How can I Bear Fruit?

Today as I did my daily devotional, one of the scriptures I read, John 15:4, which I am familiar with, struck a cord in my heart and mind.
One of the things I want to do in my life is become closer to God and be lead by the Holy Spirit to do God's will.
I want to share the truth of God and the Word~Jesus, with the world to draw others to Christ.

Let me start by sharing the scripture in context.

John 15

New King James Version (NKJV)

The True Vine

 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

 

As many times as I have read this scripture, the words: "⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."

I never let the last part:    "unless you abide in Me."  sink in to my heart and brain.

If I do not abide in Him, His Word, His Will which is His Word, I cannot bear the fruit.

I would be like a cut off branch that has no root, no nourishment, no life.

I felt so bad when I realized all the sermons I gave to others, I was not following the message God had given me. STUDY, PRAY AND SEEK HIM!  How could I have expected the people to obey and listen if I was not doing the same.

 

Ephesians 2:10  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

1 John 4:7-8   Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

 

All these scriptures have one think in common, knowing God and living in that knowledge.

 

If I don't stay in His Word, in His presence, then I am nothing, have nothing and will be nothing.

God said:

 

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-10

 

 This is true, but, we know His ways and His thoughts when we read His Word, learn His Word, and listen to His Word made flesh, Jesus Christ.

 ^"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. "

2 Corinthians 5:17

 

When we study His Word, when we repeat His Word, when we live in His Word we become a branch that bears much fruit. And that fruit will lead us to being fulfilled in His Name.

To some of you this will be old knowledge, but to me it is Life more abundant.

 

In His Service, Always,

Susan

MY LORD and GOD

     Wow! Life can take so many twists and turns, sometimes it is hard to stay focused on what is important in life.
     This past week has been a struggle for me. I lost track of my priorities, and it was like falling down a hill and not being able to grab a hold on to anything, but before I hit the bottom of the hill, Jesus reached out to me and grabbed me by the hand and said, "Hang onto Me!"
   I cannot help but give Him thanks and honor and glory for His faithfulness in my life.  It is so easy to walk away from Him, and not realize you have done it.  Have you ever been in the store shopping with your spouse or a friend, and realized you were standing alone?  Thank God, He is actually right there all the time. We panic, and twist and turn and then realize He is right behind us all the time. He never left, but we have turned from Him.

Today He reminded me that He is there, always. Now I have to admit, I didn't walk away and fall into sin, but let my mind get so caught up in the daily living and doing and being, that even though I was still active in study and prayer, I lost sight of the One who matters, the One who cares and The Only One who is important.
It is so important for us to focus on Him, His Word, our relationship with Him.  We let the fact that we cannot see Him in physical form, keep us from seeing Him otherwise.  Now maybe this doesn't make sense to you, but to me it does.  I love to hold my husbands hand, or have him hug me close. It is only natural that we desire these things, because of the body we live in. We relate to touch, sight, smell, feelings.  Because God and Christ are Spirit beings we have trouble relating to them.  We also are a Spirit being, and we have to practice living in the Spirit. One day that is how we will live, but today we have to adjust to speaking, seeking and living as Spiritual beings.
Now, I hope I have made sense to you.  And I hope you will follow me on my journey.  I know my posts have been few and far too much time between.  But I will attempt to make them more often.  So if you want you can follow me through my life with God and Christ, and maybe find a way to walk in yours too.

In Christ's love and fellowship, Susan

 

TEACHING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Everyone these days has a difference of opinion about what we should teach our children.
Like everyone else I have an opinion.  Here is mine:

I believe we should teach our children the ten commandments of God, because under law or not, they tell children what is right and what is wrong.

In this day, we live in, many would prefer children go their own way. Unfortunately many have, and they have learned the wrong things and think they can do what is wrong with no punishment. Shootings, rapes, murder, stealing and even bullying have become the norm.  Many innocent children and people have suffered because of this.

The original Ten Commandments state:

The Ten Commandments

20 Then God spoke all these words, saying,

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of ^[a]slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods ^[b]before Me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself ^[c]an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. ⁵ You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶ but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

⁷ “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for theLord will not ^[d]leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

⁸ “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath of theLord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who ^[e]stays with you. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Even if only the last 6 commandments were taught, it would make a difference in how people act and live.

Those of us who are "born-again" and have been sealed by the Holy Spirit unto salvation, still know the importance of living a good life. Sins still cause destruction to our body and mind and those around us.

Simple..yes, true... I believe so.
What do you think?

CREATION OF THE WORLD: GOD OR SCIENCE(FICTION) ?

THE TRUTH:

Genesis 1:1-13 (ASV)
¹ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
² And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
³ And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
⁴ And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
⁵ And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
⁶ And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
⁷ And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
⁸ And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
⁹ And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
¹⁰ And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
¹¹ And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so.
¹² And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good.
¹³ And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. 

