For The Hope Which Is Laid Up For You; Which Ye Heard Before In The Word Of The Truth Of The Gospel - Part 2767

"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (I John 3:16)

Interestingly, the world is familiar with John 3:16 -- the message portrayed to those whom Jesus preached to when He walked on this world. As a reminder, John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

When we compare these two scriptures, one might be inclined to say they are contradictory .. for the latter verse tells us that God laid down His life for us, while the former His Son. Is there a contradiction? Of course not! How do we know? Because God is not the author of confusion. (I Corinthians 14:33) So why the difference?

Well, in the gospels, God is manifest as a son. We see this declared in another new testament 3:16 -- "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (I Timothy 3:16) 

Emmanuel, being interpreted, God with us. (Matthew 1:21-23) 

"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) 

Indeed, when the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary, it was so that she could bring forth a son -- the fetus called the "holy thing" by Luke the physician. This occurred only after the Holy Ghost declared, "This is My beloved Son, this day have I begotten Thee."  (Psalm 2:7; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; II Peter 1:17) And as we also know from Hebrews 9:8, the new testament could not be ushered in while the old covenant was still standing. 

"The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing!" (Hebrews 9:8)

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And 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 9:14-18)

So, before the foundation of the world was formed, God had already decided His plan of salvation. It was in the beginning that the Lord God decided to leave His last will and testament for His beloved church. Herein, He knew that in the new testament, His fullness of glory would dwell bodily in Christ Jesus. (Colossians 2:9; 

"For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell ... and having made peace through the blood of the cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, by Him, I say, whether they be things inn earth or things in heaven." (Colossians 1:19-20

There was a reason Thomas called the risen Jesus "my Lord and my God!" 

And there is a reason why we too need to understand and receive Christ Jesus as our Lord God and Saviour, our all in all. (Colossians 2:6; Acts 2:36-41)

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature .. for by Him were all things created 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. (Colossians 1:15-17) 

Yes, Jesus -- the One and Only Head of the body of Christ church. 

Stand in the offering plate. 

In This Was Manifested The Love Of God Toward Us - Part 2766

 "I, even I am, the Lord thy God and beside Me, there is no Saviour." (Isaiah 43:11) 

"O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation." (Psalm 149:5) 

"For the Lord is a great God and a Great King above all gods." (Psalm 95:5)

In the old testament, there was never any question that there was any god other than One and Only Living God. Most certainly, there was never a God with three heads, or a triad that would lead to a teaching that this One God was divided in three persons. In the first commandment, for example (and reaffirmed by Jesus in the new testament), we understand His command to us -- "Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is One Lord. Love the Lord with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind and with all thy strength and love one another." (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31)

Does this not explain why the Jews sought to kill Jesus -- because He not only had broken the sabbath but said also that God was His Father making Himself equal with God? (John 5:17) How does Jesus reply?

"My Father works hitherto, and I work ..." 

In other words, the timeline was established. The Father who created the world was now handing all authority over to Jesus ... when He said, "This day have I begotten Thee." Jesus said the same in Matthew 28:18 -- "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth .." 

All power! 

"Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom O Lord and Thou art exalted as Head above all." (I Chronicles 29:11)

This is why Jesus (Head of the body of Christ church) could say, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) 

This is why Jesus said, "I am the bread of life."

Jesus said, " I am the light of the world." (John 8:12) 

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Because Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. 

Moreover, as apostle Pauls states, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory, which none of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (I Corinthians 2:7-8) 

This same Jesus that Peter (standing with the apostles on the day of Pentecost) declared, "This same Jesus whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)

Sadly, some stop seeking the truth upon hearing the term 'mystery' explaining that the Godhead is a mystery and therefore not intended to be understood. Clearly, these have not read I Timothy 3:16, wherein the mystery is fully explained. These have not read that Jesus Himself has said, "I and My Father are One!" (John 10:30) Or that if ye have seen Me, ye have seen the Father and know Him. (John 14:6-12)

Nevertheless, the scriptures are clear. 

"And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels,  preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world, received up into glory." (I Timothy 3:16)

When was God manifest in the flesh? 

The answer? At that moment in time, when the Lord God specifically said, "Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee!" In the scriptures, this was prophesied in Psalm 2:7, and then later repeated (confirmed) in Acts 13:33, John 3:15-18, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 5:5, I John 4:9, I John 5:1, Revelation 1:5) 

"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)

Indeed, the same God who created the world willingly became our Saviour.  After the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. (Titus 3:4-7; Isaiah 9:6)

And to confirm, we are told -- "Lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of Me." (Psalm 40:8; Luke 24:44) 

Stand in the offering plate. 

