CAPTIVE OF IGNORANCE

CAPTIVE OF IGNORANCE

Monday, December 08, 2014

Colossians [ESV] 1:1-29 …because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,…

  You drive a newfangled keyless entry/start vehicle and love the convenience.

  The mall stores are closing for the night. Due to the many shoppers you had to park some distance away. It begins to sleet as you, arms loaded with packages, walk to your vehicle. Nothing happens. No blinking. No nothing.

  Remembering the old fashioned key lock in the driver’s door . . . “Okay” you say as you fumble for the key while juggling packages. Once you and bundles are ensconced safe and dry you move your hand to activate START.  Nothing happens.

  The battery has gone dead in the fob!

  “WHAT TO DO?” comes to mind.

  Then you think “I’ll bet there’s something about this situation in that shrink-wrapped manual in the glove compartment. ??”

  Then, for some odd reason you recall something a childhood Sunday School teacher said, “God’s children fail because of a lack of knowledge.” (Hos.4:6)

EBB4

PS. Fob batteries last about 2 years. If your vehicle is so equipped, you can hold dead fob against START button until hearing chime, chirp, or other signal. Then push the button. Then asap drive to BATTERYS+ or some other such store.

CHRISTMAS: A MATTER OF THE HEART

CHRISTMAS: A MATTER OF THE HEART

Sunday, December 07, 2014

            John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name, 13 who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but were born of God.

1John 3:18-21 My children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And in this we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him, 20 that if our heart accuses us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not accuse us, we have confidence toward God.

  What in the world does today’s above Scripture selections have to do with Christmas?!

  Considerable.

  For many Christmas is interpreted by lights, gifts, tinsel, and entertainment.

  Christmas means Christ-adoration, worship.

  One Christmas involves hustle, bustle, and stress.

  Authentic Christmas is product of peace; said peace heart-centered in confidence toward God.

  Confidence toward God is inseparable from authentic Christmas.

  Without heart confident in and by godliness, Christmas is mere pagan yuletide holiday.

  In all the busyness of season, I encourage you to take time to read John’s entire (5 chapters) family letter to the Father’s John 1:12 children.

  It took me 16 minutes without rushing to read 1John aloud this morning. What else will I do this day that will take 16 minutes of my life but be comparatively insignificant? How many other things will I do that have little or nothing to do with authentic Christmas?

  Oh my, indeed authentic Christmas is a matter of the confident heart.  EBB4

HIS DOUBLE GUARANTEE

HIS DOUBLE GUARANTEE

Friday, December 05, 2014

2Corinthians [MKJV] 5:5-9 And He who has worked in us for this same thing is God, who also is giving to us the earnest [payment guaranteeing] of the Spirit. Then being always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are away from home from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by sight; then we are confident and we are pleased rather to go away from home out of the body, and to come home to the Lord. Therefore we are also laboring to be well-pleasing to Him, whether at home or away from home.

1Thessalonians [MKJV] 5:16-23 Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophesying. Prove all things, hold fast to the good. Abstain from every appearance of evil. And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelessly at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians [MKJV] 1:17-22 And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things. For it pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell. And through Him having made peace through the blood of His cross, it pleased the Father to reconcile all things to Himself through Him, whether the things on earth or the things in Heaven. And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish, and without charge in His sight,

  When we were little boys Grandmother McGee read to us. It wasn’t until maturing that I realized she wasn’t just entertaining us, she was teaching us about life, and even death.

  Reading REMINISCE Magazine I am reminded of one story Grandmother repeated.

  It went something like this: A little boy and girl (REMINISCE says “Nellie”.) were born a few months apart, the boy being “I’m older”. They lived next door to one another, schooling and playing together much of the time. They loved each other dearly.

  The summer of their 4^th birthdays Nellie became very ill. Though the old family doctor did his best he sadly announced that she probably would pass away in the fall when the leaves began falling from the trees. Try as he did, the little boy couldn’t tie all the leaves to the trees in their yards.

