Peace

 

Peace is not the absence of conflict. Peace is the presence of justice. 

Jesus spoke this: John 14:16-21; 24-31................16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever------17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor know Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.  19 "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." John 14:24-27 Amplified Bible 24 Anyone who does not [really ] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me. 25 I have told you these things while I am still with you. 26 But the Comforter  (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And he will cause you to recall ( will remind you of, bring to your remembrance ) everything I have told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled].     NKJV

1.            The person fearful, intimated, cowardly and unsettled will walk with hands outward, not to worship God but to complain in their muddied water…muddied condition…a muddied environment!

2.            Holy Spirit gives clear counsel, gives us ability to remember everything Jesus spoke when we know what He has spoken

3.            Jesus said: “do not permit” yourselves to be the agitated, disturbed, fearful, intimidated, cowardly and unsettled; Peter was warned: love others as I have loved you; Being a disciple of Jesus we are to love other disciples of Jesus, We are to love our neighbors as ourselves!

Hebrews 12:14 ..NKJV  14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

Holiness starts in one's relationship with the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Justification through God's merciful act of grace opens the door of access to Him, as well as the door to the Kingdom of God. Justification is entirely an act of God, a legal action on our behalf that we accept by faith because He does not lie. Others do not easily discern our justification, since in most cases it has no outward manifestation.

1.            While sanctification unto holiness begins at the same moment as justification, it is a progressive, creative, time-consuming work of God within us.

2.            Unlike justification, sanctification cannot be hidden because it appears in our godly conduct. By it, a witness is made that God dwells in us. Where there is no holiness, there is no witness to glorify God.

3.            So we see that justification and sanctification are two separate matters. They are related - indeed, they cannot be separated - but we should never confuse them. If one partakes in either, he is a partaker of both, but we should not overlook the distinctions between them.

Christians cannot take sanctification for granted. We must pursue it until we are assured that we are sanctified. Our course is clear: We must go to Christ as forgiven sinners, offering our lives to Him by faith, crying out to Him for the grace we need to enable us to overcome all the flaws in our characters. Anyone have in flaws in their character? We are to be responsible, but are we? Just saw where a governor is asking a certain party to put forth violence! Does that sound responsible to love your neighbor?

The apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:19, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." The same apostle adds in Ephesians 4:15-16:   . . . but, speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - 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.

Close communication with Christ is the source of the perception, motivation, and energy to discern flaws and overcome them. Discernment is vital in today’s walk!

1.            It is a biblical principle that whatever God requires, He provides what we need to accomplish it. Thus, we are to draw from this inexhaustible well and be renewed every day in the spirit of our minds (verses 23-24). Ephesians 4:23-24 NKJV 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

2.            In John 17:17, on the night before His crucifixion, Jesus asked the Father to sanctify us by His truth. Will God not answer that prayer, especially when we desire to be sanctified to be like His Son? He most certainly will answer it so that our sanctification will continue.

Perhaps a word of caution is in order, and with it an admonishment that we also ask for patience. Growth does not always come quickly. In addition, as we grow in knowledge, at the same time we become more perceptive of our flaws. The more we know, the more flaws we see, and this can become humiliating and discouraging. The humility it produces is good, but the discouragement is not so good if it halts our growth.

Paul faced this, writing of it in Romans 7, but he most certainly did not let it stop him. By the time he finishes his discourse, he declares resoundingly that he knows he will be delivered by Jesus Christ.

While reaching for God's holiness, we should not let our goals ever be anything but the highest. We should never let Satan convince us that we can be satisfied with what we are right now.

In the New Testament, Jesus’ baptism marked four important events:

1.      The Word came to earth.

2.      The heavens were opened.

3.      The Spirit descended.

4.      A voice came from heaven and spoke.

The moment God sends His word to our heart, the Spirit of God alights on that word and becomes a voice. It is the Spirit doing it and not us. Our mouths are used to voice that word.

