Time is indeed short. The Lord Jesus is soon coming to redeem His people from this earth, and we, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, need to ready ourselves, putting on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. And we need to ensure that there is sufficient oil in our lamps (as did the five wise virgins), so that when that day shall come, the Word of Christ dwells within us richly in all wisdom, shining with grace in our hearts to the Lord.
Thus, we continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving, withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us, a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ ... walking in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. letting our speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (Colossians 4:2-6; Luke 18:1; Colossians 2:7-9; Ephesians 6:19-20; I Corinthians 16:9; Ephesians 3:3-4; Ephesians 5:15; Matthew 10:16; Ecclesiastes 10:12; Mark 9:50; I Peter 3:15)
The greatest love story ever told is that God Himself was manifest in the flesh, so that we might find abundant life -- the purpose for which we were created -- through Him and in Him. He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. Indeed, His own rejected Him, because these did not expect the Lord of glory to humbly come as the Son of man. (John 1:1-18; Isaiah 9:6; I Timothy 3:16; Titus 3:4-7; Revelation 1:8,11; Matthew 1:21-23; Luke 1:35)
Nevertheless, the good news gospel message delivered personally by our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ to the Gentiles was so that we could know Him personally, and behold Him in all His glory, with thankfulness of heart, knowing that this same Lord God who created this world in the beginning loved us enough to prepare for Himself a body - a perfect sacrifice.
Still, it is important to understand that Jesus was the one and only begotten of the Father -- the Holy Ghost overshadowing Mary, so that she could bring forth a son. (Matthew 1:21-23; Luke 1:35) This is why Jesus is rightfully called "the only begotten of the Father" because His miraculous birth was not tainted with the same inherited sinful nature that all men are born into, as a consequence of the fall of Adam and Eve. And we should recognize too from the scriptures that He lived on earth as we do, tempted in all things, but yet He was without sin.
His humanity (having also been born of a woman) should serve as an exemplary example for you and I to follow -- as disciples.
First, Jesus prayed so that we would understand how to submit all our hearts and minds and souls and strength to the Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Mark 12:29-31) Jesus said, "... nevertheless not My will, but Thine be done." (Luke 22:42; Isaiah 50:5; John 4:34; John 6:38; John 8:29)
Second, Jesus did not seek to do His own will, but the will of the Father, when He said to the Jews who sought the more to kill Him for making Himself equal with God -- "I can of Mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me." (John 5:18-47)
Third, as a consequence of His humanity, Jesus could rightly state -- "My Father is greater than I" -- giving all the glory and honour and praise to God our Father, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (John 14:28; Ephesians 4:5-6)
Fourth, that we, as Jesus did, should acknowledge that we can do nothing of ourselves. Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you -- the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." (John 5:19)
Fifth, Jesus gives all praise to the Father as having the power to give life, and the authority to execute judgment, because the Father "hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father: he that honours to the Son honours not the Father which hath sent Him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hears My Word, and believes on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life." (John 5:19-24)
It is herein that we are to "hear ye Him." Yes, Jesus came in His Father's Name so that we might have life everlasting. (John 5:43) For God so loved the world [you and I] that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ( John 3:16) Whosoever believes in Him! JESUS!
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives, and believes in Me, shall never die ..." (John 11:25-26; John 5:21; John 6:39-44; I John 5:10; I Corinthians 15:22)
God in Christ. The ministry of reconciliation which caused the veil to be torn from top to bottom -- heaven to earth so that we might have everlasting life in our Lord God and Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7; Titus 2:13) How do we know? Because Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in Him. (Colossians 2:9) The visible image of an invisible God. (Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-18) "God was manifest in the flesh" (I Tim 3:16) The Lord came forth as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6)
This means that Jesus could rightly state -- "I and my Father are One" (John 10:30-33) And that, if you have "seen Me, ye have seen the Father." (John 14:6-12) And now we know too, that Jesus, after He was taken up, He THROUGH the Holy Ghost gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3)
First, Jesus prayed so that we would understand how to submit all our hearts and minds and souls and strength to the Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Mark 12:29-31) Jesus said, "... nevertheless not My will, but Thine be done." (Luke 22:42; Isaiah 50:5; John 4:34; John 6:38; John 8:29)
Second, Jesus did not seek to do His own will, but the will of the Father, when He said to the Jews who sought the more to kill Him for making Himself equal with God -- "I can of Mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me." (John 5:18-47)
Third, as a consequence of His humanity, Jesus could rightly state -- "My Father is greater than I" -- giving all the glory and honour and praise to God our Father, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (John 14:28; Ephesians 4:5-6)
Fourth, that we, as Jesus did, should acknowledge that we can do nothing of ourselves. Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you -- the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." (John 5:19)
Fifth, Jesus gives all praise to the Father as having the power to give life, and the authority to execute judgment, because the Father "hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father: he that honours to the Son honours not the Father which hath sent Him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hears My Word, and believes on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life." (John 5:19-24)
It is herein that we are to "hear ye Him." Yes, Jesus came in His Father's Name so that we might have life everlasting. (John 5:43) For God so loved the world [you and I] that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ( John 3:16) Whosoever believes in Him! JESUS!
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives, and believes in Me, shall never die ..." (John 11:25-26; John 5:21; John 6:39-44; I John 5:10; I Corinthians 15:22)
God in Christ. The ministry of reconciliation which caused the veil to be torn from top to bottom -- heaven to earth so that we might have everlasting life in our Lord God and Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7; Titus 2:13) How do we know? Because Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in Him. (Colossians 2:9) The visible image of an invisible God. (Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-18) "God was manifest in the flesh" (I Tim 3:16) The Lord came forth as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6)
This means that Jesus could rightly state -- "I and my Father are One" (John 10:30-33) And that, if you have "seen Me, ye have seen the Father." (John 14:6-12) And now we know too, that Jesus, after He was taken up, He THROUGH the Holy Ghost gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3)
This is why the disciples -- the number of names together about one hundred and twenty -- tarried in Jerusalem, in that upper room until they received the power from on high -- "after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both is Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8, 13-15; Acts 2:1-47)
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance ..." (Acts 2:4) It is for this reason that we also know that the resurrected Jesus is indeed the Bread of Life, the Living Word, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. (Revelation 1:8, 11) Ask this same Lord Jesus (who is both Lord and Christ) into your heart today. (Acts 2:36) Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38) Study His Word, eating His meat with gladness and singleness of heart, and don't be misled by the traditions of men, who do anything and everything but admit that Jesus is our all in all. (Acts 2:1-47)
As the apostles remind us -- "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:21-28)
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. Stand in the offering plate.
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