The Cup of Death For the Cup of Life – Part 2

John 3:1-7
1  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

We are told explicitly in verse three that a person must be born again to see the kingdom of God.  To be born again, one must have first been born, or they would not be born again, but rather just birthed or just born.

4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

In verse five we are told that unless a person is born of water and of the Spirit, they can not enter the kingdom of God.  Many people teach that when you are born of your mother, that this is being born of the water that was spoken of by Jesus.  This teaching goes against the fact that verse three and verse seven both tell us we must be born again.  It is impossible to be born again, if you were never born the first time.  And when you are born the first time, that would not be being born again, but that would again be as stated above, just birthed or just born.

The very word again means, “to do once more; another time; anew; in addition.”  So the very word again lets us know, that it has to be in addition to the first time that it has taken place.

Verse six also goes completely against the teaching that when you are born of your mother, that this is being born of the water that was spoken of by Jesus.  We are told in verse six that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  So to be born of your mother would be of the flesh.  But we were just told that which is born of the flesh is of the flesh.  We want to be born again of the Spirit and as Jesus told us, this will also involve water.  Listen carefully again to what Jesus tells Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

If you have not partaken of being born again of water and of the Spirit, you will not be able to enter into the kingdom of God.  This is not something you just want to shrug off or worry about at another time.  Death can happen at any time.  And when it does, the opportunity for forgiveness is gone.

Now that we understand that the Cup of Life, the kingdom of God involves being born again of water and of the Spirit, let’s find out where the kingdom of God is.

Luke 17:20-21
20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Now that we know where the kingdom of God is, let’s continue in the book of Acts chapter one, where the author Luke is writing a second time to a man named Theophilus of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Acts 1:1-14
1  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3  To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12  Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.
13  And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

The teaching continues on what took place in the upper room, and the fulfillment of the instructions of how to be born again of water and of the Spirit, in chapter two of the book of Acts.

Acts 2:1-39
1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11  Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12  And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13  Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

At this point we are told that this outpouring of the Holy Ghost was a fulfillment of the prophet Joel.  Remember, Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, and is establishing a New Covenant or a New Testament.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts:  and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

O the Cup of Life, wherein righteousness is found, from the Cup of Blood that was poured out on the ground!  The Cup of blood that will never run dry! The Cup of Love wherein grace doth abound!  The Cup of Death wherein my King shall be crowned!  The Cup of the Spirit, wherein are redemption is nigh!

Continuing from Acts chapter 2 verse19……..

19  And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

These three verses that we have just read, have not yet taken place.  This is a prophecy concerning the Sixth Seal and the time just prior to the Battle of Armageddon.

Revelation 6:12-17
12  And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13  And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Also it is important to understand that Verse 21 of Acts which read, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” is speaking of the Nation of Israel.  During the Battle of Armageddon, Jerusalem will be invaded.  This is when God will fulfill his Covenant with them, as we were told in Romans chapter 11 There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer.

Zechariah 14:2-4
2  For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3  Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

In the breaking of the Sixth Seal recall there was a Great Earthquake and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.  When Jesus’ feet stand upon the mount of Olives, this will be the Great Earthquake.  We are told that the mountain shall cleave in the midst thereof and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

When the people of Israel that remain run to their Messiah, we are told in……

Zechariah 13:6
6  And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

And then…..

Zechariah 12:10
10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Continuing from Acts chapter 2 verse22……..

22  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25  For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28  Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35  Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Now that Apostle Peter has explained unto the men that were gathered together from every nation at Jerusalem what was taking place that they were both seeing and hearing; that being the Holy Ghost that was poured out as the Prophet Joel had prophesied of and that God had made Jesus, whom they had crucified both Lord and Christ, he will now continue and tell everyone what they must do, to partake of the Cup of Life from the Cup of Death.

37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Apostle Peter has just given us the instructions for eternal life.  Notice in verse 39 he tells us the promise is unto all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.  I would say, he made certain that he expressed that this promise was for everyone not only that was present there at the time, but to every generation that was to come.

So to partake of the Cup of Life, Jesus told Nicodemus we must be born again of water and of the Spirit.  And now Apostle Peter has told us to, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, (being born of water) and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (being born of the Spirit.)  This is the promise we have from God of eternal life.

If you have not followed the instructions for what Apostle Peter has told us to do, to partake of eternal life, then this should become your number one priority.  Don’t be one of those people who never follow instructions correctly.

