The Living Temple

2 Corinthians 6:1-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

6 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ² For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.³ We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. ⁴ But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, ⁵ in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; ⁶ by purity, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, ⁷ by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, ⁸ by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; ⁹ as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 (NKJV)

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? ¹⁵ And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.” ¹⁷ Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”
¹⁸ “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 7 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

My Comments: Beloved God loves you. God loves the whole world of people and His creation. He does not want that any should not go to Heaven. He wants all to come to Him and He gave His Son Jesus that all may come to Him through His Son Jesus and the sacrifice of the Cross which obtains redemption for all who accept the free gift of grace and follow Him who knew us from the beginning. When we do accept the gift of God through His Son Jesus, then we become God’s Daughters and Sons. Yet He gives us free will to accept or reject His gift. Those who accept go to Heaven when they pass from this world and they will live on the New Earth after this world is renewed. When one accepts this gift He doesn’t want us to continue in the life we lived before accepting His gift.

This is what He is saying when He says, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.” When He directs us to not touch unclean things He is telling us that as Children of God we are to flee sin and sinful encounters that will pull us down and soil us. The fear of God is the hatred of evil. To hate evil we stay away from it whether it is pornography, promiscuity, swearing, lying, stealing, or anything else the Lord says in His word that is abhorrent to Him. When we were in the world we did many things the Lord hates. He doesn’t want us to do those things so He tells us to stay away from unclean things. Sin is unclean. When we sin we ask God’s forgiveness and through the Cross we are forgiven but that doesn’t give us leave to sin because we can just ask forgiveness.

Those of you who are parents know there is just so far your child can go with refusing to follow your rules and then discipline ensues. Right? Well, the same is true with our Heavenly Father. A truly obedient child tries to please their parent (s). That child is rewarded with hugs, compliments or whatever is needed to encourage the child to continue on the right path and pleasing their parent (s).

The same is true with our Abba (Daddy). If we disobey Him and keep on doing what we know we should not then He has to discipline us (no everything that happens to us is not discipline) to bring us back to right living. Use discernment to know where you stand. Is what is happening in your life to discipline or grow you? For instance, if your not married and your living with someone than that is the sin of fornication and God says, “Don’t fornicate.”  If you were to continue then God loving you would have to discipline you to bring you back to where you should be. Yet if you were not doing anything except making mistakes like not being the best you could be yet not purposely sinning then when things happen it is most likely God is testing or growing or allowing life to happen so you will grow. He will go through these with you to help you but they happen for a reason that is not your fault and He is there always with you even though it may feel like you are alone.

There is a whole book of the Bible devoted to the story of Job. A man of God who God says loved God yet he had things to learn and horrible things God allowed Satan to put Job through which grew Job and showed him where his weaknesses were and in the end Job came out stronger, closer to God and having more than he had when it all started. And his friends learned lessons as well. Satan did not win, God did and Job did because he learned and grew. Going through it all though was not easy on Job. It would not be easy on anyone yet God was there with him through it all. And He will be there through everything with you and with me.

He has been with me through the pain of losing children, a Grandson, all my parents, most of my Aunts and Uncles, my first husbands’ abuse and leaving me, children rejecting me, and my husband of 36 years death from cancer this past year (fall of 2012). He has increased my joy and given me people to love and love me, a new home, and His peace. He has grown me and always He went through it all with me.

He allowed things to happen for whatever the reason yet because He is stronger than I, knows more than I (He is all knowing) and is my Rock on which I stand I trust Him to bring me through all the trials of my life knowing it will be His strength that brings me through. The more I go through the more I know His strength in me. I must decrease so He will increase in me. As a child and a young adult I thought I had to find the "inner strength" and now I know it is about letting His strength do it all and giving Him the glory. Yet there are other ways we need to be careful and be equally yolked.

One is our friends and that is important. Who we call friend and fellowship with is important yet who we date or marry is very, very important. If we are Children of God we need to be especially careful to not be swayed or swept off our feet, by a nonbeliever. I see many people young and more mature who have their heads turned because of someone who seems to be their "soul mate" or who understands them or .... well you get it. Then they go on dates alone and next thing they are getting married or moving in with the person and soon one cannot tell their lives from any who are not walking with the Lord. This happens in other areas of peoples lives like pornography, watching movies or reading books that do not exemplify the way God wants us to be, swearing, well you get the idea here as well I am sure. God loves us and He gave us He guidelines to help us and keep us safe and on the road to Heaven and a closer walk with Him.

