"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account [that] the long suffering of our Lord [is] salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." (II Peter 3:14-16)
I have heard people say that the scriptures are difficult, and hard to understand. In part, the challenge is in understanding that the Bible is a book of revelation, and that as we seek the Lord our God in our hearts, the Word is opened unto us. Kind of like being in grade school again, wherein without a foundation in mathematical principles, for example, we would struggle with the same subject in the higher grades. Thankfully, however, the Lord God moves the scales from our eyes when our hearts turn to Him as our Saviour.
His Name in this dispensation of grace is JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23)
This is our starting point, knowing that the same Lord God who moved upon the face of the waters in Genesis loved His beloved creation so much that He would shed His precious holy blood on a cross for you and I. After the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. (Titus 3:4-7; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6) Thus, when we begin to see God as One, as in the first commandment which states, "Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is One!" we begin to see how rich the Lord's mercy for His people.
"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)
He is the Author and finisher of our faith. And He is not a they, as the modern day religious culture would have us believe -- sigh! To this end, there is an interesting scripture regarding Jesus, which states:
"And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence. And when He was come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, "Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not His mother called Mary? and His brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?" (Matthew 13:53-55)
Sadly, even though these were astonished at His teachings, His wisdom, and His mighty works, they still likened Jesus to the son of a carpenter and not the Lord and Christ -- the first man Adam earthy, but the second the Lord from heaven, as the scripture saith. (Acts 2:36) Apostle Paul (formerly Saul who was known abroad for persecuting the Christian believers) experienced a similar wrath from those who were in the business of making money from religious endeavours.
As the Scripture saith, "And the same time, there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain [man] named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships."
And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not." (Acts 19:20-30)
You see, we have to make a heart choice for Jesus. When we do, we must come out of her My people -- so that we do not suffer her plagues. We need to step away from religions that lead us astray from the Great I AM -- who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
His Name again? JESUS -- He is our lifeline for salvation. He is the Bread of Life. He is the Living Water wherein when we drink, we will never thirst again. And once resurrected from the grave, because death did not have a hold on Him, He now is seated on the throne, inviting you and I to partake of His goodness and grace and mercy.
You see, Jesus went into the temples and chased the moneychangers out with whips because these had chosen to make a mockery of the simplicity of His love for His beloved people. Over time, we still have those in religious circles who want to complicate the gospel, and muddy the waters so that we never come to the knowledge of God our Saviour. Nevertheless, He has a chosen people who will seek Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength -- a people who will stand on the Rock that is Jesus the Christ, regardless of the confusion that surrounds us.
Why? Because these have come to know God their Saviour. These have come to the knowledge of the truth. And these are determined to surround themselves in His abundant love, letting the Holy Ghost lead and guide into all truth. Jesus is the Great I AM -- God our Saviour who would have all men and women to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Today is the day of salvation! Trust in Jesus as your Lord God and Saviour this day, tasting and seeing that He is good, for He never fails those who love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
Stand in the offering plate.
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