Results they saw in that day were miracles, churning seas became peaceful and the dead walked out of the tomb! Christ Jesus gave a promise: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father”…(John 14:22) He was saying “ I am going back to the Father, but you will become the voice of God.” Christ is the Word of the Father, but we were to be that voice. In (Acts 2:4)…..” They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

An important thing to note here is that the Pharisees once asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. Jesus replied, the kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “Look there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you..” (Luke 17:20-21)

Conflicts can mount up in the lives of people! But Jesus told us to pursue peace. Matthew 10:13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. Matthew 10:34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

1.       From this Jesus is bringing truth and justice to earth.

2.       Family relationship is not attacked but certainly can move past when loyalty is for Jesus only.

3.       We cannot serve the world and Jesus too!

4.       We must recognize and anticipate that personal discipleship and commitment to Jesus can result in division and rejection.

Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two,  thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the  enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

What Apostle Paul wrote here was to give sight into Jesus the Man of Peace who accomplished removing that WALL of Separation. He abolished in His flesh the enmity and so created in Himself one new man from the two. He preached the Gospel of Peace to us and to millions around the world by the word given us in the Holy Bible.  In Philippians 4: 6-7 NKJV Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests by made known to God.

1.       This passage is more than petitioning, but suggests an intensity of earnestness in extended prayer----not to gain merit by many words, but to fully transfer the burden of one’s soul into God’s mighty hands.

2.       Trust is to be in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is more than enough. To live in righteousness is far from conflict, but settled and centered in Christ and His Words of Peace!

3.       Salvation is a wonderful thing. Living for Christ is living in light to see more light. But even more, we worship Him who is seated at the right hand of God. We have a Great Intercessor is praying for us who love Him. Maintaining God’s peace by focusing with interest and ambition heavenward to cultivate His values: Colossians 3:1-7 NKJV  If then you were raised with Christ seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and  your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and  covetousness, which is idolatry. 6Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

1.   So Paul lists those things we once lived in as to: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry

2.   These come under the wrath of God and pertain to disobedience...........  Why stop these? Because the wrath of God is coming upon those who participate and practice that disobedience.

3.  Idolatry is the activity of the “human heart” :It starts in the heart, craving, wanting, enjoying, being satisfied by anything that you treasure more than God. This covetousness, a disordered love or desire, loving more than God what ought to be loved less than God and only for the sake of God.

4.   Jesus warned Peter! Peter was to make note to “love one another; as I (Jesus) have loved you, that you also love one another. It is a heart ordered right in God and in His image!  Interesting about Peter, Jesus knew that he was thinking about leaving and Jesus spoke to him and the other disciples in John 6:66-71 NKJV From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You  have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve and one of you is a devil?” 71 he spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

 The more we learn how Jesus walked each time, further into more peace and into that strength that can only come from God. It was not by separating Himself from that which He had to do or if we refuse to do His will, or even that which seems hard, but when we continue to walk with those God has placed around us, and speak to those we must speak to and with, we find, when a "storm" does come, it is one that we call that peace of God, to see the chaos removed.

What authority do we carry when walking through this journey of life? What amount of authority can be seen when facing an enemy we have never met before? The only authority that counts is that which is from God, and remaining in Him, and staying away from sin will mark the path we walk, abiding in Him, and seeing those waves grow calm.

Romans 8:31b   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; W are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

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Gas Lighting

When our daughter was a baby, the pollsters numbered from 10 to some forty. Today they number in the 400 range. Finding recently one such noted pollster wrote that they performed an experiment just throwing false numbers to the media and the world! So what you think is true is very false indeed.  Those numbers dividing the Democrats and Republicans is dead wrong.

But gas lighting has become a fad and one routine people have chosen to greatly cheat their neighbor.  Jeremiah 23:28 -34 NKJV the prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD 29 “Is not my word like a fire?” says the LORD and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” 30  “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD who steal My words everyone from his neighbor. 31 “Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who use their tongues and says, ‘He says.”

 32 “Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the LORD, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all, “ says the LORD. 33 So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is the oracle of the LORD?” you shall then say to them, “What oracle?” I will even forsake you,” says the LORD. 34 “and as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, “The oracle of the LORD!’ I will even punish that man and his house.”

 

From Jeremiah 23: 32 ………..cause MY people to err by their lies and by their recklessness….Zephaniah  3:3-5 Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave not a bone till morning.

1.            They are seeking prey to devour

2.            Evening denotes those predators who deal in darkness (own agenda) we have seen that recently those serving in the House of Representatives….one’s own agenda to making one rich on someone else.

