SURPRISE!

 

SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

A verse to ever and always ponder is “Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire.” CEV 1Peter 4:12

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD IS JUST?

What does it mean that God is just?

  When we say that God is just, we mean that He is perfectly righteous in His treatment of His creatures. God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34), He commands against the mistreatment of others (Zechariah 7:10), and He perfectly executes vengeance against the oppressors (2 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 12:19). God is just in meting out rewards: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Hebrews 6:10). He is equally just in meting out punishments: “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism” (Colossians 3:25). Justice and righteousness, which always work hand in hand, are the foundation of God’s throne (Psalm 89:14).
  Justice is important to us. Imagine that Adolph Hitler had been found alive, hiding in Germany, and was brought before a judge. His crimes took nine hours to read, but, at the end, the judge said, “I see what you’ve done. Millions murdered. But I think you’ve learned your lesson so I’m gonna let you go.” He banged the gavel and cried, “Not guilty!” What rises in our hearts when we consider such a scenario? That emotion is outrage at injustice. We know the verdict is not just, and it feels intolerable to us. Evil requires an equivalent punishment. We inherited that sense of justice from our Creator, because He is just.
  Every truth in the universe is God’s truth. Every mathematical formula and every scientific law can trace its roots to the character of God. Human knowledge is only a discovery of the truth that already exists. God has hidden nuggets of wisdom in our universe for us to find the way a child finds eggs on Easter. Justice is one such truth that doesn’t have a beginning or an explanation. If we were merely evolved bits of pond scum, justice wouldn’t make sense. Humans would have no rights, no inner moral code, no desire for the eternal. But, because we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), we have His heart in matters of morality, courage, love, and justice. He is the complete embodiment of traits we only possess in part. He is complete love (1 John 4:16). He is complete goodness (Psalm 106:1). He is complete kindness (Psalm 25:10). And He is complete justice (Isaiah 61:8).
  When Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3), justice could not overlook it. Their crime does not seem so great to us who wear Adam’s skin. But consider it from heaven’s viewpoint. The great Lord God Almighty, unchallenged Ruler of everything, Lord of angel armies, worthy of all adoration and worship had been defied by the dust He had formed into people. He had made these creatures for His own purpose and pleasure. He showered love and bounty on them. But He also gave them free will. So He showed them their options and told them the consequences.
  “Please don’t,” He said, and the pleading in His voice warned them of what He knew would result if they did not obey. “We will do as we please,” they responded, and at that moment the creature committed high treason against the Creator. Justice demanded action. For God to overlook or excuse the treason would not be just. Because God is just, He cannot make a rule, establish the penalty, and then not follow through when the rule is broken. Because God is also love, He had a way to satisfy justice without destroying human beings. Justice required the death penalty for high treason, so something or someone had to die. A substitute was brought in to satisfy the demands of justice. A beautiful, flawless animal was killed instead (Genesis 3:21).
  Thousands of years later, justice was satisfied once and for all as God sent His own Son into the world to be our substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21). “Please don’t,” He has cried throughout the ages. “We will do as we please,” we have responded. God cannot merely overlook our high treason against Him, or He would not be perfectly just. He cannot retract His love, despite our rebellion, or He would not be perfect love. So Jesus became the Lamb (John 1:29) that God sacrificed on the altar of justice. Christ “died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).
  Because justice has been satisfied, God pronounces “not guilty” upon all those who are in Christ (Romans 3:24), those who call on His name (John 1:12). Justice now insists that, once a sin has been paid for, it cannot be brought up again. When our sins are under the blood of His sacrifice, God holds them against us no more (Romans 8:1; Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 43:25). God remains just; He is not violating His own code of justice by pardoning those who deserve its consequences. Salvation IS a just consequence because God has pronounced Jesus’ death and resurrection sufficient to satisfy His wrath. The curse of the Law that we justly deserved has been taken by Jesus on the cross (Galatians 3:13).
  God is just, and His justice is an indispensable part of His character in the same way that His love and mercy are indispensable. Without His justice, sin would run unchecked. Evil would win. There would be no reward for obedience. We could not respect a god who was not just. Micah 6:8 summarizes the top three qualities God wants to see reflected in us: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

GotQuestions.org

ABIDING?

 

ABIDING?

 

  Pastor Hayden’s Sunday sermon was on John 15. We were left with the question of what is it to abide in Christ?

