Graces of the Heirs of Grace – 9-30-22

“that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

Do you already have a relationship with a powerful God who cares about your every need because He loves you? Did you know my God can communicate with you and protect you – He has a plan for you to prosper if you just submit to His will and let His plan play out in your life!!! God wants a relationship with you and has already made a plan for your life. He loves you so much He sent His son to this world, to die as a sacrifice for your sins and rise from death with victory over sin and the ability to have a personal relationship with you.

Do you want to know truth? Be able to discern lies? Know how to figure it all out in these confusing times and have peace? The Bible says Jesus is the truth. I have experienced it and it has changed my life. I was once a hot mess of sin, promiscuity, drug and alcohol use and so much more. But I was lost and when I could not find my way, or find a truth, I numbed it with bad choses. When I found Jesus, and truth – I found peace and deliverance from those things.

If you want a relationship with God without truth you will get the counterfeit, hypocritical Christianity that has kept some of you away for too long. You need truth and relationship. You need to be honest with yourself and God (including honest repentance) and God will reveal truth to you. It becomes the two way, interaction that your relationship with God is built on. This is why Jesus is called the truth, because he is our only way to the Father.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NIV
Here is a prayer for you to pray:
Jesus, I believe you are the way, the truth, the life, and the only way to the Father. I believe you are the son of God, you came to Earth and lived. That you died on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins, and rose again so that I may be saved from my sins and be able to get to know you. I declare: Jesus, you are Lord!
Therefore, I confess that I am a sinner and I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my life. Help me to turn away from my sins and transform me into what you have lovingly created me to be. Help me through a real personal relationship grow and accept your will for my life – that I may live in your blessings. Please walk with me, and talk with me – I accept a relationship with you and with our Father God, through you. In the name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen

BIBLE READING:

Dear Heavenly Father – Please give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of who you are, who Jesus is, and who the Holy Spirit is. Open the eyes of our understanding, please, so we may know the hope of our calling and the vast sovereignty and power of the grace of the cross. Please do not let us miss out on what you want and need from us today. Lord, I pray that your word prepares us and not scares us! We forbid the works and influences of fear over your word and our sound mind. And please keep us and bless us and shine your face upon us and pour out grace over us and give us peace! And we pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Thank you! – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Today’s reading is the Book of Titus chapter 3 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

3 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, ²to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. ³For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. ⁴But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

⁸This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Avoid Dissension

⁹But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. ¹⁰Reject a divisive man after the first and second ^[a]admonition, ¹¹knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Final Messages

¹²When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. ¹⁴And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Farewell

¹⁵All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes
a.Titus 3:10 warning

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7-

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

Today we complete the book of Titus in its third chapter, which the New King James Version Bible, titles: Graces of the Heirs of Grace. A blog about being transformed by grace absolutely LOVES this title and even adopted it for the title of this post!

If you learn nothing else from me please, first, learn this: Repent daily and be humble – the kingdom of God is literally at hand.
Second – please learn that GRACE is not a word of light, clean and easy meaning. Grace is raw and dirty – takes people completely apart and puts them back together in a new way as a new creature. Grace is actionable – transforming even a sinless man on a cross into our salvation! Grace transforms, reveals, causes faith, and is a tangible inheritance. It comes in the power of the Holy Spirit. It works through Jesus’s obedience to conquer death and sin. And with our own measure, given to others we can cause a change in this world! The change that Grace makes happen when humans experience it. Grace does not touch trees or plants. It cannot transform my sweet puppy or any animal. Angels cannot even access grace. Only mankind has a measure of grace and can ask for more

To receive, maintain and live in the inherited grace we must remember:

“¹ Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, ²to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.”

Easier said than done in our modern world with so many angry people.

“³For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.”

Nothing a little humility can’t fix – remembering where we came from. God forgets our sins, but you and I and the enemy do not forget. So we can turn around our sinful past to be the humility we stand on to defeat the enemy. Yes, we were sinners – because of that we can have compassion and extend grace to others.

“⁴But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,”

When the manifestation of grace appeared through the work of the cross! – since grace was throughout the old testament as well as the new testament, this speaks of the center point and action of grace that rippled outward through time in all directions giving grace to those in need and those who ask.

“⁵not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

Paul is quick to remind us – although we are told to do good works – it is not by works that we get to heaven. No one can “do” their way in. It is only through grace. Grace is not a stand-alone thing – it is like a mixing bowl and grace is the spinning beaters that transforms individual things into one thing. Grace has faith, has mercy, has the washing of the blood and regeneration (there is that transformation! Blood can wash but combined into grace it regenerates!) and the renewing of the Holy Spirit! Its power comes from God through the Holy Spirit!

“⁶whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”

And God mixes in an abundance of the Holy Spirit wrapped in grace and pours Him out into us to be filled to overflowing so we can share Him with others, through our Savior, Jesus Christ! So many great and wonderful things!

“⁷that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

And we become the heirs of grace through grace as the people of grace!

“⁸This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.”

And because grace changes us and compels us to be obedient, do good works, and glorify God by helping others – we profit ourselves and others. All because grace touched me and changed me and I will never be the same again.

“⁹But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. ¹⁰Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, ¹¹knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.”

And the thing that destroys God’s grace in our lives? It is divisiveness. I have seen it over and over – people around me accusing and taking sides over things that have no side and over things that are not actually accusations. Just a bunch of confusion. And the end result is to try to rob me of my grace. So I offer grace to them. And remove myself. God’s grace is sufficient for me.

“¹²When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. ¹⁴And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.”

At the beginning I told you I was taught this was written in between First Timothy and Second. So why is Paul planning to winter in Nicopolis when he is in prison in Rome? Yes, we could be wrong about the date in which it was written. Also, the first letter to Timothy seems to have a sliver of hope that things were going to turn for the good – and it is believed that after he wrote first Timothy, Paul received news that his trial was finally going to be heard before Nero. And Paul thought it would soon be over and could winter nearby in Nicopolis. Soon Paul figured out that Nero was an evil man and there was only one way this was going to go. And Paul wrote the second letter to Timothy, knowing it was probably his last.
Some say Paul was imprisoned in Rome more than once – although roman prisons were more like house arrests and Paul could have moved homes due to financial or other situations. Renting a home to be arrested in, could mean the owner sold it or evicted them. There is not a lot that is extremely clear without writings and letters that explain it.

“¹⁵All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.”

Tomorrow begins the fourth quarter of the year – and we begin every quarter with one of the 4 gospels so we keep the words and stories of Jesus fresh in our mind throughout the year. Tomorrow we being the book of John. It is a powerful text from the disciple of love – and the same man who wrote the book of revelation, and the books called First, Second and Third John. This will be the first of John’s writings we will be reading this year! Please make plans to join us for the study!

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace. Walk in wisdom.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

29 Sep 202227 Sep 2022

Grace Teaches us Jesus – 9-29-22

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” Titus 2:11-13 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Titus chapter 2 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Qualities of a Sound Church

2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: ²that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; ³the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

⁶Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, ⁷in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,^[a] ⁸sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of ^[b]you.

⁹Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, ¹⁰not ^[c]pilfering, but showing all good ^[d]fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

Trained by Saving Grace

¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹²teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

¹⁵Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Footnotes
a.Titus 2:7 NU omits incorruptibility
b.Titus 2:8 NU, M us
c.Titus 2:10 thieving
d.Titus 2:10 honesty

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7-

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

My heart is heavy today. So many evil things happenings and I am helpless. Not heavy like the spirit of heaviness – heavy and huge is the burden on my heart.
My situation this month was dire and that doesn’t help – and I have faith to believe it God would once again provide. And then problem, after problem arose and I shrug and said, God you are really letting the cards be stacked against me. And more and more arose and I am in need of more – and God is silent and I am silent and the enemy is attempting an evil laugh. But I know My God will provide all my needs. So I focus on this blog. And I focus on saving the lost. And I focus on building faith in the body. And I focus on Giving Glory to God. Then I focus on my earring business and I made a plan and I am working the plan. I am staying the course although all of my earthly provisions have fallen through and the outcomes look dreadful. My GOD provides – not man. I am desperate for the provider – not the provisions. Hungry for God and I have peace.
Without fear, I slide to the next task and I look at the news and the state of world affairs and… and over the course of the last few days I am finding it all too overwhelming. I have been able to process world news and keep my peace for 3 years while other burn out and suddenly the weight is becoming too much. But not in the anxiety ridden way others are burning out. I have not lost my peace. But I see the prophecies being fulfilled and the burden of the Lord and the work to be done is too great – it is too big. I sob. And quite honestly I do not want to do and go through what is before me – Father take this cup from me. I already feel so small and insignificant under my lack and need – add to it the burden of souls in the midst of the devil’s circus. We cannot save the young women whose heads are being bashed in on camera in the Iranian protests. We cannot save those who were destroyed in the wake of the hurricane. And I wonder how long we can even continue to pretend things aren’t as bad as they are, and getting worse. And I feel like I did before 911 – like there is a great death coming. I pray to stop it, but I feel it still coming.
Before you rebuke me for speaking of negative things – remember we are to share each other’s burdens. So put your hand out and touch what is really happening in this world, today and feel its weight for a moment. Hang in here – there is always a resolve.
Today’s reading is on how are Christian’s supposed to behave – in a persecuted and corrupt place. But it doesn’t tell us how to handle the burden of it all.

“¹ But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: ²that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; ³the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

This chapter is often views as such a nice little chapter – no one comes to it with weight, usually. Yet, I cannot help it, today. I speak proper sound doctrine and if we are these things – we can feel this weight. Men, women likewise, be sober! As we are the Lord reveals. The structure is already in place for the one world government and we are already being manipulate by it. The structure is already in place for the mark of the beast and the US president signed the executive order permitting it and world unions are putting the last pieces in place and soon – we will not be able to buy or sell. The Lord prepared us for such a day. He reminds us over and over that the Silver is His and the Gold is His (Hag. 2:8). He also reminds us that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10). He is our provider, when the provisions of Elisha’s brook run dry and the raven’s fly away. I worship and praise Him, because He has already made another way. BUT as I lay before Him in reverence, temperate in peace – I believe with ALL faith what is written and in love I will obey – but we are looking at some very hard times and my flesh cries out: I do not want to. I do not want to be the generation made for such a time as this! I have a friend who wants a child, another wants a husband, family and a house. They want to occupy until the Lord comes again… but with what is coming, Oh Lord, help us. I am not anxious for a “what if” I am speaking only of biblical prophecy (not even the words that come through modern prophets).

I see glimpses of the woes of trying to reach man in perilous times and my flesh just doesn’t want to be so hurt and inconvenienced. Like Jesus, I just cry before the Lord – Not my will, but your will be done. It is too big for me – but not too big for God. And so all that is left, once I stubbornly resolve to fulfill His call – is to ask HOW?

And back to today’s reading.

