From Before the Beginning

Revelation 21:6 - And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."

These words never fail to excite me or cause me to become emotional. It's like I can't breathe. 

The First and the Last, Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega. All encompassing. God has created all things and provides life; He knows the number of our days also. He knew before the beginning of time when we would be born physically. He knew before the beginning of time He would come to earth as a man to offer us the free gift of eternal life because man would royally mess up the perfect life they had in total communion with Him in the garden. He knew before the beginning of time there would have to be an end. And He is working out His plan. He is the Way, Truth and the Life. He is the only way to heaven.

Just imagine, walking and talking with God...the God of the universe...the First, the Beginning and the Alpha. What a privilege for Adam and Eve. 

He also knew sin and disobedience would enter and what the outcome would be. He knew we would all  fall out of His grace. But He knew, again, that He would offer us a way to return, by grace through faith, not works, in His Son Jesus Christ...who was in the beginning, is now and who will return some day soon. The Beginning...and the End.

He is also the Supreme and ultimate Judge and in the end, for some, there will be an end that does not involve eternal life. 

Jesus made this claim numerous times: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last..." (Revelation 1:11)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation 22:13)

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

...who is to come. He was in the beginning. He will be in the end. Every part of His existence from Old Testament to New was that we might be saved, that we might see Him and believe, obey. My mind cannot fathom the Alpha and Omega. 

In the beginning, God...said...and it was...good...for a time. From before the beginning God knew He would have to bring what was supposed to be good, until man botched up perfection, to an end.

Then these words come to mind that so describe an ending: 

In the beginning God created...and it was good. Amen. Done. So be it. 

At His crucifixion Jesus said "It is finished." He gave His life as THE way to overcome sin, temptation and death. He gave us Himself. It is a done deal for those who call on Him, who follow Him. 

Then in a prophetic moment in Revelation, after a time of His judgment upon those who have rejected Him, Jesus will say: ...“It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."

Even in the Old Testament He made this claim:

"Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. (Isaiah 48:12)

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.'" (Isaiah 44:6)

Do you believe this? Can you wrap your head around the truth that Jesus was, is and is to come? That He is the only way, truth and life? That heaven is only for those who admit they are sinful beings in need of a Savior? Do you hunger and thirst for something only to find when you think you've found it you are not satisfied? In the beginning God...knew you, knew your needs, knew your sins, even knew whether you would seek Him or reject Him. If you do not walk closely with God you do not know Him. You can receive Him and live or put Him out of your mind and...hard word...perish. 

Only Jesus can take your sins away. You cannot do it yourself. His blood washes you of all unrighteousness. His blood cleanses. He will wrap you in a white robe of righteousness. Without Him we are nothing. He has done it to innumerable people. Be counted among them. Receive Christ. You needn't be an addict or hardened criminal. You may believe you are right with God because you go to church. If you have not received Chist and can't say you know you have changed, you may still need to give your life to Him. 

Isaiah 55:1-3 - “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you...”

Fall

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 - To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted...

I’ve been getting out to walk several times a week this summer. After a rough last winter of just not feeling well and carotid artery surgery in May, I’m well-recovered. 

The seasons are changing and Fall is fast approaching, which is noticeable on my walks. 

This morning I was contemplating the seasons, especially Fall. I figured Fall was named after the death and fall of leaves. Here was a suggestion: The word fall comes from the Old English word feallan which means “to fall or to die.” 

I wondered whether there was a season of Fall in the Garden before Adam and Eve fell. Too many varying answers. While one might think everything always lived, I’m not so sure things did. Life may have been longer but still ended. The fall of Adam and Eve was of a spiritual nature. 