  For me it is embracing the Word living (Jn.1:1) and written (Jn.17:17; 1Thes.2:13), Biblical edification, with worshipful application apart from egotism. (Rom.12:1-3; 1Cor.2:6-16; 13:11)

EBB4

SHADES OF ANGER

 

SHADES OF ANGER

Be angry, and sin not: … Jesus, perfect example of liberty, exercised righteous anger at the unrighteous anger of others reacting to His compassion; they angry to the point of plotting His murder. (Eph.4:26-27; Mk.3:1-6)

 

  No one can make us angry. Learning this truth drastically changed my life for the better. (And the lives of others as they accepted this truth.) As with any other emotion, it’s a matter of choice, granting oneself permission. Some go beyond permitting, embracing anger for a variety of beliefs: it’s enjoyable; they feel most alive when in ire, it gives them power they otherwise don’t have, to intimidate and manipulate, it’s the only way to really accomplish goals and manage people – including family, friends, employees, status and personal esteem, and for other or olio of beliefs. Admittedly, familial and/or cultural belief may be involved. Some grow up in blessed peace but decide for anger as their style or lazy knee-jerk reaction or in unforgiveness of traumatic life events.

  When in wrath we then have before us further options.

·         Relief through loving forgiveness.

·         Harness emotions unto constructiveness.

·         Seize opportunity therein to examine self and situation.

·         Hold our breath until we die.

·         Don’t ever again let others slide on our cellar door!

·         Go out to the garden and eat worms.

·         Passive-aggressive JFK “Don’t get mad, get even.”

·         Pouting silent treatment. Glare. Isolation from person/people.

·         Sleep in guest bedroom, garage or vehicle.

·         Eat elsewhere other than with “Them!”

·         Wear an armored girdle to bed for months, even years, or “Til’ death do us part.”

·         Rant and rave.

·         Entertain thoughts of destructive schemes against person(s) or property.

·         Strategically work gossip, malice, setups.

·         Destroy property. Yours. Theirs. Public. Private. (Some resentful Baltimore Works non-transferring employees un-synched machinery gear sets so that when started in Omaha equipment destructed. Some resentful Omaha Works employees punctured tires and broke windshields of transferee’s vehicles on company parking lot.)

·         Harm your body. (Cutters, burners, et al.)

·         Heavily bleach your husband’s undershorts.

·         Vent in operating vehicle or equipment.

·         Entertain schemes of bodily harm to “offender” “perpetrator”.

·         Actually put together plan, equipment, and/or recruit like-minded team to harm.

·         Leave off imagining, act out destruction, commit mayhem and murder against individual or population. If there’s collateral damage, so be it!

·         Other options I haven’t remembered this morning.

  Which of the above have we opted for? Or still choose?

  Which of the above are we capable of? James letter to Christians answers this question thoroughly, especially when we contemplate chapter 4. Please do so as it may do much to aid us in life’s decision making today and the weeks ahead.

EBB4

CRITICAL THINKING

 

CRITICAL THINKING

 

  Psalm 119:9-11 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 

  Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

  2Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

 

  For we professing Christians claiming belief in the Word of God as the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth . . . the Word should be our lens near and far in considering all topics and issues.

  Not doing so reflects the sinful un-Christian lack of trust in God’s provision.

EBB4

FEAR

 FEAR

2Ti 1:7-8  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 

  There’s an old Egyptian proverb: All things fear time.”

  I don’t fear time, though I do have a personal knowledge of what the ravages of time can do to our bodies and minds. I see and feel it more and more with each passing year.

  I know my earthly body is failing in many ways, but I have no fear of standing and giving my testimony of what the Lord has done for me!

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928 – 3/1/2020)

SATAN & COMPANY

 

SATAN & COMPANY

 

1Timothy 4:7 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

2Timothy 2:15-17a Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker:

2Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Titus 1:14-15 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

2Peter 1:16  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

 

  A student of God’s Word, also a DT reader, asked about Satan. In the brief interchange that followed we decided a series on the topic would be even better. Why?

  There is considerable, myth, fable, fiction, art, cinema, family or denominational lore, misconception, and for some abject ignorance on the subject of Satan & Company, company including other fallen angels, demons, Satanists, plus propagandists deliberate and unintentional.

  Yesterday I invested much of the day putting together SATANFile. 68 pages, 53,644 words of or based in the Word of God. I suspect that reading this statistic some of you may already be feeling faint. Fear not, having in the past received complaints on too much coal train like car after car hauling the same topic, I’ve decided to intersperse the material and essays over a period of time. For those that are held by myth and fable it should give them time to ponder and digest the Biblical truth about Satan & Company. Let us begin with a question.

