Blah, Blah, Blah

1John‬ ‭4:4-6‬ ‭- You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

It is very important to have fellowship with like-minded people, especially among believers. A good, Bible-believing church is an excellent start. The church I attend is just that and considers itself a safe place! Safe in that any trouble, concern or sin confession is looked upon not in disgust or shock but with compassion. Some great testimonies of God’s greatness are revealed in the lives of our congregation! It is evident at our baptisms.

When one receives Christ, is born again according to scripture, has confessed Jesus as Lord and taken Him seriously, turned from old ways (though forever in a process of change), he has become that child of God. 

We are all created by God but we cannot call ourselves His children until we have become born again. These are not MY words. It is then that Christ lives in us spiritually. That Spirit of God is constantly teaching, admonishing, convicting, encouraging, strengthening. It is He who lives in us that is greater than those who have not received Him. 

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians‬ ‭3:26-27‬)

Receiving Christ brings a change in one’s mind. Jesus is not an offense anymore. His name is not difficult to hear or speak because He is like a brother, yet God! He is someone we want to talk about, love, worship and praise! 

So there is a difference between believers and non-believers, those who are born again and those who are not. Those who do not believe find discussing or hearing anything about God difficult. It doesn’t compute. It’s like hearing, “blah, blah, blah!”

THIS is why it is important for believers to be in fellowship with like-minded people. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. Blah, blah, blah.

As the verses above also state, with the Spirit of God in us, we know the difference between godly truth and worldly error. Those who do not know Jesus do not know the absolute truth that only Jesus saves. The world, even some (false) religions, teach all go to heaven based on their kindness or good works. It’s not about what we can do to please God and enter heaven but only what Jesus did on the cross. It’s faith alone in Jesus. He is the only One who died for you. He is the only One who can save you. You cannot save yourself. 

I urge you to call on the Lord for His forgiveness of your sins and yes, you have sin. I still sin, but He is faithful and just to forgive me when I repent and turn from that sin...even if it has to be multiple times. I am not perfect and neither are you. But I am forgiven because I have received Christ. 

John‬ ‭1:12‬ ‭ - But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name...

Light and Dark

1John‬ ‭1:5-7 - This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Have you heard the message? Has it been declared to you? Have you listened? 

I heard a few times but I didn't listen. I scoffed those whose messages were telling me, not directly but in general, that Jesus was the only way. Of course...I knew who Jesus was. What more did I need? I had been baptized as a baby. I went to church as a child, went to Sunday school and confirmation classes on Saturdays. What more did I need?

Didn't knowing and believing Jesus lived, died and rose again put me in the category of believer? 

Things change when the true light is revealed. When that light exposes the darkness (the presumptions and/or misunderstandings) we all live in until He pierces the so-called darkness we have and reveals the truth, the light, to us. 

The truth is, we do not know the truth until we come to a point in our lives where Jesus Himself, through His Holy Spirit, touches our heart, and changes our thinking process. (Oh, horrors...change?) The Light of Christ has exposed the darkness and revealed the truth. I have no idea how this happens. I was far from desiring God at the time He opened my eyes. Then little by little the truths were revealed. He revealed Himself.

Again, I don't know how this happens but in a moment's time I 
was exposed to the light of Christ and I've not been the same since. I allowed Him to step into my life and begin the transformation. 

Now there is a sweet fellowship with the Lord and others who believe as I do. This is no strange thing. It is legitimate. Jesus is the light of the world. He says so: 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." (‭‭John‬ ‭8:12‬)  How can anyone who believes Jesus argue that? 

How do I explain the change, the process? I was ripe for it. We may not even realize it. Then once, twice or several times later, we hear a message and instead of pushing it aside we receive it. We put aside all the things we've believed that may have been false. Religion. It's not about that. It's about Jesus. Period. No other person. Ever. 

Jesus revealed Himself to me. He has shown me what truth is. I do have this fellowship. He has cleansed me from sin. I just heard...and listened. Was it hard at first, thinking I'd been right for so long? Yes. But I listened...

John‬ ‭14:6,19b‬ ‭- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. ...Because I live, you will live also.”