While man will die physically, one does not need to die spiritually. There is a spiritual death for those who do not believe in God, or do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The fall of man gave us an example of what happens when we are disobedient to God. They were taken out of the garden and not allowed back in. The communion they want hand with God the father ended thus we have a separation from God right from the very beginning of our lives. The only way we can remove that separation is to receive Christ and follow Him. It’s why God the Father sent His Son, to die for our sins, which sins occurred with the fall of man in the garden.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven... (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

I’m so grateful for God’s plan if salvation for all mankind. Thankful He desires restoration and reconnection with Him. It is our decision to make, this eternal spiritual life. Some believe that when we die, we just don’t exist anymore. This is not true. Just as there is eternal like there is eternal death...Jesus spoke these words. Remember, He is also God and God cannot lie:

But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12) 

So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49-50)

The wicked are those who have not received Jesus, not just know of Him, but have taken Him seriously into their hearts and desire to know Him through His Word. We all fall into the wicked category if we don’t do this. Thankfully, He never stops receiving and forgiving if one finally submits to Him. Only He ends that separation between us and the Father. He is the Door, the Way. Don’t “fall” for the lies that there is no eternal death. 

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture....I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 10:9,14:6)

What Are You Falling For?

Isaiah‬ ‭14:12-13‬ ‭- “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north."

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I heard the question above and it stirred up thoughts!

We think ourselves more highly than we ought. We think we can do a better job with our lives than God can. Guess again! Look what it did for the devil above.

We know we have an enemy of our souls, the devil, satan, Lucifer, Beezelbub...whatever name you want to call him. His job is to steal, kill and destroy mankind. (The opposite of God who wishes none to perish.) He preys upon us all. How? By lying to us. He will make us believe what is good is evil and what is evil is good. In the world we have very relaxed views on so many issues: marriage and divorce, sexuality, meaning of life (abortion, murder), human rights, government, politics...oh, and offending. 

Not too much of it is looked at from God's point of view anymore. I didn't look at it that way once either. It was my life and I was going to live it any way I wanted. It didn't affect anyone else, did it? Whatever made me happy. And, sadly, in the world it continues. But as frustrating as it is, I now know that this is the way the Bible tells us it will be...then Jesus will return to exact judgment. Just when you think this is the worst the world can get, it gets worse. I noticed that on the news this week.

As a friend emailed me one day...I seem to be at peace with my religion and I seem to take pleasure in it. Well, yes, I do! That can only come from God. Except it's not about my religion; it's about Who I know. It's about my relationship with Jesus. He brings that peace and pleasure. Yes! 

So, back to Lucifer! He became very proud in his status as an angel. He thought so highly of himself, he thought he could be like God, maybe even better. And God had a decision to make...kick him out of heaven. Pride caused Lucifer to fall. 

What are you falling for? The thought raced through my mind, like Lucifer fell from God's graces, so can any person whose pride in believing they can go through life, living their own way, without any regard for God. This is one of satan's lies. Are you falling for it? Shrugging one's shoulders at or thinking it's they way the culture is changing regarding to major issues today is compromising with the devil.

Those who stand with God and His Word and abide in Him will always be questioned. Some will go so far as to scorn. It's to be expected as a follower of Christ. 

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2Timothy‬ ‭3:12‬). But...The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. (‭‭Psalm 34:18‬)

What are you falling for? I fell for the lies for more than half my life. When the truth was shown to me I took a stand for Christ. I am not ashamed of the Gospel! It is by this Gospel that my life was saved, glory to God alone. I was not trying to prove anything to God. In fact, I was opposed to Him. I believed in God and Jesus. I just saw no need for Him in my life; I was doing okay. Or so I thought. One day, at my wit's end, God revealed Himself to me and that was it. I knew I needed Him. And He knew it also and changed my heart in an instant. 

What makes my heart ache is those who feel as I felt. I think about how some day, if they continue to avoid Christ, the truth will be revealed and they will regret having done so. What comes to mind is the story of Lazarus, a beggar, and the rich man. In a nutshell, both had died; Lazarus, the beggar, went to heaven; the rich man to hell. The rich man saw Lazarus in a good place and realized his mistake and pleaded that Lazarus be allowed to tell his family to not make the same mistake, which could not (and cannot) be done. Think about it. Lazarus was about as low as one could get; humbled by his lifestyle, believing in God. The rich man had everything, no doubt with some pride, with no need for God, yet those riches meant nothing at death. 

It's never too late to receive Christ nor is it too late to question God about the validity of it all. If one seeks, with all his heart, God will respond. Don't fall for the lies that a relationship with the God of heaven is not possible. I'll tell you, I had done many sinful things and probably hit every one of the Ten Commandments, yet God reached me. He had placed people in my life to help, though I wasn't very happy about their insistance at the time. God's timing was perfect. Whatever pride I might have had in my determination to live without God, fell. 

