"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and [be not] moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister ..." (Colossians 1:23)
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Corinthians 15:58)
The first commandment -- "Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is One Lord!" (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31)
Our God does not desire worship that is unwilling -- or worship that does not come from our innermost being. At the same time, God is not interested in an outward religious show of worship that follows some man-made tradition or ritualistic agenda. What He does desire is for us to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to know that He is indeed the Bread of life. The Light of this world.
Thus, our desire should always be to worship Him as the Head of His redeemed believing body. Jesus -- the Head of the body of Christ church. The chief corner[stone]. The foundation wherein we cannot be moved. The Rock -- the very same Rock which followed the Israelites through the Red Sea. This is why -- because of His Word, and His Spirit -- the Holy Ghost that leads and guides us into all truth, we no longer should desire to eat the spirit bread of processed religious meat -- a product of religious traditional semblance of real food, of which when eaten gives only full feeling. Rather, true believers who worship Jesus in Spirit and in truth similarly desire Jesus' Word as meat, understanding that it is this meat (the scriptures -- the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God) that we should be endeavouring to understand.
In His model prayer, Jesus said, "Give us this day our daily Bread!"
Jesus did not mean to substitute His Word with form religion and the traditions of men, as we see in so many corners of the world today. As Jesus declared, even then, "In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7) But it does not have to be this way. When the tempter comes our way, with the intent of deceiving our hearts and minds, we need to be able to cite scripture in the same manner Jesus did, declaring to the tempter, "It is written." Thus, for you and I as believers to be strengthened, the teachings of the risen Jesus (as both Lord and Christ) should be our first thought of the day. (Acts 2:36-41)
Our God does not desire worship that is unwilling -- or worship that does not come from our innermost being. At the same time, God is not interested in an outward religious show of worship that follows some man-made tradition or ritualistic agenda. What He does desire is for us to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to know that He is indeed the Bread of life. The Light of this world.
Thus, our desire should always be to worship Him as the Head of His redeemed believing body. Jesus -- the Head of the body of Christ church. The chief corner[stone]. The foundation wherein we cannot be moved. The Rock -- the very same Rock which followed the Israelites through the Red Sea. This is why -- because of His Word, and His Spirit -- the Holy Ghost that leads and guides us into all truth, we no longer should desire to eat the spirit bread of processed religious meat -- a product of religious traditional semblance of real food, of which when eaten gives only full feeling. Rather, true believers who worship Jesus in Spirit and in truth similarly desire Jesus' Word as meat, understanding that it is this meat (the scriptures -- the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God) that we should be endeavouring to understand.
In His model prayer, Jesus said, "Give us this day our daily Bread!"
Jesus did not mean to substitute His Word with form religion and the traditions of men, as we see in so many corners of the world today. As Jesus declared, even then, "In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7) But it does not have to be this way. When the tempter comes our way, with the intent of deceiving our hearts and minds, we need to be able to cite scripture in the same manner Jesus did, declaring to the tempter, "It is written." Thus, for you and I as believers to be strengthened, the teachings of the risen Jesus (as both Lord and Christ) should be our first thought of the day. (Acts 2:36-41)
His salvation plan that began with the message -- "For God so loved ..." (John 3:16)
It is for this reason we continue in the faith grounded and settled, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven -- the glorious gospel of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:23) Indeed, to Him be the honour and glory and praise -- His song in our hearts forevermore.
Yes, Jesus -- the Light of the world.
Stand in the offering plate.
Stand in the offering plate.
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