Adam and Eve chose to go their own way and we can as well yet if we do we will not live forever. If we truly choose The Way of Christ we choose to follow His Commandments and to be equally yolked in all areas of our lives first to Him and with Him to those who are His.

God wants to give you His joy. He loves you and He calls to you to be His child. When you are ready He will be standing at the door of your heart ready to take your hand as you accept Jesus His Son as your Savior. I pray that day is today.

Abba, You call all to You. You want all to come to You through Your Son Jesus and to become Your sons and daughters. You promise all who call on Him and confess their sin will be saved. I pray all who read Your promises will accept the free gift of Salvation offered by Your Son Jesus through the blood He offered once and for all on the Cross. The final sacrifice for sin. The sacrifice of the Blood of the Lamb of God. Thank You Abba for loving us so very much.

Jesus, You are the unblemished Lamb of God and the only perfect sacrifice. May all who hear Your voice answer Your call, “Here am I Lord, I accept Your sacrifice of grace, make me Yours, forgive my sin Lord. I accept salvation and redemption through You. Thank You Jesus for Your sacrifice and grace.

Holy Spirit, fill us with Your presence and keep us equally yolked to our heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus. Let us know when we are compromising our walk with Abba and help us to not stray or be swayed by the world or anyone who is of the world. Keep us a light unto the world so we will reflect the glory of God and bring Him praise and glory in all we say, do and think.

In Jesus name we pray in union with the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rebishka

Reconciliation

1 Corinthians 1:18 New King James Version (NKJV)

 ¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

2 Corinthians 5:13-21 (NKJV)

¹³ For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

¹⁶ Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

My Comments: It is a wonderfully miraculous thing to know the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God the second person of the Holy Trinity. He saves us from the world the flesh and the evil one. He and only He is the way the truth and the life we have is from Him. It is true life. We know the difference once we receive the life Christ gives when we accept Him. Yet to the world it seems we are foolish or in need of a crutch or easily led and not able to think for ourselves or weak.

Yes, I freely agree I am weak yet I did not know I was until I accepted the strength of Jesus and became a Child of God. Then His strength became mine and now I am strong yet it is not my strength but His. Yes, that sounds foolish to the world. Yet they are dieing and those who accept Jesus are infused with ultimate life and we will live forever in Heaven with God and the Angels and all the saints who have gone before us. Why?

Because Christ Jesus came to earth and died on the Cross to take our sin upon Himself. He became sin who knew no sin so we could live forever free of sin. He covers our sin so when the His Father sees us He sees Jesus’ righteousness. It’s as if He went to court when we were to be sentenced to death and said, “I will take their place if they let me.” So I let Him and am thankful He chose to go to the Cross for me and for the whole world. For all peoples past, present and future anywhere in the world and all they or we have to do is say Jesus I believe in You please forgive me and be mine. So simple yet people think they have to do something to receive a free gift of salvation obtained on the Cross by Jesus the Son of God.

So I write this blog and talk to people when I meet them. I ask, “Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior?” If they don’t I ask, “Do you want to know Him?” or we just talk and sometimes they ask about Jesus and unfortunately some say, “I’m spiritual.” Or some such thing. Yet sometimes I get to talk to a Believer and share what Jesus is doing in our lives and through us because Jesus saved us so we can also be His to help bring others the message of reconciliation. Often it is just the planting of the seed that He love them and is waiting for them to call upon Him, and ever now and again God grants the grace to reap for Him.

One of my Grandsons just came to the Lord Jesus and it was a car dealer who led Him to the Lord and the dealer told him, “Your Grammie planted seeds all those years so you could be led now to the Lord.” Some plant and some sow and some reap. Usually I plant and water yet I am willing to do whatever the Lord wants me to do in the service of reconciliation.