“³the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

Be reverent. Ok. I can do that. Don’t lie and slander – I can do that.
Not given to too much wine – has anyone else noticed that trend with wine and women? I, myself, used to drink the hard stuff. But my friends and family would give me wine themed gifts all the time. It is super acceptable. I have wine glasses for my birthday, the days I want to feel like a queen, and even one that fits an entire bottle! When I bought my house a friend bought me a giant hollow letter (from my last name) – I was to fill it with corks from all the bottles opened in my home. It hardly has any corks in it – but again, I used to drink the hard stuff and now I do not drink at all. I suppose it is time to remove these things from my house. They are packed away and I will never need them. But it is interesting that women and wine have that relationship – since way back in time.
So as I ask to know how to carry out my assignment and how to make it through these coming perilous times – putting away too much wine and then being a teacher of good things. That I know I can do! I come on here every day with something GOOD straight from the scriptures. When told I cannot teach on a blog like this because men and women read it – I usually respond with the fat that God could raise up rocks to speak this if I was silenced. But here we see literal word for word translations telling me to teach something good! So I can do that.
Can you be sober minded with me and teach sound doctrine in love, faith and patience?
Women – take it a step further into verse 4. We might need to but my end times burdens aside and teach you something about the wild culture of Crete. It was fashionable in Crete to be a party girl. Seriously. It come from a pagan worship practice. Young women, married or not became objects to worship and pursue (for sexual pleasures) as part of pagan practices. Women would then pretty themselves up and be lavished with gifts, worship, praises and would then end up hurting their husbands and children and break up homes and leave people and families broken. The pagan men did not care if you were a Christian woman or a pagan woman – if they wanted to worship you, they would pursue you. And Christian women needed the extra encouragement to NOT get involved in it.
This pagan practice was more destructive than it already seems. Because once the family is destroyed women have no rights in a Roman City unless they are under their husband, father, or slave master. These women could not even procure for themselves provisions. Many sold themselves into slavery. The prettiest could come work as a priestess in the pagan temples (aka prostitute) – but once past their prime, they would be thrown out like trash. Vanity.

So if Paul had to encourage the older women to support the younger and encourage the younger women not to run off and be worshiped. I guess He should tell the young men to also be sober and wise.

“⁶Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, ⁷in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, ⁸sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”

Live the example of Christ. Under persecution, surrounded by drunken liars – who were big aggressive mercenaries, with their young brides being tempted away – these young men were to fight by being Christ-like, full of integrity (the exact opposite of the liars they were surrounded by).
Reverence – each group is taught to be reverent. In a society where no one is reverent. Like our world where swearing is now acceptable in the work place and in meetings – where no one says “ma’am” or “sir” – besides if you do and pick the wrong one, the irreverence will escalate to dangerous levels.
But to survive we should be incorruptible n our doctrine. THIS IS NOT JUST FOR THE YOUNG MEN. It is given to them to steward onto the next generation. But we all must guard our doctrine and the scriptures to keep corrupted watered down, muddy water poison from infiltrating ourselves, our homes, our families, and our churches.
We should and can rise above and live in a way that our enemies cannot find fault against us.

Living as a Christian in the USA was easy for the last 100 years or so (as well as many places all over the world). And sleepy compromise was able to run untamed because it was a generation who was going to save it’s self through good works and good behavior. But when this was written behaving like this was so contrary to culture it was revolutionary! I do not believe the world is as liberal as the globalist say it is – but living like this is STILL revolutionary! The peer pressure to fit in with the world is HUGE.

The last group of people in the first century Cretan church was the slaves. And Paul wanted them to NOT rebel, but revolt in good behavior!

“⁹Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, ¹⁰not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”

After reading this it almost feels like we can change the world with behaving – living – like a Christian! And honestly, we can. Even without preaching, just living this out will bring others to us to ask – what is it and how can I have it?
Of course it requires submission, obedience, faith and most importantly a teacher who can also transform us!

“¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹²teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

Grace. I was told as a child that grace was just merely God favoring me when I did not deserve it. But God does not have favorites. Grace is a power and an action – AND a teacher. Sadly, many met and experienced Jesus while he was here on earth and walked away unchanged, like the high priests and scribes that delivered him to Pilot on that evil, fateful day. But on that tree, later that day, Jesus experienced grace which transformed Him into our sins, to die, to conquer death and sin, transforming him into the lamb, into life and resurrection!
Grace knocked Paul off his donkey on the road to Damascus! Grace, bring teaching and revelation and transformed Paul forever! I was once saved, but then one fateful day grace entered my house and I had an experience with grace that has changed me forever! Some learn slowly to deny ungodliness and worldly lust – others are instantly transformed – both are the lessons and actions of grace. Grace, who is the only teacher that can also cause us to learn, build yearning for the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior! Grace!!!

“¹⁴who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, with the power of the Holy Spirit – please pour out more grace on me, to fulfill the calling on my life. Please pour more grace on these readers that they may be transformed and empowered to live this out in their daily lives. Please pour out more grace on our unsaved loved ones – that they may learn to deny ungodliness and be redeemed from every lawless deed! And please use us to reach that grace to others. Please Lord, make us all hungry for you and zealous for good works – not for our redemption, but for your glory and the furtherance of your kingdom. We humbly ask in the name of Jesus. – amen

“¹⁵Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”

Speak grace. Encourage each other to behave upright. Rebuke those who are not, with the authority of Christ’s name, aka ALL AUTHORITY. However, let no man despise you.

***

28 Sep 202226 Sep 2022

Do Our Works Deny God? – 9-28-22

“They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.” Titus 1:16 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Titus chapter 1 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Greeting

1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, ²in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, ³but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

⁴To Titus, a true son in our common faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and ^[a]the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Qualified Elders

⁵For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— ⁶if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of ^[b]dissipation or insubordination. ⁷For a ^[c]bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, ⁸but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, ⁹holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

The Elders’ Task

¹⁰For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. ¹²One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. ¹⁵To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being ^[d]abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

Footnotes
a.Titus 1:4 NU Christ Jesus
b.Titus 1:6 debauchery, lit. incorrigibility
c.Titus 1:7 Lit. overseer
d.Titus 1:16 detestable

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7-

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

God’s plan, obedience and grace are three of the major take-a-ways of this short letter to Titus. It was written by the Apostle Paul and it is one of three pastoral letters (letters written to pastors/leaders – like the letters to Timothy, which we have already read this year). It is believed that Paul wrote to Titus after the first letter to Timothy and before the second letter. So in this letter we also have a mature and settled Paul, who knows his time is running short and his letters have changed focus from speaking to the church to passing the mantles off to the next generation of leaders – Timothy and Titus. It is believed to be the year 64 or 65 and is about 10 years into the reign of Nero – when his infamy, cruelty and debauchery had peaked and his world was caving in. Nero’s, 5 year long, demise created added persecution for the Christians as He blamed them for the fire and economic issues in Rome. Yep – as he sank his own ship, so to speak – He blamed the Christians and stood on that to get himself a few more years of power, which he ruined as well.

Titus was a Greek gentile and he was appointed to the church in Crete – which was logical, because he was familiar with the still very Greek culture. He is mentioned 13 times outside of the book of Titus! In 2 Corinthians 2:13, 7:6, 13, 14; 8:6, 16, 23; 12:18 (two times) – Gal 2:1, 3 – and 2 Tim 4:10.

The island of Crete had a unique set of issues. You see, they were also kind of infamous and notorious! So much so that the contemporary word in Paul’s time for “liar” was “kretizo’ meaning literally “to be a Cretan”.
Christianity and truth will be a struggle for these Zeus loving pagans, whose god lies and so do they.
Most of the men had served as mercenaries for hire and the cities were full of violence and sexual corruption. Of course the social issues and people who corrupt the gospel for political and social gain had crept into the church here and Titus was sent to straighten it all out.
It is believed that Paul wrote this letter to outline Titus’s task there, as a reminder and encouragement as well as a way for Titus to show them and say “See, Paul says so!” Paul wanted to ensure Titus was set in case Paul died and was unable to come visit and handle it himself. Paul was in Rome in prison. Remember prison in the city of Rome were different from the jails. At one point Paul makes light of it calling it light chains. Prisoners like Paul who were non-violent and waiting for years for a trial were kept under house arrest, chained to a guard. Paul could not go anywhere but people came and brought him food and supplies and Paul, being a tent maker may have even been permitted to take on small projects inside the home to sell. The government did not want to support him. So Paul wrote to many and held church services. He eventually had trouble and persecution with the locals and not being able to leave – many of Paul’s friend’s turned on him towards the end.

“¹Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, ²in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, ³but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;”

According to faith! Acknowledgment of the truth … godliness! Hope and promise of eternal life – GOD cannot lie!! Paul shoots out of the starting gate with direct hits to the problem. Through the preaching of the WORD OF TRUTH, the kingdom of God and eternal life will be manifested in the people of Crete. Paul speaks LIFE. Paul does not complain about the problem and state all the bad things happening – Paul prophecies life and says it is a command of the Lord to bring truth and life to these people. God has a plan and no man will stand in God’s way. Not even the leaders of the many home churches in Crete.

“⁴To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.”

How should we pray for our many levels of church leadership? Just like Paul prays for Titus: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus! Our leaders need grace and mercy now as much as ever – as much as Timothy needed it and as much as Titus needed it.

Titus held a position much like Timothy did. They were set to organize and unify many house churches. Each house church had its own pastor/leader and in this chapter Paul calls them bishops, who lead home churches, the NKJV has subtitles which call them elders, and we (modern Christians) call Titus and Timothy, Pastors. . The titles we have today for the various positions came from these titles but were/are not the same. In my city there are many churches (different denominations) they each have leaders called priests, fathers or pastors. Timothy and Titus were the people who came in and managed ALL of them. Uniting them. Preventing different denominations from forming. Eventually, in direct opposition to the word of God they DID form. And the spirit of religion developed strongholds permanently destroying truth for some people.

The structure and prayers Paul taught kept that from happening for hundreds of years. In 313, the Roman Emperor Constantine I issued the Edict of Milan legalizing Christian worship and in 380 the government adopted the church and began to corrupt it and enforce the corruptions. If they stayed house churches and managed by a structure of elders, pastors and bishops according to Titus and Timothy, we would have much less variance in interpretation and fewer denominations flat out participating in idol worship and other sins within their churches. I doubt we will go back to that – but the future of the modern church is changing as more and more people are exiting denominations (which are clearing stated in the Bible as an abomination) and moving to a Kingdom mindset. We all do not have to agree on the things that are not heaven and hell. If my spirit bears witness to your spirit and we are flowing in the WORD of God in season. Then you are my brother and sister.
For example – in celebration of the Holy New Year on Sunday, I viewed 7 different services from men and women of various backgrounds and affiliations. (This is not normal for me, but being a holiday and being hungry, I turned on trusted friends and listened to their services.) Half of them did not even know, or if they did they did not acknowledge, it was the New Year. Yet 6 of them all gave the same core message and similar points. Those 6 confirmed a couple posts I have already made and scheduled, as well as things I have been saying. A friend of mine noticed that with the ones she watched a well. God is making it very easy to see those who are also in the same spirit. At one point in time it was a bit more clouded and definitely difficult as there were so few others also in the spirit.

Titus was tasked with finding spirit filled and lead men to replace the corrupt ones and repair the church in Crete.

“⁵For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— ⁶if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. ⁷For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, ⁸but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, ⁹holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”

It is good to go back and look at the chart I made when we were studying Timothy about the qualifications of the leadership and you will see that here in the lawless wild west – or in Crete – the qualification are I bit more detailed and direct. I reread these and thought about writing out the comparison – but the list in Timothy covers these, in more general terms.
Spend some time thinking about your own life and if you meet the qualifications. (Let me encourage you to not look at others, today. We are in the 10 days of Awe leading up to the Day of Atonement – it is a good time to reflect on yourself and repent of any of these areas are not meeting up to Gods expectations for you.) You do not need to be an elder, pastor or bishop to live a life that is self-controlled sober-minded, blameless, etc. We all represent the Kingdom of God and need to live up to it.
I saw men and women who do not know Jesus sharing and helping others in Florida prepare for the big storm more than I have seen Christians. I see churches posting their efforts to protect their own property and homes and not helping others. Maybe it is being done in private? But here is the thought – shouldn’t Christians stand out and rise above in times of need? Well, in every season, as well – don’t you think?

Paul’s underlying message here is to come out from among them. To be separate, not by leaving them or hiding away – but by ling among them differently. Being set apart as Holy – not looking like the world. The clash between the way the world lives and the way Christians live is still extremely prevalent. If we were the same, then there is no need for Jesus. Through these 3 chapters you will since a call to rise above and live a more holy life – while being relatable and able to reach others.