Now that you can understand the fulfillment of Jesus’ words concerning being born again of water and of the Spirit, we will focus are attention on the importance of obedience.

Romans 16:25-27  [Apostle Paul speaking]
25  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
26  But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
27  To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

Here Apostle Paul has revealed something of great importance to us.  He starts out by speaking of God who has the power to establish us.  But notice how we are established.  Apostle Paul words it as, “according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ.”  This would be the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He then tells us the mystery has been kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest by the scriptures.  The ending of verse 26 is what Apostle Paul reveals to us that is of great importance.  This was made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.

Obedience is and has always been what the Lord requires from us.  Whether it was  Adam and Eve when told not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or when Noah was told to build an arc and preach that it was going to rain and kill everyone not in the arc, or when Abram was told to sacrifice his only son, the son of promise, or when Moses gave the Law unto the people of Israel, or when the children of Israel were told to take and possess the Promise Land but instead were of the spirit of doubt.  Just as they were required to be obedient, we too are required to be obedient.  We are to be obedient to our faith in Christ.

Let’s first clarify the Gospel of Christ as Apostle Paul tells us what it is in……..

1 Corinthians 15:1-8
1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Now we know what the Gospel of Christ is.  That Jesus Christ died, was buried, and on the third day, he rose again.  So we must be obedient to our faith in the Gospel of Christ, which would be that we are born again, by partaking of the Lord’s death (repentance), burial (water baptism in Jesus name), and resurrection (being filled with the Holy Ghost).

To exercise one’s faith in something, one must produce some type of action.  To better understand this concept of obedience of faith, let’s read what Apostle James tells us……..

James 2:20-26
20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

So we find that faith is an action word.  If there is no action attached to your faith, then your faith is dead.  We also are told that we must be obedient to faith.  So not only must you put forth an action, it must obey your faith.  For example.

If I say that I have faith that a smoke detector will save me if my home were to catch fire, and I purchase a smoke detector that instructs me that I must install a battery, and I did not.  If my home were to catch fire, would the smoke detector save me?  Was I obedient to my faith in the smoke detector?

So if I say that I have faith that Jesus Christ will save me, and I was instructed that I must be born of water and of the Spirit the way that Apostle Peter has told us to do, and I have not.  When Jesus Christ returns to catch away his Saints will He save me?  Was I obedient to my faith in Jesus Christ?

James 1:22-25
22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Romans 6:16-17
16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

What doctrine that was delivered unto you?  The doctrine of the Gospel of Christ.  Which was the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that fulfills being born again of water and of the Spirit, which leads us unto a life of separation, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

So not only must we be obedient unto our Faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we now will learn that this obedience unto faith will lead us to a life of separation, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 7:1
14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
7:1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

So once we become a New Creature in Christ Jesus, we then move into a life of separation, perfecting holiness in the FEAR of God.

1 John 2:15-17
15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

In Closing of the Cup of Death for the Cup of Life,

Hebrews 12:1-14
1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

The Cup of Life, being born again!  The body of sin put to Death!!  A New Creature the Lord has made!  For obedience in His name!!  The Cup of Wisdom poured out from above!  Foreordained from the only Just One.  Predestinated according to His Will!  Purge yourself for you are part of Him!  Until Time be taken out of the way!    So that all things can be fulfilled!  Behold, the Ancient of Days!!! World without end!!!

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The Cup of Death For the Cup of Life – Part 1

Let’s begin with the prophesied birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Isaiah 9:6-7
6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

We will continue our reading with the prophecy of the “Cup of Death” that Jesus must partake of so that we may partake of the “Cup of Life”.

Isaiah 53:1-12
1  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2  For he {Jesus} shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

We were bought, bought with a price!  The price?, was the “Cup of Death”!  Bought with the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ.  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 22:14-20
14  And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
15  And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
16  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18  For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

O the Precious “Cup of Death!”  The Cup of the New Testament Paid in Full by the Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Worthy Lamb of God.

Hear the Price!!  Hear the Price!!, of the Cup of Death.

Matthew 26:38-44
38  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39  And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

We learn in ……

Luke 22:43-45
43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
45  And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

Hear the Price??  Hear the Price??, of the Cup of Death!!  The Cup of Death for the Cup of Life!!  Everlasting Life!! If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Let’s continue and read about “The Collection of the Payment.”