Are you falling for the lies of the devil or falling before the feet of Jesus? Falling for the lies is pride; falling before the feet of Jesus is about as humble as one can get.

Isaiah‬ ‭66:2‬ ‭- "For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” says the LORD. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.

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Everything

Colossians 1:16 - For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

I read this scripture this morning and it got my mind to thinking. Everything began in God's mind. Everything. This is not a new thought.

This is a very simplistic view of this idea. I'm a simplistic kinda gal! 

I was looking at an Oriental style rug we have. It started with God. He created the persons who made this rug. He created the minds and gave the gift of creativity to these people. He created someone to come up with the pattern and maybe another who chose the colors. He created the individuals who developed the use of certain materials and another to create the implements or machinery to put this rug together. There was no doubt a pattern. Today there is software used to develop a template for commercially made rugs. God created all the minds who developed all components. 

It all starts with God. The immensity of it all. It's a lot to take in, a lot to make sense of. This God has it all under control. And this is just about a rug!

Imagine every little thing in this world. Who can take in the great number of shrubs or trees? Or flowers, birds, animals, not to mention people. Everything. Created and managed by God. 

And then there’s us! He knew us before the beginning of time. He knew who our parents would be, when we’d be born and what our name would be. He knows how we will live our lives. He knows when and how we will leave this earth. 

So, if He has all of creation in His control why shouldn't we believe He has everything in His complete control? Do we believe He maintains all of life on earth? He knows the mind of man. He knows the goodness and evil within hearts. He knows who love Him and those who reject Him. He knows the seasons and times. He has given us His Book to show us who He is, what He expected, what He expects. He has brought nations up and taken nations down. And though all these things I’ve stated many times, I will repeat this too: He never changes nor does He lie. What He has said about past, present and future either has, or will, come to pass.

Just very simple words. A simple kinda gal who believes a very simple truth but one which doesn’t jive with some people. 

Then there's His Son, Jesus! The Word states:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

There will be an end just like a beginning. God created and it was good. Man messed things up, chose not to obey God and later not to hear Him, and evil stepped in. One day He will come to remove evil to make this world good again. And it’s all in His complete control...according to His Word, which is the truth because God cannot lie. His Word, which shows us what we need to know. 

It’s all about the minute details. God sent His Son, who is also God, to this world to save all of our wretched souls! We all are wretched souls until we know Him, until we humbly, spiritually, bow before Jesus and ask Him to open our eyes to His truth, change   us, but most of all save us. 

Save us from what? The evil in this world. While the Bible says the world, as we know it today and tomorrow, will end, it will be a changed world. Evil will be removed. If one has not chosen to follow Christ, he or she will be removed also. There’s all this talk about global warming, oh, climate change. No one has seen climate change like there will be when the evil in the world is sent to the Lake of Fire. 

Jesus is our hope for our future. The hope for tomorrow. The hope for the next hour. He is in complete control of all things and His plans will prevail. In the beginning He was involved in creation. In the end He will bring about destruction on earth and defeat of evil and then an even better plan, a new Earth. We can all be part of this if we call on Him and seriously follow Him. He holds our lives in His hands. He came to remove our sins. He wants to do this. 

In complete control! He created. We were created to know Him and give Him all glory and honor. Will you do this? He is waiting if you have not.

Nehemiah 9:6 - You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.

I Will Bring You Peace

John ‭14:27‬ ‭- Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

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Yesterday a friend lost her husband of 31 years. It was not sudden. It had been a battle for some time for him and for her. She knows the Lord and called on His strength and wisdom through it all and while it was hard she never wavered. He had once known the Lord but something eventually got in his way, he lost his focus on Him, so he struggled in this illness. He had very little peace. 

As he came to his last hours he knew he was dying. Perhaps he had known for some time and it was why his testiness and determination not to do as doctors said was so evident. He rejected the peace of God to get him through while my friend called on Him for strength. 

The last couple of days men from church visited him. They would, I know, pray with him and talk about the Lord. One of our younger men, and an elder in our church, said this: The last time I spoke with Tom he seemed very much like a man who knew he lacked the peace of God in his life, yet wanted it. 