“¹⁰For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,”

First, are you (am I) insubordinate? I had a disagreement with my local pastor. I love him and my church so I sent him a message and stated why I disagreed. I kept it light hearted and did not quote chapter and verse and doctrinal commentaries on verses. Just I love you, I disagree with this and I will see you Sunday. Easy. Simple. But I did have to ask myself, was I being insubordinate. He and I sat down to discuss and I told him that if I am wrong, to lease correct me. I do not want to be out of line. We must never assume, because we read and pray daily that we can’t be out of line in an area. We must approach ourselves with the raw truth and in humility.
Am I an idle talker? Am I a deceiver? Are you? These issues are not isolated to the old island of Crete. The USA is full of fake news, I mean liars. And the globe is full of controlling manipulative liars. And it is more infectious than covid. SO after we examine ourselves we can then take a look around and identify others. But do not look around until you are sure your heart is clear. We cannot see clearly until we do – and we do not want to be false accusers.

And finally “of the circumcision” – Yes the spirit of religion from the Pharisees who killed Jesus, also spread to every church including the one on Crete. These Jewish believers came with the same old dance, dragging the believers into bondage under the law and then temple system to slowly regain control. In our modern church the spirit of religion shows up in traditions, in denominations and is pride. It is not always easy to spot, because it points to something that points to Jesus. The issue is that it does not point directly to Jesus when it could.
The hardest question I have asked myself is – do I have a spirit of religion, or behaviors that came from being influenced by it. It is not a question you can ask once and walk away, either. I asked it 3 or so years ago and through this time the Lord has permitted the tearing down of corrupted foundational walls in my life and rebuilt them proper. The influence of religion over relationship had touched many surprising areas of my life too! The way I dressed for church and perceived other’s apparel. The ways of corporate prayer. My relationship with money, provisions and stewardship. Obviously NOT all tradition is bad – we are told to take communion. It is therefore important to make communion a holy remembrance and intimate interaction without getting caught up in the ritual and tradition.
And then, again – after repenting from it in your own life (which has been a long process of revelations and removing and replacing with something real) we can then move onto recognizing it in others around us and asking God what we should do.

“¹¹whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.”

Those who are dividing the church or leading them astray MUST be stopped. If you are a pastor or leader – be strong and obey the word of the Lord. No not let His judgment fall upon you for not rocking the boat. Be strong and do it. For those who do not have authority. Take these verses and go to your pastor(s) and let them know who you feel is being like that and pray for them and with them and obey their guidance. Also pray. God can give them laryngitis. God can make them mute. God can remove them. God can make them trip on their own words, exposing themselves. God can even transform them and cause them to repent and apologize and be restored to the body, and usually with a break from leadership. God wants us all to humble ourselves and be reconciled – that is the best case scenario and what we should first me praying for. But never limit God or put Him in a box – We pray the mouths are stopped.

“¹²One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

“One of them, a prophet of their own” is sarcasm – Paul was referring to the Greek poet Epimenides who was believed to be Cretan and said “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” Paul sarcastically call him a prophet because it is true! There are stereotypes and broad stroking general statements made about certain people groups for a reason. Like often I say the modern church and I do not mean the remnant or the kingdom body of believers and I am usually referring to the lost, lukewarm, and sound asleep group that thinks they are ok and everything will be ok and they do not need to repent, get humble, or live the life the Bible calls us to live. They somehow think that is just for some who are called to it – not that they too are called to a personal relationship where you give all and Jesus gave all.

Anyway – this save vague general statement can easily substitute “Americans”. Americans are liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons, have ice in their drinks, and clap at everything! See it works! You can fill in your nationality too I am sure – I mean, the world has become so evil, everywhere is corrupted.

“¹³This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,”

Many people do not like a stern word. You all are different. I know, because I am a straight shooter. I am more afraid of God than man. God says prepare His way and His people and if I just say, pray and things will get better – God will punish me for not wisely stewarding His words. The Bible says, be prepared for the worse, but have hope in Christ for the best! That is sound doctrine – makes you sound in faith – it extends His grace over you to transform you from afraid to empowered.
But once you read the word and you know the warning – warn others. Fear what God will do to you if you do not. Otherwise we will all be lost.

“¹⁴not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.”

Peter struggled with not knowing the difference between what the Torah said and the rabbinical laws (what man dictated). Peter was NOT well educated. And Jesus corrected Him and continued to correct him and teach him well into His ministry as an apostle. Peter was so filled with the spirit people laid their sick out on the street hoping Peter’s shadow would touch them and heal them. You see, we can start off with a foundation that is terrible. Like mine, taught wrong things and given some person’s version of Jesus and NOT the Christ of the Bible. Like Peter whose Torah was mixed up with man’s corruptible law. BUT we cannot stay there! Someone who taught me as a child did stay there and passed along corruption (my guess is it was many) but many also passed along truth. And through humility and letting God sort it all out – He cleaned it all up for me. And He can for you too.

“¹⁵To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.”

To the pure- all is pure. Let us keep the verse in context. This is a shortened version of the larger answer with Titus was already familiar with. Paul gave him the short of it just to jog His memory. You and I remember it from Galatians and Corinthians when the same spirit of Jewish RELIGION tried to enslave the new gentile believers. We are speaking of meat offered to idols and gray area behaviors which are a sin to some and not to other. To avoid the appearance of evil, so you do not cause your brother or sister to sin. I mean, usually when the Bible says ALL, I will make you repeat it. But all is ALL only within the context of what we are speaking of. For example a demon is not pure to the pure, a willful sin is not pure to the pure, and a curse or evil plan against you, will still be a cure or an evil plan against you, even if you are pure. This is in context of not falling back under man’s laws.

“¹⁶They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”

The word “they” here shows us that we MUST still remain in the context. Who are they? They are those people who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of dishonest gain, liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons. They are impure. They profess God – but they deny Him in their actions and by being abominable and disobedient – this disqualifies them for leadership (aka every good work). Yes, besides leadership, how can they even win the lost and disciple them? How can they lay hands on the sick? How can they speak deliverance when they are in bondage? Soul winning, making disciples, laying hands on with signs and wonders following are the baby steps of this walk. If you cannot even do the baby steps – are you even saved?!

I asked myself that question. It was fear stopping me from laying hands on people and praying. If they are healed or not it is God’s problem and His job to do. My job is to step out in faith and just lay hands on people. Same with soul winning and making disciples. We need to just do it. Be obedient and see what the Lord does. Do we actually believe what we say we believe? Are we living it? Do our fruits and our works prove that we are in a real relationship with The Living God.

***

27 Sep 202225 Sep 2022

How to Rise to the Challenge – 9-27-22

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Hebrews chapter 13 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Concluding Moral Directions

13 Let brotherly love continue. ²Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. ³Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.

⁴Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

⁵Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶So we may boldly say:

“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”

Concluding Religious Directions

⁷Remember those who ^[a]rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹Do not be carried ^[b]about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

¹⁰We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that He might ^[c]sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. ¹³Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. ¹⁴For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. ¹⁵Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, ^[d]giving thanks to His name. ¹⁶But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

¹⁷Obey those who ^[e]rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Prayer Requested

¹⁸Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. ¹⁹But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell

²⁰Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹make you ^[f]complete in every good work to do His will, working in ^[g]you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

²²And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. ²³Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly.

²⁴Greet all those who ^[h]rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.

²⁵Grace be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes

Hebrews 13:7 lead
Hebrews 13:9 NU, M away
Hebrews 13:12 set apart
Hebrews 13:15 Lit. confessing
Hebrews 13:17 lead
Hebrews 13:21 perfect
Hebrews 13:21 NU, M us
Hebrews 13:24 lead

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7-

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

We’ll finish the book of Hebrews today and tomorrow we’ll begin the book of Titus.

Let us complete the book of Hebrews with our daily corporate repentance and humility, so we may better know Jesus, fall more in love with Him every day, and grow in our relationships with Him.
Dear God, I am sorry for being filled with any and all unrighteousness, and/or sexual immorality, and/or wickedness, and/or covetousness, and/or maliciousness, and/or envy, murder, and strife, and/or deceit and evil-mindedness, and/or being a whisperers and backbiters, and/or haters of God, and/or violent, and/or proud and boasting, and/or inventors of evil things, and/or disobedient to parents, and/or undiscerning, and/or untrustworthy, and/or unloving, and/or unforgiving, and/or unmerciful, and/or for practicing such things are deserving of death. Please forgive me for those things I did even though I knew better. And please forgive me for those things You count as sin, that I am unaware of and have not learned yet – and open my eyes to see them as sins so I can stop participating in them. Please wash me with the Blood of Jesus. Cleanse me and help me turn from my evil ways. And send a fresh filling of your anointing to break the yokes and help me destroy the roots with a mindful effort and focus on You, and fall in love with You in a new and deeper way. I desire to lay down my life for You, Lord Jesus, as You sacrificed Yourself for me. Help me to die to self and pour myself out as an offering. Give me more grace to trust You and accept Your will for my life and not my will. In the name of Jesus we pray ~amen

This has been such a powerful study and I know I have been touched and changed! I am so glad we approached this study with reverence and humility. Especially as we complete this with the New Year and leading up to the Day of Atonement. I for one fell less lighthearted about the things of God and no longer feel I can be accused of not taking it seriously. Our salvation should have joy as well as seriousness and we must learn to balance it. But heavy reverence while learning about Jesus and God was good for the soul. The author teaches about Jesus in order to encourage Christians who were facing persecution and death.
I know many of us are not facing these things today. But I also know some of you are in country where you are. So for those of you who are, take heed and stand – accept the challenge to win the race.
And for those of us who are not fearing immediate jail, beating, or death – take heed. Those times can come upon us quickly. I believe they will. There are many people praying for more grace and I hope and pray for it as well. But no one in the Bible, who believed, was ever promised no trouble.
Today the author continues to encourage us to continue on the course, and to serve God till the end of our time on earth (then into eternity). You see the author doesn’t see death as an end – therefore death has lost its power to scare and becomes a joyous transition to Our Lord.

So how do we do it? How do we serve God in the face of persecution and threat of death? How to we handle our own emotions and fears and attacks of the enemy and the people the enemy uses and influences to hurt us?

“¹ Let brotherly love continue.”

First, we do it in love. We must prioritize loving one another, or we will be open to being influenced by the enemy to hurt our brothers and sisters in Christ. (Yes, Christians can be influenced by the enemy – Even Peter got it on him, when he begged Jesus not to suffer on the cross and Jesus had to tell the enemy’s influence on Peter to “Get behind me Satan”! Of course Jesus said that in love. The point is we are susceptible to lies and influence when we step out from what the word of God tells us to do. – so when it says to continue, or to live in, brotherly love – we must live in love.) Love will win. Not the kind of polluted weird stuff the world is selling as love. No. But real Godly Love is required and wins. Because God is love.

“²Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

Second, do not just feel love and be inside that feeling – show it and act upon it even to strangers. Why would we need to minister to Angels? Why would God expect our kindness to care for them. Well, they are warriors and servants of God who spend all their time being obedient. They are great tools for God to use to bless us. And sometimes he needs to know if He can. All who receive are NOT able to give. But ALL who give ARE able to receive. So to ensure you are ready to receive something, you are often asked to give something. Sometimes it is to an angel. Sometimes it is not.
Another area, look to the story of Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah and the two angels who came to destroy the place. First they came to Lot and Lot saved them by inviting them in (Lot did not know they did not need saving.) And God used this to compel Lot to leave the city faster with His family before it was destroyed. There are a few more examples of entertaining angels unware in the Bible. It might make a fun study topic one day – today, let us move on.

“³Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.”