Matthew 26:63-68
63  But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
64  Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
66  What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
67  Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
68  Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

This was only the beginning of the Suffering that Christ would come to know, so that you and I could partake of the “Cup of Life.”  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.  And let him that heareth say, Come.  And let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Due to Jewish Law, Caiaphas the high priest did not have the authority to sentence Jesus Christ to death.  So they delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate the governor of Judea, in hopes that Pilate would crucify Him for claiming to be a King, when there was only one King of Rome, that being Caesar.

Matthew 27:22-31
22  Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23  And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
26  Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
27  Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
28  And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
29  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
30  And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31  And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Listen to the Prophet Isaiah as he speaks of Jesus……

Isaiah 50:6
6  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

Hear the Price!!  Hear the Price!!, of the “Cup of Death for the Cup of Life”??

The Time has come!!  The Hour is at Hand!!  The Lord Jesus Christ was nailed to a Tree!  Their to Drink the Cup of Sin!!  Why, Why, you may ask, would He die on a Tree for Me??  Why, Why, would my savior die on that Cross for me??  He Drank the Cup of Death, the Cup of Death He Drank it for me, for in the Cup of Death, the curse of the Law we were redeemed.

Psalms 109:25
25  I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.

Deliver Me my Darling!!

Psalms 22:1-31
1  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2  O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3  But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4  Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5  They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6  But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7  All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8  He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9  But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.
10  I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
11  Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12  Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13  They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15  My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17  I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18  They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19  But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20  Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21  Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22  I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23  Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24  For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25  My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26  The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27  All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28  For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.
29  All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30  A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31  They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Matthew 27:46-54
46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47  Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48  And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49  The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54  Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

The Price??  Now “Paid in Full”.  And the Judgment of the Jewish people for what they have done??  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Psalms 69:19-28
19  Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.
20  Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21  They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22  Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
23  Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.
24  Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
25  Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.
26  For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
27  Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.
28  Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Now we can understand why the Jewish people as a whole are blinded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  For as concerning the gospel, they are enemies for the sake of the Gentiles: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.

However, there are some Jewish people whose hearts and eyes have been opened to the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In the Book of Romans chapter 11 we are told that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.  This will take place at the Battle of Armageddon.

Now we will turn our focus to Jesus Christ being in the bowels of the Earth for three days preaching unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.

Matthew 12:40
40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

I Peter 3:18-19
18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Psalms 16:5-11
5  The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
6  The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
7  I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
8  I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9  Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
11  Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

The Risen Christ, who has drank of the Cup of Death!!  There be none like Him!!  For He drank the Cup of Sin, the Cup of Death, for the Cup of Life He poured out His love for you and for me.

Luke 24:33-49
33  And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34  Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35  And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
36  And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37  But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38  And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39  Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40  And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet.
41  And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42  And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43  And he took it, and did eat before them.
44  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48  And ye are witnesses of these things.
49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

O Give me of this Cup of Life to Drink!!  Pour out your Spirit upon me!  This Cup of Life that sets me free from the bondage of Death that satan had over me.  The Cup of Life where grace is free, to all of them that have an ear and obey.  For I am athirst and the Water of Life is free, to every man whosoever he be, that calls upon the name of the Lord and will serve Him not only in word but in deed.

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Come let us Grow Together: Let the Peace of God Rule in your Hearts

Come let us Grow Together is a weekly series that deals with the many topical categories that exist within the Word of God.  The purpose of this series is to grow in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in things pertaining to God.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Col 3:15)

Do you want the peace of God to rule in your heart?  Then you must let it take place.  You must let the peace of God rule in your heart.  It isn’t an automatic process.

So how do you let the peace of God rule in your heart and mind?

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7)

A precious promise of God!!  However, the key to allowing this peace of God to keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus was to 1) Be careful for nothing.  Which means do not allow yourself to be anxious for anything!!  2) But in every thing by prayer and supplication 3) With thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

At that point is when you say never the less Lord your will be done and not my will.  It is at this point that you 1) Choose to refuse to allow yourself to be anxious 2) That you place your faith in the Lord that whatever the Potter chooses to do will work together for your good 3) You then place your trust into the Potter’s hand 4) Wait with patience for what you have sought from the Potter 5) Accepting the will of the Potter with contentment.

This is a delicate balance of belief, faith, hope, trust, acceptance, patience, and contentment.  You must maintain each one of these in order to allow the peace of God to rule your heart and mind.