Abba, Father may the Believers who read this blog read Your Word and follow You in the service of reconciliation so others will receive the forgiveness You freely offer to them. Thank You Jesus for the Cross and Your sacrifice for us and Your Love for us. Thank You Abba for the adoption we receive when we receive the grace of reconciliation. May we be filled with Your Holy Spirit and spread the word of Reconciliation boldly wherever we go by how we live, talk and walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Rebishka

His Fruit will strengthen you.

Galatians 5:19-23 American Standard Version (ASV)

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, ²¹ envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.

Colossians 3:12 (ASV)

¹² Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.

Proverbs 8:13 (ASV)

¹³ The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.

Matthew 11:25 New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁵ At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ASV)

¹³ There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.

Luke 13:22-30 (ASV)

²² And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on unto Jerusalem. ²³ And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? And he said unto them, ²⁴ Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ²⁵ When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are;

Luke 4:1-13, New King James Version (NKJV)

4 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, ² being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. ³ And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” ⁴ But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” ⁵ Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶ And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. ⁷ Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
⁸ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
⁹ Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. ¹⁰ For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ ¹¹ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” ¹² And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” ¹³ Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV)

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

My Comments: Beloved we are often in God’s word cautioned on how we live, from the Old Testament through the New Testament God gives us instruction. Yet I know before I came to the Lord and made Him my Savior, I rebelled and did what I felt good about. This is not the criteria we should use yet our sin nature wars within us and when we are not the Lords’ it wins out often. Afterwards if we call upon His name who saved us then we can have strength to resist the urges that assail us. As Christ resisted Satan so may we by knowing the Words of God.

We follow Jesus Christ and He gives us the way out from following into sin. The world tells us that what God says is sin is not, and the world is wrong. Yet when told God’s word is the truth people of the world say Christians are being cruel or judgmental or unloving. This is not so. We come to the Lord and love the people in the world even more. So much so we take the Word of the Lord to the world even if it means ridicule, loss of jobs or failing grades in school and even death. Our strength is made perfect in infirmity. We rely on His strength. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

God’s word came to live with us and He taught us how to live lives that give praise and glory to God.  He taught us through His words, through His actions and by His sacrifice of Love. We can do nothing without Him and if we abide in Him we will be strong in Him to resist the temptations of the evil one. Loved one may you seek the Lord and His forgiveness and truth. He will forgive you if you trust Him and call upon Him to save you. He died for you. When you believe on Him as your Savior you will be a new creation in Christ Jesus. If you already are His may your walk be strengthened as you read His word and rely more and more on Him to be your shield.

When you accepted His Righteousness He filled you with His Holy Spirit to guide and teach you through His Word. You were Born Again and made new. Trust and follow Him and when your hour comes and you stand before the Throne of God, He will say, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Abba, strengthen Your children and open eyes, hearts and ears of those who read Your Word. Thank You, Father, for the treasure of Your Word and the guidance of Your Holy Spirit. Give us Your strength to resist evil and follow Your Son. Strengthen us in the gifts of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Rebishka

Only the Lamb of God can make us blameless.

2 Peter 3:14, American Standard Version (ASV)
¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.
Proverbs 28:10, New King James Version (NKJV)
¹⁰ Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, He himself will fall into his own pit; But the blameless will inherit good.
Ephesians 1:4 (NKJV)
⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Jude 1:24, (ASV)
²⁴ Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy,
Acts 24:16, (NKJV)
¹⁶ This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
2 Samuel 22:31-33, (ASV)
³¹ As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Jehovah is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him. ³² For who is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God? ³³ God is my strong fortress; And he guideth the perfect in his way.
Psalm 18:30-32, English Standard Version (ESV)
³⁰ This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. ³¹ For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?— ³² the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless
Proverbs 14:9, (NKJV)
⁹ Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is favor.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21, (NKJV)
¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Luke 11:4, (NKJV)
⁴ And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.”
John 1:29, (ESV)
²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 8:12, (NKJV)
¹² Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Romans 6:12-23, (ASV)
¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: ¹³ neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid.
¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching where unto ye were delivered; ¹⁸ and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. ²⁰ For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. ²¹ What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²² But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My Comments: The only way we may be blameless in the sight of God is to become His children and accept the gift of grace from Jesus who died to take our sin upon Himself. Then with His help we continue to give diligence to stay away from the things our flesh lust after. Each person has different things they have fed throughout their lives (different sins). For some it is pornography, sex outside of marriage (man and women is the only marriage sanctioned by God), stealing, lying. Even young people sin because none are born innocent but with the sin nature that came because of the fall of Adam and Eve our fore parents.