3.            Treachery at night…in the dark…..( they flip as soon as they are elected)

4. ( we have men running for election speaking to change God's word: that God would welcome transgender.) No He would not! God does not make mistakes. This man has made himself a false prophet!

 

Description: Zephaniah 3: 4 Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; her priests have polluted the sanctuary (profaned) they have done violence (activity)to the law. 5 The LORD is righteous in her midst, he will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails, but the unjust knows no shame.

 

We certainly see where the unjust knows no shame. They simply forget what they spoke. They will not account for  every dark area of their lives in truth. As of 2019 and Covid -19….was an event of worldly proportions, it was the plot of a few to scare people world -wide, to control people, to lock people at home, make healthy people really sick unto death and to close a whole nation down. Children lost time in school where reading, math, science and English were to be acquired. Some six years later, we have young adults who cannot do math at the grocery register, cannot write their names as cursive which was not even taught to them due to computers, and they cannot read!

Gas lighting is for control. . Evil is pointed to by the finger of God. It is expressed in those with evil in mind to profit from a never ending cesspool of faithlessness. Yes, they make money and they do it to gain more power! This can be seen of those choosing to pad their own pockets that incites death for a community and possibly the world. Have we not seen that in the age of corona-virus? So the list can include” doctors, the pharmaceutical houses, booksellers, movie-makers and some lawyers of late!

I am amazed at what has come to be the Panavision of adultery displayed for people of all ages to see and where there is no gasp or a quickness to stop the pornographic pictures and slides of people on billboards and on T.V. commercials. ( If you are overweight, why show me your fat? I probably have some of my own. Please!) There are people in tubs without clothes where the very young 4 and 5 year olds are free to view with no thought of the depravity of it. And of course, satan, the author of depravity is behind this: with that emotion stirring music, that partially clad couple which is supposed to be somehow attractive and acceptable to those who have no spouse, or those looking for a spouse where the oppressed want because they “deserve that better thing” and are never thinking of the prospect that they are being duped into the world’s thought system!

 People do not want war in other countries, but they do not consider the War, the Murder, the Lying, the Stealing, the Coveting, and the Idolatry acts that almost everyone in the world would claim as being wrong yet, they appear constantly within schools, on the streets and within business transactions. Are we ready for what is coming in 2027? Do we know that war can be within city blocks, within schools, at board meetings and even grocery stores? Am amazed where so many innocents are being targeted by another's hate.

 

Have you ever had a conversation with another believer that caused unrest in your spirit? Maybe it was when you started hearing about a relationship or lifestyle – or even a new philosophy or perspective of theirs – that gave you a sick feeling in your gut. ( One such is hearing someone say they are studying a book not in the Bible. ) Heard recently of two cities in California choosing to have throuples and quads. Yeah, new word, but implies two men and two women living under one household and not married to each other. Think God has not approved  this thing?

 

Did you consider your internal response an indication that you were being critical, judgmental, or intolerant of that brother or sister in Christ? Or could it be that you have the gift of a spirit of discernment?  We can know by discernment when the “lie” appears. We can know by discernment truth and falsehood.

In 1 John 4:1, believers were exhorted to “not believe every spriit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 

 

As believers today, you and I are to heed that instruction to test worldly philosophies, foreign doctrines, and even new perspectives and ideas that come out of the mouths of politicians, celebrities, community leaders, and even pastors and religious leaders. We are to test everything that comes through our television sets, over our radio waves, and across our laptops and phone screens.

 

To have the spirit of discernment is to possess the ability to judge well. We get our English word "aesthetic" from the Greek word for discernment, meaning moral perception, insight, and the practical application of knowledge.

 

1 Timothy 4:1 tells us: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” Thus, we are urged to “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 1:8).

In 1 Kings 3, when the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him to name whatever he desired, Solomon pleased God by asking for the spirit of discernment. Solomon’s words were “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong…” (1 Kings 3:9).  Solomon’s request for discernment so pleased the Lord that God not only gave Solomon a wise and discerning heart, but He also gave him what he didn’t ask for – “both wealth and honor – so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings”  (1 Kings 3:13).

 

In the New Testament, Paul prayed that believers would have and apply the spirit of discernment: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10).