Reading, Hearing, Keeping

Revelation 1:3 - Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

What time is near? This is Revelation...the last book of the Bible. There was a beginning of this book and there is an end. 

In the beginning God created. He showed His love and justice toward His people in the Old Testament. In the New Testament He again showed us love in His Son Jesus, born out of a desire that all mankind would not perish but have everlasting life. In the end His intended perfect creation is destroyed that He can bring forth a better one. 

He has shown us throughout the 66 books what He desires, requires and commands. He shows us how He will respond to our dedication, or lack of, to Him. Life or death. 

He wrote this book that we might have a record to go by, examples. It's clearly shown what is right and wrong. Blessed is he who reads or hears these words and keeps them, we are told.

Bear with me a second; I envisioned this. The Old Testament was the foundation of God's Word. I see this like the long part, the base, of the cross, the part sunken into the ground. The New Testament is the fulfillment of what the Old Testament prophesied, that a Savior would come. God brought this Savior because He so loved the world that His Son would die for us that we might have abundant life. He loved us so much He purposely stretched out His arms on the crossbar of that cross. 

When you love someone so much what do you do? You stretch out your arms to embrace them, hold them. You can't do that without stretching out your arms.

The time is near. It's too hard for me to go into detail about some of the things I've heard or read over the years about timing In the Bible. God was into numbers and He is totally in control. There have been ages for mankind. These ages might have represented thousand year times. Like God created the earth in six days and rested the seventh, we are nearing the end of six thousand years since creation and about to enter the seventh. The last 1,000 years will be what is called the milennial reign of Christ after He returns. He will do this with those who have followed Him...who have read, heard and kept the words of God. 

James 5:8 says: You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Yes, we've heard for years He was coming back. There have been actual dates set. We cannot do that. Only God knows. But there is a day when He really will return and as scripture shows us, the days we live in are lining up with the end of days. Revelation shows us even more. 

Establish your hearts. This can only be done by knowing God's Word. Knowing God's Word means being in relationship with the Word made flesh...Jesus. It's so simple. God would not have made it so difficult to come into relationship with His Son. He loves us too much. But we have to make a choice. It's up to us. We pretty much decide our own future. 

We have heard the phrase, all things must come to an end. Need I say more? Genesis to Revelation has shown us what God requires. Some believe it, some don't. It is a marvelous, miraculous compilation of books showing us God's sovereignty, grace, mercy and justice. I think about authority in this world. We've always had authority. We need authority. Not everyone likes authority. God created authority! He is the ultimate authority...and we should heed His words. He knows, He has all the answers. He can be trusted...and should be.

Maybe this sounds too out there. Maybe I seem a little out there too! I think had those words been used in Jesus' day He would have been considered out there. As Alpha and Omega, imagine those arms outstretched, from one side to the other, as if surrounding us in His love. He will return. Who is ready?

Revelation 1:8 - I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, who is and was and who is to come, the Almighty.

RABBONI!

John 20:10-17

Then the disciples went away to their own homes. But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and she did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where you have lain Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher).

Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"


I don't know about you but I don't think I would have casually answered two angels if they appeared before me!

Looking in the other Gospels we see variations of the same event. Matthew says Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" came to the tomb. And there was an earthquake, the stone was rolled away by a man in white clothing. He told the women not to fear for Jesus was risen. And Jesus met them and spoke to them as they headed to tell the disciples.

Mark tells us Mary Magdalene was there with Mary, mother of James, and Salome who was also called Mary. When they arrived the stone was rolled away and one man in white sat inside. He also said He was risen. More interaction...He appeared first to Mary Magdalene and clearly all were afraid and said nothing to anyone.

Luke says certain women, followers of Jesus, arrived with the anointing spices at the tomb. The stone was rolled away. There were two men in shining garments. They also said He was risen and reminded them of His words regarding His capture, crucifixion and resurrection. They were afraid. And they remembered. There were four women, the three Marys and Joanna.

How could there have been four versions? My simple definition, the astonishment or fear altered the stories; the ears hearing the accounts heard differently. If there is an accident and various witnesses, are all their stories the same? Imagine the moment. Jesus is dead, buried and now He's gone. The thoughts that would have gone through their minds, apart from the grief they'd been going through.