Listen this is not like a make believe zombie apocalypse where you team up with slower people let them get caught so you can survive. This is a no man left behind operation! This is a ‘we’re in this together’ operation. You carry the weaker brother. You grab onto their hands and hold onto them for dear life. If they did it to them, they might as well have done it to me, mindset.
You may say social injustice like wrongful imprisonments with unfair treatment doesn’t happen in our modern world. There are still living holocaust survivors who will differ with you. There are mothers and fathers and brothers and sister in jail, in the USA, held without trial and in isolation because they attended a prayer and rally at the capital of the USA on January 6^th of last year. That rally had bad people who did bad things, yes. I have seen video footage and many of those doing the bad things are walking free while our Christian brothers and sisters languish behind bars. And you say this isn’t happening in our modern world?

Listen, I have to make a side note here: early in the persecution in Germany of the Jews, many said if they keep their mouths closed and don’t rock the boat – then Hitler would leave them alone – and most of them ended up in concentrations camps anyway. They (the evil plans of the enemy working in evil men and women) are coming for you the Christians – the “Christian Nationalist” here in America. If you are Christian or if you are a Nationalist or if you are a patriot or not – it doesn’t matter to them. If you come to church and are a lukewarm un-committed doubtful Christian, they are still coming for you. People are already in jail. They are coming for you. Trump still gets in their way – but they are still coming for us! So speak now, before they remove your voice. Act now, before they have you in chains. It is better to go down in a fight then it is to quietly comply your way into your own gas chamber.

“⁴Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

The number one sin that trips up humans? It is hard to tell. The Bible speaks of mishandling money and fornications/adultery almost equally. I would say both are a lust problem. God wants us to succeed during the hard times and warns us of our own lusts destroying all that we work to achieve in Christ.

⁵Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶So we may boldly say:“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

The question is still the same: what do we do to survive the persecution? Delight in God, be content. I hear pastors say they have never seen a real believe struggle in a season of lack – but Paul spoke of seasons of lack and seasons of abundance and in all things he learned to be content and we must also.
God will never leave you or forsake you. Every step you make a company of warring angels are marching in time with you. The lord is MORE than our helpers. The spiritual battle is HIS! All we need to do is show up with our Armor on! What can man do to me?!
Granted – if you have anxiety or fear about persecution – NONE OF THIS IS HELPFUL. I get it. This is a hard book we are studying. God is still sovereign. He has a plan and He is still in control. To live is Christ – to die is gain. We have a heavenly home waiting for us as well. And though we are in no hurry to get there, we can have peace because it is there.

“⁷Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.”

Remember? What the author is believed to mean is IN PRAYER we should remember to Pray for our rulers and leaders and those who speak the word of God to us. With our internet access we have MANY who we can let speak the word of God over us. Pray fervently for every last one of them. And I do not care which political leaning you have or what party in what country – and I do not care if your leader is good and godly or corrupt and evil – pray for them. NOT for their destruction – but for Godly wisdom, for God to move in their lives for God to be revealed to them and through them. That they must bless the lord and His people like Balaam who could only bless the Israelites. When we pray we must think about their conduct and outcomes – we want God to be glorified, we want government Policies that support and not oppose the Bible, and we want to live a peaceable life. It may seem impossible – but with God all things are possible and we must pray and let HIM handle it.

“⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.”

And with all the internet preachers and teacher – Yes, I know I am one of them – we must be ALL THE MORE CAREFUL that the word of the Lord is coming to us clean. Jesus NEVER changes. And neither should the meaning of HIS word. Unfortunately, much has changed from original manuscripts to English where (here) I present it and some of you are reading through a translation ap. The opportunity for mud (impure scriptures) are HUGE! All we can do it our best to be clear – point out what is true and what is speculation and trust God to guard His words. Trust God that His Word will never return void. And you and I need to know the word, so we can discern when it is muddied and when it is pure. Eat the meat and spit out the bones so to speak.
Some mud is a distraction – it makes people preoccupied with it and gets them off of what God is doing. It may be a good idea – but not all good ideas are God ideas. Get into the spirit, walk in the spirit, flow in the spirit and join with others going the same way. Where every action is establish by the Word of God. Stick with the basics – the gospel. Christ died for us. Preach that, listen to that, and grow in that!

“¹⁰We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. ¹³Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. ¹⁴For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.”

Here is the balancing act to survive the persecution and constant info and berating by the media – we are in this world but we are not of it. We seek a heavenly city and have to live here, for now. While here, we should be in prayer and every prophet without fail was involved in politics and government. So we should be involved and actively fighting for our rights and peace. But knowing God is not interested in who is King on earth. He is only interested in the hearts of man. She He uses government to help shape the hearts of the people. We should live set apart, bearing His reproach, outside the camp – but we should also be prayerfully active and available for God to use to change the system according to His will.

“¹⁵Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. ¹⁶But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

Doing good and sharing are sacrifices and God wants to remind us as things get hard – make them as offerings and sacrificed to God. Do not forget to praise Him, even when it is bad. Do not forget to thank him, for even on our death bed, we have so much to thank Him for – like giving us eternal life through Jesus.
If it was going to be easy, we would not need the reminder. It won’t be easy. Actually it is not easy now!
This is why, even though it has low reach and small following – I maintain the Facebook and Instagram pages for this blog. On them, are daily reminders to memorize the word, to praise and thank Him, to not be afraid, and to point to Jesus. I hope and pray that those post can reach the people who need to hear that short message and God uses it to change them.
(I came back to God, recommitting myself to Him – fully! Because I saw a short message on Facebook from a ministry, shared by a Facebook friend, that God used to speak directly into that soft spot in my heart and allowed me to accept that small measure of grace. Once the grace touched that soft spot – it spread like a wild fire and completely transformed me. One day I was one way – the next day I was another. A road to Damascus experience with grace. I hope and pray that the encouragement shared on those social media pages, sitting there available for God to use, get used and change people’s lives like mine was changed.)

“¹⁷Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”

Verse 17 is believed to be about submitting to your church leaders. This hits a little different in the year 2022. During 2020 many churches shut down and a surprising number never reopened, including a few megachurches. As the shaking is progressing – the line is being drawn and it is becoming clear inside the body of Christ who are the sheep and who are the goats. A surprisingly large number of people attend their local church for the community of it – but leave and go home to turn on their phones and computers and get fed at another church. My heart breaks for the state of the modern church. Many are stuck in their denomination and literally, if you leave the denomination, they stop speaking to you. Yet will go watch internet preacher from other denominations because they are so hungry for food.
Pastors quote Paul saying he has to speak to the church like babies, because they have not matured – but then the pastor will not even preach the words from THAT book because it is too meaty – so the people starve. And go elsewhere. And the pastor sees them weekly and senses the aloofness and cannot invoke love – because they have check out already.
The question then becomes – who is your spiritual head? Stop playing games. If it is your local church, then pull together your community, whom you love and attend there in order to live your life out with them. Gather them for serious prayer and fasting for the church and for the pastor. Give the whole thing to God and continue in prayer for it until God either changes it for the good or God shuts it down. And get back under submission. And if you disagree and cannot submit – either you are in the wrong place or you are in the sin of pride. You must figure this out. Especially with the time in which we live in.

“¹⁸Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. ¹⁹But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.”

Pray for me and for EVERYONE who reads this with you. Pray for each other. Pray for each other.
How should we pray? Pray this:

“²⁰Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Yes – pray for us.

Now the author wraps things up:

“²²And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. ²³Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly. ²⁴Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.”

Well, we now know that Timothy was NOT the author. We know Marcus was in Italy. There are other options of who could have written this, like Pricilla or Barnabas. But it is unclear is either of them were in Italy at this time.

“²⁵Grace be with you all. Amen.”

Please join us tomorrow as we begin to study Titus.

***

26 Sep 202225 Sep 2022

God is a Consuming Fire – 9-26-22

“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Hebrews chapter 12 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Race of Faith

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking unto Jesus, the ^[a]author and ^[b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Discipline of God

³For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. ⁴You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. ⁵And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“My son, do not despise the ^[c]chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
⁶For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”

⁷If^[d] you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? ⁸But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. ⁹Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. ¹¹Now no ^[e]chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Renew Your Spiritual Vitality

¹²Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, ¹³and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

¹⁴Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶lest there be any fornicator or ^[f]profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. ¹⁷For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

The Glorious Company

¹⁸For you have not come ^[g]to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and ^[h]darkness and tempest, ¹⁹and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. ²⁰(For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned ^[i]or shot with an arrow.” ²¹And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)

²²But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, ²³to the ^[j]general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, ²⁴to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Hear the Heavenly Voice

²⁵See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, ²⁶whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I ^[k]shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” ²⁷Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

²⁸Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we ^[l]may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹For our God is a consuming fire.

Footnotes

Hebrews 12:2 originator
Hebrews 12:2 perfecter
Hebrews 12:5 discipline
Hebrews 12:7 NU, M It is for discipline that you endure; God
Hebrews 12:11 discipline
Hebrews 12:16 godless
Hebrews 12:18 NU to that which
Hebrews 12:18 NU gloom
Hebrews 12:20 NU, M omit the rest of v. 20.
Hebrews 12:23 festal gathering
Hebrews 12:26 NU will shake
Hebrews 12:28 M omits may

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7-

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

We’ll finish the book of Hebrews this week and we study the book of Titus – and wrap up this quarter, so that we might begin next week and the 4^th quarter with the final (of the four) gospels, the Gospel according to John.
So why don’t we complete the book of Hebrews with daily corporate repentance and humility from us so we may better know Jesus as fully man and fully God and fall more in love with Him every day.
Dear God, I am sorry for being filled with any and all unrighteousness, and/or sexual immorality, and/or wickedness, and/or covetousness, and/or maliciousness, and/or envy, murder, and strife, and/or deceit and evil-mindedness, and/or being a whisperers and backbiters, and/or haters of God, and/or violent, and/or proud and boasting, and/or inventors of evil things, and/or disobedient to parents, and/or undiscerning, and/or untrustworthy, and/or unloving, and/or unforgiving, and/or unmerciful, and/or for practicing such things are deserving of death. Please forgive me for those things I did even though I knew better. And please forgive me for those things You count as sin, that I am unaware of and have not learned yet – and open my eyes to see them as sins so I can stop participating in them. Please wash me with the Blood of Jesus. Cleanse me and help me turn from my evil ways. And send a fresh filling of your anointing to break the yokes and help me destroy the roots with a mindful effort and focus on You, and fall in love with You in a new and deeper way. I desire to lay down my life for You, Lord Jesus, as You sacrificed Yourself for me. Help me to die to self and pour myself out as an offering. Give me more grace to trust You and accept Your will for my life and not my will. In the name of Jesus we pray ~amen

This book spends the majority of its time teaching us about Jesus through faith and fulfilled prophesies – Now comes the challenge. It is a challenge I think all of us are up to taking on. If we do accept this challenge the dark and terrible days before us, planned by the enemy, will instead find us at peace and enveloped in God’s love, provisions and protection. The challenge starts with: Will you Know Him? Not just head knowledge of Him, but in a real personal relationship with Him. Then it moved into: will you believe Him and love Him? and today – if you really believe this – it is time to do it. It is time to live it. It is time to be like Esther and say I am in this plan and if I die, I die!

This challenge is a call to surrender all and trust Him. Can you do it? I truly believe if the prophecies come true, it will be our only way of survival.

“¹ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

Surrender whatever weighs us down. Surrender every burden, problem, situation, person, and every aspect of our lives. Let us lay down and surrender all our sinful ways, the sins that easily ensnare us, and the sins we keep hidden. Full and complete trust and surrender. This is the call on YOUR life today. Yes, you! You specifically. God is talking to a few of us today. But I am sure some of you have been hearing this in a still small voice inside or this is confirming the word of someone else. It is time. Actually it is long past due as time is running out and we have only heaven to lose if we do not take on the calling set before us.