 

Paul realized if believers were able to discern what is best from what is just good or acceptable, they would be pure and blameless, and stand apart from the rest of the world.

 

The Apostle John also urged the first century Christians to practice the spiritual gift of discernment because of how quickly they could be deceived if they weren’t grounded in the truth: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

Scripture implies that if we are wise and walk in the ways of the Lord, our lives are evidence of a spirit of discernment. “Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them” (Hosea 14:9).  All spiritual gifts are abilities that are empowered and enabled by the Holy Spirit and used for the edification of the church.

 

To pray for discernment, we are to ask for it in faith, like we would ask for anything (Matthew 21:22). We are also to ask for it with the right motives. James 4:3 tells us “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

 

If you are asking God for anything, not really believing God will give it to you, you are one who “should not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:7). And if you ask so that you can wield a spiritual super-power and appear more spiritual than others around you, that, too is not pleasing to the Lord.  But, when you ask humbly, in faith, and with the motive of living a more holy life, God will hear you (Matthew 21:22).

We have a large volume of people willing to lie, cheat, and provide smoking mirrors to make another person think they are upright folks. We must have discernment  in this hour to know where truth resides.   In the atmosphere of Heaven, God can transform your mind into the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Let us remember 1 Timothy 4:1 telling  us: “The Spirit clearly says that in latter times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” Thus, we are urged to “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 1:8). Jesus is our guide into discernment. We should know the words He has spoken, to keep revealing justice to those who revel in lawlessness.

 Any decision should be based on the truth of God's Word! It is not sitting around your living room, viewing a biased news network. Choose life in God who is faithful to perform His word in our lives!

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Choosing Life or the Disgust of Death

A Christ-like attitude is one of sympathy, empathy and compassion for your fellow countrymen and for all humanity. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). If we grieve for others, God will comfort us in this life and much more in the next life.

Today’s society chooses to dance and sing whether they can or not. It is party all day long. Do we mourn for those who are disrespectful of the president of this nation and rude to their neighbors? Do we pray for them to see God clearly? Do we ask for the Lord to send laborers across their paths?

Our God-ordained responsibility is to watch and pray. Ignorance comes from ignoring, and God does not want us to be ignorant and "in darkness" (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10). Our Master and role model Jesus Christ certainly understood the issues, politics and personalities of His day. We should do likewise.

The Beatitudes or the SERMON on the Mount set a higher standard than the Law had. In the Law, “do not murder” but Jesus said, “do not even hate.  

1.            Deuteronomy 5:15 you shall not murder ( we had a nation who chose to close down a nation, close schools, mom and pop stores and give a “killer vaccine” to mother pregnant with child.  We must dress like the kingdom we are set upon His kingdom!  ( We must put on the word of God!)

2.            But in Matthew 5:21-23 NKJV  21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry (hate)with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca!” shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!” shall be in danger of hell fire.” Did not one of those running in this election just called that about our President?

3.            To be enraged (or angered… (or—gid—zoe ) Strong’s numbering 3710…to provoke one to anger. It is a passion that is furious and intense to terminate another by wrath.

4.            You can see that in the dragon or the devil who has such intense hatred of those made in God’s image.

5.            This imagery is seen in Revelation 12 where the dragon is persecuting those members of the witnessing church!

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. In giving this to His disciples, His aim was to birth the church through them, the true propagators and inheritors of His present and consummated kingdom. And many of them faced fierce wrath for their love for God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

As He walked through the region, sadly many chose to remain satisfied with the Law and the tradition of the elders…those who were not accepting the Gospel..they had tasted the old traditions, tasted the old ways and chose them over the kingdom of God and the coming King!.......Luke 5:36-39 NKJV 36 Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear,  and  also the piece that was taken out of  the new does not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins  and  be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins & both are preserved. 39  And no one having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, “The old is better”.

1.            What worked yesterday may not work today; in that of the past traditions, the form of yesterday may be water and we really require wine. In truth since the days of Charles Spurgeon, the word of God has been watered down. You can see what can happen as we see today in this nation!

2.            Jesus was bringing a new wine the Kingdom of God, and that new not fully fermented must be put into fresh wineskins, that being the believers!