When things are going well in life, we can discount the Lord. Why do we need Him? I have all I need.

There's also the opposite when one questions, how is it God isn't helping me now; why trust a God who's not here?  But He is here. He's always here. The very world He created is proof. The fact that seasons change like they always have, that things are born, grow, fade and die to start over again is proof. The gripe that we think if God cared He wouldn't allow some things is our rejection of Him. If we feel He's not with us it might be we have shut Him out. He can still be silent at times, however...to grow our faith. But it doesn't mean He's not there.

What we need to understand is our need for Him and dependence on Him for all our situations. If we do this He will be there to help. He will bring the peace in the midst of trying times. If we have that peace, the grumbling about where is God when we're hurting or scared or in pain won't be there. It's all about His peace. But we need to be willing to acknowledge Him, not shun Him. 

My friend is now confident that in this very difficult time of her husband's life and in his death, he finally reached out to the Lord. It's been a prayer by many that he be broken and in that brokenness he once again turn to God. In that brokenness we finally realize we are nothing and either give in to God or reject Him all the more (not something anyone should do). It's better to go through the brokenness now...and enjoy the peace He brings.

While she mourns his loss, she has been given the hope that she will see her husband again some day. It was all she ever hoped for. Through this she has displayed strength, even when it seemed she was getting tired. She was a witness to her Lord. I saw it. 

Praise You, Lord, for all You do in us. I pray you keep Your children focused on You. Grant us peace in our daily lives. Keep us strong through Your power, that power You give to us.

1Timothy‬ ‭6:12‬ - Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

The Word, The Truth, The Life

Jeremiah‬ ‭33:2-3,6-8‬ ‭- Thus says the LORD who made it [the word], the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." ... Behold, I will bring it [Jerusalem] health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me."

It always amazes me to read how the nation of the Israel of the Old Testament and we as individuals are similar when it comes to God's redemption and salvation. God has always used His Word as an example by which we can learn.

Israel and the Jews are God's chosen people. However, just like every people group in this world, all have turned their backs on God. Romans 3:23 states: ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... And when I think on that scripture, Proverbs 16:2-3 comes to mind: All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.

I think about all God has ever wanted from His creation, the people. He has always wanted nothing but each person to stop turning their backs on Him and acknowledging Him as God, the Creator. But we all have failed miserably. It's why He sent His Son Jesus. All we need do is call on His name (from a very true heart) and be saved. And then learn of Him through His Word, follow Him, like His disciples, share the Gospel.

But what does the Word say again? All have sinned and fallen short...we all think we know in our own minds what is right, apart from God. Apart from God our works are filthy rags, but through knowledge and devotion to Him, He will establish our ways. It's not what many want to hear.

So, the opening verses are telling us just what God wanted to do with Old Testament Israel (and still does). God eventually allowed the Gentiles into His sovereign picture. He allowed them to be grafted in to become children of God also...mainly as a means to make the Hebrews jealous, that they might turn back to Him. After all, Jesus died for all mankind.

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.‭‭ ...who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ...who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time... (1John‬ ‭2:2‬ , 1Timothy‬ ‭2:4,6‬)

I think about all the denominations in this world, most in existence by mere man. Each has their own idea how church should be, how God desires us to worship Him. And I think again of our works as filthy rags and His not wanting sacrifices but our obedience to Him, heeding His words over the works thing. (1Samuel 15:22) And I think about how some believe only certain people will go to heaven. He died for all…who would receive Him.

If we hear Him, heed His words, obey what we hear (through reading the Word), He will bring the healing as mentioned above. With healing will come peace and truth. He restores lives. We seek God to know the truth. We seek Jesus because He is the way, truth and life and provides the way to this forgiveness. This forgiveness of sins  is the part about all having sinned and falling short of God's glory. If we submit to Him He will cleanse us, make us whole in His sight, and we will become His children.

I heard someone say that because He created all of us we are automatically His children. It doesn't work this way. We must be saved, which God has been trying to show us through the Old Testament and Israel and the New Testament through Jesus. It's true we are all God's creation (Colossians 1:16) and God loves all people (John 3:16) but, according to Jesus, we must be born again (John 3:7). That's where the restoration takes place.