“²looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

For two years you all have heard me say, that like Peter when he walked on water – we must look at Jesus and not take our eyes off of Him. Do not look left or right. Do not look down. Do not spend time being entertained by those who deny Jesus is the Son of God while they point to anything and everything, but Jesus.
Jesus knew that the cross was going to be bad. Really bad. But he also knew that His sacrifice was going to be amazing and that His resurrection was going to be Epic. He endured that hardest thing for the joy of what was to come from it. Jesus showed us the great price – and the great reward.

“³For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. ⁴You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.”

The author is warning the first century church that the bloodshed, jailings and abuse of Christians was not going to stop. He said it without saying it, but teaching them how to be encouraged as it gets worse. Here is the parallel and the principle you and I need to hide in our hearts – perilous times will come, Jesus said in Matthew, and so far we are seeing very perilous birth pangs and are looking at the worst yet to come. Rumors of a civil coupe in China and their president Xi Jinping being captured made its way around the internet over the weekend. There are wars and literally rumors of wars. The times are progressing and prophesy is being fulfilled. Most modern first world nations have been sheltered from persecution and honestly believe it will never happen to them, to you and me.
I want to prepare you that they could come, it is prophesied as perilous and we see in the first century many died to spread the gospel. Why not us? Our pride makes us exempt? So if and when these times come upon us, it will be rapid and there will be little time to prepare you. Let us pray we never need these lesson, but let us also be prepared for anything.
Consider Jesus. Our Lord, himself endured hostilities – and death. This should prevent us from becoming weary and discouraged. Because if He endured it, so can we. Verse 4 goes on to say, look, you are still alive, you have resisted death while striving against sin. So much of the spiritual battle is the Lords and when we move in His flow, He fights the battles. Our real and great battle is against our own flesh and its hell-bent desire to sin.
Like we read, recently in 2 Timothy, about finishing well. Let’s accept the challenge to fix our heart and mind to finish well.

“⁵And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”

And our Father in His perfect Sovereignty will also chasten and discipline His children. I’ll be honest, I fear being disciplined by God. I grew up in a home of punishment, beatings, verbal abuse and codependent inconsistencies. You never knew if getting caught meant a talking to or a frying pan swinging at you. So when bad things happened to me and Christians said, ‘God is punishing you’ I believed them. But the wrath of God is NOT the same as His chastisements and disciplines. The Lord has only ever rebuked me gently and lovingly and I can only say that by looking back and see when I was wrong and needed to get back on track. I remember one time a song came on the radio and my heart was so convicted over something I did. I no longer remember what I did – but I remember pulling the car over and sobbing because I was caught, rebuked, in trouble and the Lord did it with a hug and a beautiful song. Best of all the song was about forgiveness. God is the perfect parent, loving and tender.

“⁷If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? ⁸But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”

Sometimes God’s correction is more painful, yes. But that is for those of us with hardening hearts. If God is not correcting you, then woe to you. Woe. Because you are not a son or daughter.

“⁹Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?”

Written to the Hebrew, men and women who had grown up under parents who believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Many of them had kind and loving fathers and loving discipline, and hold much respect for their parents.
I grew up with a mother and step father who believed in Jesus and were deeply flawed and victims of abuse and demonic influences and therefore were unable to provide level headed discipline and quite frankly – I do not believe either has ever learned what love really is. And my father was unsaved and selfish and his care went as far as himself. He did love us, but having also been abused, he was standoffish to guard himself. I am not alone with having poor influences in relation to love.
I have made prayerful and thoughtful inquires with the spirit on the topic of love and respect for these deeply flawed humans. I have learned to forgive and love and keep space enough to not permit further abuse. I tried many distances and found most were too close and if in words reach, words can be thrown like punches, and I am not a punching bag. So I carefully navigate these things while respecting the fact that these people did the best they could with what they have. They have obviously done some things right. Knowing I am not alone in this brokenness – It is hard for many of us to understand and know the love of God and respect him in the way scripture is written. I love the loving Daddy whose courts I can burst into crying for help at any time. But the stern and disciplined father, still worries and scares me. Even though I know, it is in love and I’d rather have it than the wrath from refusing to be disciplined later.

“¹⁰For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. ¹¹Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

It is a good thing and joy comes in the morning. Like the day in the car, where I balled my eyes out and repented and felt such a deep cut into my heart. It was terrible and painful – but the love came and once I got through all the emotions of the process, the guilt and shame, I was able to experience such joy I laughed and cried at the same time. I grew and healed quite a bit that day.

Knowing the difference between wrath/punishment and discipline will be critical for holding onto the cross in perilous times. These problems are coming regardless of if you were good or bad or whatever. So learn the difference now, so you’ll know which is which.

“¹²Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, ¹³and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”

And once we know, and we are healed, we must work at bringing others up to speed. What good is a church body that is sitting around lame and feeble in wound of despair and unable to pursue His purpose for us?
If you are sick today – I speak this verse into your life: Whatsoever is bent in you, let it be straightened in the name of Jesus. Whatsoever is weak and hanging in you, let it be filled with the strength of the Light of Jesus, right now. Whatsoever is feeble, become strong in the power of His might! Whatsoever is a cooked or unseen path or unknown future – May the Lord layout the plans at your feet, revealing a straight path, in the name of Jesus. Whatsoever in your life is lame and dislocated – may the Lord, right now, bring it all back together and stitch it up and give it strength in the name of Jesus. AND whatsoever is in need of healing in you – BE HEALED in the NAME OF JESUS! Heavenly Father, please let us start off this new year in strength, power and healing! As the times become more perilous, let us live in the peace of your shelter, prospering on the right path, and fulfilling your plan for our lives. In the name of Jesus we pray – AMEN!

“¹⁴Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;”

Our challenge and call in this chapter is to take this walk with the Lord seriously. If we really believe what we say we believe, let us walk this out together – holding each other up in our moments of weakness. Let us not let any cause for bitterness, trouble, defilement or the slippery slope into full out losing your salvation.

“¹⁶lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. ¹⁷For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.”

Ah, the author was thinking the same way I was thinking.
Listen I believe this, you believe this – let us put our denominations aside for a moment and stand in unity as the People of the Kingdom of God and get through this together.
The Lord God is terrifying (in the right way) and as much as we would fall on our faces in fear in his presence, He is on OUR side! We are not just in this together, but also joined by angels.

“¹⁸For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, ¹⁹and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. ²⁰(For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” ²¹And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)
²²But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, ²³to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, ²⁴to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”

We are concluding the feast of trumpets – they are sounding. It is still the century of the mouth and words are being spoken – Jesus is the word. God is coming in judgment to shake everything that can be shaken – but we have peace in the fear of the Lord. Have you stood in the storm – in the tempest and saw the fire and begged for it to fill you and not burn you? Have you stood in the blackness and darkness and have you seen the orange and yellow flashes of lightening behind the rolling clouds? Have you been touched by the mist of water from the latter rains? No man or beast can endure, even Moses fell on his face trembling. But we are not just chosen children of God – but we are Holy Spirit filled temples of God and when we remain humble the bold fire and this storm swells within us! We walk here on earth surrounded by a company of angels! I cannot come to Mount Zion or to the city of my Living God – but He has established me as a temple. I am judged and found faithful. Yes, even in my struggles and humanity and failures – I am faithful. Full of faith! I believe in repenting and humility and in all that my sovereign God can do! I AM COUNTED AS FAITHFUL IN HIM. and that is counted as righteousness! And therefore I am sprinkled in the blood of the Lamb! Hallelujah!

“²⁵See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, ²⁶whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” ²⁷Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.”

Have I not been saying for two years we are about to be shook! We are in the great shaking. But DO NOT SHAKE! You are in a company of angels and God has a plan for you! Hang on to the horns of the altar and give yourself wholly to him with a fresh new commitment and do not be shaken. Stand therefore and having done all, stand.

“²⁸Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”

Grace. Hallelujah! Grace! – Grace that actionable transformative power that makes us new. Put down the old dead man and walk in that newness this year.

“²⁹For our God is a consuming fire.”

And I receive that fire.

***

25 Sep 202224 Sep 2022

Rosh Hashanah (supplemental post 9-25-22)

Shana tova! I greet you on this head of the year. L’shana tova tikateyvu, or “May you be written [in the Book of Life] for a good year.”

I have decided to take today to add a supplemental post, to give us a moment to think about the Lord’s high holy days, like today.

“and they will level you to the ground, and throw down your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” Luke 19:44 NKJV
Here in Luke we see Jesus, Himself, pronouncing a curse on Jerusalem (or speaking a tragic prophesy over them). The reason is because they did NOT recognize the hour, they were not wise watchmen, they knew the Torah, Psalms and the Prophets yet they failed to recognize their Messiah.

In Ecclesiastes we are told that everything has a season, appointed by God himself. (Ecc. 3:1-8)

And throughout the Bible we are told to be watchmen – watching and praying for the Kingdom of heaven: Ezekiel 33, Ezekiel 3:17, Isaiah 62:6, Isaiah 52:8, Habakkuk 2:1-20, Jeremiah 51:12, Jeremiah 31:6, Proverbs 8:34 and so many more.

What does this have to do with a “Jewish” holiday, that we do not really understand and since we are Christian, we do not need to know?

We are adopted under Abraham – His God is our God and HE is the creator of all. And HE, God, set this date in place saying THIS is the day I created the heavens and the earth and this is MY head of the year. This is not a Jewish Holiday it is a holy day set apart by God Himself.
The Bible is filled with calculation to prepare for Jesus’s birth and arrival (as well as calculations for many other prophesies). When using the Lord’s calendar the number of days in the book of Daniel (70 times 7 in Daniel 9:24-27) can be calculated to the exact date of when Jesus, riding on a donkey, made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem and began passion week. That is only ONE example of how knowing the Lord’s calendar means understanding the scriptures and prophesy better. There are way too many to write them all out. The point is – we NEED to understand and know Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – because God has designed seasons and times for things and we should be flowing in the spirit, in time with the Lord.

When we get to heaven we cannot bring our man made calendar with us. We cannot be so proud to think the days as ordained by God do not matter to us. If you look at this season of Holy days, and see the ways in which God asks us to commemorate them he is preparing us for a year of abundant blessing. Ones that cannot be unleashed without making the proper steps.

First we have Yom teruah, the “Day of Shouting and Trumpets” – a viable translation from Hebrew into English for the old Hebrew words for the head of the year. Like the seventh day of marching around Jericho in Joshua chapter 6, the year starts with a loud yell and the trumpets sound. We serve a LOUD and MIGHTY God who inhabits the loud praises of His people. So we begin with a bang or noise and worship – this is also called the Feast of Trumpets. We read and remember creation and humble ourselves as the dust that we are and came from – God’s breath in our lungs moves through us to blow the trumpets and God’s breath in our lungs is given so we can worship. We ask nothing but pour ourselves out as an offering, giving thanksgiving for all that HE has done and has promised to do. And we spend 2 days enveloped in worship. This is also a symbol of the second coming of Christ!

Second, 10 days later is the Day of Atonement. And again I have Christians say to me, we are not under atonement so this does not apply to me. But after humble worship and self-sacrifice – a day of fasting and repenting of our sins will do us GOOD. We should be doing it daily, but on this day it should be a corporate fast and prayer, like the one in Jeremiah:
“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV
Have you noticed how it lines up with the election cycles in MANY countries around the world. We need humble repentance before these elections cycles change the guards. We need to be praying fervently for the peace of Jerusalem and the peace of our nations as we lay prostrate on our faces.