If any one of these gets out of balance due to the thoughts you are having you will lose the peace of God that you were experiencing.  This is because Belief and Hope maintain your Faith and Trust.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

If you allow yourself to begin to Worry, then the Hope you had in what you sought from God will begin to waver which will directly influence your Faith.  This negative influence on your Faith will then begin to destroy your Trust that you had in God, which will then begin to destroy your Belief in what you Hoped for in God.

If you Believe and Hope then with Patience you must Wait.  Seal up the BREACH in your mind and allow the peace of God to once again rule in your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. (Lk 12:29)

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:13)

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Pro 3:5-6)

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Rom 8:24-25)

If you want Peace in the midst of your Storm, you must let Patience have her perfect work within you.  You must learn to Accept and be Content in knowing that ALL things will work together to the Good for them that are the Called according to God’s purpose.  There is a Season and a Time to Every purpose under the heaven.

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Philip 4:11)

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4)

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28)

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: (Eccl 3:1)

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are True, whatsoever things are Honest, whatsoever things are Just, whatsoever things are Pure, whatsoever things are Lovely, whatsoever things are of Good Report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS. Those things, which ye have both LEARNED, and RECEIVED, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philip 4:8-9)

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C & C: The Mighty Acts of God

Connections and Comparisons is an ongoing weekly series that deals with many scriptures in the Bible, some of which are not commonly addressed.  The purpose of this series is to examine the scriptures at hand comparing what is said and looking at the connections within.

Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Jeremiah 23:29-32
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.

Psalms 113:1-9
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.
3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

Isaiah 45:5-9
5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Deuteronomy 32:39-43
39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

Job 26:6-14
6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
9 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.
10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.
12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.
13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

Job 38:28-37
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

Isaiah 40:21-26
21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Psalms 147:4-11
4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Psalms 104:1-35
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.
10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.
32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

Job 28:1-28
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
8 The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Proverbs 8:1-36
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Genesis 3:9-21
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Micah 5:1-4
1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

Luke 1:1-38
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25  hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Isaiah 40:3-5
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Luke 3:1-18
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

John 1:1-36
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Matthew 2:1-6
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Isaiah 50:1-9
1 Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.
4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

Isaiah 53:1-12
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Romans 11:9-36
9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:6-8
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Ephesians 4:8-32
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

1 John 3:7-8
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Ephesians 3:1-21
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

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So What Happened When Jesus Died on the Cross Anyway?

Mark 15:37-38
37  And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
38  And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

Jesus’ soul went into hell where he preached to the imprisoned souls.

Acts 2:25-32
25  For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28  Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

1 Peter 3:18-20
18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Both Paradise and Hell were in the bowels of the Earth at this time.  Two areas separated by a great gulf fixed between them.  The one side of this area of departed souls was for the wicked while the other side was for the righteous.  Those that were wicked opened their eyes in flames of fire.  While those that were righteous entered into Abraham’s bosom, which was also called Paradise.

The greek word in use here for hell is:
86. haides, hah’-dace; from G1 (as a neg. particle) and G1492; prop. unseen, i.e. “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls:–grave, hell.

Luke 16:19-31
19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

After three days Jesus rose from the dead.

Matthew 27:52-53
52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

The Lord Jesus also took back the power that the devil had over mankind.

Hebrews 2:14
14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Revelation 1:18
18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

After Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected, he told His disciples:

Luke 24:46-53
46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48  And ye are witnesses of these things.
49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50  And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52  And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53  And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Luke, the beloved physician, is also the author of the book of Acts.

Acts 1:3-5
3  To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

When the Apostles and disciples gathered in Jerusalem and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God, they were waiting upon the Holy Ghost as Jesus had promised them.

Remember we are in transition from the Old Testament Covenant to the New Testament Covenant.

Luke 22:20b
This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

No Testament can come into force without the death of the testator.

Hebrews 9:16-17
16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

The outpouring of the Holy Ghost when the day of Pentecost was fully come, was the fulfilling of the New Testament Covenant, which is:

Hebrews 8:10-13
10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

As soon as the Holy Ghost was poured out, when the day of Pentecost was fully come, this is what took place:

Acts 2:1-4
1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

When the multitudes gathered together and asked what was the meaning of what was going on, this is what was spoken:

Acts 2:36-42
36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

This is how you partake of the New Testament Covenant that the Lord spoke,  I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people……For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

The only way that this can take place for you is to follow what the Apostle Peter has spoken, which was, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

To download any of our free audio or written sermons or to listen to our free radio station be sure to visit us @ http://www.ensnaredindistractions.com/

Come let us Grow Together: The Circumcision of Christ

Come let us Grow Together is a weekly series that deals with the many topical categories that exist within the Word of God.  The purpose of this series is to grow in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in things pertaining to God.