Jesus is called our Redemption, our Healer, our Peace, the Truth, the only Way, and the Life. This cannot be denied. Without Jesus/God, we are lost. He makes Himself known to us. We seek Him for the answers...the truth...not what the world--man--declares. His declarations are for all to view in His Word. He says, "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

We do not know until we seek and find. When He sees a heart willing to seek and wanting to know, He will show great things which we just don't know until we have received Him and His Spirit, through being born again! It's a wonderful thing to know and understand. It's not agonizing! It so sets everything in this world into a proper perspective. We can understand why the world is as it is, has been...and will be. We can understand that only Jesus gives us this understanding. He brings us peace. Who doesn't want this peace?

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.

Awake, Arise, Receive the Light

John‬ ‭9:5‬ ‭- "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

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I was doing a study on light yesterday afternoon. It all started when I was reading Ephesians 5 and came to verse 14: Therefore He says: Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. There was a scripture reference in Isaiah, which then gave another scripture reference...and light became a theme. Light and life.

I began looking at scriptures with the word light in them. And wouldn't you know, it started at the beginning of time when God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good... (Genesis‬ ‭1:3-4‬) And at the end of the Bible in the last chapter of Revelation, these words are spoken: There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. ... (Revelation‬ ‭22:5‬)  Doesn't that sound like a good thing, the Christ who said He was the light of the world will be the perpetual light for all who followed and endured to the end? All because we follow the Light. We allow His Word to be the lamp unto our feet and light to our paths. The Word that gives life.

God has much to say about light throughout scripture from beginning to end. God created light so all things could be seen. All things that He created...everything shows His Divine character, creativeness, beauty and majesty. Without this created light we could not physically see. The ability to see...His creation...so there will be no excuse for the existence of this Divine Creator and that, in the end, all knees will bow to Jesus, the Light of the world.

So God created light. We need light not only to see but so things can grow. Just like God created light so man could see and things could grow, He brought Jesus into the world as yet another Light for our light and life. Jesus said it above, that He is the Light of the world. And He states further that "...he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:12) 

Within the Word is written, or expressed in some way, that having light in our lives dispels the darkness. This darkness surrounds us daily, without the light of Christ. We live in the darkness until we choose to follow the Lord. Where does evil abound? In the darkness. Choose to come out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. 

I'm thankful for the Light of Christ in my life. I was taken out of the darkness and brought into the light. I once was blind but now I see. I'm thankful that I recognize what constitutes or brings on darkness. Through study and hearing God speak through His Word it causes one to know the truth...which will set one free (John 8:32).

John‬ ‭1:4,9‬ ‭- In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

The Road to Damascus

Galatians 1:11-13 - But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.

It's been awhile since I wrote about Paul, once known as Saul, who persecuted Christianity and imprisoned many because of his hatred towards it and those who followed Christ. Many people have Damascus Road experiences. Some great, some not...but both kinds life-changing. Either way, the revelation of Christ occurred. 

Saul was on his way to Damascus one day to persecute Christians some more. The Lord intervened, the light of His presence blinding Saul for a time, and confronted him: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ... It is hard for you to kick against the goads." (Acts 9) Saul fell immediately to the ground, frightened. This was the revelation he received from Jesus Christ! He appeared to him. 

This so shows that even the most hardened, stubborn, proud and arrogant person can be touched by the presence of God. Acts 9 explains the entire account. Within the verses there is one little word that amazes me. In verse 11: So the Lord said to him [Ananias], "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judah for one called Saul of Tarsus..." 

Two things pop into my head. The street name was Straight.  Straight; good, well; bow, kneel, give, set forth, settle. Webster describes it as: going an undeviated direction, properly ordered, without extraneous matter. Isn't that what happened to Saul? And doesn't that pretty much sound narrow? It is settled we will change, we will give ourselves into the act of bowing to Christ. Saul saw the light of Christ and fell to his knees. In just a moment he he submitted. Sometimes we can be in a situation where we might be scared straight, like Saul, that he changed his attitude drastically. 

I find it interesting that we are told to walk the straight and narrow road to life, through Jesus. Bear with me. Point number two is Christ is our strait gate. In the King James Version: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat... (Matthew 7:13) Strait in this context means narrow and one root word is to abide, establish, present; and another root word means the same as straight, to settle, set forth. Webster's strait means narrow, constricted, tight, difficult. 