Confirmation   #1


John 1:1-5 (ASV)
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 through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.
⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
⁵ And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.




John 1:14 (ASV)
¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.



Confirmation   #2


Hebrews 1:1-3 (ASV)
¹ God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners,
² hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds;
³ who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;




Confirmation   #3

Hebrews 11:1-3 (ASV)
¹ Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.
² For therein the elders had witness borne to them.
³ By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear.




PROOF:  YOU KNOW IT IS TRUE IN YOUR HEART AND MIND, TO DENY IT IS TO DENY YOUR GOD AND CREATOR.  WATCH AND SEE WHEN JESUS TAKES HIS CHURCH AWAY VERY SOON, AND THEN AGAIN WHEN HE COMES BACK TO JUDGE THE REST OF THE WORLD.




SCIENCE:  THE BIG BANG THEORY  IS NOTHING BUT SCIENCE~FICTION
CAN NOT BE PROVEN, CAN NOT BE BACKED. ITS FALLACIES WILL BE KNOW SOON.

FAITH/GRACE vs. LAW

There is a lot of misunderstanding in the church today, just as there was in the time of Paul, about being under law or grace. 
You might ask what I mean about law or grace, well let me explain for you.

Some churches are telling Christians that once they are saved, or born of the Spirit, they still must repent of their sins daily in order to be saved.


Some churches are telling Christians that once they are saved, or born of the Spirit, they are saved forever.

So how do we know which is right?

Be exploring and studying scripture we can find the answers; but let me warn you, if you do not study all scripture you can be deceived.  Depending on your Bible version, you can misunderstand what is written.

I am going to give you three different examples, one from the King James Version (which many people prefer), another from the American Standard Version, and finally from the Amplified Version.

We will look at the teaching of Paul to the Galatians.

Galatians 2:15-21 (KJV) ¹⁵ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
¹⁷ But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
¹⁸ For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
¹⁹ For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 3:1-29 (KJV) ¹ O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
² This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
³ Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
⁴ Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
⁵ He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
⁶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
⁷ Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
⁸ And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
⁹ So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
¹¹ But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
¹² And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
¹³ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
¹⁴ That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
¹⁵ Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
¹⁶ Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
¹⁷ And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
¹⁸ For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
¹⁹ Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
²⁰ Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
²² But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
²³ But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
²⁴ Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
²⁵ But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
²⁶ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
²⁷ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
²⁹ And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.


Galatians 2:15-21 (ASV) ¹⁵ We being Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
¹⁶ yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
¹⁷ But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid.
¹⁸ For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor.
¹⁹ For I through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God.
²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
²¹ I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nought.

Galatians 3:1-29 (ASV) ¹ O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?
² This only would I learn from you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
³ Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?
⁴ Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain.
⁵ He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
⁶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
⁷ Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.
⁸ And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.
⁹ So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.
¹¹ Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith;
¹² and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.
¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
¹⁴ that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
¹⁵ Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.
¹⁶ Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
¹⁷ Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.
¹⁸ For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.
¹⁹ What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
²⁰ Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.
²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.
²² But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
²³ But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
²⁴ So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
²⁵ But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.
²⁶ For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.
²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.
²⁸ There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.
²⁹ And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.

Galatians 2:15-21  Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁵ [I went on to say] Although we ourselves (you and I) are Jews by birth and not Gentile (heathen) sinners,

¹⁶ Yet we know that a man is justified or reckoned righteous and in right standing with God not by works of the Law, but [only] through faith and [absolute] reliance on and adherence to and trust in Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). [Therefore] even we [ourselves] have believed on Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law [for we cannot be justified by any observance of the ritual of the Law given by Moses], because by keeping legal rituals and by works no human being can ever be justified (declared righteous and put in right standing with God).

¹⁷ But if, in our desire and endeavor to be justified in Christ [to be declared righteous and put in right standing with God wholly and solely through Christ], we have shown ourselves sinners also and convicted of sin, does that make Christ a minister (a party and contributor) to our sin? Banish the thought! [Of course not!]

¹⁸ For if I [or any others who have taught that the observance of the Law of Moses is not essential to being justified by God should now by word or practice teach or intimate that it is essential to] build up again what I tore down, I prove myself a transgressor.

¹⁹ For I through the Law [under the operation of the curse of the Law] have [in Christ’s death for me] myself died to the Law and all the Law’s demands upon me, so that I may [henceforth] live to and for God.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

²¹ [Therefore, I do not treat God’s gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.]

Galatians 3:1-29  Amplified Bible (AMP)

 O you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified?

² Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying the Law and doing its works, or was it by hearing [the message of the Gospel] and believing [it]? [Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith?]

³ Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?

⁴ Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing (to no purpose)—if it really is to no purpose and in vain?