Young people may talk back to their parents, sneak out of the house, smoke when the rule of the house in not to smoke, promiscuity, cheat or any number of things the same as adults. Jesus gives us the strength, if we turn to Him, steep ourselves in His word and give our selves to Him, to reject temptations. His strength helps us be blameless and when we do stumble or fall we turn quickly to Him and confess our sin and continue to follow Him. His word is very definite on taking up our cross and following Him.

We will be tempted. We will be drawn to the sin we were drawn to before we were born again in Jesus Christ. But God gave us a way out from giving into our sin nature. We will war with our sin nature but God who is Sovereign, who created the world will give us the strength to overcome temptations. Steeping ourselves in His Word, calling on Him when tempted, talking to Him often or continually so nothing else has a chance to enter in, being in a constant walk with Him (being careful what we watch, read, sing, write or say and even think). He is our strength, our strong tower, He shelters us from the storms, raises us up from the muck and mire. We will go through trials yet the difference will be, He will be there with us to bring us through them and through these times we will be refined and grow in His grace. The Lamb of God makes us blameless so we may one day stand before the Throne of God and be called Children of God.

The Lamb of God took away our sin and if we accept His gift, He gives us strength to reject the lusts of the flesh or desires that separate us from Abba Father. If we choose to live forever we must accept the free gift of eternal life from our Lord God. He will present us blameless before the Father. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and believe on Him then He has dominion over our sin natures as we let Him. If we follow Him we walk in the light of life and our sins are forgiven as we forgive others and how can we not forgive? We have been given the gift of eternal life and forgiven our sin, What a joy! We are reconciled to the Father through the Son and we become God’s ambassadors. We no longer mock sin or those who follow God. God becomes our rock, refuge and He equips us through His Holy Spirit with strength and makes our way blameless.

His way is perfect, true and sure. He is a fortress, shield and our guide and will guard us from stumbling if we listen to Him and follow Him. This message was primarily to the Believers among you yet for those who do not yet believe I encourage you to read and study the Word of God and open up your hearts to His truths so you may partake in the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God who died to take away your sin as well. He waits for you to call on Him. He loves you very much and He proved it when He willingly came down from Heaven and became a man and willingly went to the Cross for your sin and the sin of the whole world. I pray you take that step of faith and trust the Word of God and accept Jesus as your Savior.

Abba, may those who are Yours renew their faith and may they trust You to lead them out of the ways of the evil one. May those who are seeking have their eyes opened to Your truths and the grace You have given through Your Son Jesus the Messiah, the perfect Lamb of God. Who was the only one who could or can rescue us from sin.

Fill our cup Lord with Your life and give us Your heart that we will reject sin. Help us to be truly Your servants and help us to serve others in Your name. There is none but You Jesus the Lamb of God, who can and will and has saved us from sin because You became sin for us on the Cross. Because of You Jesus, we can stand before the Abba Father who loves us so much He sent You, His Son, to save us from sin. Thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit when You rose to Heaven.

Holy Spirit, Holy Wind, Comforter thank Your for all You do daily for us. Thank You for teaching us, guiding us and filling us with the Words of wisdom and truth that we may be light in a dark world and salt in a world that has lost it's salt. Help us to always show the Love of Jesus wherever we go. Fill our hearts with true faith and our mouths with pure truth and cast out all fear from our minds.
In Jesus name, in union with the Holy Spirit, I pray. Amen.

Rebishka

Resurrection Truth

1 Corinthians 15:3/4 (NASB)

³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
⁴ and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:12-28 (ESV)

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then your preaching is vain and your faith is vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only, we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.  ²⁴ Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God has put all things in subjection under His feet.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is plain that He is excepted who put all things in subjection under Him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the Him who put all things in subjection under Him, that God may be all in all.