Straight or strait...a choice we make when confronted with the truth. Have we been confronted by the Lord Jesus Christ? Has He shone His light in our lives, opened our eyes to see His truth, caused us to bow before Him, like Saul, and turned our walk to a good, settled, undeviated direction, oftentimes difficult and seemingly narrow?

Following Christ is considered narrow by many. Either it's narrow by design, we choose to do it; or it's narrow as in narrow-minded, not a desired place to be, too many constraints, by those not willing to follow. 

Yes, it's a narrow, difficult road we travel when we choose Christ. And Saul, who eventually became the Apostle Paul, turned from his evil ways and followed hard after Jesus. He totally humbled himself and bowed before God. He suffered his own persecution. It is believed he was martyred.

I believe in the days ahead we will see more demands for Christianity to be silenced. The world will become more intolerant. These are both exciting and disturbing days. Exciting because the Bible tells us that this will happen in the last days. Disturbing because we will see many continue to scoff at the truth. It's sad to see Christ denied by so many when all God wants is for all to receive life.

Paul, as well as every person who truly has been born again, as Jesus says we should, had an encounter with Christ, that Damascus Road experience. While ours might not be on a road, it might be in prison, in a difficult situation, a dream or through illness or addiction. He does try to get everyone's attention. It's a shame we sometimes have to undergo a difficulty to receive Christ. However, like Saul, it was life changing. 

As Saul, he stopped kicking against the goads! Jesus would have used the word goad in this context which means: a spiked stick used for driving cattle. The more resistance, the more goading. Saul stopped resisting the truth of Jesus Christ. It's good to know, however, that Jesus keeps on calling those who continue to kick.

Saul changed. Saul became Paul. He went from persecuting Christians to preaching the Gospel. He went from believing a lie to preaching the truth. He was guided by the devil and then led by Christ. He went from death to life. Hallelujah. This can happen to anyone. If it can happen to the worst of the worse, it can happen to anyone!

Paul said these words below. Once he knew the truth, where it would take him, the end results, he remained steadfast. A lesson for all of us who believe.

2Timothy 4:7-8 - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

It's Not Enough

1Corinthians 15:36,42-47 - Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a LIVING being.” The last Adam [Jesus] became a LIFE-GIVING spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.

Jesus Himself told us there must be a spiritual birth for eternal life...by faith in Him alone. That spiritual birth gives us true wisdom and a whole new outlook to this life on earth and in God. We seek treasures in heaven, not on earth. The old earthly man dies, the new spiritual man is born. Or so they should!

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water AND the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:5-7)

Did you know that when we die, our spirits live on? Just as some will go to heaven...if they have been born of the Spirit...through faith in Jesus Christ...through our confession of Him as Lord and Savior of our lives...some spirits will live for eternity in hell. It's not a subject many people, sometimes not even the Church, want to talk about. 

It's for this reason Jesus came...to take the burden of our sins upon His own body, nail them on the cross and die. Every sin imaginable...upon His body. I can't imagine and neither can you. And all He requires is our confession of faith in Him, being born in the Spirit, gaining His wisdom and understanding of right from wrong. 

When we receive Christ, this same Spirit of God begins to reside in us also. We are commanded, then, to be baptized. This baptism is our outward expression of our confession of Christ. Jesus was born, died and raised again. Our immersion baptism is symbolic of the same. The old man dies, the new man is raised up. Like Lazarus, like Jesus, like all who have been baptized this way. Baptism is not by sprinkling as a child. What child can confess Jesus when it cannot even speak? Was Jesus sprinkled as a child? Or was He immersed...and then filled with the Holy Spirit? There are no scriptures at all in the Bible that speak of infant baptism. I wonder how all that got started??

So, we can think all we want that we do not need to know the Lord any more than believing He was, but it's not enough. We can think we don't need church, but it's not enough. We can think we are smart enough, successful enough, mature enough, even self-sufficient enough, but it's not enough. We can do nothing of our own to satisfy our spiritual needs and spiritual life. Only Jesus can provide for us. 