3.            Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

4.            Jesus the Rock, Peter and the other disciples, including us are the pieces that fit together in Jesus.           

Colossians 2:20-23 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations---- 21 “do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using----according to the commandments & doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility & neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.                                                                                                                                                     

Do not touch: do not attach yourself…..

Do not taste: geunomai (ghyoo—om—ahee) Strong’s no. 1089 to eat, to partake/to feel/experience. Used in describing life in“gusto”/of death as in disgust.

Do not handle: thiggano ( N.T. 2345) as to finger or to manipulate …to injure

We are not to attach ourselves to that which is perishing that which is according to the commandments and doctrines of men. It is wisdom of the world containing that false humility and neglect of the body but hold no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

That which is of flesh reveals the man. It reveals his heart, whether he is of God or of another god like the devil. How are we dressing? Do we have a dress code that resembles a Christ-like one living for His glory and praise?

Keeping a taste for the Lord, keeps one out of tasting death! John 8:48-52 NKJV   48 Then the Jews answered & said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan & have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father & you dishonor Me. 50 & I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks & judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” 52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead,  & the prophets; & You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word he shall never taste death.’

1.            Again this taste is ghyoo---omahee…to partake, to experience have gusto describing life

2.            Taste for the Lord, to deny oneself, put the kingdom of God 1st and foremost: from v. 51: “ if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death

3.            Tasting the word is tasting & experiencing life God intended for us through His Son Jesus. It is knowing the Father of lights of whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. It is every good gift & every perfect gift from Him who keeps His promises. To take up the cross does not mean to endure some irritating burden: as to sickness nor disease nor that inflicted by brutal men!  John 5:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word & believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life,& shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.  John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection & the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 & whoever lives & believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

4.            Jesus: Say HIS name: Resurrection & the Life     

Luke 14:16-24 NKJV Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper & invited many, “ & sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The 1st  said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go & see it.  I ask you to have me excused.’ 19 ‘& another said, ‘I have bought 5 yoke of oxen and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’  20 “Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’21 “So that servant came & reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go quickly into the streets & lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed & the lame and the blind. 22 & the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded and still there is room.’23 “Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 ‘For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.                                                                                                                                                                                   

1.            Unselfish motives: relying on the Lord, recognizing His greatness & goodness/Water into wine …that taste is for the extension of the gospel to the poor, the sick & socially dispossessed.

2.            Jesus rejected by what symbolized the religious leaders, the most unfortunate ones to whom Jesus came to minister to are now “the invited ones”.

3.            The banquet is in progress; Israel had accepted God’s invitation to the kingdom, it came through the prophets. Jesus arrives with the kingdom of God, but is rejected….the nation refuses God’s grace. They choose not that “gusto” of life but the disgust of death!

4..            Jesus  of God tasted death for everyone….He took the disgust of death so that we could live unto Him; Jesus provided a way, that of escape from bondage, accessing God’s presence/that entrance into man’s intended glory 

5.            When our life, circumstance, or character is under fire by the adversary, it is God’ grace that keeps an enablement or that empowerment to achieve His plan, to endure /have continual access to Him .

From Luke 14:24….’for I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ Matt. 22:8-14 then he said to his servants, ‘the wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways & as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’  10 ‘So those servants went out into the highways & gathered together all whom they found, both bad & good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 “So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand & foot, take him away, & cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping & gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called but few are chosen.’

1.            Not worthy from verse 8: Matthew 10:11 Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy and stay there till you go out.

2.            The unworthy: those who neither welcome the gospel nor would listen to it!   

Both bad and good are found: Matthew  13:38, 47-48 NKJV the field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 47 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48 of which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

1.            The good, kalos (kal-oss) strong’s 2570 the beautiful, the pleasing, acceptable, excellent, honest

2.            The Gospel message is cast: it goes before all society, attracting all types of people, but many will be found un-redeemed by the angels at the end of the age.

3.            The man with no wedding garment, he who was the false disciple: Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 therefore by their fruits you will know them.

4.            Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called but few are chosen: From Matthew 22:13-14, repentance and honor are the words for those chosen.

