Purpose of the Gifts ~ Prayer for Revelation

 Purpose of the Gifts

Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—    

Prayer for Revelation

Ephesians 1:22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 

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Ephesians 4:12-16

¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 1:15-23

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

¹⁵ Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶ do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
²² And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Christ Abides with Zacchaeus ~ Parable of the Lost Sheep

Christ Abides with Zacchaeus 

Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Parable of the Lost Sheep

Matthew 18:11  For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

 

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Luke 19:1-10

Jesus Comes to Zacchaeus’ House

19 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. ² Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. ³ And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. ⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” ⁶ So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. ⁷ But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

⁸ Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; ¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Jesus did not come to receive fortune or fame, or to be respected among men. He came to seek out the lost and to save them. Here is an excellent picture of a man who desired to see who Jesus was. Jesus looked, and saw this man, Zacchaeus, and made stay at his house. The crowds that were around Jesus obviously did not agree with this, even so much that they complained because he was a sinner. This is a perfect illustration of how some people are. For some reason, people think that God will only accept you if you are perfect, but that is not so. Jesus came to restore the broken, heal the sick, and save the lost.


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Matthew 18:11-14

¹¹ For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
¹² “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? ¹³ And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. ¹⁴ Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

This is how much Jesus really loves us. He does not want to see one of us go astray. No matter what, He is always searching us out looking for that one lost sheep that has gone astray. He does not wish to see one of us perish. A stray sheep will surely be devoured by the wolf, but a herd of sheep led by their Shepherd shall not perish. The Shepherd will guide us, and protect us. His rod and His staff shall comfort us.

Imperfection in Aaronic Priesthood ~ Doxology of Jude ~ The Spirit Assures of Final Victory

Imperfection in Aaronic Priesthood

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

 Doxology of Jude

Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

The Spirit Assures of Final Victory

Hebrews 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 

 

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Hebrews 7:11-28

Need for a New Priesthood

¹¹ Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. ¹³ For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.
¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. ¹⁵ And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest ¹⁶ who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. ¹⁷ For He testifies:

“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”

¹⁸ For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹ for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Greatness of the New Priest

²⁰ And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:

“The Lord has sworn
And will not relent,
‘You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek’”),

²² by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.

²³ Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. ²⁴ But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
²⁶ For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; ²⁷ who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

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Jude 1:24-25

Glory to God

²⁴ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
²⁵ To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

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Romans 8:31-39

God’s Everlasting Love

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reason for Gentile Guilt -- The Works and Words of God

 (Romans 1:20 - Reason for Gentile Guilt)
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,  

(Psalm 19:1-6 - The Works and Words of God)
The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

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Romans 1:18-23

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

(v. 18-19) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  


There is not one who is ignorant of the truth of God, for we all have a conscious inside. People know what is right and what is wrong. People know what is morally good and what is immorally wrong. The problem is, people suppress the truth in their own unrighteousness.


(v. 20-21) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 


Everyone knows that this is a wicked world we live in, yet people are so foolish to continue in the ways of their wickedness, ignoring the truth that God provides for us the way of Righteousness. Why is this?


 (v. 22-23) Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.


 They have turned away from God and instead they have come worship an image made like unto themselves.  They perverted the truth of the incorruptible God into an image like unto themselves, that they may be justified in their sins. 


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 Psalm 19

The Perfect Revelation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

(v. 1-4) The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. All of His creation declares the wonders of His works He has done. Each passing moment, from the rising of the sun until the going down, all of creation praises His name. All of creation spells out His name and speaks of all that He has done.

(v. 5-6) In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The sun reveals it's light unto all the world. There is not a single one who is hidden from its' source.

(v. 7-11) The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

All of His ways are perfect. If we live accordingly unto His righteousness by His law, the rewards will be great. The law of the LORD will make known what is right to the wicked. By our testimony of what God has done for us, not one soul proclaiming to be wise will be able to fool us, for we know of the truth because we hold witness to the truth. If we hold true to what is right, our hearts will rejoice in gladness, and our eyes will be enlightened. Love rejoices in truth. If we hold dear to what is true, His word will remain in our hearts forever, and darkness shall not deceive us for we know that His Word has said, "Let there be light". And so it was good. And His light he has shone forever in our hearts.

Fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom. We know that He is a just God. His judgment upon us will be right. No one will have an excuse for our actions in the day of judgment, for we know deep down inside whether we reject the truth or not, what is right and wrong. God has made His judgments known. God has made His righteousness known to all of us.

His Truth shall be treasured even more than gold. His Word shall not fade, but remain in our hearts. If we cling on to His ways and keep them, we will not be put to shame.

(v. 12-13) Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." We know not why we do the things we do at times. We are born into sin, and that is our nature. A man will sin even before he is aware that he sins. But the law is for correction, making known what is wrong in God's sight, that we may be able to know what is also good in His sight.

Let not these sins have dominion over me, that I may walk blameless before Your sight, Lord, for I know that Your ways are righteous and Your ways are true. 

(v. 14) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Bodies of the Translated Living ; Israel's Continuing Sin ; Conclusion: All Are Guilty Before God ; Abraham's Righteousness Apart from the Law ; Law Cannot Deliver from Sin

Bodies of the Translated Living 


1 Corinthians 15:55-57
“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Israel's Continuing Sin  

Hosea 13:14 

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
O Death, I will be your plagues!
O Grave, I will be your destruction!
Pity is hidden from My eyes.”

Conclusion: All Are Guilty Before God

 Romans 3:20 

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Abraham's Righteousness Apart from the Law 

Romans 4:15
because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 

Law Cannot Deliver from Sin 

Romans 7:8 

But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.

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1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Hosea 12-13

“Ephraim feeds on the wind,
And pursues the east wind;
He daily increases lies and desolation.
Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians,
And oil is carried to Egypt.

“The Lord also brings a charge against Judah,
And will punish Jacob according to his ways;
According to his deeds He will recompense him.
He took his brother by the heel in the womb,
And in his strength he struggled with God.
Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed;
He wept, and sought favor from Him.
He found Him in Bethel,
And there He spoke to us—
That is, the Lord God of hosts.
The Lord is His memorable name.
So you, by the help of your God, return;
Observe mercy and justice,
And wait on your God continually.

“A cunning Canaanite!
Deceitful scales are in his hand;
He loves to oppress.
And Ephraim said,
‘Surely I have become rich,
I have found wealth for myself;
In all my labors
They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’

“But I am the Lord your God,
Ever since the land of Egypt;
I will again make you dwell in tents,
As in the days of the appointed feast.
I have also spoken by the prophets,
And have multiplied visions;
I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.”

Though Gilead has idols—
Surely they are vanity—
Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal,
Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field.

Jacob fled to the country of Syria;
Israel served for a spouse,
And for a wife he tended sheep.
By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
And by a prophet he was preserved.
Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly;
Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him,
And return his reproach upon him.

Relentless Judgment on Israel

When Ephraim spoke, trembling,
He exalted himself in Israel;
But when he offended through Baal worship, he died.
Now they sin more and more,
And have made for themselves molded images,
Idols of their silver, according to their skill;
All of it is the work of craftsmen.
They say of them,
“Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!”
Therefore they shall be like the morning cloud
And like the early dew that passes away,
Like chaff blown off from a threshing floor
And like smoke from a chimney.

“Yet I am the Lord your God
Ever since the land of Egypt,
And you shall know no God but Me;
For there is no savior besides Me.
I knew you in the wilderness,
In the land of great drought.
When they had pasture, they were filled;
They were filled and their heart was exalted;
Therefore they forgot Me.

“So I will be to them like a lion;
Like a leopard by the road I will lurk;
I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs;
I will tear open their rib cage,
And there I will devour them like a lion.
The wild beast shall tear them.

“O Israel, you are destroyed,
But your help is from Me.
I will be your King;
Where is any other,
That he may save you in all your cities?
And your judges to whom you said,
‘Give me a king and princes’?
I gave you a king in My anger,
And took him away in My wrath.

