Jesus IS God
Jesus said in, John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” The Greek number for “one” in this verse is (g1520) heis; a primary numeral: “ONE” meaning that Jesus and the Father are ONE in the same, not one in essence. There is NO trinity. Anyone believing in such is guilty of calling God a liar, and not believing that Jesus is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
John 1:1-2, 14 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” … “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Notice the uppercase used for Word indicating a Person not the essence of a person. Have you never read, 1 Timothy 3:16 says, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
Anyone who believes that Jesus is not God will die in their sins, John 8:24.
Measure of Affliction
Isaiah 48:10, “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.”
Many in the Church want to come through as pure gold until the Lord turns up the pressure (heat) in the furnace of affliction.
So what’s it gonna be?! God’s standard measure of affliction, or eternal judgment in the lake of fire and brimstone?!
Remember, God said, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
Keep this in mind when you think God’s standard measure of affliction seems to be too hot! Let His peace rule in your heart; let Him strengthen you to endure unto the end.
God’s Church is more than conquerors!!!
No Humility … No Word!
1 Timothy 6:3-6, “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
It takes humility and humbleness of heart to teach the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ. And, God gives the grace needed to teach His sound doctrine to the humble … not to the proud.
Truth be told, God resists every proud person, and for this reason, they cannot consent to the incorruptible true doctrine of Christ — He does not speak to them so they cannot teach His doctrine (i.e., the word of truth), because it comes from Him, directly.
No humility … No word!
Credulity
Galatians 5:7-8, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.”
The word “persuasion” means, “credulity” which refers to those with the tendency to believe something is real or true without any proof. Today, many in the Church world believe in uncertain evidences which are not from what God said, nor from any true and faithful saying. This should not be the way of God’s people.
We are commanded to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Let’s Go Shopping
Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”
Today, let’s go shopping to buy four things: 1) truth, 2) wisdom, 3) instruction, and 4) understanding. Once bought, DO NOT SELL under any circumstances.
Honor
John 5:44, “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?“
So many people in Christendom (and the Church) thrive to receive honor from men, but are either ignorant of seeking or unwilling to seek the recognition that comes from God only…. Whose honor, i.e., recognition do you really treasure?
Flee Youthful Lusts….
2 Timothy 2:22, “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
The word “youthful” (g3512) means “juvenile” and refers to “childish” or “immature” behavior. We are commanded to flee (literally, run away from) this type of lust so that we can fulfill the following commands in the verse. Let us be advised.
True Love Proven….
For those who love the Lord prove it by having His commandments (word) and keeping them (John 14:21). But remember, those who do not keep His sayings actually hate Him (John 14:24).
God Never Was???
Some people may say that God never “was” but the scriptures declare differently … according to Revelation 4:8, “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which WAS, and IS, and IS TO COME.”
Men’s Hair Length (according to scriptures)
- (Ezekiel 44:20) Neither shall they shave their heads (i.e, they shall not go bald), nor suffer their locks to grow long (not let their hair grow long); they shall only poll their heads (only cut their hair low).
- (1 Corinthians 11:14) Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
According to Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (JFB) — The worshippers of the Egyptian idols Serapis and Isis shaved their heads; this was the reason why the Lord’s priests were not to do so … (Ezekiel 44:20).
Today, men shave their heads for other reasons, such as, going bald, head of hair in patches, they simply prefer to do so, and more. It is in honor of appearance, not worship.
Famine of the Word
- (Ezekiel 3:26) …And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
- (Amos 8:11-12) Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
Because the people silence (i.e., refuse to hear) the Lord’s prophet … He punishes the people by closing the prophet’s mouth as if he/she were dumb or tongue-tied. Today, when WE hear the voice of the Lord, let us harden not OUR hearts….
God’s Sheep Corrected
Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.“
Real sheep do not run from the Shepherd outright. However, if they do go astray, He will seek after them, find them, (and if necessary) will break their legs and then carry them, so that they will know His voice and scent. This is part of the comfort of His rod and staff.
Some people have the devil’s belief of knowing who God is, and tremble (James 2:19). But that’s the end of it. Devils and unbelievers alike are not (and cannot) be subject to the things of God (Romans 8:7).
A true disciple of Jesus will learn to examine themselves to see if they be in the faith. We judge ourselves according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 11:31-32). Unbelievers judge according to the flesh. Remember, to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6).
Justice and Judgment
Proverbs 21:3, “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”
Let’s briefly define key (ROOT Hebrew) words in this verse — First, the word “judgment” is “ORDER” … imagine that. People who say judge not are generally (lightly put) — out of order. Second, the word “justice” is “righteousness.” Third, the word “acceptable” is “excellent” which is a by-product of PERFECT!
Therefore, to do righteousness …and… to do all things decently and in order is more acceptable (i.e., more excellent and perfect) to the Lord than sacrifice….
She Loved Much
Luke 7:47, “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”
Even though Jesus spoke of the woman who washed His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head, from an application perspective (and because He said “but to whom…”), those who loved much is forgiven much, and those who loved little is forgiven little — pertains to both genders. How much do WE … love Jesus?
Where is the Liberty?
2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
Simply put, where the Spirit of the Lord is recognized and submitted to, there is liberty to live as we should (to the will of God), and not as we please (in the flesh to the lust of men).
Discern Clearly
3 John 1:11, “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
The word “seen” here in the Greek means, to “discern clearly” … and it comes from the Hebrew meaning, to “experience.” Those who doeth good (with a pure heart) are of God and can see Him (figuratively, not literally). We discern Him clearly through discipleship, i.e., we take His yoke and learn of Him….
But, those who doeth evil do not discern the Lord clearly; they do not rightly perceive Him; they do not truly experience Him; and they are not His disciples. Sad, and scary.