My Comments: You may have heard others say there are many roads to Heaven and everyone worships the same god but just call god by different names. This is not true if we believe Jesus is the Messiah who was foretold throughout the Old Testament. It is also not true if we believe the word of God and Jesus Himself. And if we believe Him then He rose again as was prophesied on the third day.  Yet many have a hard time with what Jesus and the Apostles have related and choose to believe false teachers who do not worship the One True God, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

True it is hard for our finite minds to understand the concept of someone not only coming back from the dead as prophesy foretold He would but believing He is fully God and fully Man and then rose to Heaven alive. Wow! How exciting, and very true.  Never the less it is a stumbling block one must remove before one can believe in Christ Jesus as their Savior.

If as some religions say, Jesus was a prophet or a good man or that the Apostles and many who walked and talked with Him after His resurrection were mistaken, then it is not Jesus they are talking about but someone they made up rather than believing the Word of God or Jesus. Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament, not a Prophet or good teacher or a nice man though He was fully God and fully Man and He was loving, kind and did teach.

Many religions, not claiming to be Christian have their gods and they are not the same as the God of Abraham, Jacob and Israel Who is the same as the One True God Christians believe in. He is the God who first came for the people God called His own chosen people from the time of Abraham.

 When the Romans and the Jewish religious leaders rejected Jesus many did not listen to them and chose to follow Jesus (and later listened to the Apostles about Jesus and became followers) and then Jesus sent them into the world to proclaim His Gospel to the Gentiles (Gentiles are all who are not Jewish), first to the Jews then to the Greeks then the world. Someday the Chosen People of God (Israel) will follow Jesus. Christ will come again.

Unfortunately, there are those who name themselves as followers of Christ and are not. These false teachers go out and preach their own gospel and some call Jesus a good man. How can a man be good if he lies? Jesus says He is the Son of God and where you see Him you see the Father. He says in those words He is God as well as saying He is the I Am. The name God the Father called Himself to the nation of Israel. Jesus’ own Chosen people wanted to stone Him for using the Sacred Name of God. They knew He was telling them He was God. Yet some leaders in churches deny His deity and call Him a good man. Jesus said none go to the Father except through Him. If He did not raise from the dead then His teaching was not true as the Messiah was prophesied to hang on a tree (crucified), die and rise from the dead after three days. Jesus full filled the prophecies (many more than these three but that is a lesson for another time). Because Jesus is God we pray through Him to Father God our Abba (Daddy).   

Some religions say people can pray to others like the dead, Mary, Buddha and animal spirits, spirits in general and it all goes to god. Jesus is not a “good man” He is God and He says we can only go through Him to the Father. God Himself says we go to the person of Jesus the Christ and we will be heard by God the Father and if we are truly followers of Jesus we are the Children of the Father and Sanctified by the Son when we accept His sacrifice and His Gospel of His life, death and resurrection.

Beloved be not deceived or taken captive by false teachers. If you do not find it in the Bible do not follow it (get a good solid translation that does not have extra books added to it. Get one like the New King James Version or The English Standard Version or the American Standard Version. As many sold as Bibles are merely paraphrases and not translations). You will never be deceived by Jesus the Son of God who rose on the third day after His Crucifixion and burial. He rose to Heaven to prepare a place for us to be with Him forever. Just be sure of the Bible you are using. I personally use all three as I like to see how they translate some words or phrases. If you do not have one of these I recommend using one online from a Bible site (biblegateway.com is a reliable one).

Let me know if you need prayer for your walk and for understanding or just want to discuss a concern or thought.

Abba Father, thank You for Your help as we walk through Your Word and fill us with Your Holy Spirit that our focus will be only on Your truth. Give us grace to study and understand every word as best a finite mind can. May we walk in Your way and build our faith in Christ and bless us as we feed upon Your word.

 Jesus thank You for taking our sin upon Yourself and standing in front of us so we are seen through the Fathers love of You. We believe You to be fully God and fully Man and we believe Your Word. Jesus You are sufficient for us. May we have Your redemption power and know the truth of Your resurrection and never be led astray. Jesus You are always with Yours and You have complete supply and satisfaction for us and we will find Your food and water within Your Words. May our joy in You always be strong and keep our zeal turned to Your will. May Your water flow freely from You through all who believe in You the Living Water.