Responding or Forfeiting the Invitation: From Matthew 22:12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand & foot & take him away and cast him into outer darkness, there will be weeping & gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

1.            The hypocrite got in but was not wearing the required celebration garment who know Christ Jesus!

2.            Being Clothed in linen…that white garment represents a kingdom, where we all look like our Husband Christ…who leads in victory by righteousness and truth….we are to daily put on Jesus….who humble themselves…are meek but not weak, who imitate Jesus 

Man was not wearing a wedding garment! 2 Cor. 5:1-8 .. For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that morality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith & not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body & to be present with the Lord.

WE are to be Clothed with our habitation: which is from heaven…..Fruit appears from our heart through our mind, will and emotions.  People stuck in culture, will meditate with thoughts of why they must dress like the culture they live in; they will act out by their emotions in the culture they live…….jeans reveal holes in the knees…..their home is more of a showcase than an actual place to live in comfort or else their car looks like they live in it every day. Their bodies display a worldly culture.

We are to have the “wine” quality for life now in this moment. Jesus took death for us, then let us dress like Him for the spiritually and  morally is alive in His words and commands. Amen!

   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

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Peace of God: Strong and Undisturbed

Peace is not the absence of conflict. Peace is the presence of justice. 

Jesus spoke this: John 14:16-21; 24-31................16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever------17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor know Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.  19 "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." John 14:24-27 Amplified Bible 24 Anyone who does not [really ] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me. 25 I have told you these things while I am still with you. 26 But the Comforter  (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And he will cause you to recall ( will remind you of, bring to your remembrance ) everything I have told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled].     NKJV

1.            The person fearful, intimated, cowardly and unsettled will walk with hands outward, not to worship God but to complain in their muddied water…muddied condition…a muddied environment!

2.            Holy Spirit gives clear counsel, gives us ability to remember everything Jesus spoke when we know what He has spoken

3.            Jesus said: “do not permit” yourselves to be the agitated, disturbed, fearful, intimidated, cowardly and unsettled; Peter was warned: love others as I have loved you; Being a disciple of Jesus we are to love other disciples of Jesus, We are to love our neighbors as ourselves!

Hebrews 12:14 ..NKJV  14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

Holiness starts in one's relationship with the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Justification through God's merciful act of grace opens the door of access to Him, as well as the door to the Kingdom of God. Justification is entirely an act of God, a legal action on our behalf that we accept by faith because He does not lie. Others do not easily discern our justification, since in most cases it has no outward manifestation.

 1.            While sanctification unto holiness begins at the same moment as justification, it is a progressive, creative, time-consuming work of God within us.

2.            Unlike justification, sanctification cannot be hidden because it appears in our godly conduct. By it, a witness is made that God dwells in us. Where there is no holiness, there is no witness to glorify God.

3.            So we see that justification and sanctification are two separate matters. They are related - indeed, they cannot be separated - but we should never confuse them. If one partakes in either, he is a partaker of both, but we should not overlook the distinctions between them.

Christians cannot take sanctification for granted. We must pursue it until we are assured that we are sanctified. Our course is clear: We must go to Christ as forgiven sinners, offering our lives to Him by faith, crying out to Him for the grace we need to enable us to overcome all the flaws in our characters. Anyone have in flaws in their character? We are to be responsible, but are we? Just saw where a governor is asking a certain party to put forth violence! Does that sound responsible to love your neighbor?

The apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:19, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." The same apostle adds in Ephesians 4:15-16:   . . . but, speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - 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.

Close communication with Christ is the source of the perception, motivation, and energy to discern flaws and overcome them. Discernment is vital in today’s walk!

1.            It is a biblical principle that whatever God requires, He provides what we need to accomplish it. Thus, we are to draw from this inexhaustible well and be renewed every day in the spirit of our minds (verses 23-24). Ephesians 4:23-24 NKJV 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

2.            In John 17:17, on the night before His crucifixion, Jesus asked the Father to sanctify us by His truth. Will God not answer that prayer, especially when we desire to be sanctified to be like His Son? He most certainly will answer it so that our sanctification will continue.

Perhaps a word of caution is in order, and with it an admonishment that we also ask for patience. Growth does not always come quickly. In addition, as we grow in knowledge, at the same time we become more perceptive of our flaws. The more we know, the more flaws we see, and this can become humiliating and discouraging. The humility it produces is good, but the discouragement is not so good if it halts our growth.