So what takes place in water baptism anyway??

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Col  2:11-13)

This is crucial to understand.  Once you have repented and then you are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, you must have faith in the operation of God.  The operation of the circumcision of Christ, or the cutting away of your sins!!!!

This takes place in the baptism as you are buried with Him and then believing that just as God raised Jesus from the dead in like manner you now are to walk in newness of life.

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. (Rom 6:3-7)

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal 3:24-27)

Not only is it in the water that we are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, or the cutting away of our sins that takes place, it is also when we put on the name of Christ.  That is why it is so important that when you are baptized, that you are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.  For that is when you take on His name.

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:12-16)

Here again, we see that it is in the water baptism, that your sins are cut away with the circumcision made without hands, and thus why we invoke the name of the Lord, for our sins are being washed away.  Not by magic of the water.  But because of the faith of the operation of God.

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: (1 Peter 3:20-21)

This particular passage many times is used to try to justify that baptism is not necessary and  nothing more than the answer of a good conscience toward God. But this is to ignore all the other scriptures as well as what was spoken, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.”  Just as the water saved Noah and his family, even so does water baptism in Jesus name now save us from our inherited sins from birth.

The Apostle Peter is the very one that told us, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (Acts 2:38-39)

Here, the Apostle Peter has again stressed, that just as Noah was saved by water, we also by like figure are saved by water through baptism.  Then stating, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh.  Meaning, we aren’t getting into the water to be baptized for the flesh but for our souls.  It is the answer of a good conscience toward God, because of our faith of the operation of God, which was the circumcision of Christ, the circumcision made without hands.  The cutting away or washing away of our sins!!!!

To download any of our free audio or written sermons or to listen to our free radio station be sure to visit us @ http://www.ensnaredindistractions.com/

Saved by Grace, if you are Obedient unto Righteousness

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

Let’s talk about these couple of versus for a moment.  We are saved by grace through faith.  So it is through our faith in God we obtain His grace.  It is the gift of God and not of works.  We are his workmanship created unto….. Good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in these Good works.

So even though we are not saved by Works, we are told we were created to walk in Good works.  We are not saved by these good works, but we are saved by our obedience to the keeping of God’s commandments and by walking even as He walked.

1 John 2:1-6
1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

So we are saved by Grace and not of Works.  So if we are saved by God’s grace, then shouldn’t we understand what the Grace of God teaches us, and how the Grace of God works???

Titus 2:11-14
11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Here again, we were told that we as the children of God, should be zealous of Good works.  Now let us expound upon this passage of scriptures for a moment.  The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men… and it teaches us something…. that we should:   1) Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, 2) that we should live soberly, righteously, and Godly, in this present world, 3) We should be looking for the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

This is what the Grace of God teaches us and how we should be living.  Otherwise, we are not following after the Grace of God that saves us.

What is ungodliness and worldly lusts?  Ungodliness is living in wickedness and sinfulness.  Worldly lusts is a longing or desire to take part in things that are of the world in which the world craves after and desires.  These things are not of God.

I John 2:16-17
16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

But we who are alive from the dead are to grow in the grace of God which teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and Godly, in this present world.

To live Soberly, means to have a sound mind; showing self-control.

To live Righteously means to behave in an upright, moral way; a virtuous life of moral excellence.

To live Godly is to have great reference for God and to keep is commandments.

These three things are how the Children of the most high God will conduct themselves.  For the Grace of God teaches us to walk after the Spirit of Christ.

Romans 6:12-18
12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
(Listen carefully….)
16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Have you obeyed that form of doctrine that was delivered unto you?  How that Christ died for our sins, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures?  Have you been freed from sin?  Have you been born again of the water and of the Spirit?  Have you been sanctified by the blood of the Lamb and the Spirit of Christ?  Have you been obedient unto the doctrine of Jesus Christ?

If not, hear it tonight!!!

Acts 2:36-39
36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

This is being born again of the water and of the Spirit.  This is what the Grace of God will lead you to do so that you will have eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

Romans 6:22-23
22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:17-19
17  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Now that we understand that the Grace of God teaches us to live a life of separation from ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; let’s talk about how the grace of God is applied by the process of Justification.