⁵ Then does He Who supplies you with His marvelous [Holy] Spirit and works powerfully and miraculously among you do so on [the grounds of your doing] what the Law demands, or because of your believing in and adhering to and trusting in and relying on the message that you heard?

⁶ Thus Abraham believed in and adhered to and trusted in and relied on God, and it was reckoned and placed to his account and credited as righteousness (as conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action).

⁷ Know and understand that it is [really] the people [who live] by faith who are [the true] sons of Abraham.

⁸ And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify (declare righteous, put in right standing with Himself) the Gentiles in consequence of faith, proclaimed the Gospel [foretelling the glad tidings of a Savior long beforehand] to Abraham in the promise, saying, In you shall all the nations [of the earth] be blessed.

⁹ So then, those who are people of faith are blessed and made happy and favored by God [as partners in fellowship] with the believing and trusting Abraham.

¹⁰ And all who depend on the Law [who are seeking to be justified by obedience to the Law of rituals] are under a curse and doomed to disappointment and destruction, for it is written in the Scriptures, Cursed (accursed, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment) be everyone who does not continue to abide (live and remain) by all the precepts and commands written in the Book of the Law and to practice them.

¹¹ Now it is evident that no person is justified (declared righteous and brought into right standing with God) through the Law, for the Scripture says, The man in right standing with God [the just, the righteous] shall live by and out of faith and he who through and by faith is declared righteous and in right standing with God shall live.

¹² But the Law does not rest on faith [does not require faith, has nothing to do with faith], for it itself says, He who does them [the things prescribed by the Law] shall live by them [not by faith].

¹³ Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified);

¹⁴ To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit.

¹⁵ To speak in terms of human relations, brethren, [if] even a man makes a last will and testament (a merely human covenant), no one sets it aside or makes it void or adds to it when once it has been drawn up and signed (ratified, confirmed).

¹⁶ Now the promises (covenants, agreements) were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, his Heir). He [God] does not say, And to seeds (descendants, heirs), as if referring to many persons, but, And to your Seed (your Descendant, your Heir), obviously referring to one individual, Who is [none other than] Christ (the Messiah).

¹⁷ This is my argument: The Law, which began 430 years after the covenant [concerning the coming Messiah], does not and cannot annul the covenant previously established (ratified) by God, so as to abolish the promise and make it void.

¹⁸ For if the inheritance [of the promise depends on observing] the Law [as these false teachers would like you to believe], it no longer [depends] on the promise; however, God gave it to Abraham [as a free gift solely] by virtue of His promise.

¹⁹ What then was the purpose of the Law? It was added [later on, after the promise, to disclose and expose to men their guilt] because of transgressions and [to make men more conscious of the sinfulness] of sin; and it was intended to be in effect until the Seed (the Descendant, the Heir) should come, to and concerning Whom the promise had been made. And it [the Law] was arranged and ordained and appointed through the instrumentality of angels [and was given] by the hand (in the person) of a go-between [Moses, an intermediary person between God and man].

²⁰ Now a go-between (intermediary) has to do with and implies more than one party [there can be no mediator with just one person]. Yet God is [only] one Person [and He was the sole party in giving that promise to Abraham. But the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity was dependent on both].

²¹ Is the Law then contrary and opposed to the promises of God? Of course not! For if a Law had been given which could confer [spiritual] life, then righteousness and right standing with God would certainly have come by Law.

²² But the Scriptures [picture all mankind as sinners] shut up and imprisoned by sin, so that [the inheritance, blessing] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ (the Messiah) might be given (released, delivered, and committed) to [all] those who believe [who adhere to and trust in and rely on Him].

²³ Now before the faith came, we were perpetually guarded under the Law, kept in custody in preparation for the faith that was destined to be revealed (unveiled, disclosed),

²⁴ So that the Law served ^[a][to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ [came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right standing with God) by and through faith.

²⁵ But now that the faith has come, we are no longer under a trainer (the guardian of our childhood).

²⁶ For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.

²⁷ For as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union and communion with Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah] have put on (clothed yourselves with) Christ.

²⁸ There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male ^[b]and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

²⁹ And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham’s Seed], then you are Abraham’s offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.

Now I would ask you, what do you believe?
 I know I believe once saved always saved, but I also know that once I accepted Christ as my Savior and became a born again Christian, I was expected to conform to the workings of the Holy Spirit and change my life, I am not allowed to go on sinning, for in doing so I risk being in contempt.  But that is a whole different study.

ETERNAL LIFE and A QUALITY LIFE HERE AND NOW

 

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."

JOHN 3:1-21

 The primary purpose of Jesus' coming to this earth was to give us eternal life.

Sin separated us from God so Jesus dealt with sin. However, His payment for sin was just a step toward His ultimate purpose of reconciling man to God. If someone believes that Jesus died for their sins but doesn't go on to enter into the close fellowship with God that Jesus made available, then they are missing eternal life.
When we are born again, it is of the Spirit.  Remember Christ's words:

John 3:3-7 (KJV) 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. 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.