1.            Paul faced this, writing of it in Romans 7, but he most certainly did not let it stop him. By the time he finishes his discourse, he declares resoundingly that he knows he will be delivered by Jesus Christ.

2.            Sinners we are when we begin, and sinners we find ourselves to be as we continue - we will be sinners to the very end. Salvation is by grace, is it not? Our absolute perfection will not occur until we are changed "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet" (I Corinthians 15:52).

While reaching for God's holiness, we should not let our goals ever be anything but the highest. We should never let Satan convince us that we can be satisfied with what we are right now.

In the New Testament, Jesus’ baptism marked four important events:

1.      The Word came to earth.

2.      The heavens were opened.

3.      The Spirit descended.

4.      A voice came from heaven and spoke.

The moment God sends His word to our heart, the Spirit of God alights on that word and becomes a voice. It is the Spirit doing it and not us. Our mouths are used to voice that word.

Results they saw in that day were miracles, churning seas became peaceful and the dead walked out of the tomb! Christ Jesus gave a promise: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father”…(John 14:22) He was saying “ I am going back to the Father, but you will become the voice of God.” Christ is the Word of the Father, but we were to be that voice. In (Acts 2:4)…..” They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

An important thing to note here is that the Pharisees once asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. Jesus replied, the kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “Look there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you..” (Luke 17:20-21)

Conflicts can mount up in the lives of people! But Jesus told us to pursue peace. Matthew 10:13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. Matthew 10:34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

1.       From this Jesus is bringing truth and justice to earth.

2.       Family relationships is not attacked but certainly can move past when loyalty is for Jesus only.

3.       We cannot serve the world and Jesus too!

4.       We must recognize and anticipate that personal discipleship and commitment to Jesus can result in division and rejection.

Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two,  thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the  enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

What Apostle Paul wrote here was to gives sight into Jesus the Man of Peace who accomplished removing that WALL of Separation. He abolished in His flesh the enmity and so created in Himself one new man from the two. He preached the Gospel of Peace to us and to millions around the world by the word given us in the Holy Bible.  In Philippians 4: 6-7 NKJV Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests by made known to God.

1.       This passage is more than petitioning, but suggests an intensity of earnestness in extended prayer----not to gain merit by many words, but to fully transfer the burden of one’s soul into God’s mighty hands.

2.       Trust is to be in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is more than enough. To live in righteousness is far from conflict, but settled and centered in Christ and His Words of Peace!

3.       Salvation is a wonderful thing. Living for Christ is living in light to see more light. But even more, we worship Him who is seated at the right hand of God. We have a Great Intercessor is praying for us who love Him. Maintaining God’s peace by focusing with interest and ambition heavenward to cultivate His values: Colossians 3:1-16 NKJV  If then you were raised with Christ seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and  your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and  covetousness, which is idolatry. 6Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

1.   So Paul lists those things we once lived in as to: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry

2.   These come under the wrath of God and pertain to disobedience...........  Why stop these? Because the wrath of God is coming upon those who participate and practice that disobedience.

3.  Idolatry is the activity of the “human heart” :It starts in the heart, craving, wanting, enjoying, being satisfied by anything that you treasure more than God. This covetousness, a disordered love or desire, loving more than God what ought to be loved less than God and only for the sake of God.

4.   Jesus warned Peter! Peter was to make note to “love one another; as I (Jesus) have loved you, that you also love one another. It is a heart ordered right in God and in His image!  Interesting about Peter, Jesus knew that he was thinking about leaving and Jesus spoke to him and the other disciples in John 6:66-71 NKJV From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You  have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve and one of you is a devil?” 71 he spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

The more we learn how Jesus walked each time, further into more peace and into that strength that can only come from God. It was not by separating Himself from that which He had to do. What we refuse to do, or even that which seems hard, but when we continue to walk with those God has placed around us, and speak to those we must speak to and with, we find, when a "storm" does come, it is one that we call that peace of God, to see the chaos removed.

What authority do we carry when walking through this journey of life? What amount of authority can be seen when facing an enemy we have never met before? The only authority that counts is that which is from God, and remaining in Him, and staying away from sin will mark the path we walk, abiding in Him, and seeing those waves grow calm.

Romans 8:31b   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 You sake we are killed all day lone; W are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

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