The stories might not be exactly the same, but the fact that Jesus was risen and once again met with the women and the disciples was the important point. Jesus was risen. He spoke to them. This message is for us too. He IS risen and He still speaks to us. They saw and believed. That belief has carried on for nearly 2,000 years. Their Teacher. Rabboni! He still speaks today through the many different testimonies of people who have met Him.

How do we know that we have NOT been in His presence, or the presence of angels, before? There are scriptures that tell us: ...for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in...  We might question, ‘Lord, when did we do these things for You?' Jesus might answer: Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. (‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭35,37,40‬)  We may have seen Him but also not known Him. Entertaining strangers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭2‬) And what about the good Samaritan?

So Mary...and others...heard His voice and finally recognized Him. I ask again, how many times might we have heard His voice but did not recognize Him? He calls us in various ways to come to Him. But do we respond like Mary? Even as believers He calls. I believe He can speak or call to us through strangers in various ways, through help or the message of the Gospel. We need to recognize that.

Jesus calls us to know Him, to allow Him to teach us the truth of His Word. These people had sat listening to His Words, wondering at the words He spoke about dying and rising from the dead. It was at this moment that Mary too saw and believed. Not because of what the disciples might have said. In this account it appears He came to her. Maybe it was an instant when she needed to see Him and the incident seemed just for her. He chose to show her all He had said was true. She now knew and believed. There have been times in services when it seemed the words spoken were just for me. Others heard what I did, but those words, at that moment, were just for me. Might this have been the same thing?

Who can say we haven't had our own experiences? What an amazing time to have lived. To have seen Jesus face to face. Yet, it still happens today. Any time is amazing with our Lord. Look and see. We are spiritually blind until we meet Him...and allow Him to be our Teacher. Rabboni!

Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭15 - For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and
their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.

I Chose You

John 15:15-16

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.


This is a concept that unbelievers might have a hard time understanding. We did not choose God, He chose us. He works miracles in people to bring them to salvation in Jesus Christ. He works in their lives, poking and prodding spirits and consciences until they see a need for Him. Of course, there might be some who ask, Then why haven't I been chosen? Are you listening for His voice?  It comes in many ways. He is the Word. He uses trials. He uses others.

I remember the years it took and what I went through and the real fight against Him the day before I became a true believer! I always believed in God. Many others do too. As a child I loved laying outside on a summer or winter night and looking up at the stars and knowing I only saw a small number in comparison to how many there were. And I used to wonder with frustration and awe at how God has always been. No beginning, no end. Just always has been.

I remember the years where I gave no thought to him as I entered high school and the work place. It was about boys. It was about band. It was about clothes and looking good. I might pop into a church here and there at Christmas but saw no need to attend regularly. When I first got married we attended a church whose denomination is not considered truly Christian. I even recall a need to go to St. John's Cathedral just around the corner from where I lived in downtown Milwaukee one Christmas. I needed to feel close to God. There was an emptiness or a longing. Short lived...

Then I dabbled in the Shirley McClain new age stuff which took me deeper into occultic practices. I became frustrated because what seemed to "work" for others didn't for me. My mind couldn't be read because I never offered any "clues" because if they were supposed to be able to do this, they should tell me, right? And having my palm read...general statements that would work for anyone, like horoscopes. I was so skeptical...or was I? Maybe God had His hand upon me knowing what was to be.

Little by little things happened that I believe God was orchestrating. A friend at work became a believer (which I didn't know, of course, till I confronted her later, after I became a believer). I can actually remember how I barked at her at lunch one day when she had repeated something about Bible study or God for what seemed like umpteenth time. We laugh today at how she said I looked and spoke! I guess I was not very kind.

Then one day I was asked to go to church the next morning. I fought it but something had stirred me to tears and while I was very nervous about going, I did. And I walked out a different person. The old man was gone, the new emerged. In what seemed like a moment's time...

God chose me. He caused me to search, even if I misunderstood where to look and went the wrong direction. He sought me. And I am so thankful for it. I am so thankful to know the truth. It's true what the Bible says about the truth setting one free. I am convinced this is how He works in everyone. He puts a desire to know Him within us. Some just choose not to listen while others pick up on it and respond.