  Why about Satan & Company?

·         Freedom. Jesus explained that the truth will make us free.  The flip side of this fact is that not knowing and embracing the truth will restrict us. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn.8:31-32)

·         Recognition. Satan is the utmost cunning deceiver. We must not carelessly minimize and thereby aid and abet him. “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman,… “ (Gen.3)

·         Susceptibility. Because false beliefs lead to vulnerability and propensity to ungodliness.

·         Accountability. To understand and accept our personal responsibility for cause and effects as opposed to simply blaming Satan or others. “’The LORD God called to the man and asked him, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden. I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid." God asked, "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat fruit from the tree I commanded you not to eat from?" The man answered, "That woman, the one you gave me, gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." Then the LORD God asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The snake deceived me, and I ate," the woman answered.’“ (GW Gen.3:9-13)  “If we say, "We have a relationship with God" and yet live in the dark, we're lying. We aren't being truthful. But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin. If we say, "We aren't sinful" we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (GW 1Jn.1:6-8)

·         Relationship. 1John 1:7

·         Shame. “Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn't ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly.“ (GW 2Tim.2:15)

·         To please God. “Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don't become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants-what is good, pleasing, and perfect.“ (GW Rom.12:1-2)

·         Love. John 3:16. 1Corinthians 13.

·         Mature service. “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I no longer used childish ways.” (GW 1Cor.13:11) “By now you should be teachers. Instead, you still need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word. You need milk, not solid food. All those who live on milk lack the experience to talk about what is right. They are still babies. However, solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to know the difference between good and evil.” (GW Heb.5:12-14)

·         Ambassadorship. “… Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God….“ (2Cor.5:14-21)

  All of the above is considerable to digest. And I’m sure there is more some could add having to do with authority, empowerment, etc. But enough for this day I think. Unless of course you have questions or challenges.

EBB4

WELL AGED ANGER

 WELL AGED ANGER

  Psalm [NLT] 90:11-12 [Lord,] Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

  Hebrews 12:11-15 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Dear fellow travelers,

  When I speak of my maturation, please understand I’m not bragging, I just want you to learn from my knowledge and experience gained as I aged in God’s grace. This 2Timothy 2:1-2 vocation was drilled into us years ago in Maryland Bible Institute. One exercise was memorizing and personalizing: “… my dear son Ed, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (NLT)

  Some have the idea I don’t get angry. I do. I experienced anger this week.

  However, two things are distinctively different between now and my old life BC; The Word living and written: Anger was almost always connected to ego, my pride. I was subjective to the emotion of anger; it distracting me from Biblical objectivity. My life passive-aggressively was contrary to Ephesians 4:26. I festered.

  Let there be no doubt, trusting Him, God’s John 1:12 children we are but sojourners with mission defined in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. We shouldn’t deny our emotion, but we are not to be sidetracked by prizing and embracing emotion as does so often this world. Let us not lose John 3:3 sight of our present place of serving Him during our days this side of heaven. 

EBB4

SATAN DEFEATED?

SATAN DEFEATED?

Was Satan completely defeated at the cross?  Of course Jesus dealt him a devastating blow by His resurrection, and death itself was defeated (2 Ti 1:10).  Satan is still an adversary we must watch out for though (1 Pet 5:8), so how do we reconcile those two things?

Let’s take a closer look at a few applicable passages.  Col 2:13-15 talks about Jesus canceling the charge of our legal indebtedness, and disarming the spiritual powers and authorities.  It’s worth mentioning that this passage also makes a note of Jesus “triumphing over [the spiritual rulers and authorities] by the cross”, so clearly Jesus won a significant victory over Satan at the cross.  The presence of Satan continuing to attack God’s people throughout the rest of the NT though, along with God’s people being urged to continue fighting back and making war against Satan after the cross (2 Co 10:3-5, Eph 6:10-8, et. al.) are clear indicators that Satan was not completely defeated at the cross.

Heb 2:14-15 is another passage that discusses Christ’s victory over Satan at the cross.  Note particularly the language about “…so that by His death He might break the power of him who has the power of death – that is, the devil….”.  This passage indicates that Satan’s power was broken at the cross, but he himself was not completely destroyed yet.

1 John 3:8 is another verse worth examining as a part of this study.  There, we read that “…the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”  Again, notice that Jesus’s death and resurrection destroyed the devil’s work, not the devil himself yet.