Remember God is not concerned with who is in office, leadership or who thinks they run the place. God is only concerned with our hearts. If our hearts are contrite and repentant – filled with love and the desire to be obedient, then we will lead a peaceable life and have easy leaders. But if we are stiff necked with pride and a hardened heart, we will have tyrannical leaders, who are working to destroy us.

If you want to be political or not – persecution will come. Everything that can be shaken is being shaken. So grab onto the horns of the altar and pray that God gives you the ability to hang on. If you know the signs of the times as described in the Bible – you know this. It is not some prophesy that I say as if God gave me, and me alone some crazy download that only I know. God gave us example after example of these things.

Next is the Feast of Tabernacles – Sukkot. A remembrance of the wilderness and the lesson to relinquish pride and be less stiff neck and soften our hearts in obedience. But we are to commemorate with tabernacles. Tents to dwell in are called tabernacles. God’s first tabernacle was the Garden of Eden and His second was in that wilderness with His children under a tent. And in October when this feast comes around, we are to remember The Tabernacle. Which became the temple – and later WE became the temple. And so we recognize and honor the Lord in His season, strengthening the visual symbolism of the temple and how we must behave holy, because God is holy and dwells within us.

So in just over a month 3 of the high holy days happen, leading up to earth’s political days, which are usually riffled with problems and hard times. But after going through the lessons and humility God sets before us during this time (like worship, humility, unity, family, offerings, sacrifices and finances) it is followed by the fall harvest and blessings and abundance – and it rolls through the death of winter into the heaps of blessings in the spring time – new life and resurrection.

“for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’” Acts 17:28 NKJV

We are supposed to live IN HIM. Dwell in the secret place (Psalm 119). And walk in the Spirit. We cannot flow in our own timing and in the timing of the Lord.

This is the importance of The Lord’s Holidays to us Christians; to those of us who long to resect and honor Him and know His timing. This is for those of us who long to obey and be good watchmen under the Issachar anointing.

So today – the head of the new year let us blow our trumpets and worship HE who has created the year. Let us know when we live and that we are made for such a time as this! And it is high time we made the call to repentance and to the obedience of the Lord!

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand” Joel 2:1 NKJV

25 Sep 202223 Sep 2022

WEEKEND READING – 9-25-22

“What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, That you so charge us?” Song of Solomon 5:9 NKJV

The main female character in this play (yes, this book is written as a play) is asked to describe the man she loves. It always makes me give pause and think. I love my Lord, God. How would I describe Him if I had to? Would it be dripping with loving words and tender descriptions found from an intimate relationship and heart knowledge of who He is? Or would I give head knowledge of Him – in a matter of fact way, with chapter and verse of what is said about Him. Yes – I ponder the deep and sweet, tender things about loving someone so indescribably amazing.

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Song of Solomon chapter 5 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Bride Praises the Bridegroom

The Beloved

5 I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice;
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk.

(To His Friends)

Eat, O friends!
Drink, yes, drink deeply,
O beloved ones!

The Shulamite’s Troubled Evening

The Shulamite

²I sleep, but my heart is awake;
It is the voice of my beloved!
He knocks, saying,
“Open for me, my sister, ^[a]my love,
My dove, my perfect one;
For my head is covered with dew,
My ^[b]locks with the drops of the night.”

³I have taken off my robe;
How can I put it on again?
I have washed my feet;
How can I ^[c]defile them?
⁴My beloved put his hand
By the ^[d]latch of the door,
And my heart yearned for him.
⁵I arose to open for my beloved,
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
My fingers with liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the lock.

⁶I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My ^[e]heart leaped up when he spoke.
I sought him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer.
⁷The watchmen who went about the city found me.
They struck me, they wounded me;
The keepers of the walls
Took my veil away from me.
⁸I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
That you tell him I am lovesick!

The Daughters of Jerusalem

⁹What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
O fairest among women?
What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
That you so ^[f]charge us?

The Shulamite

¹⁰My beloved is white and ruddy,
^[g]Chief among ten thousand.
¹¹His head is like the finest gold;
His locks are wavy,
And black as a raven.
¹²His eyes are like doves
By the rivers of waters,
Washed with milk,
And ^[h]fitly set.
¹³His cheeks are like a bed of spices,
Banks of scented herbs.
His lips are lilies,
Dripping liquid myrrh.

¹⁴His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl.
His body is carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.
¹⁵His legs are pillars of marble
Set on bases of fine gold.
His countenance is like Lebanon,
Excellent as the cedars.
¹⁶His mouth is most sweet,
Yes, he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,
And this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem!

Footnotes

Song of Solomon 5:2 my companion, friend
Song of Solomon 5:2 curls or hair
Song of Solomon 5:3 dirty
Song of Solomon 5:4 opening
Song of Solomon 5:6 Lit. soul
Song of Solomon 5:9 adjure
Song of Solomon 5:10 Distinguished
Song of Solomon 5:12 sitting in a setting

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

24 Sep 202223 Sep 2022

WEEKEND READING – 9-24-22

“Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates With pleasant fruits, Fragrant henna with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron, Calamus and cinnamon, With all trees of frankincense, Myrrh and aloes, With all the chief spices— A fountain of gardens, A well of living waters, And streams from Lebanon.” Song of Solomon 4:13-15 NKJV

Some of the wisdom hidden in this book revealing a spicy love affair is the fact that we are loved by God. Not in a perverse, inappropriate or sexual nature – but our relationship is loving, exciting, and passionate. For example, with this opening verse and in today’s reading we see how God feels about us when we produce fruit. It makes His heart swell and He falls more and more in love with us letting His living water swell up within us like a fountain to produce more fruit!
Knowing His great and intimate love for us will help us love Him more and draw closer to Him.

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

WELCOME to our weekend reading, where we are going through all 5 of the wisdom books! During the week we have been studying the book of Hebrews, which we will return to on Monday. Please have a blessed weekend.

Today’s reading is the Book of Song of Solomon chapter 4 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Bridegroom Praises the Bride

The Beloved

4 Behold, you are fair, my love!
Behold, you are fair!
You have dove’s eyes behind your veil.
Your hair is like a flock of goats,
Going down from Mount Gilead.
²Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep
Which have come up from the washing,
Every one of which bears twins,
And none is ^[a]barren among them.
³Your lips are like a strand of scarlet,
And your mouth is lovely.
Your temples behind your veil
Are like a piece of pomegranate.
⁴Your neck is like the tower of David,
Built for an armory,
On which hang a thousand ^[b]bucklers,
All shields of mighty men.
⁵Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle,
Which feed among the lilies.

⁶Until the day breaks
And the shadows flee away,
I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh
And to the hill of frankincense.

⁷You are all fair, my love,
And there is no spot in you.
⁸Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse,
With me from Lebanon.
Look from the top of Amana,
From the top of Senir and Hermon,
From the lions’ dens,
From the mountains of the leopards.

⁹You have ravished my heart,
My sister, my spouse;
You have ravished my heart
With one look of your eyes,
With one link of your necklace.
¹⁰How fair is your love,
My sister, my spouse!
How much better than wine is your love,
And the ^[c]scent of your perfumes
Than all spices!
¹¹Your lips, O my spouse,
Drip as the honeycomb;
Honey and milk are under your tongue;
And the fragrance of your garments
Is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

¹²A garden ^[d]enclosed
Is my sister, my spouse,
A spring shut up,
A fountain sealed.
¹³Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates
With pleasant fruits,
Fragrant henna with spikenard,
¹⁴Spikenard and saffron,
Calamus and cinnamon,
With all trees of frankincense,
Myrrh and aloes,
With all the chief spices—
¹⁵A fountain of gardens,
A well of living waters,
And streams from Lebanon.

The Shulamite

¹⁶Awake, O north wind,
And come, O south!
Blow upon my garden,
That its spices may flow out.
Let my beloved come to his garden
And eat its pleasant fruits.

Footnotes
a.Song of Solomon 4:2 bereaved
b.Song of Solomon 4:4 Small shields
c.Song of Solomon 4:10 fragrance
d.Song of Solomon 4:12 locked or barred

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

23 Sep 202222 Sep 2022

Jesus, I Believe He Is – 9-23-22

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Hebrews chapter 11 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the ^[a]substance of things hoped for, the ^[b]evidence of things not seen. ²For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

³By faith we understand that the ^[c]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Faith at the Dawn of History

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

⁵By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

⁷By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Faithful Abraham

⁸By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she^[d] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. ¹²Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The Heavenly Hope

¹³These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off ^[e]were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. ¹⁵And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

The Faith of the Patriarchs

¹⁷By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ¹⁸^[f]of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

²¹By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²²By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

The Faith of Moses

²³By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.

²⁴By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the ^[g]passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶esteeming the ^[h]reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures ^[i]in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

²⁷By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. ²⁸By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

²⁹By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

By Faith They Overcame

³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. ³¹By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who ^[j]did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

³²And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: ³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ³⁵Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn in two, ^[k]were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— ³⁸of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, ⁴⁰God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Footnotes

Hebrews 11:1 realization
Hebrews 11:1 Or confidence
Hebrews 11:3 Or ages, Gr. aiones, aeons
Hebrews 11:11 NU omits she bore a child
Hebrews 11:13 NU, M omit were assured of them
Hebrews 11:18 to
Hebrews 11:25 temporary
Hebrews 11:26 reviling because of
Hebrews 11:26 NU, M of
Hebrews 11:31 were disobedient
Hebrews 11:37 NU omits were tempted

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7-

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

And we’ll finish the week with our prayer of humility and repentance. Please personalize it and make it into your own words, if you’d like. It is important to mean it – but it is even more important to believe it. Believe that we ae forgiven. You may be thinking that if we are forgiven, then why are we praying it daily? Well, because we have hidden sins – we even hide sins from ourselves and justify them as not wrong. We all do it. Praying over each of these areas, gives God the opportunity to reveal to us the areas we need to repent in, and what we need to work on. We are all, also, still growing in our walks with the Lord and based on where we are coming from and going we all have different convictions.
Let me use this example: A man who has never had an issue with overdrinking, no family history of alcoholism and has had an occasional drink but is not a drunkard, can go into a bar, order a beer, drink it slow throughout the night and witness to and evangelize in the bar. However, someone who was an alcoholic or raised by one might find going to a bar to be a sin or having one drink to be a sin. And someone with a religious spirit would say that preaching Jesus in the den of sinner is also a sin, lol.
Anyway – we are at different places and God may be working something through in you and these things take time. Therefore, besides getting clean to study holy things – we can work on growing out of sins as God reveals and works in us. As long as we believe and stay open to the process.

Dear God, I am sorry for being filled with any and all unrighteousness, and/or sexual immorality, and/or wickedness, and/or covetousness, and/or maliciousness, and/or envy, murder, and strife, and/or deceit and evil-mindedness, and/or being a whisperers and backbiters, and/or haters of God, and/or violent, and/or proud and boasting, and/or inventors of evil things, and/or disobedient to parents, and/or undiscerning, and/or untrustworthy, and/or unloving, and/or unforgiving, and/or unmerciful, and/or for practicing such things are deserving of death. Please forgive me for those things I did even though I knew better. And please forgive me for those things You count as sin, that I am unaware of and have not learned yet – and open my eyes to see them as sins so I can stop participating in them. Please wash me with the Blood of Jesus. Cleanse me and help me turn from my evil ways. And send a fresh filling of your anointing to break the yokes and help me destroy the roots with a mindful effort and focus on You, and fall in love with You in a new and deeper way. I desire to lay down my life for You, Lord Jesus, as You sacrificed Yourself for me. Help me to die to self and pour myself out as an offering. Give me more grace to trust You and accept Your will for my life and not my will. In the name of Jesus we pray ~amen

Hebrews chapter 11 is often called the Faith Hall of Fame. As a child, I remember talking to God about this chapter saying I want my name written in the Faith Hall of Fame in heaven. I innocently and eagerly wanting to please God did not calculate the price. Now my prayer is one of gratitude as He works the growth of faith in me and I pray that I am able to pay the price that I have signed up for.