“The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;
His sin is stored up.
The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him.
He is an unwise son,
For he should not stay long where children are born.

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
O Death, I will be your plagues!
O Grave, I will be your destruction!
Pity is hidden from My eyes.”

Though he is fruitful among his brethren,
An east wind shall come;
The wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness.
Then his spring shall become dry,
And his fountain shall be dried up.
He shall plunder the treasury of every desirable prize.
Samaria is held guilty,
For she has rebelled against her God.
They shall fall by the sword,
Their infants shall be dashed in pieces,
And their women with child ripped open.

 Romans 3:9-20

All Have Sinned

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”“Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 4:13-15

The Promise Granted Through Faith

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,  because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

Romans 7:7-25

Sin’s Advantage in the Law

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”  But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Law Cannot Save from Sin

Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

Our Ways Are Not His Ways

Isaiah 55:8-9
 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
 Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
 So are My ways higher than your ways,
 And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Man thinks in terms of dimensions (L x W x H), everything to the power of cube. They limit their scope of thinking, of feeling, of being, inside of a box. To man, it is all about how "I" think (HEIGHTH), how "I" feel (WIDTH), and how "I" choose to act (LENGTH). To man, this is the means of achieving happiness and meaning to life, by having the liberty of thinking their own way, of feeling, and doing whatever makes them happy. But our ways are not God's ways, our thoughts are not His thoughts, and our hearts are wicked.. deceivingly wicked. Far be they from God's heart.

Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?

Think globally as in a circle (Pi x Radius squared). Diameter: the distance between God and our thoughts, between God and our hearts, and between God and our own being. The smaller you become, diminishing your "self", the closer you get to God. Diminish your "self", who is standing at the perimeter of the circle, to be closer to God, who is the center focus of your life. The diameter is the line drawn between you and God. So figure out the equation of this: (Pi times radius squared) to figure out the diameter, just how far you are from God. The smaller the number the better. :)

James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Did you know to construct an angle, you have to use a compass which makes circles? So to translate into the spiritual. The closer you are to the radius and father away from your own desires, the more God can reconstruct your desires and fulfill them in His timing. The box will be more accurate and your desires completely fulfilled above and beyond expectations.

Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Want some interesting little facts about triangle? There is a spiritual dimension that can be applied to this as well:

Triangles are the strongest shape to build structures with, and as such, a triangle is the most important shape in engineering. A triangle cannot be deformed without changing the length of one of its sides or breaking one of its joints. Each of its sides braces the other two sides, preventing them from moving in relation to one another. When a force is applied to a triangle, there will be no rotating motion (no torque). Instead, the base experiences two equal forces that are directed in opposite directions. Squares, as a counterexample, are not as stable because they can be transformed into a parallelogram or a diamond without changing the lengths of the sides. By placing a diagonal support across the middle of a square, its strength can be increased for the same reason triangles are so stable. These properties were evident in the Physics Bridge Building Contest - the strongest bridges were those that incorporated triangles into their structure.

Triangle= 3, the strongest shape, which is a reflection of our Triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The reason triangles are so strong is because they continually distribute weight between the sides. God is always giving glory to Himself. Christ lives by and gave us the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit knows and is always searching the Father, and the Father gave and is giving His glory to the Son. Together they are infinitely strong, and all three adore us and are working for our good. If God is for us, who can be against us?

This can be taken even further. There are several different triangles. The perfect triangle, or equilateral triangle, made up of equal sides is the strongest. This is Truth, but when you are deceived by the enemy your view of the sides of God is skewed. You may have a view of God that Father as strict and judgmental and not loving and happy at all. Or you may have an erroneous view of the Holy Spirit as this misty bodiless being that floats above the earth and isn't even really sentient. That's completely false, as well as the view that Jesus was some rebellious hippy. When all three of your views of the three persons of God are wrong it is like a scalene triangle with no equal sides that is useless to build with. When your views of God are wrong, there is no strength and power to heal and transform your life. This triangle is useless, and so God will seem useless, and therefore a person with wrong views will think God does not exist. Does that mean an equilateral triangle doesn't exist because all we see is a scalene triangle? Absolutely not! Yet, that's what people with wrong views of God want to insist.