Looking ahead in Rev 20:10, we see that the devil will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur for ever and ever.  But that time has not happened yet.  Per Rev 21:4, at that time “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  While Jesus is alive and well and all-powerful now, His full coming has not happened yet, and one result of that is that Satan is still attacking and we still experience hardship, death, and persecution from the enemy.

A brief summary of the above may look like:

·         Jesus destroyed death by His death and resurrection

·         Satan was disarmed, had his power broken, and had his works destroyed by Jesus’s death and resurrection; but he himself was not destroyed yet and is still on the prowl looking to attack

·         Satan will one day be completely defeated and God’s people will finally be free from his attacks

A fair question to ask at this point is why would God set it up this way?  Why would He defeat death so fully on the cross but allow Satan to continue to torment and attack?

I believe at least one of the answers can be found in Jdg 3:1-2.  Even a quick reading of these verses makes it clear that God purposely left enemies for His people to fight because He wanted them to know warfare.  Part of His heart for us as His people is that we know how to war.  Since God does not change who He is (Mal 3:6a), I believe He still wants us to know how to war.

With that in mind I believe at least one of the reasons God has chosen to let the enemy continue to attack for now is so that they can be our target practice and training dummies for spiritual warfare!  He wants His people to know how to fight, but if there are no enemies to fight, and His people haven’t experienced battle, how will they know?  There will come a day when we know longer have to battle ever again, and that day will be glorious, but in the meantime our Good Father who knows what we need (Matt 6:8) has deemed it best that we can and do fight.

Let this encourage us, because God is not letting the enemy stick around so we can be afraid of him.  Conversely, the enemy should be terrified of us as believers who have the spirit of Jesus living in us.  We should strike first and take the offensive in this battle, being confident that the Lord has given the enemy into our hands.

David Repair

IN HIS GRIP

 IN HIS GRIP

Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

  Again, I repeat: Our attitude and actions are the product of our truly held beliefs. This should be no mystery. There is no “I don’t know why I did that?” This includes the professing Christian. Life being either about ME or Him.

  As has happened too often in my life, unlike dear Ann and pal Al, names and faces have faded from my memory. Though forgetting who I commonly remember what, often doing so as needed by a reminder, God using aural, scents, sights & sounds.

  Though I couldn’t associate it with any of the 4 senses, yesterday I remembered “In his grip.” It said and signed by an old friend when asked how he was doing or in correspondence. They were not however simply 3 glib words. His life under all circumstance was as such. His belief > attitude > actions grounded in the Word of God.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. … Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. (1Cor.6:19-20;7:21-24)

EBB4

JESUS IS COMING

 

Easter Sunday, April 18, 2022, preteen Maggie K, gifted me with the following wonderful poem she had penned for this special time.

JESUS IS COMING

From night to day I sing and pray for the Lord God to come tomorrow or today.

I love You, God and your Son,

I love you more than anyone.

Jesus is coming, His time is about to arrive for He loves everyone one that is alive.

Jesus came and died for my sins, that is how I know God always wins.

Jesus is coming very near, I know because I hear His whispers in my ear.

His coming is about to start, He told me all of this in my heart.

PLANTING THE SEED

 I PLANTED THE SEED

1Corinthians 3:6-11 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

 

   A week or so ago I planted some Okra seed and checked every day since looking for sprouts. I had decided they were a lost cause, but this morning I discovered one small shoot peeking thru.  I planted 11 seeds so I’m continuing to wait and watch.

  How like the impatient discouragement we face when we’ve repeatedly told friends and loved ones about God’s love. We wait to see if someone accepts Christ as the Risen Savior, then one day we see or hear something that tells us that the seed has started to grow.

  I’ll keep planting God’s Word waiting and watching.

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928 – 3/1/2020)

CONTRARY TO ANGER

 CONTRARY TO ANGER

Psalm 119:165

(ASV)  Great peace have they that love thy law; And they have no occasion of stumbling.

(CEV)  You give peace of mind to all who love your Law. Nothing can make them fall.

(ESV)  Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

(GW)  There is lasting peace for those who love your teachings. Nothing can make those people stumble.

(ISV)  Great peace belongs to those who love your instruction, and nothing makes them stumble.

(LITV)  Great peace is to those who love Your Law, and there is no stumblingblock to them.

(MKJV)  Great peace is to those who love Your Law, and there is no stumbling block for them.

(Webster 1833)  Great peace have they who love thy law: and nothing shall cause them to stumble.

(YLT 1898)  Abundant peace have those loving Thy law, And they have no stumbling-block.