Eternal life is a quality of life. Eternal life is intimacy with the Father and Jesus (Jn. 17:3). Many people have been done a disservice in being told that Jesus came to forgive us of our sins "period'. If it had been all that He did, it would have been wonderful--and much more than we deserved--but much less than what He actually accomplished.

Isaiah 53:4-9 (KJV) 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.


John 10:7-11 (KJV) ⁷ Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
⁸ All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
He meant here on earth.
His blessing were meant for from the time we are saved and on into eternity.
For we know that our lives will be abundant in the New Kingdom.



For poverty He has given me wealth, for sickness He has given me health, for death He has given me eternal life (2 Corinthians 8:9; Isaiah 53:5-6; John 10:10; John 5:24).



 
GOD'S PROMISES ARE TRUE, HIS WORD WILL NOT RETURN TO HIM VOID BUT WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL HE SAYS

 

(The dominion of) The Earth Belongs to the Children of Men

Psalm 115:16
"The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's, but the earth hath He given to the children of men."

My last post confirmed this with the scriptures from Genesis 1: 26 & 28.

So we have the testimony of God two times, stating that God had given the earth to man to rule over.

Now can we agree that God gave dominion to man over the earth and all creation therein?

But what happened to man's dominion? 

Genesis 2: 15--17" And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.       And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

Genesis 3:1-6

 "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  And the eyes of them both were opened,"Notice that the  word says Adam was with Eve.  Adam watched the serpent (whom satan inhabited)  and heard his words and Eve's, knowing that  God had said to them both not  to eat of the tree. He had authority over the serpent, but instead of rebuking it with God's own words as Christ did when satan tempted Him in the desert, he just watched, listened and disobeyed God by eating the fruit.Now what did God do when they disobeyed Him?
 Genesis Chapter 3

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.  (Here God was speaking about Jesus and satan)

The punishment God promises for mankind

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.

22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Here God is speaking to Jesus and He had to keep man from eating of the tree of life, because if man did eat of that tree man would live forever in sin. Can you imagine the world would be like if man lived forever in sin and the world was full of evil.23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.When Adam gave satan power over man, he let satan bring evil into the world, which gave satan power to bring evil and destruction into the world. Satan then ruled the spiritual world and made havoc with the perfect creation that God had made.  It would be about 4000 years before that authority would be reclaimed by God through Christ Jesus and given to the body of Christ, His Church.

GOD CREATED WITH HIS TONGUE, AND GAVE MAN DOMINION OVER THE EARTH

Have you ever read The Book of Genesis?  I mean really read it and understood what it said?

Sometimes things seem so simple and yet we miss the even simplest things.

Let's look at Genesis Chapter 1.

 1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3. And God said,Let there be light: and there was light.
{NOTICE GOD CREATED WITH HIS WORD/BY SPEAKING WITH HIS TONGUE}
 4. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
 5. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
 6. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
 8. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
 9. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
10. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
 12. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
13. And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14. And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15. And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20. And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 25. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
26. And God said Let us make man in our image*, after our likeness* : and let them have dominion~ over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
 *{HERE WE SEE GOD TALKING TO SOME ONE WHO WAS WITH HIM IN THE BEGINNING REFER TO JOHN 1:1},

~NOTICE HERE THAT GOD GAVE MAN DOMINION - WHICH MEANS RULE-COMMAND-POWER

27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion~ over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
 30. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Okay, so what do you think about my notes?  Have you ever relly thought about these things?  Tell me how you feel about what I said.

HE BECAME LIKE US

HE BECAME LIKE US

Luke 2:52, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."

LUKE 2:52

How could it be that Jesus, who was God (Jn. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:16), and in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, increased in wisdom? (Col. 2:3)

God is a Spirit (Jn. 4:24). Jesus, as God, had existed as a Spirit forever.

When He came to the earth as Jesus, he was Lord at birth, but that was in His Spirit (Lk. 2:11). His Spirit didn't have to grow or increase in wisdom but His physical body did.

The Lord could have done things differently, but He didn't. Jesus came into this world in His physical body exactly as we did. He had to grow and learn.

He became just like us so that we could become just like Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

This is the great exchange. He became like us so that He could bear all our iniquities and become a mercy high priest for us (Heb. 2:14-18).

Christianity does not produce a changed life but an exchanged life. Christ does not reform us, but He transforms us through His union with us. In the same way that the Eternal Christ could come and inhabit the body of an infant and still retain all His deity, He now inhabits our bodies through the new birth in all His glory and power. Like Jesus, grow in your wisdom and understanding of who you now are in Christ.

 

Andrew Wommack Ministries Daily Devotion

www.awmi.net