The structure of today’s chapter is first a definition of what faith is. Then the history of faith throughout the Old Testament. And then how, through faith, they overcame. Paul has spoken about Faith in many of our readings so far this year – ‘by grace, through faith’ (Eph. 2:8), our ‘faith being counted as righteousness’ (Rom. 4:3), ‘walk by faith not sight’ (2 Cor. 5:7), ‘faith comes by hearing’ (Rom. 10:17), ‘righteous live by faith’ (Rom. 1:17) and many more. Faith is what makes us first question and then believe the word of God – it opens the door to God’s revelation. It is not an area of our lives that we put in a box for Sunday mornings or pull out in a moment of crisis – it is an action, a way of living, a gift from God in differing measures, but in us all to grow and use and live in.

“¹ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hope and faith are not the same thing. Believing and faith are not the same thing. But if you took hope and believe and put them in a blender with a jolt of God’s electricity – you have faith. We can’t see what we believe and we hope of things revealed to us in the spirit, not with our human eyes. Faith, being actionable has the ability to fix our minds into a stubborn unwavering state.
I had mentioned to a lady that I was not vaccinated against covid. After realizing I had other vaccines in my life, but just not (in her words) “the most important one” was just more than she could handle. The lighthearted conversation spiraled out of control. I prayed and found only fear in her and realized it was her own faith in the effectiveness of this vaccine that was holding her together and keeping her form falling apart in fear. My heart broke for her. But there is NO power of earth I can use against a fixed mind that is locked in place by human faith. Literally she need a revelation from God. I planted a seed and quietly said a prayer for her – that was all she would receive from an unvaccinated person – who might kill her just by standing within the magic 6 foot space. God will keep working on her.
My point is that faith is powerful. It can stop God or it can propel Him and His will on earth. We just seldom look at faith in the secular as well as in biblical application.

“²For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. ³By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”

The elders believed – and then the author brings it back to the very beginning. Words which have no tangible visual – took nothing and framed in something. Which is very much an action of faith. You and I are to believe the Bible and any words God gives you and is confirmed and speak it out and frame in what God is going to make happen. How it was in the beginning is how it still is. A very good argument for teaching creation – because belief if fundamental to our relationship with God.

“⁴By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.”

Let me be honest, bringing an excellent gift, offering, and/or sacrifice can cost you your life. Just ask Abel, when you get to heaven. None the less – a pure hearted offering is righteousness – it is faith. It is an action of faith.

“⁵By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, absolutely impossible. For when we come to God, we must believe that He is. There is no point is we do not even believe that He is. And we MUST believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The reward is greater than the price.

“⁷By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

Noah built an arch for things unseen. What are we to build for the unseen?

“⁸By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Sometimes He sends us out not knowing. Not always a fun thing to set out on. But trusting God is critical – especially in the season we are approaching. Take action to obey quickly – that act of faith without knowing will be counted righteousness. I have a friend who heard God say she needs to fast and not knowing how to prepare and how to fast and without figuring out which kind of fast to do. She just stops eating and thinks she is going to make it 40 days with no prep. Quickly, she finds herself struggling. Not in mindset – but she was not prepared for her body’s reactions and she was not armed with a plan to handle them. She heard and acted and thought after. She jumped and in mid-air she asked how high. Her zealousness and faith is counted as righteousness and so grace covers her. She prayerfully realized she needed a liquid fast and gives herself one glass of liquid soup (no chunks) a day to help her blood sugar and protein levels. As an active mother and school teacher, who is not the picture of health, she needed to have help. Next time, she will prepare. Anyway, the point is she acted and then God gave the grace. He said go without giving her instructions and she went and then he provided education on fasting. The point is we need faith like Abraham and my friend.

“¹¹By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and shebore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. ¹²Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”

We always talk about being adopted under Abraham’s promise – But our adopted Mother also makes it to the Faith Hall of Fame!!! Great are the multitude of her children! You and I are blessed under her faith!

“¹³These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

What if you and I never see the fulfillment of God’s promise in our lifetime? What if we are never elevated and what if we are never anyone? What if our success would be our destruction so God keeps us small? What if small and hidden is who God called you to be? What if He called you for something you will never see even serving Him and in His perfect plan – like all of these “hall of famers”?

“¹⁴For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. ¹⁵And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

Staying focused on His Kingdom come. Seek ye first God – not his promises, not the blessings, and not what He can do for you. Seek God and all these things will be added to you.

“¹⁷By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ¹⁸of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
²¹By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
²²By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
²³By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.
²⁴By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
²⁷By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. ²⁸By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
²⁹By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.”

Listen none of them had an easy life. You do not need great faith with an easy life. I think it is time we realized Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for the same things we are teaching in our public schools and we should expect perilous times coming, quickly. We can and should pray for them to be held back, but also have our faith prepared for it. Knowing how to have faith in God will be the ONLY means of survival at some point, just like these first century church Christians to whom this was written. They knew the perils and the cost of being a Christian could mean death. We are heading into a world so similar – unless we humble ourselves and God saves our land. But it doesn’t seem enough people are ready to yet.
Like the three Hebrew boys I have spoken of often from the Book of Daniel – they said ‘our God is able, but even if He doesn’t save us we shall not bow’. And God did not save them and they were thrown into the fire to meet Jesus

“³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. ³¹By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.”

God always included the women. Women of faith can accomplish great things. It needs to be said. We all know that the men reading this can, but women need reminding. The enemy’s first attack targeted a woman – he has had it out for us since the beginning. Misinterpretation of scriptures saying I and my sisters must be silent – and I speak back at it and say: Get behind me Satan.
God has called us all to speak and the enemy cannot stop what God has ordained. Who are we to tell God he is wrong.

“³²And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: ³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ³⁵Women received their dead raised to life again.
Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— ³⁸of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
³⁹And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, ⁴⁰God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

Throughout time the human struggle or as Paul calls it – suffering, has been a way of life. Even the Minor Prophets paid the price of serving God. This chapter pulls out those costs well – but let us not forget that it was through FAITH that they overcame and through faith they were saved. It was never about the promise in which they believed in, or the fight of faith to get it, or the fact that they received violent counter attacks from the enemy instead of actually receiving their promise.
It reminds me of some of the first posts I shared here. Many of you did not read them, finding me later on, which is fine – they mark a hope, faith, and an unseen thing. You see, I had wandered away from God for a few years… not a far trip – but far enough to have ruined my life and the lives of my family. I repented and grew in the Lord. And God tore down my foundations and rebuilt them, solid. Then God told me to start this blog. So as I started it I wrote out all those prayer requested and things I was asking God for. Situation that were such a mess from my sin and in the time between me returning and the time of me writing they were still a broken mess. Sigh. I really made a mess. Well. 2 and a half years later and guess what? God has not fixed a single one of those messes. Nope I have not seen my promises – even though I have scriptures that show these are promises that God does have for us. Not one, yet. And I can confidently say HE HAS NEVER FAILED ME! I know in whom I believe and He is faithful who promises. They may come to pass long after I leave earth. But He is faithful.
And now, my life is blessed spiritually and God provides food, and I may not have all of the financial provisions I need to end this month – but in all this time I have never missed a bill and all payments were made in full and on time. He hasn’t failed me. He will not fail me.

It is one thing to know if in your head. Apply it to your heart and have faith. But more importantly have that real relationship with Him so you know Him. Because if you get to know Him, you know He won’t fail you.
Now, this month, my provisions will be supernatural and amazing. I feel He wants me to get others praying and invested in seeing this through. With being sick again (although I am getting better now) – I haven’t made a single sale this month, until today (just in time for gas in my car). So this is a big ask to get a month’s worth of bill money in a week. AND this month the bills are a bit higher. So please join me in praying and looking forward to the testimony of how God pulls this off. I do not know if whatever is going on, with blocking the promise, is such a big fight that it needs more prayers or if God is just trying to build the faith of more people. But I feel we can all be encouraged by whatever miracle He does to make ends meet. It is HIS reputation on the line – but I am not worries about putting it on the line. I know in whom I believe and He is able. And even if he doesn’t, I will still serve Him.

***

22 Sep 202221 Sep 2022

Jesus, Through Whom All Promises are Fulfilled – 9-22-22

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” Hebrews 10:12-13 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Hebrews chapter 10 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Animal Sacrifices Insufficient

10 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. ²For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once ^[a]purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. ³But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Christ’s Death Fulfills God’s Will

⁵Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
⁶In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
⁷Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’ ”

⁸Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), ⁹then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, ^[b]O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ¹⁰By that will we have been ^[c]sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified

¹¹And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ¹²But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. ¹⁴For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being ^[d]sanctified.

¹⁵But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

¹⁶“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” ¹⁷then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” ¹⁸Now where there is ^[e]remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Hold Fast Your Confession

¹⁹Therefore, brethren, having boldness^[f] to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹and having a High Priest over the house of God, ²²let 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. ²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Just Live by Faith

²⁶For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. ²⁸Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” ^[g]says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³²But recall the former days in which, after you were ^[h]illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: ³³partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; ³⁴for you had compassion on ^[i]me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your ^[j]goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves ^[k]in heaven. ³⁵Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. ³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

³⁷“For yet a little while,
And He^[l] who is coming will come and will not ^[m]tarry.
³⁸Now the^[n] just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”

³⁹But we are not of those who draw back to ^[o]perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Footnotes

Hebrews 10:2 cleansed
Hebrews 10:9 NU, M omit O God
Hebrews 10:10 set apart
Hebrews 10:14 set apart
Hebrews 10:18 forgiveness
Hebrews 10:19 confidence
Hebrews 10:30 NU omits says the Lord
Hebrews 10:32 enlightened
Hebrews 10:34 NU the prisoners instead of me in my chains
Hebrews 10:34 possessions
Hebrews 10:34 NU omits in heaven
Hebrews 10:37 Or that which
Hebrews 10:37 delay
Hebrews 10:38 NU My just one
Hebrews 10:39 destruction

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Ephesians 1:7-

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

Let us begin again today with our prayer of humility and repentance. Please feel free to personalize it and make it into your own words, if you’d like.
As we are moving out of the portion of Hebrews that teaches us about Jesus, we are still discussing very holy topics which deserve humility and reverence. So it is in respect to our fear of the Lord that we continue to ask for cleansing before we dwell on these holy things.

I know and recognize that the entire Bible is holy and we should also show respect and reverence. It may just be because of the season and the sounds of the trumpets crying out in the spirit, that God is shaking everything that can be shaken. We need to be humble and recognize His Holiness as well as understand that we too will be shaken and fail if we are not completely submitted to His safety, His will and in obedience to His direction. None of us like to fail – May God hold onto us as tightly as we hold onto Him during this season.

You see we cannot even hold on to Him, without His help. Our sacrifices (self-sacrifice, death to self, surrender of dreams and will, and pouring ourselves out to God) cannot even happen in fullness without His end of the promise.
I have had this song stuck in my head for a week now and I cannot pour it out of my heart in worship enough to express to God how every much I NEED him! The song is ‘Lord I Need You’ and I am ever so needy. My cousin says faith based belief systems are a crutch. OK. But I need a wheelchair! I need to be completely scooped up and not leaning on Him like a crutch, but wholly dependent upon him in all things. Lord I need YOU!

Here is the song for your reference: Link to YouTube.

Before I get too sidetracked, let’s dig into today’s scriptures, with God’s help.

“¹For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. ²For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. ³But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”

The yearly reminder of our sins is the very season we are in. First because Yom Kippur is quickly approaching. Second, because it is a season of judgment and shaking. Both are calling for our repentance and humility just to make it through this season. You all must be sick of me saying it – and I am not sure why others are not watching and praying and seeing these things and saying them! Repent, because the Kingdom of Heaven is LITERALLY at hand!