I AM NOT A BAPTIST

 

I AM NOT A BAPTIST

 

Acts 17:10-12 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 

 

  When thought or asked, how do you define yourself as a Christian?

  Denominationally or Biblically?

  Though I have been member of 5 different Baptist congregations of various name in Maryland and Nebraska, attended and participated in, I have never been, am, or will be a Baptist. After trusting Christ as personal redeemer I was an active member of the Evangelical Methodist Church in Dublin, Maryland for 7+ years. I never have been, was, or will be an Evangelical Methodist. For a short interim 6 month period I participated in a fine active Missouri Synod Lutheran congregation. I have never been a Lutheran of any stripe nor will I ever be. As a Boy Scout I went with our troop to mass at Saint Rita’s Roman Catholic Church in Dundalk, Maryland. I’ve never been an RC, nor ever will be. Nor am I a Calvinist or Arminian.

  I am rightfully God’s child striving to see lovingly see Him, others, life, and all things thru the lens of His Word. (2Tim.2:15; 3:16-17)

  To illustrate this important matter of identity, the following list determines and describes who I am:

 

WHO I AM IN CHRIST

 

·          I am God’s child. Jn.1:12-13 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

·         I am Jesus’ chosen friend. Jn.15:15 [Jesus explained] “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

·         I have been justified. Rom.5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

·         I am one spirit with the Lord. 1Cor.6:17 “… he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.”

·         I belong to God. 1Cor.6:19-20 “… do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

·         I am His family, a member of the Body of Christ. 1Cor.12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

·         I am a holy saint. Phil.4:21 “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.” (Act.9:13; Rom.16:2; 1Cor.1:2; Eph.4:12; 5:3)

·         I am adopted as God’s child. Gal.4:4-5 “ … when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

·         I, as a saint, have direct access to God. Eph.2:18-19 “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” (Heb.4:16)

·         I am redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. Col.1:12-14 “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

·         I am complete in Christ. Col.2:8-10 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”

·         I am forever free from condemnation. Rom.8:1-4 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Rom.4:18-25; Jam.2:23)

·         I am, as a lover of God, assured that all things work together for good. Rom.8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

·         I am without condemning charges. Rom.8:31-34 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

·         I cannot be separated from the love of God. Rom.8:35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written [Ps.44:22], "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

·         I am established, anointed and sealed by God. 2Cor.1:21-22 “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

·         I am confident His good work in me is assured. Phil.1:6 “… I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”

·         I am a citizen of heaven sojourning on earth. Phil.3:20-21 “… our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

·         I am hidden with Christ in God. Col.3:1-4 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died [Rom.6:2; Eph.2:1], and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

·         I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. 2Tim.1:7 “… God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

·         I am able to find merciful grace when needed. Heb.4:15-16 “… we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

·         I am born eternally of God and Satan cannot rob me of my soul. 1Jn.5:18-19 “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch [Gr. “attach oneself to”] him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

·         I have utmost purpose in life. Mt.5:13-14 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.“ 2Cor.5:17-20 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”

·         I am a branch of the true vine, Jesus. Jn.15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

·         I am chosen and appointed by God to bear fruit. Jn.15:16-17 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

·         I am Christ’s personal Spirit-empowered witness. Act.1:8 “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

·         I am Christ’ ambassador of reconciliation. 2Cor.5:15-21 “[Jesus] died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

·         I am God’s coworker. 2Cor.6:1-2 “Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.’

·         I am truly now alive and seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. Eph.2:1-7 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

·         I am God’s workmanship, created for good works. Eph.2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of [our] works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

·         I may approach Most Holy Sovereign God in freedom with confidence. Phil.3:11-12 “This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.”

·         I am loved by God. Rom.5:6-8 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (1Jn.4:8)

·         I am a joint-heir with Christ. Rom.8:16-17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

·         I have been given wonderful promises. 2Pet.1:3-4 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

·         I am never left alone. Heb.13:5b-6 “… [God] has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" (Deut.3:16; Jos.1:5; 1Chr.28:20)

·         I have access to God’s wisdom. Jam.1:2-5 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

·         I am a serving priest. 1Pet.2:9-10 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

·         I am temporarily this side of physically being in heaven. 1Pet.2:11-12 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (2Cor.5:6-8)

·         I am able to see what the unregenerate cannot. Jn.3:3 “Jesus answered him [Nicodemus], "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Sincerely,

Edwin Bennett Bullock 4^th

 

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