Sadly, it is this same power of darkness that is attempting to deceive the world from knowing who Jesus really is, and how He loved us so much, that after His kindness and love, He became flesh and dwelt among us so that we could behold His glory! He was in the world and the world was made by Him but the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. (John 1:10-11; John 1:1-18; John 10:30; Revelation 1:8)
But given that we have the scriptures, the Word of God at our fingertips, we have no excuse for not knowing the Son of man as the Lord of glory. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus Himself showed John in a vision that He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. However, the religious culture has penetrated our hearts with false teachings that only the Word of God entered into our hearts can change. This is why it is critical that we who profess to believe in Jesus by faith study His Word to show ourselves approved unto God, as doth a workman ... so that we are not deceived by those who declare themselves as Shepherds and yet are void of the Word.
Right from the beginning, when the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters, He declared Himself as ONE GOD! (Genesis 1:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31) And this did not change, even though over the dispensations God has chosen how to reveal Himself to those who love Him. Hebrews 1 tells us that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God.
"To wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself ..." (II Corinthians 5:19)
As God hath said, "I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be My people ... and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters," saith the Lord Almighty." (II Corinthians 6:16-18; I Corinthians 3:16-17; Leviticus 2612; Jeremiah 31:33; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:26-27; Isaiah 52:11; III Samuel 7:14; Romans 8:14)
It is in this context that we as believers in Jesus by faith should desire to be straightened in the Word of God, and not to be led astray from the Rock which can only be found in Him. In this current dispensation of grace, His Name is JESUS. And by pureness, and by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left ... we can and are to possess all things in Christ Jesus, our Lord God and Saviour! (II Corinthians 6:6-10; Titus 3:4-7)
Many scriptures point to His true identity. What follows are a few scriptures to meditate upon. Indeed, I pray -- let those with ears to hear, hear, and eyes to see, understand the unparalleled cost He bore on that cross so that we might receive His free gift of salvation, paid for through His own precious blood. Beginning with John, when the prophesied John the baptizer was sent out to the world as His messenger, always pointing to Jesus for salvation:
The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and saith, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, "After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for He was before me. And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not," but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizes with the Holy Ghost." And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:29-34)
His identity hidden so that those who really desired in their hearts to know Jesus, and to love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, would learn that after His resurrection, He through the Holy Ghost would give commandments unto the apostles He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3) That this same Jesus whom ye have crucified, as Peter standing with the eleven said on the day of Pentecost, is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36-41)
Behold the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world. Emmanuel, being interpreted, God with us. (Matthew 1:21-23; Isaiah 9:6; I Timothy 3:16)
"O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"
Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." (Isaiah 40:9-11)
"Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the FIRST, and WITH the LAST; I AM HE." (Isaiah 41:4)
"Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare His praise in the islands. The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: He shall cry, yea, roar; He shall prevail against His enemies. I have long time holden My peace; I have been still, and refrained Myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once." (Isaiah 42:10-14)
"Now therefore, what have I here," saith the LORD, "that My people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl," saith the LORD; "and My Name continually every day is blasphemed. Therefore My people shall know My Name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak: behold, it is I.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward." (Isaiah 52:5-12)
"For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: FOR THE LORD WILL GO BEFORE YOU; AND THE God OF ISRAEL WILL BE YOUR REREWARD!" (Isaiah 52:12)
"And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star" ... He which testifies these things saith, "Surely I come quickly. Amen. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." (Revelation 22:12-21)
Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in HIs blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, [I say], at this time His righteousness; that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus .." (Romans 3:24-26)
Our joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement [reconciliation] wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, {for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of Him that was to come, but not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many may be dead, much ore the grace of God, and the gift by grace [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many ..." (Romans 5:10-21)
"For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: FOR THE LORD WILL GO BEFORE YOU; AND THE God OF ISRAEL WILL BE YOUR REREWARD!" (Isaiah 52:12)
"And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star" ... He which testifies these things saith, "Surely I come quickly. Amen. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." (Revelation 22:12-21)
Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in HIs blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, [I say], at this time His righteousness; that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus .." (Romans 3:24-26)
Our joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement [reconciliation] wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, {for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of Him that was to come, but not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many may be dead, much ore the grace of God, and the gift by grace [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many ..." (Romans 5:10-21)
Stand in the offering plate.
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