Of His Own will Begat He Us With the Word of Truth - Part 1049

"To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect ... and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel. See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape] if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven." (Hebrews 12:23-29)

Apostle Paul was always encouraging believers in Jesus by faith to stand fat in the Lord. (Philippians 4:1) To be "confident of this very thing -- that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)

"And to be "found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that [we] may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death." (Philippians 3:9-10)

Who is the author and finisher of our faith? None other than Jesus. No other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) No other name whereby we can be water baptized. (Acts 2:37-42) No other name can we have written in our hearts.

And yet, as Paul noted, there would be those who would try to lead us astray. In fact, Paul instructed us to "mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample (for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end destruction, whose God [their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things." (Philippians 3:17-19)

But our hope is in Jesus the Christ. Thus, our conversation is in heaven -- "from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)

"Of His own will begat He us with the Word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures." (James 1:18)

"In whom we have redemption through His blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him -- and He is before all things and by Him all things consist, and He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all, He might have the preeminence." (Colossians 1:14-18)

"For this cause He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance .. for where a testament [is] there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament [is] of force after men are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood." (Hebrews 9:15-18)

The last will and testament written in His holy blood shed on the cross. His gift of salvation to you and I.

And this [Word], "Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear -- for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:23-29)

"Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom [be] glory for ever and ever, Amen." (Hebrews 13:21)

Stand in the offering plate.