Only through Christ can this Spirit of God come to us. We cannot save ourselves. If we could, what was the point of Jesus' death? And what makes any of us think He just died to save all men, no questions asked? Yes, He died for all mankind, but we have to confess Him, confess our sins, repent of our sins...and confess we need Him to cover those sins. We need to live for Him...serve Him. The scriptures talk of being bondservants. A bondservant is one who willingly serves. We willingly serve God. 

I cannot provide this salvation for anyone else. I can only point the way. And the Way is Jesus. Each person must seek Him on his own. It is not transferable. Wisdom must be gained individually through Christ. It's just the way it works. Scripture tells us these things. I have not made this up. Our church teaches this; I know other churches do. I also know that some churches water down the gospel into believing that one simple prayer is all it takes to become born again, with no other decisions made. That prayer is not enough either. It takes an action. 

When a seed is planted it is dry, dead. But given the right conditions it can spring to life. Like baptism, water applied, not sprinkled but soaked, that new life comes forth. From death to life. We are dry and dead without Jesus but through Him and the Holy Spirit we can also spring to new, eternal life.

John 15:5 - I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

In Him Is Light

John‬ ‭1:1-5‬ ‭- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Science would say there was a big bang and the universe was created. If one believes in God and in His Word, one knows the truth and knows this to be a lie.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis‬ ‭1:1-2‬)

When I once again read the opening passage I also realized, again, the wealth of information here. In the beginning...the Word. Broken record here... The Word was. The Word has always been. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews‬ ‭13:8‬) 

This is all Bible Basics 101.

Jesus Christ is one with the Father, therefore He always was, always is and will always be. He was in the beginning, is here now and will always be. (And as Genesis 1:2 shows, the Holy Spirit was in the beginning too. We see the Trinity right from the very beginning of time and the Word.) 

The Word is God, Jesus, and the Word of God in His book. To believe in Christ is to believe the Word. If one doesn't believe everything in His Word is true, one doesn't truly believe in Christ. Truly believe...not just know who He is. Huge difference. If one only wants to hear the Word spoken through someone else, one is missing God speaking directly to them. God speaking! A novel concept. Through a Book. Who would have thought? 

Then there is the life issue. God brought life to this universe through His creation. He also brought light into the world. Then He brought life into the world and man. And eventually He brought the Light of the world, Jesus, for the eternal life of man. 

And darkness did not comprehend...does not still comprehend. Darkness will never comprehend. Oh, I believe the devil knows but his pride and jealousy will not allow him to submit. No Light in one's life means living in darkness. I was there; I didn't care. It's the way many are for a time until the Light makes Himself known. Then, poof, out of the darkness and into the light. And the Word now is in our lives. Yet some still will not submit. 

I chose life one day. I didn't just tell self I would, but the Spirit of God nudged me and it happened. I was in the right place at the right time in the right frame of mind...in need of help. I was told Jesus could help. I was ready for His help...as the only one who could. 

I had not expected to write such a convoluted blog! Even I had to read it a few times. Just being honest here...

Luke‬ ‭1:78-79‬ ‭- Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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All.For.Us

1John 5:11 - And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

While many are decorating trees and shopping for gifts for Christmas, I have been contemplating something else, not that I don't frequently.

Christmas is about our Savior's birth. There are different views of the timing of His birth. Some say fall, some say spring. That's not all that important. It's important to  know the real reason for our celebrating. Jesus came to us from on high, was born in the flesh for the salvation of everyone who would believe in Him, was crucified and rose again!  I can't separate His birth from His death and all the time in between. He can be celebrated every day. 

When He was born He gave us the greatest gift of all. It's not about us but about Him. To me the most important part about His birth is the life He gives to us through this birth and a new birth within us when we give our hearts and lives to Him. 

We give gifts like the wise men did. They understood this baby boy was something special. It was His gift of His life for us that is special. His death. And in return we die to ourselves that we might have life. His whole life is an example for us: Being born again in the Spirit, dying to self and living as He lived to share His glorious mercy, grace and salvation. It's one of those fabulous mysteries of God. 

I need not go into the commercialism we see around Christmas. I want this to be about Jesus. He came for the most important reason and I seem to struggle trying to convey this. It's so simple yet sometimes so hard to understand. 

