Monthly Archives: August 2019

Second

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3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3 source

Wednesday night’s message at FBCS was good – John 3:1-21

I have a note in the margin of John 3: we must have a second birth to avoid the second death. You will find the second death mentioned only a few times in the KJV of the Bible but those few are enough to send the warning that we all want to miss it! See HERE.

Obviously, we all have had the first birth and perhaps the second — if you visit here often! 🙂

The first birth brings us into this natural world.  The second into the REAL world – the Kingdom of GOD.

Nicodemus had questions. Nicodemus was a learned man who did not understand spiritual matters. Nicodemus is not alone.  So were/are we until we are ready to be shown by the HOLY SPIRIT.  John 3 with the guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT explains it perfectly to every willing soul. Read it for yourself. HERE

The second death is reserved for those who choose not the second birth.

It’s simple really.
Born once, die twice.
Born twice, die once.

Got it?

Once Were, Still Are

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OMG! That’s oh my goodness.

Titus 3. The first three verses are as 21st Century as we can get!

Titus 3 Amplified Bible (AMP) Remind people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready and willing to do good, 2 to slander or abuse no one, to be kind and conciliatory and gentle, showing unqualified consideration and courtesy toward everyone. 3 For we too once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various sinful desires and pleasures, spending and wasting our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.  source

Verse 1. First two words: Remind People. Do you think Paul knew we the people needed to be reminded to obey and respect the police and authorities who have been established to keep peace and order in the land? Does verse one say to do otherwise is not good?

Verse 2. Do you see that list of actions, beginning with an action to not take and then moving into positive actions that we are to offer to a select few? NO. It says, everyone! Yes. I’m afraid so. Everyone!  Whether we like them or not, hold the same world view or not and heaven-forbid is not of the same political party.

No slander. No abuse. Instead be kind, conciliatory, gentle, unqualified consideration, courtesy.
Don’t you dare think this means doormat!
Today, in this culture, kindness is not hinged on truth but comfort – making all parties of the exchange comfortable. This is not Biblical kindness. Biblical kindness does no harm. It promotes not only the happiness of another but also their well-being. Lying or withholding eternal truth from another soul is in no measure kind.

Moreover, I found this:
Yet human imitation of God’s kindness does not come naturally. In fact, ultimately no one is kind (Psalm 14: 3; Rom 3:12 ). It is only as the fruit of God’s Spirit that kindness can be a consistent part of the believer’s experience ( Gal 5:22 ).  source

Wow! Does this mean to carry out this list of positive actions we must be yielded to the HOLY SPIRIT?
What do you think?

Verse 3. Do you see that word too? Hold on to it, it’s real important. Look again at the list in verse 3.
foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various sinful desires and pleasures, spending and wasting our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 
The reason for the establishment of rules and authorities in verse 1 is the list of behaviors in verse 3. And why do people behave in these ways? That’s an easy answer: failure to yield to the HOLY SPIRIT.
Now, back to the word too.

 For we too once were. And without continued yielding to the HOLY SPIRIT, we will easily slip back into some of those behaviors. Thus this instruction in Titus: REMIND PEOPLE.

WE are the People he’s reminding – the once were, not the still are. And unless we are KIND the still are will not come to be the once were.

Shut the Liar Up

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Have you heard that writing out Scripture is important? I received a refresher of that truth just now so I am stopping in briefly to share with you.

There are many versions in which to read this verse but the TLV is the one I was writing out to remember.

Isaiah 54:17 Tree of Life Version (TLV) 17 No weapon formed against you will prosper
and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of Adonai’s servants— their vindication is from Me.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.  source

And as I wrote a light flashed on. Many of us in Christendom are well familiar with this promise No weapon formed against you will prosper and we want that so much. And it is a promise we can count on but there is a condition. It follows in the verse. Let me do all caps here so we don’t miss the importance. YOU WILL CONDEMN every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

So, who rises against us in judgment? No, He’s not speaking of you and me criticizing each other (not that that cannot be done constructively). Who accuses the brethren? (See Revelation 12:10) Of course, the Evil One and his hosts whisper or scream those nasty tongued lies to our minds daily.  And when we don’t CONDEMN them immediately that weapon against us will surely form – that’s not DADDY GOD’s plan but it is His condition in the case of the enemy’s speech. It’s up to us to shut the liar up! And we do by simply condemning – that is recognizing that speech as a lie, reject it and in Father’s Spirit move on.

Please read the rest of the verse again. You don’t want to miss the words HERITAGE, VINDICATION, ME and DECLARATION. Let those words speak to you in the context in which they are given.

Until Next Time * * *

Hope

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In whatever Translation you read it, it’s good news, comfort and help for this day.

Romans 15:4 Good News Translation (GNT) 4 Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us, in order that we might have hope through the patience and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. source

GOD, our Father, is ever teaching us; and why? That we through patience and encouragement from the Scriptures, will have hope! And who of us does not need hope today?

The Scriptures are not given to us to condemn us (our sin has done that) but are given so we can have hope; hope for what GOD has for us and for what we can in Him become. What can we become? People of hope. People of Faith. People of joy. People of strength. People of wisdom, integrity, worth, value — you get it. The list is endless.

Today! Hope! Found in the Scriptures! Of all places – go figure! 🙂