the ordinary and puts the dare into dreams.

But left unchecked it becomes an insatiable addiction to power and prestige; a roaring hunger for achievement that devours people as a lion devours an animal, leaving behind only the skeletal remains of relationships ...

God won’t tolerate it.

Mark 2:5-12

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Believe! Jesus Christ has the power and the desire to heal you physically and mentally. In the socially dominated world that we live in it is easy to get caught up in the belief system of this world. Most of us don’t even realize the impact that society has on our understanding of right and wrong, God’s way or man’s way. The stress that we are under to conform and the values that we trade in order to succeed and to be accepted cause illness both emotionally and physically. When we admit our sin and inability to make it on our own asking Jesus for forgiveness He heals us. Precept upon precept, He teaches us through the Holy Spirit God’s way of attaining abundant life! Jesus takes away the original sin of the world and is the only way to the Father and eternal life.

Not only did the four men have faith, but the paralytic himself had it too. When Jesus announced to him, your sins are forgiven, He was implicitly acknowledging the paralytic’s trust that He was the Messiah. Mark notes the opposition of the scribes, who under their breath accused Jesus of blasphemy. In Christ’s day the scribes were commonly called lawyers.

Jesus asked the which is easier question to demonstrate the truth of His claim to forgive the man’s sins—something only God can accomplish. Anyone could assert the ability to forgive sins, since there was no earthly way of confirming the statement. But to say arise, take up your bed and walk to a paralytic could be tested immediately by whether he walked or not. By healing the paralytic, Jesus made His pronouncement of forgiveness far more credible. Son of Man is a term regularly used for the Messiah

The crowd’s reaction showed that they understood the significance of Jesus’ miracle. It is possible that some scribes and Pharisees joined in the acclamation. But permanent, life-changing faith is what Christ sought, not temporary adoration from the crowd.

Mark 2:5-12

⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

⁶ And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸ But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, ¹¹ “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” ¹² Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Nahum 1:12-13

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God protects those who put their total trust in Him. He will never leave you not forsake you and He placed His heart, the Holy Spirit, in you so that you will be guided by Him and never be left alone. Ask and you will receive, knock and the door will be open to you for everyone who ask receives and he who seeks finds. God so loves you and me!!

Here is an oracle of deliverance from God to His people. The present sense of safety and power that the enemy felt would not last; the past judgments of God on His nation would not continue. The Lord promised to break off the yoke that the enemy had placed on His people

Nahum 1:12-13

¹² Thus says the Lord:

“Though they are safe, and likewise many,

Yet in this manner they will be cut down

When he passes through.

Though I have afflicted you,

I will afflict you no more;

¹³ For now I will break off his yoke from you,

And burst your bonds apart.”

Luke 6:27-36

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Who can understand a love like God’s? In our human way of looking at life it seems impossible....it is. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can we aspire and attain to live life according to God’s principles. We need to keep His ways uppermost in our minds and lives praying always for His help and guidance.

The threat of religious persecution was very real when Jesus presented His command for extraordinary love. The reference to a cursing enemy suggests a context of religious persecution.

The one who seeks to love will always remain exposed and at risk. Jesus’ instruction here is to forgive and forget. Such love as Jesus describes recognizes the preferences of others and is sensitive to them. The practice of loving one’s enemies is modeled by God Himself, who is kind to the unthankful and evil. Jesus also notes that the reward will be great for the losses suffered while practicing this type of love. This reward will be a hundredfold—that is, ten thousand percent

Luke 6:27-36

²⁷ “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. ³¹ And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

³² “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. ³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Mark 7:6-7

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God’s ways are far above man’s and He honors those who honor Him and His ways above the ways of man. In the ‘my personal rights society’ that we live in it is hard to fathom that love, God’s agape love, rules supreme and who does He love....all of His creation.

Jesus did not directly answer the question but instead addressed two more significant issues: (1) the superiority of God’s law over man-made tradition and (2) the difference between ceremonial and true moral defilement. Jesus enters into the argument by calling His adversaries hypocrites. The term originally referred to actors who wore masks on stage as they played different characters. Thus the Pharisees were not genuinely religious; they were merely playing a part for all to see.

Mark 7:6-7

⁶ He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

⁷ And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Isaiah 6:6

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^{God in His infinite mercy and grace gave man His only begotten Son to die for our sins and to give us the chance to be with Him eternally.}^{No greater love than this exists!}

The live coal … from the altar symbolizes both the purification of blood and the fire of the Spirit that enabled the prophet to speak. From that point on, his words would be light to his hearers and power to those who would listen. The fact that a coal from the altar was used reminds us that ultimately all sin is forgiven because of a sacrifice. The sacrifices on the temple altar point to the ultimate sacrifice of the Savior Jesus. God sovereignly and graciously forgave Isaiah’s sin.

^{Isaiah 6:6-7}

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. ⁷ And he touched my mouth with it, and said:

“Behold, this has touched your lips;

Your iniquity is taken away,

And your sin purged.”

Ezekiel 35:10-13

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God watches over those who trust in Him and He remembers His promises and keeps them even when we do not.

A second reason for God’s revenge on Edom is given, in addition to that in v. 5—Edom expected to take over Judah and Israel after their destruction by the Babylonians. These two nations refers to Israel and Judah.

Ezekiel 35:10-13

¹⁰ “Because you have said, ‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will ^kpossess them,’ although ^lthe Lord was there, ¹¹ therefore, as I live,” says the Lord God, “I will do ^maccording to your anger and according to the envy which you showed in your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them when I judge you. ¹² ⁿThen you shall know that I am the Lord. I have ^oheard all your ^pblasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are desolate; they are given to us to consume.’ ¹³ Thus ^qwith your mouth you have ⁶boasted against Me and multiplied your ^rwords against Me; I have heard them.”

this day choose who you will serve

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this is the second day in a row that I have been led to this passage....choose life and that in abundance

Ezekiel 34:25-27

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Soon, very soon, we will dwell safely in the loving arms of our heavenly Father. No more sorrow and no more tears. With the return of Lord Jesus, evil will be eliminated and man will no longer be enslaved by his human nature and the evil that surrounds him.

The exiles were encouraged through this promise of a covenant of peace, characterized by these promises: (1) security from foreign aggressor nations, the wild beasts; (2) showers of blessing, meaning productivity and prosperity; and (3) the certainty that the Lord is Israel’s God and desires reunion with His people and a lasting relationship built on a new covenant.

Ezekiel 34:25-27

25 “I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27 Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them.

Luke 11:52

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The knowledge of God is not found in man’s rules it is spiritually discerned through the Holy Spirit. The letter of the law kills but Jesus gives abundant life. Remember no one is worthy of God’s mercy and grace it is His gift and it is received by faith!

Jesus charged the lawyers with doing the opposite of what they claimed their calling to be. Rather than bringing people nearer to God, they had removed the possibility of their entering into that knowledge, and had prevented others from understanding as well.

1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all,

Luke 11:52

52 “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”