Christ came to this earth not that we lavish each other with gifts but that He would be our humble gift to us.  The shepherds, first to arrive, offered nothing but their humble worship. Perhaps they offered a lamb to the Child who would eventually be our ultimate sacrificial Lamb. 

Everything about the birth of Jesus was amazing. Conceived by the Holy Spirit. Born in a humble stable and sleeping in a feeding trough. A King with humble beginnings and an even humbler, yet tragic, end.  All.for.us. That's what I want to think about at Christmas. It's so not about us. 

Is Jesus the central part of our Christmas celebration? Is His name brought up? Is the Christmas story shared? 

Christmas can be an everyday thing...should be. His death and resurrection are just as important. It's why I can't separate any part of His earthly life. All He did for us.... All.for.us. THIS is one amazing God. I pray He becomes a deeper meaning this year. 

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

To and Fro

Interesting group of scriptures below. One searches for those he can destroy while the Other searches for those who want life, whom He wants to deliver out of the other's grasp.

And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going TO AND FRO on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” (Job‬ ‭1:7‬)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil WALKS ABOUT like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1Peter‬ ‭5:8‬)

For the eyes of the LORD run TO AND FRO throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. ... (‭‭2Chronicles‬ ‭16:9‬)

For His EYES ARE ON the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. ‭‭(Job‬ ‭34:21-22‬)

It has been said that whatever God does satan imitates. He knows the Bible. He knows his eventual demise. Because he was thrown out of heaven for his pride in believing he could be as great as God, our adversary, the devil, has been on a rampage to destroy and taken down the people of the world. He is succeeding more than not. He walks to and fro looking for his prey.

Anyone who refuses to follow God, refuses to believe He is Creator, believe His Word is as true today as it was when it was first written, that it is a Book that brings life whose commands are for our good, is being taken down the slippery slope that satan has led them to. 

Take a look at our recent election. There's a bit of similarity there. One has sought people to believe the lies. While the other isn't totally pure as the driven snow, he may believe he can improve what has been broken. I hope so. Only time will tell. (I will trust in the Lord my God over any man.)

I've believed for a very long time that all of our sins come out of pride, which both candidates have plenty of. We want what we want, we do what we want to do, at others' expense. We do not want to compromise our beliefs, our desires for the sake of someone else. It's my way or the highway. These don't need to be as extreme as pure evil might desire it but I'm guessing it is called being self-absorbed, self-centered, selfish. Think about it. Can't you see this behavior in your own lives at times? If you don't, the Bible has a verse for that too! If we say we in no uncertain terms we are liars, we sin, so... If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1John‬ ‭1:8‬)

This is where the devil wants us. He did it to Eve in the garden and he keeps right on doing it today. The devil will continue till he's toast! If we don't want to be toast along with him we need to be seeking God. As the scriptures say above, God is looking for those who want to seek, know, obey, be loyal to, and worship Him. As much as God is looking to and fro for someone seeking Him (and often not finding one), the adversary has many more in his grip to take you down his paths of unholiness and deceit. He's got a much greater following. He makes things look so enticing. It's all part of his lure. Money, cars, sports, television, sex, music...to name a few...are his ways of keeping our focus off God. 

This past election used two individuals who lured us into believing they were best. They may both be deceivers. Some know one definitely is. Just rewards some day for that person. The 

other...time will tell. Maybe just rewards for both. Just rewards for us too if we struggle with our relationship with God.

The only way to avoid what satan will receive as punishment is to allow God to find you looking for Him. There is darkness, deceit and death in following after the world view which is the devil's view. There is only light, truth and life in following Jesus. Jesus will forgive us, daily, of our sins if we confess Him and admit our sinful natures to Him. Really He will. The Bible tells me so. Jesus loves me and He loves you too. Really.

Don't let the devil's deceit prevent you from turning to Him. God already knows all about you, sees your every move, knows your every thought...and knows your sinfulness. But He wants to take that tarnished nature of yours away and shine you up, clothe you in His righteousness. He does not want you to be devoured by the adversary. He wants you to seek Him for His forgiveness. His Word teaches us what we do not know we do; it shows us the truth and exposes lies and deceit.

Luke‬ ‭23:34‬ ‭- Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”