Psalm 18:30-31
As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?

So to tie this all together..
A 3 dimensional square is our perception of things.
A circle shapes the true scope of reality and is the basis by which we create:
The triangle, which is the symbol of strength and solidity.. the figure by which we build our foundation upon.
God is our strength and our foundation.

Psalm 46:1-7
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble. 
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 

God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

1 Corinthians 3:9-10
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Order of the Resurrections ; Hope for the Future ; Paul is Tried Before Agrippa ; Equality with God in Authority

Order of the Resurrections;
(1 Corinthians 15:20-22) But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Hope for the Future;
(1 Peter 1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Paul is Tried Before Agrippa;
(Acts 26:23) that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Equality with God in Authority;
(John 5:28-29) Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

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1 Corinthians 15:20-28 

The Last Enemy Destroyed

(v. 20-22) But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  

 We are born with the curse of death, for the wages of sin is death. All of us are born into a sin nature, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But Christ who resurrected, freed us from the curse of death, so that through Him we may have eternal life. If we live in Adam, under the curse of death (in which all are under this curse), then we will surely die. So therefore all shall die, for it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. But if we live in Christ, we shall be given life.

(v. 23-28) But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

We await for the coming of our Messiah, when He will put an end to all rule, authority, and power. He will establish His Kingdom for His people, who accept Him who have called Him by His name. 
Genesis 3:15 says: 
And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her Seed;

He shall bruise your head,

And you shall bruise His heel.” 
The time will come when His enemies will be trampled under His feet. But that day is unknown to us. Instead we await for His coming, as we watch for the signs of His coming. Until then, we know that the hour draws near. So we must stand fast with all perseverance and diligence, contending until the end, that we may be partakers of His divine inheritance.


1 Peter 1:3-4

A Heavenly Inheritance

(v. 3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 

According to His abundant mercy, He has given to us a new birth in Christ. It is only through His resurrection from the dead that we can be partakers of His heavenly inheritance. That  means, we must put away with our old selves, and become brand new in Christ. We must put away with the works of the flesh and walk in the Spirit, according to the fruits of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and  self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Acts 25:23-26:32

(v. 23-27) So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in. And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write.  For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”

 Here we see Paul being charged with the penalty of death. However, there is not found anything deserving of death, and so he is put on trial for examination.

Paul’s Early Life

(v. 1-8) Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”

So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

Paul testifies to King Agrippa of Christ's resurrection.

“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Ironic isn't it? Paul, who once put many saints in prison, is now being accused and put on trial that he may be thrown in prison for the very same cause that he put others in bondage for.

Paul Recounts His Conversion

(v. 12-18) “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Paul tells of his testimony of how Jesus has changed him. He, who once persecuted Jesus, has now been called out by Jesus to be a witness for Him. Paul has been called according to His purpose, that he may serve as a powerful testimony and as a witness for sharing the gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Post-Conversion Life

(v. 19-23)“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come— that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”


Paul preached of repentance to both Jews and Gentiles, but the Jews charged him for heresy. To my understanding, the reason for this is because the Jews must think God is for the Jews only, so preaching to Gentiles would be a serious "crime" right? But no, salvation is for all who hear, and who call on His name. Amazingly, because of their misunderstanding, they fail to see that Paul's calling was to fulfill the prophecies of the Messiah (that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”)

Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge

(v. 24-32) Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”
But he said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”
When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”
Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”


Though the counsel held found no fault in Paul for preaching the truth, they still could not set him free, because he had not appealed to Caesar. But we know, as the Bible says in (Matthew 20:23 - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.) Our judgment here on earth is only a temporal thing. But eternal judgment awaits us at the end. Here we see the courage, and vivacity in Paul, who testified truthfully of our Messiah even though He was persecuted. Many saints will indeed face persecution like this man. But many will not hold true for the sake of preserving their own lives rather than for the sake of preserving the gospel.