Holy Spirit open all eyes, ears, minds and hearts to the truth of the Resurrection of Jesus the Lamb of God. Fill us all with His truth. Give us strength and wisdom as we share the Gospel of Jesus in the world. Fill us with the peace of God as we proclaim the Word of God. Thank You for guiding us in the One Truth.  
In Jesus name in union with the Holy Spirit we pray to You Father God.  Amen.
Rebishka

Abba FAther

Galatians 4:6 (NASB)

⁶ Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Galatians 5:1 (NASB)

5 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

John 12:44-50 (NASB)

⁴⁴ And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. ⁴⁵ He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. ⁴⁶ I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. ⁴⁷ If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁸ He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. ⁴⁹ For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. ⁵⁰ I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

My Comments: Often I see people come to accept Jesus or say they do, yet they quickly turn back to the lifestyle they led before. This is not an acceptance of the Salvation of Jesus nor is it being Born Again usually. Sometimes people can be feeling pressured to say what they do not believe or they do not know what it is they are saying they believe though they may come to truly believe the truth at a future time and will have a true conversion.

These may be like people in the beginning of the church who needed signs and wonders to believe. Christ said of them that they would never believe. Belief is a choice. Some people do not want to believe. Believing means changing ones lifestyle to reflect the truth of Jesus and His teachings. Oh, none of us are perfect and we fall short of the glory of God yet He calls us to be Holy as He is Holy and to take up our Cross and follow Him so that means with Him we can do what seems impossible and He will perfect us more and more as time goes on. He calls on us to walk in His Spirit and to learn from His Spirit and to trust Him to help us to change.

Christ spoke only what the Father told Him to speak and did only what the Father told Him to do. In other wards He was obedient to the Father. As we must be in order to obtain salvation through Jesus we must accept His free gift and accept that He is the risen Christ the Son of God, and when we see Him we see God. These are His Words as given Him to say by the Father, our Father when we accept Jesus as our Savior. Can we lose our salvation? 

Not, I believe, if we really believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because if we really believe the Gospel we will trust the Lord with all our Heart, mind and body and follow Him thereby rejecting the world and our fleshly desires. We will believe all He says in His word and our lives will reflect what we say we believe even with our mistakes and imperfections.

Staying steeped in His word we will daily become stronger in the strength of the Lord and it will be evident in our walk with the Lord. Others will see this change. We will feel differently (not always right away but with time we will). Trust in God who sent His Son, Trust in Jesus the Son of God who is fully man and fully God the Son, Trust in the Holy Spirit who will teach and guide you as you study and pray on the word of God. Then you will grow and be the light God wants you to be.

Abba Father, thank You for Your truth, Your word, Your Son Jesus the Messiah. Strengthen us as we daily study Your word and walk with You. Feed us Your truths as we ponder all Jesus has done for us and the prophecies which foretold all He would do and go through. Fill us with Your word in our hearts and minds and on our tongues that we may share them with others and be salt and light to the world. Help us to be totally Yours and remove all doubts from our minds and keep all evil from us that we will never go back to our old ways and will bring praise and glory to Your name. Thank You for Your love and for keeping after us and never forcing us but loving us to You through Your Son. In Jesus precious and saving name, Amen

Rebishka

Jesus is Love and He is the Love of God.

John 15:13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
(Red letters are Jesus' own words.)
¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friend.
Deuteronomy 6:5, (NASB)
⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Psalm 37:5, English Standard Version (ESV)
(The Capitals are mine as I felt it was a statement worth remembering.).
COMMIT YOUR WAY TO THE LORD TRUST IN HIM AND HE WILL ACT. 
Romans 8:39, (NASB)
³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 4:11, (NASB)
¹¹ “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Revelation 5:9-10, (NASB)
⁹ And they *sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. ¹⁰ “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
Revelation 5:12-14, (NASB)
¹² saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” ¹³ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” ¹⁴ And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

My Comments: Beloved, Abba Father sent His Love, Jesus to love us so much He willingly died our death on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins. His Love is so great He died so all could live with Him in Heaven forever. His word is true and throughout His word He tells of His love for His own. When we accept Jesus as our Savior we become His and become adopted Sons and Daughters of God the Father who becomes our Daddy or Abba. He does not just love, He is Love. He is the Love of God Almighty Father which the Father willingly sacrificed for us. He did not just do it for one of us which would be amazing, He did it for All, so all may have life everlasting and more abundantly.