Know Ye Not That The Spirit Of God Dwells In You? And Ye Are Christ's! - Part 2765

"Wherefore, my brethren, we also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ ..." (Romans 7:4)

"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh ..." (Romans 8:3)

"But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the newness of the letter." (Romans 7:6)

Throughout the new testament, apostle Paul continually laid the foundation -- the good news gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, Paul desired that we that believe would become spiritually minded (life and peace) rather than carnally minded (death). (Romans 8:6) In this same message, Paul reminds us that we are saved by grace through faith, which meant we are no longer enslaved under the law. 

"Wherefore then serve the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made, and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." (Galatians 3:19)

Even then, within the early church Paul had to state that the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Even then, Paul had to confront the apostle Peter, for compelling the Gentiles to live as do the Jews. (Galatians 2:11-12; Acts 10:28) And as we see, Paul did so, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we who believe in Jesus Christ are similarly justified by the faith of Christ. "Not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16; Psalm 143:2; Philippians 3:9) 

Paul was also quick to remind us that we are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so that His Spirit dwells within our hearts. (Romans 6:9) 

Paul even goes so far to ask, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (I Corinthians 3:16) And in another place, "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

You see, the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to Paul, who received his understanding by revelation. "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:12)

But this same apostle warns us (as did the Lord Jesus when he walked on this earth) about those who would come in and try to preach another gospel, putting us back under the law. Herein, it is important to remember that faith came before the law. Galatians 3 expands on this them, when Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

"And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all the nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Galatians 3:8-9)

Thus, as Paul reiterates, "no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident for, the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith, but the man that does them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being, made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree ... that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:11-14)

Note then the covenant has been established when the Lord pitched the tent in the new testament, and if it be confirmed, no man can either disannul or add therein. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. (Hebrews 9:17) 

Therefore, as Paul so clearly stated to the saints in Corinth, "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon." (I Corinthians 3:10) 

But remember in building, the foundation -- which is based on the Rock which is Jesus (both Lord and Christ - Acts 2:36-41) does not change. So when we obtain the boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water, let us hold fast the profession of our faith, without wavering -- knowing that He is faithful that promised. (Hebrews 10:19-23)

Indeed, Christ hath redeemed us from the law.  Stand in the offering plate. 

Blessed Are They Which Keep His Testimonies; And That Seek Him With The Whole Heart!- Part 2764

Because of the sacrifice of JESUS the Christ, who was indeed the only begotten child of the Holy Spirit of God or, as the scriptures state, God Himself manifest in the flesh as a Son, we have an opportunity to be saved. Yes, God in the manifestation of JESUS (God with us) had a plan for all of His creation. This is why it is important to understand that in Jesus did ALL the fullness of the Godhead dwell bodily.

If some of you require an analogy, think of a drop of water from the ocean. Even with only the one drop, you would still be in possession of all the elements found in the ocean waters. Still, there remains a vast body of water that is ocean. It is the same with God in Christ. All of the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in Jesus. All of the fullness of the Godhead.

This is why Jesus said to Philip, "If you have seen Me, then Philip you have seen the Father. I and my Father are One. He that has seen Me, the Son, has seen the Father." In other words, God has fathered All of His children in a Son’s body. Surely natural life as we see it displays this obvious fact. All of man’s offspring are fathered from a son’s body and after the child is born the son who provided the seed is recognized as a father.

JESUS then was conceived of the Holy Spirit - the Holy Spirit providing the new blood line. God Himself as a Son seeded us for it is written, "We are the SEED of JESUS the Christ." The SEED of JESUS the Christ is the WORD of God. For we have been born again NOT of corruptible seed BUT by incorruptible SEED which is the WORD of God.

JESUS being the very same WORD/WISDOM that indwelt God. Yes, one and the same. JESUS the WORD / the WISDOM of GOD coming forth from the innermost being of God, becoming for our sake God manifest in the flesh as a Son.

Stand in the offering plate.

For Thou Hast Delivered Our Souls From Death; Our Feet From Falling; That We May Walk Before God In The Light Of The Living! - Part 2763

 "Be merciful unto me, O God, for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresses me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up; for they be many that fight against me, O Thou Most High."

In today's world, there are many believers being singled out and persecuted for their faith. We are seeing churches shut down and pastors arrested for helping the most vulnerable within society ... for essentially being the hands and feet of the Lord Jesus, wherein He has commanded us to love one another. So when we read the words of the psalmist above, we can feel his pain -- when his enemies plan daily to swallow him up.