  After recalling the story I thought of God’s double guarantee:

·         No matter how much effort we put into prevention, healthy practice and repairs, we and our loves ones will die. (Gen.2:17; Heb.9:27)

·         Trusting Jesus, though our body does die . . . life by, in, and with God goes on forever. (2Cor.5:5-9; Col.1:17-22)

  I thank Grandmother for gently teaching me about the unavoidable certainty of death.

  Even more though I thank Bud Bond, the Gemeroth brothers, Al Heger, and other early Christian mentors for teaching me more completely from God’s Word on living while dying and forever beyond demise.

  Most of all I thank the Almighty Guarantor.

EBB4

JESUS' ANSWER

JESUS’ ANSWER

Thursday, December 04, 2014

John 3:14-18 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Romans 3:20-28 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

  Only a few people accepted the challenge of the question above in December 3rd DT. One answered using some Scripture. None gave Jesus’ reason recorded in the “Please read in your favorite translation.” context of Matthew 7:13-23.

  Those condemned had no relationship with the Savior! Jesus never knew them. They were not John 1:12 brothers and sisters of Christ.

  All people, self included, deserve eternal punishment. (Isa.64:6; Rom.3:20-28; 6:23)

  Without redemption through trusting Jesus as Savior, people live “condemned already” this side of the grave and forever thereafter. (Jn.3:18)

  Trusting Jesus as Savior; people live redeemed this side of the grave and forever thereafter. (Jn.3:18)

  Jesus’ redemption has the same eternal guarantee that Sovereign God Almighty placed upon Christ. (Jn.6:27; 2Cor.1:22; Eph.1:13; 4:30)

EBB4

GOOD WORKS OR NOT: SAME NEVER-ENDING CONDEMNATION

GOOD WORKS OR NOT: SAME NEVERENDING CONDEMNATION

Wednesday, December 03, 2014

Matthew [MKJV] 13:9-10 [Jesus said] He who has ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples said to Him, Why do You speak to them in parables?

Matthew 7:13-23 & 25:31-46 [Please read in your favorite translation.]

  The following has been presented to me. How would you respond?

  Jesus spoke of people lacking in compassion and of those compassionate . . . with both groups going to the same everlasting punishment.

  How could this be so? “The Lord isn't slow to do what he promised, as some people think. Rather, he is patient for your sake. He doesn't want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act.” (GW 2Pet:3:9)

EBB4

ETERNAL SECURITY: THE FAITH PART

ETERNAL SECURITY: THE FAITH PART

•           Who alone saves? Jesus.

John 6:66-69 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

•           How is one saved? By faith.

Romans MKJV 3:27-28 Then where is the boasting? It is excluded. Through what law? Of works? No, but through the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law. (Also note James 1:2-4; 1Pet.1:8-9)

Romans MKJV 10:10-13 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference both of Jew and of Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call on Him. 13 For everyone, "whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

James MKJV 2:23-24 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

•           What is faith?

            Hebrews MKJV 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Also note Jn.3:5-18)

            Strong: G4102 πίστις; pistis; pis'-tis; From G3982; persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.; G3982 πείθω; peithō; pi'-tho; A primary verb; to convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty): - agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be (wax) content, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.

•           Is there any merit in faith on our part?

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

EBB4

WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP

WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP

Monday, December 01, 2014

Ephesians [MKJV] 2:1-10 And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins,   in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

  Though there are those that think otherwise, eternal life is never a reward. Biblically, rewards are result of works, gifts are not. (This includes ministry and spiritual gifts explained elsewhere in God’s Word.)

  In Ephesians 2 the Greek word for gift means something presented, specifically a sacrificial gift. (Think John 3:16 “gave”.) Elsewhere in this passage we read of the gift of eternal life being a current, now!, not some later gift. Eternal life being by God’s grace alone: His act of divine influence upon our heart; the gift totally unearned and undeserved.

  The Word of God makes it plain that God’s gift of eternal life cannot be earned by good works . . . and that neither can it be maintained by good works; nor should we invest in working to do so.

  We are saved by His grace.

  We are kept by His grace.

  We are nonetheless definitely ordained to work within His gracious gift of our current tenting phase of his gift of eternal life. (2Cor.5:1-11; Rom.6:4; Gal.5:22-25; Eph.4:24)  

EBB4