All my life I loved God and I knew He loved me yet I did not know I needed to go through His Son, Jesus, to become Born Again (John 3:3) and thereby a daughter of the One and Only Living God, Jehovah. The day I finally understood that was the day I started to live for Him. For me it did not happen all at one time though the overwhelming love for Him did happen like a huge wind coming into my chest and filling my lungs with His sweetness.

It was an ordinary morning. I was getting ready for work and was standing at the end of my bed getting dressed and listening to the TV. There was a Televangelist on and he laid out the Gospel of Jesus and what being Born Again was and why it was important. I had never heard it all explained and never at the same time so I knew the whole picture. I realized I would never go to Heaven and be with the God I had always loved if I did not wash myself in the Blood of the Lamb. I learned that I could not buy salvation with prayers or good works. I could not do anything good that would get me to Heaven. The only way to the Father and heaven was through the Love of God, Jesus the Messiah. My eyes lost the scales clouding my mind and my heart opened to the truth that Jesus is the only way to the Father. When I did this I knew fully the Love of Jesus my Messiah and He came into me and became my Savior.

It would be years before I understood what all of it meant and walked away from the untruths I had been taught by the world and the way I was raised and the cult I had been in for many years. To gain understanding I had to get a good version of the Bible without extra books and with a true translation. When we come to the understanding of the Love of God for us and the Love Jesus has for us it is sometimes overwhelming, freeing, exhilarating, humbling and radically changes our lives and views of life because we are filled with His presence and the Holy Spirit.

The Angels and the saints in Heaven know He is worthy. He is worthy because of all He has done and because of His Love and because He is Love. He purchased it all for us with His blood on the Cross so we will not have to go to Hell. When the Father looks upon us He sees the Son who paid the price for our sin by the shedding of Jesus' precious and Holy blood. When we believe He died for us and rose on the third day as He said He would then we are forgiven, resurrected in Him.When we in trust and in faith call upon the Father through the Son we are heard by our Abba who loves His children. Following Jesus, reading the Word of God, praying, praising Him with music, words, or in our hearts and trusting His Word all bring us closer to being more Holy as He is Holy (though we cannot become as God).

We are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and might (Deuteronomy 6:5, ESV) and if we do we will love others (even those who persecute us; Matthew 5:44, ESV) with the heart of Jesus Christ. With His heart we will have fear of the Lord which is hatred of evil (Proverb 8:13 ESV). With His love we will be able to turn the other cheek as Christ did when those He loved turned on Him and reviled Him. Jesus is Love (1John 4:16, ESV) and with Jesus we have love. How can we not forgive others?

When we were sinners we persecuted Him by the lives we led and our rejection of Him; and He forgave us and covered our sin with His blood. He laid down His life (John 3:16, ESV) for everyone. Not just the ones who were nice to him but even the ones who wanted to kill Him. And like Saul who became Paul, who persecuted the followers of Jesus and thereby persecuted Jesus, when we fall on our knees before Him and accept Him as our Savior then our sin is covered as well because the price was already paid and we just had to accept the gift. It is never forced on us. It is our choice to reject or accept the gift of salvation and thereby assure our place in Heaven or choose Hell.

I chose to follow Jesus. I chose His Love. I chose His free gift of salvation, His sacrifice to cover my sin with His blood. Won’t you ask Jesus to be your Savior? I pray you will.

Abba Father, we praise You and lay down our lives for to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a fallen and dark world. Jesus you sent us out to the world to be a light and to bring Your Word, to bring the knowledge of Your Gospel, to bring salt in a world without flavor and water to a world thirsting for the knowledge and love of You Jesus our Messiah.  

Lord, help any who struggle with understanding. Open their minds, hearts and eyes to Your truth. Fill them with an overwhelming desire to read Your Word and find a way to give them the Word. Bring people into their lives that will help them on their road to salvation and grant them the gift of understanding Your Word through Your Holy Spirit so all will come to know You through Your Son. In Jesus name I pray in union with the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rebishka