John 5:22-30

(v. 22-23) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Of course, those who reject our Messiah will not gain the inheritance promised to our fathers.

Life and Judgment Are Through the Son

^{(v. 24)“}Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.  

And I thank God for sending His only begotten Son to die on the cross for us.

(v. 25-30) Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. 

And may the dead awake, and rise quick to the sounding of His voice, and heeding to His voice we would come forth in acceptance that He is our Lord and our Savior.

Amen.

Israel Rejects Christ ; Christ Warns About Hypocrisy

Israel Rejects Christ

(Romans 10:9-10) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

 Christ Warns About Hypocrisy

(Luke 12:8)“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.

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Romans 10:1-15
Israel Needs the Gospel
(v.1-2) Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 

I see a lot of this in the world even to this day. People have good intentions. They have a zeal for God. Many people say they love God, and that they know God, but often they are misguided because of a misunderstanding of who God really is. "God accepts me and loves me just the way I am", they may say..
While it is true that God loves us all, people use this as an excuse to live just the way we are, because God loves us anyways right?

(v. 3-4) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 

Many are misled following their own ways of livelihood to achieve their own means of happiness. People fill their lives with the material substances of this world to fill the void/gap that is in their hearts to suppress that lingering feeling inside of unsatisfaction. They fail to realize that true satisfaction comes through Christ. By living righteous according to His standards, not our own standards (for our own thinking is flawed) can we have true happiness.

True happiness is through the blessings of God, yet we cannot receive the blessings of God if we do not live according to His righteousness. The blessings come from our obedience to God.

(v. 5-9) For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

There we have it. It is by our confession of Jesus Christ that will save us. If we truly believe that Christ was crucified as the spotless Lamb, the final sacrifice for the atonement of our sins, then we shall surely be saved.


(v. 10-13) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

And salvation is free to all who call on His name!! Not one soul is exempt from receiving the salvation of Christ. It is simple. We call on His name! Yet many have hardened their hearts towards the gospel and have rejected Him. This is still a mystery to me. Then again, if one has never believed to begin with, what hope is there for him? Maybe they have never heard the gospel. Or maybe they have, but have become remiss, and need someone to remind them.. Maybe the world needs to know.. there is a hope.. and our hope is found in Jesus!!

Israel Rejects the Gospel
(v. 14-15) How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”


Luke 12:1-12
Beware of Hypocrisy
(v.1-3) In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

There are many who have gone astray, who, claiming to be righteous have fallen into deception. There are many who proclaim the good works of God, yet God sees us for who we truly are. There is nothing that is kept secret that will not be brought out into the light. Our hidden sins, though we may think we can keep them hidden, will not remain hidden. For God will reveal your sin if, after a time of conviction, you do not set your heart right with God and repent.


Jesus Teaches the Fear of God
(v. 4-5) “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

For in Proverbs, it is written that the the fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom. Fear of God is a healthy, reverent fear, much as a child has a healthy and reverent fear of his father. A child loves and respects a father enough to obey him, and yet fearfully enough to not do wrong against him lest he be punished.
But to fear the world is a result of pride (and pride goes before a fall), for we care too much for what the world may think of us rather than the One who thinks MUCH of us :)

(v. 6-7) “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.


Confess Christ Before Men
(v. 8-9)“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

So do not be afraid to share the gospel to men. By our testimony, sharing what Jesus has done for us, confessing Him before men, we build towards the Kingdom of Heaven. And angels will rejoice over us!!
But if we deny Him, we will also be denied. That is a scary thought. I would not want to be denied before the angels of God. Much rather, I would love to see them glorying, rejoicing, saying "Well done, faithful servant.."

(v.9-12) “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

There will be persecutions and trials that we will face. People will reject Christ. People will hate Him. But their sins can be forgiven. There is hope for us all.  And in our times of doubt, struggle, or pain, the Holy
Spirit will be with us to mind us who we are in our Messiah, who is our foundation :)