But does David stay there, worrying about what will happen next? Of course not. In Psalm 56, we see the Lord's hand in all trials -- wherein He turns everything to good for those who love Him with all their heart, soul. mind and strength.  So reading forward, David the psalmist writes:

"What time I am afraid,  I will trust in Thee. In God I will praise His Word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Every day they wrest my words: all their thought are against me for evil." (Psalm 56:1-5)

This peace within even though David's enemies (and by extension, those of us who believe Jesus is still King of kings and Lord of lords in our current world) -- wrest his words every day. And even though all their thoughts are against us for evil. 

"They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul." (Psalm 56:6)

But they don't know Jesus the way we do! These are not privy to the One who loves us beyond measure -- as the apple of His eye! 

Thus, as David asks, "Shall they escape by iniquity?" 

No, Why is that? 

Because the Lord Jesus knows our wanderings. He has put my tears into His bottle. Are my tears not in His book too? All this to say that the Lord Jesus understands our struggles; our heartaches; our burdens when our enemies come against us. 

Continuing, David writes, "When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know: for God is for me. In God will I praise His Word. In the Lord will I praise His Word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me!" (Psalm 56:9-11) 

Moreover, we continually render praises unto Thee. Our eyes continually on the Lord, for He is able to deliver His people from those with wicked intentions. 

"For Thou hast delivered my soul from death; wilt not Thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?"  (Psalm 56:13)

indeed, as David writes in yet another place, "For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living." (Psalm 116:8-9) 

This is why we praise the Lord! This is why we give thanks unto the Lord. For He is good because His mercy endures for ever. Let them that fear the Lord say -- His mercy endures forever. For when we call upon the Lord in distress, the Lord answers us, and sets us in a large place -- the Lord is on our side so we do not have to fear. 

Because at the end of the day, what can man do unto me?  (Psalm 118:6)

The Lord is our strength and song and has become our salvation. The right hand of the Lord has done valiantly. And because of His kindness and love, He has opened to us the gates of righteousness -- this gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. Therefore continue to praise the Lord for His goodness and grace, His mercy which we might never understand, but are so thankful that He has heard our prayers. And know too, that this is the Lord's doing -- the stone which the builders refused to become the headstone of the corner. 

Indeed, the tent that the Lord is pitching -- it is His doing, and it should be marvellous in our eyes. Yes this is the day that the Lord hath made -- rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:22-24)

"For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise ye the Lord!" (Psalm 117:1-2)

Stand in the offering plate. 

Know Ye Not That Ye Are The Temple Of God, And That The Spirit Of God Dwells In You? - Part 2762

"Thou sent forth Thy Spirit, they are created, and Thou renews the face of the earth ...The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in His works." (Psalm 140:30-31)

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba Father," wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:6-7) 

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2) 

Such a range of scriptures when it comes to understanding that the Spirit of the Lord God dwells within us. It is He that renews our minds and quickens our spirits -- aligning His purpose in our heart -- so that we are no longer servants and sons, but instead heirs of God through His work on the cross -- when He said once and for all, "It is finished!" 

But there is much more. 

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you." (Romans 8:9-11; I Corinthians 3:16; I Corinthians 6:19)

Did you see it -- He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you! How rejuvenating -- that the same Spirit of the Lord God who moved upon the waters in the beginning desires to commune with you and I. There is also a distinction. Note that if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, we do not belong to Him. This should be abundantly clear. Thus, in order to be saved, we must have the Spirit of Christ dwelling within.

How do we become saved? 

Peter, standing with the eleven made it abundantly clear. Indeed, the people asked Peter, "What must we do to be saved?" As we read in Acts 2:36-47, the people were pricked in their hearts, when Peter said, "This same Jesus whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ!" (Acts 2:36) Peter then informs the people that if they want to be saved, they must "repent" and be water baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38) 

This marks the beginning of the new testament church. Herein, the first 3,000 souls were saved, and we can be too -- if we follow the instructions given on the day of Pentecost. As an aside, when we are baptized into Christ, He clothes us in His righteousness. And His Spirit -- the Holy Ghost -- dwells within, now leading us and guiding us into all truth.

Yes, this same Jesus whom we all have crucified at one point or another willingly shed His holy precious blood on the cross so that you and me might have abundant life in Him. Don't let the day pass without asking Jesus to be King of kings and Lord of lords in your heart -- for this is the day that the Lord hath made for you to come to a place wherein you can commune with Him. 

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled faces beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (II Corinthians 3:17-18)

Yes, Jesus -- Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. He is still on His throne, inviting you into His fold. Make a decision for Jesus today.

Stand in the offering plate.