In every other season of my life it is easy to understand that Jesus, the perfect sacrifice has cleansed us and we do not need or have God reminding us of our sins yearly. Although often the accuser has reminded me of mine and I am sure he has reminded you of yours. The accusations and the Lord’s convicting call to His children are what are motivating the delivering of the 5 perfect red heifers in preparation of a sacrifice. I pray the Lord does not hold it against them as sin – but through it reveals His son in the hearts of those involved. But these things are prophetic and must come to pass. None the less it is a globally felt season for repentance and longing for atonement. The hearts of the Lord’s children are turning back to the Father! We all are learning how much we need Him.

“⁵Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:
“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. ⁶In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. ⁷Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come – In the volume of the book it is written of Me – To do Your will, O God.’ ”

It was never about the blood of an animal or killing sheep and cows. God does not find pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices. If we bring our tithes and offerings into His house, then the Lord takes pleasure in that and blesses us. If we sacrifice ourselves and submit to obedience and His will, then the Lord takes pleasure in that. But He created life and He is a God of life – Jesus is life. He takes no pleasure in death.
God set things up as a symbolic gesture that if we understood and had a softened heart, would create change in our hearts. God only cares about the state of our hearts.

Jesus came to do God’s will – and therefore he was not a pleasurable sacrifice, but an effective one that is capable to cutting to the quick of a heart and transforming it.

“⁸Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), ⁹then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ¹⁰By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Jesus’s sacrifice is sufficient. If we screw up and sin – we do not need another sacrifice. It was full enough to cover all of mankind’s sins from Eve to me and into the end of time. I came to Christ and I initially repented and began to be transformed. But I was still in bondage to things and needed deliverance. I was freed through more repentance and renouncement of evil ties and my bondage was released. But I learned I still had selfish wants and desires – and I learned to repent of them and let God continue to change me. I continued to learn and grow. I realized that the example Jesus gave us on how to pray includes daily repentance. And I learned to make it a lifestyle and beg forgiveness every time I mess up. We are justified and working out our sanctification in Christ, who’s death perfects us.

“¹¹And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ¹²But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. ¹⁴For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

On perfect sacrifice – that was all we needed. We pray and talk to Jesus and in Holy Mercy we feel Jesus is close to us here on earth curled up in our prayer closets with us holding and comforting us. But HE is sitting at the right hand of the Father. He is pure like we are not. He is able to sit there and bring our intimate cries to our daddy to Him and transfer back to us the Father’s love and comfort.
And mixed in with all this intense spiritual process to perfect us is the reminder of the old prophesy:
“The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Psalm 110:1 NKJV
If you want to dig deeper here – go look up in the gospels where Jesus Himself references this verse and pull out how it all connects.
Also to those still leaning towards this book being written by Paul, consider this: Paul never quoted scriptures correctly. He was raised in a Greek area and learned the Greek version of the Torah. (To us is would be like us reading the New King James and someone reading the American Children’s Easy reading Bible.) Paul’s choice was based on location, not personal choice. So all of his references to the Old Testament do not read exactly. While the scriptures written in this book do quote the Hebrew Torah (from which we translated the Old Testament) exactly.

So why is there a reference to this spiritual war that rages around us and attacks us when we are weak? Because this is the heart of that very war. Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven for attempting to overthrow God. Just because satan wanted to be worshiped. God created satan and these angels, so in mercy He sent them to earth. They are pretty mad at God, especially since God seems to love these new creatures called humans. Having to watch this gave that old snake the idea that if he can corrupt and destroy the things God loves – it will hurt God. And the snake tempts Eve and the curse of death falls over the earth and mankind handed dominion over to the enemy. Satan’s punishment is eternal hell fire designed to torture and hurt being much stronger than humans. And this is where the battle for our souls begins. Satan wants to drag as many humans with him to hell. He doesn’t like or care for humans and doesn’t even want to be around us – but he wants to hurt God by destroying these creatures that God calls children.
Now, heaven is a clean and pure place – especially in the sanctuary (as we read earlier this week). We cannot get to heaven covered in unrepentant sin and rebellion to God’s will. Sin cannot be in heaven. This is why satan fell out of heaven. (I am sure he HATES that he still has to attend the outer courts for permission to try to sabotage God. And I am sure he takes liberties God has not approved and God has to shut them down.) Anyway, that is the endgame. Everything and anything to get you to NOT serve God and miss out on heaven. This is why the lukewarm church is such an effective tool for satan to bring in complacency and carelessness that slides people away with them thinking they are safe and secure.

It is enough to make us all think for a moment – have I been deceived. Am I ok? Well, if you read and prayed the repentance pray today, at the beginning of this discussion, then you are safe and saved – blood bought and going to heaven.

“¹⁵But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
¹⁶“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” ¹⁷then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” ¹⁸Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.”

Besides repenting anytime you question your salvation you can talk with the spirit who bears witness. You can memorize and cling to these verses on God putting this in your heart, your hunger and longing for Him, you’re studying and getting the word in your mind, and the best part: “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
Some of you may remember last year when we studied David’s life in chronological order. That man was a handful. And by knowing the whole story, we can understand that David had a problem with women. He killed for a few of them. He had affairs with them. He had a lot of wives. He even died in bed with a young naked girl (although not in a sinful act). But God still called him a man after his own heart. David was under atonement and not forgiveness, like you and I.
Imagine we had the same sin struggle. We repent and come to God and find forgiveness. Then we slip up and fall into bed with someone. We can (like David did) repent humbly and quickly – and it is forgotten. Done. Over. Stop beating yourself up. Then if you do it again, and again repent, again you find forgiveness. And if you call out to God and say you have a problem in this area, he won’t know what you are talking about – it is forgotten. But He will take your word for it and help you receive deliverance from Him.

You see once we are saved the enemy, who knows our weaknesses tries to steal your salvation, kill you, and destroy your testimony so you cannot bring others to Christ. Jesus warned us to hold on to our salvation, Paul told us to fight for our salvation and now this author echoes the war cry to hold fast to it.

“¹⁹Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,”

Earlier we washed in that blood then we came in boldly to study and learn more about our Lord!

“²⁰by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,”

Referring to the veil that separated man and God in the temple – comparing it to the flesh of Jesus. When Jesus died the veil tore. Jesus was also torn. Making the way for us to have a more direct access to God – without having to go through a fallible man.

“²¹and having a High Priest over the house of God,”

We are summing up all these parts here and it is all coming together.

“²²let 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.”

You and I may think there is a mixed metaphor since thus forth I have said washed in the blood. What these Hebrews know, that is not said, is that everything in the temple is washed with pure water and sprinkled with blood. They do not actually full tubs with blood and dunk things in it. Things are washed in pure water. We are being compared to the holiest thing in the temple and reminded that Jesus tenderly washed us and marked us with His blood. Not a mixed metaphor but another metaphor that means the same thing.

“²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

Hold fast to your confession of faith – hold fast in believing and do not waiver! God is not a man that He should lie and He is faithful who promised. HE IS FAITHFUL! We may fail God – but God cannot fail us. Job lost everything YET, he held onto his faith. He took any worry, doubt, fear, or wavering to God the moment it came to his mind and therefore did not waiver in the comfort of God reminding him of His sovereignty.

Promised? What did he promise? Well, my friend let’s start with Jesus’s words:
“But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4 NKJV
Every word – is every single word in the Bible. We can live on it, because in there is the promise of food, clothing, and shelter. We can live on it because in there is how to behave, what to say, how to be. We can live on it because every promise in it is ours. We can live on it because it teaches us to hear Him and obey Him and therefore He guides us to every promise and every blessing, as well as walks with us through the fire. AMEN!
HE WHO PROMISED IS FAITHFUL! Write it down and hang it before you daily! Unfailing. Perfect. Perfecting us.

“²⁴And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,”

Let me remind you – these are the early days of evil Nero who ruled over the Roman Empire. In these early days He began the governmental persecution against the Christians much like Hitler did in the 1930s to the Jews. The same way President Biden’s Red Speech spoke against Christian Nationals. Nero was mad that the Christian collected money and that was money not going to him and his sinful lifestyle.
These Christians were already being killed and jailed and imprisoned and it was quickly becoming worse. If ever there was a time to remind them – and us now – that we MUST be considerate and encouraging. We must stir up love and good works. Because no one wants to be a street evangelist when it is possible to be jailed. No one wants to speak the truth on social media because they will be banned and censored. Our own Facebook page has been jailed a few times and remain on a shadow ban (meaning it is hard to find the posts because Facebook is intentionally suppressing them).
We believe Paul died in the spring of 64. By July of 64 Nero burned the city of Rome down and blamed the Christians and Jews. In 70 Rome invaded Jerusalem (already an area under their control) and tore down the temple killing Jews and Christians. He took the spoils from the temple and built the colosseum where he killed Christians for sport because they ‘burned down Rome’ although they didn’t. – Let me remind you this book was written between 65 and 70.
Yes, Let us encourage each other – through a pandemic that threaten to destroy us, through the coming turmoil over America’s midterm elections that ripple out over the globe, while natural disasters quicken and while other nations have power shifts and changes that move us closer to the globalist’s agendas. (Not conspiracy theories – things I can prove on these evil leader’s own websites. I am not going over board – the truth is difficult enough.)
Let us consider each other and do God’s work! Even in the face of what is coming.

“²⁵not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

This came up with that pandemic. Many stayed home and social distanced. I suppose if we did not and we gathered and prayed for healing – we’d be further along in seeing signs and wonders. And please do not tell me Jesus would have social distanced when he laid hands on lepers which was not only forbidden, would have made Him unclean. Jesus was never limited – we need to stop boxing Him in.
2020 was a practice run. Let’s NOT get it wrong a second time. We shall NOT forsake the assembling of ourselves, as we are commanded. Like Esther said: If I die, I die! But let’s not run out and listen to their science just to hear two years later each of them confessing they were making the whole thing up.

“²⁶For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. ²⁸Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

This is not to say we are not covered by grace – you can suffer the wrath of God and in His great mercy still repent and be saved. However the warning is clear.

I think our whole society has become careless with the cross and other holy concepts and precepts. I do think as a whole all of us need to examine ourselves to be careful of be reckless with His holiness.

“³²But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: ³³partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; ³⁴for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. ³⁵Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.”

Our confidence in which the writer speaks is in God. It is God confidence. Not self-confidence. This is critical to note. I have seen preachers puff out their chest and use this verse to permit their hidden pride to shine for a moment: “Look at me. I did so good by serving God!”
A humble brag is still pride. God confidence looks like a messy child crying into the hands their Daddy because they know that only Daddy God can fix it, handle it, and give us peace. And we can walk boldly into His presence because we have learned to be humble little children, innocent and loving – through daily repentance of our sins.

“³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: ³⁷“For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”

God is never late and when he moves, even after waiting sometimes for the answer if feels like a suddenly and He changes the whole world around us – and usually He does it by changing us!

“³⁸Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. ³⁹But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”

I am living by faith. The month is almost over and I do not have any sales or any money. Actually I have a debt from having to go to the doctor and get medicine after paying for almost a month for healing and it did not come. I know in whom I believe and He is able. And he has promised to meet my needs. And He who promised is faithful. I am living by faith. When you lift me up, pray for the provisions God promised to break through.
When it speaks of drawing back – it is not speaking of the doubt struggle. Or the struggle that comes from faith growing. It is speaking f saying serving God is too much and too hard and I am going back… and for these Hebrews going back means falling back under the temple system and waiting for a savior who already came.
We believe our souls are saved – we believe this word to be truth. We believe in Jesus, our promise keeper. We believe.