Romans 3:19-28
19  Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
(Hear it tonight…..)
24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

This is how the process of Justification by Grace takes place.

27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Let’s look at those 3 verses again.

Romans 3:24-26 (Hear again the process of Justification by Grace)
24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Justified by grace through the regaining of possession in exchange for payment.  In this case the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.

25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,

Which means that God set forth Jesus Christ to restore friendly relations between God and man by offering a blood sacrifice to appease God for the wrong that was done unto Him by the disobedience of mankind.

(Cont…)
to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

This means that we are justified freely by God’s grace through the death of Jesus Christ his son, that through our faith in His blood, we may obtain the free gift of Righteousness without the works of the Law, but by our obedient actions of faith in His death, burial, and resurrection.

At this time this may sound confusing to you, but will clear up in just a moment.

Romans 4:6-8
6  Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

The Process of Justification by Grace works by imputation.  Which means to charge to the account of one.  To those that are obedient to God, he will ascribe to their account righteousness.  Thus making God the Justifier of many without the works of the Law, and not found in we ourselves, but by the free gift of God.

This means that though you and I are worthy of death because of our inherited sins, that because Jesus Christ came and died on the Cross for us, that if we also our obedient to His death, burial, and resurrection, then because we have been covered by His blood and filled with His Spirit with the evidence of speaking in another tongue as the Spirit gives the utterance, that God will forgive us of our sins and lay to our charge, His righteousness.  Thus we become righteous not by our works but by the Spirit of Christ that now resides within us.

On the flip side, God laid to the account of Jesus Christ the sin of the World.  And thus Jesus Christ became sin by imputation that sin might be destroyed in His body on the Cross.

This does not mean that you no longer can sin.  This means that Jesus paid the price for sin from the beginning of time to the end of time and destroyed it so that those who were obedient to Him could die a spiritual death and become alive in Christ.

If you do not partake of the born again process of God, then you have no life in you, and thus you are not only guilty of your sins but also of trodden under foot the Son of God, and counting the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done insult unto the Spirit of grace.

I say unto you, don’t let the free Gift of God, the plan of Salvation, the born again experience of the water and the Spirit, slip away from your grasp tonight.  Lay hold on eternal life and fight the good fight of faith, whereunto you were also called.

Repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins can be remitted. And seek for the Spirit of God by obedience, by prayer, and by your desire to be part with Christ.

To download any of our free audio or written sermons or to listen to our free radio station be sure to visit us @ http://www.ensnaredindistractions.com/

C & C : Christ the Centerpiece

Connections and Comparisons is an ongoing weekly series that deals with many scriptures in the Bible, some of which are not commonly addressed.  The purpose of this series is to examine the scriptures at hand comparing what is said and looking at the connections within.

If Christ is not the Centerpiece of your life, then you need to make Him the centerpiece of your life today or you will die lost and go to hell and eventually the Lake of Fire.  “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:14-16)

Revelation 20:7-15
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This walk with God that we are living is not fun and games in the sense of foolishness, wickedness, iniquity, and sin.  If Christ is not the Centerpiece of your walk with God it is clearly written what your end will be.

If Christ is the Centerpiece of your life then what should your walk with God look like?  Should you be listening to the radio with talk show hosts speaking ungodly content?  Listening to filthy songs that speak of the wickedness of the flesh and the lusts of this life?  Do you really think Christ is the Centerpiece of your life while you are partaking of these things?

What about smoking cigarettes and drinking whiskey, beer, and other forms of alcoholic drinks?  Is this making Christ the Centerpiece in your life?  How about when your snorting and shooting up?  Is this making Christ the Centerpiece in your life?
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29) “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

If fornicators and adulterers are not going to inherit eternal life and Christ is the Centerpiece of your life, then why do you watch movies and TV shows with such lewdness and lasciviousness?  If idolaters are not going to inherit eternal life and Christ is the Centerpiece of your life, then why are you worshiping your own opinions over the Word of God?  Why are you idolizing celebrities, entertainers, sports players, and all of the things the world is idolizing?