Now our testimony of what He has done is up to us to tell. We don't know whose life we might
change in the telling; a bearing of that fruit. When we continue in this fashion, He uses us more. He opens the doors. He hears when we ask for His assistance, guidance, words of wisdom and knowledge, discernment, strength and peace. That is what He means by asking whatever...it must be according to His will. He will not give us things we do not need but only want. He gives us what He knows we need.

So, we are no longer His servants, unable to know what He does, because He has chosen us that He might give us the eyes, minds and spirits to know Him in an even greater way...through His Word and His Spirit. Because we have responded to His call, responded to His words, now seeking Him, He has shown us we can be His friends, when we respond and allow our conversion to take place.

This is hard to understand to an unbeliever because that moment of reality has not occurred. If that's you, let your heart be open to receive and your spiritual ears and eyes open to hear and see Him. If it happened to me, one who did not want to know or hear, one who did not think she needed to, it can happen to you...if you want it. Even if you don't, He might just badger you till... You do not need to be the worst sinner. We are all sinners without Christ. All. We might compare ourselves to the worst of sinners and justify ourselves that God is for "those people" but not you. The fact is, He is for you too.

1Corinthians 6:9-11 - Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adultery, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God.

Hear, Forgive

2Chronicles 6:19, 21 - Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You...And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.

I'll say it over and over, what has occurred in the past will happen again. The Bible shows us this is true. If prophetic words in the Old Testament predicted the coming of Jesus, the Savior of the world, then it makes sense that events of the past would happen as a guide and reminder of the great things God does for His people.

Solomon had just completed building the Temple of God. He gathered all the people and directed a heartfelt prayer to the LORD. If only all people would understand this. He is merciful, but we need to seek that mercy not just assume He "will understand."

In Chronicles 6 Solomon's prayer consisted of seven major prayer points. If or when the people have sinned, yet they seek Him for forgiveness, then hear their supplications and forgive them.

• If anyone sins against his neighbor, pray that He would hear and act and judge.
• If His people are defeated in battle because they have sinned against Him, yet confess their sin, may He hear and forgive.
• When the rains cease because they have sinned against God yet pray and confess His name, may He hear and forgive.
• When the land is filled with sickness, blight or enemy attack, if they seek God, then may He hear and forgive.
• If a stranger should come into the land seeking and praying to God, may He hear and do likewise to him as to His own people.
• When a battle arises and His people must fight, if they seek His assistance may He maintain their cause.
• When they sin against Him, yet repent, pray and turn to God with whole hearts and souls, may He hear and forgive.

Everything revolves around God. He created and brought us to life. He knows the beginning from the end and if we want to be part of the glorious end...which we cannot fathom in our human minds could be better...we are called to take serious the things of God. That includes the mandate that we are to submit our lives to the authority of Jesus Christ by receiving His free gift of salvation, to become born again in the Spirit, not the flesh, to spend time in the Word learning the things of God, our real purpose here on earth and in this life.

This means we must do as the people have done, which is recorded in the Bible: know that we are all sinners, seek God, repent of our sins, receive Christ...and He will hear and forgive. If one never does this, He will not hear, nor forgive.

It is a sad misconception that everyone when they die will go to heaven because God is a good God and how could He not allow it if He loves everyone. I'm sure He grieves a lot over those who will not turn to Him before death, who are stubborn in their views, rebellious in nature and just plain hateful toward Him. These people have been fed lies from a very real, spiritual, enemy. Scripture says we do not battle with flesh and blood, but against rulers, authorities, powers and spiritual forces of evil of this dark world and in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). Just because we can't see this doesn't mean it isn't happening around us. It's why there is evil in the world...and sin.

But, the Good News is Jesus Christ is also real. Satan is our adversary; the opposite of an adversary is friend and Jesus is called our Friend (not that He is a familial type friend. He still demands respect, reverence). But we can call on Him as the people of the Old Testament called on God. If we are sincere in that call, He will hear and forgive. Doesn't get much better than that.

1John 1:8-10 - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.