If effeminates and abusers of themselves with mankind are not going to inherit eternal life and Christ is the Centerpiece of your life, then why do you embrace their ways and follow after their folly and their shame?  If thieves and those who covet are not going to inherit eternal life and Christ is the Centerpiece of your life, then why do you admire, wonder after, and covet the wicked and their ways? “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” (Ephesians 4:28)

If drunkards are not going to inherit eternal life and Christ is the Centerpiece of your life, then
why are you celebrating with them?  If revilers are not going to inherit eternal life and Christ is the Centerpiece of your life, then why do you rail upon one another?  If extortioners are not going to inherit eternal life and Christ is the Centerpiece of your life, then why rob God?  “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” (Malachi 3:8) “Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?” (Isaiah 10:1-3)

It’s time to do some housekeeping and I mean not only your literal dwelling place but also your temple.  It’s time to make some changes in your heart and make Christ the Centerpiece of your life.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

1 Peter 2:21-25
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Matthew 23:25-28
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Many sinners just love these verses to condemn the righteous but they themselves either don’t recognize or don’t care that they too are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness, and filthiness of the flesh.  Woe unto you too for you love to condemn the just and make excuses to establish your own righteousness!  Woe unto you too for you love to make pretense and show that you are pure but within you are full of envy, jealousy, bitterness, hatred, and many other iniquities and uncleanness.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

It is God that they despise and if they call themselves a brother or sister then you are not to keep company with them because they sow discord and have despised God.  If they do not call themselves a brother or sister then you still are not to keep company with them other than for the cause of witnessing the gospel to them that they may repent and turn from their wicked lifestyle.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

It’s time to make Christ the Centerpiece of your life and touch not the unclean thing!!  It’s time  to clean “first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” (Matthew 23:26) It’s time to clean up your heart and your lifestyle and behavior will reflect that which is within your heart.  If Christ is the Centerpiece of your life, then “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

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The five-fold ministry

Ephesians 4:11
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

There are some people who teach that there is no longer Apostles and Prophets in what has come to be called the five-fold ministry, believing that these two offices or callings no longer exist today.  There isn’t any scriptural backing for this, actually it’s quite to the contrary as you can see from the Apostle Paul’s writings.  Not only do we see the five-fold ministry here listed by the Apostle Paul but he also writes, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?” (1 Corinthians 12:27-29) So what is the purpose of the five-fold ministry within the body of Christ?

Ephesians 4:12-16
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The five-fold ministry was given to the Church by God for the perfecting of the saints, meaning for the equipping or training of the saints for the work of ministry or the service of ministering so that the body of Christ can adequately minister to the many needs of both the body of Christ as well as to those who are not yet part of the body of Christ.

The five-fold ministry was also given to the Church for the edifying of the body of Christ. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Romans 14:17-19)

Till we all come in the unity of the faith – The Church is to be a unified body, that there should be no schism in the body, but rather that the body is unified in the faith or the gospel teaching of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”. (Philippians 1:27) “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures”. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

So the five-fold ministry was given to the Church by God so that the body of Christ could be fully equipped or trained for the service of ministering to others, as well as for the edifying of itself in love as seen in verse 16 of Ephesians chapter 4 as the Apostle Paul continues expounding upon the functionality of the five-fold ministry.  Not only were we to come to the unity of the faith or the gospel teaching of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, and how we are to partake of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection in our own lives, but also the five-fold ministry was given so that we could all come in to the full discernment of the knowledge of the Son of God.  Understanding who the Son of God is and what work was accomplished through him through his atoning sacrifice unto God the Father. “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:11-15)

This knowledge of who the Son of God is, the accomplished work of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice to God, and our partaking of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection through the gospel message brings us “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”.  Where we “grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”. So that we are “no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”.

The five-fold ministry equipping or training the saints for the work of ministering and for the edifying of itself in love coupled with the correct understanding of the knowledge of who the son of God is, his accomplished mediatorial role between God and men, so that we could be born again by partaking of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection, was to bring us unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ so that we would not be any longer deceived by false doctrines of men whereby they wait in cunning craftiness to deceive you.

This accomplished mediatorial role of Christ between God and men by the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection, finds it’s fulfillment in the correct understanding of the knowledge of who the son of God really is and how we are to partake of the gospel message of hope of the born again process of God by being born of water and of the Spirit (Jn 3:1-7) through partaking of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection.  “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) “Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.” (Galatians 3:20) “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

This correct understanding of the knowledge of who the Son of God really is brings you to the fulfillment of the plan of Salvation laid out for us by the mediatorial work of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, which is found in the fulfilling of the gospel message of hope where we are born again of water and of the Spirit by repenting of our sins and being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins, and then we are given the promise that we will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

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