Monthly Archives: January 2022

2022, Gospel of Matthew, Philippians, Questions, Repentance, Salvation

Don’t be One of Them

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Matthew 4

So much! Where do I even begin and just think I see only a tiny portion of what is there! 

Over and over in this chapter, I see an enlightening glimpse of the love JESUS has for us. 
Just think of it! The GOD of the Universe, The Creator of it all HUMBLED Himself becoming a MAN to die on an execution stake!  See Philippians 2:8.

Why? 
Because that was the ONLY way to SAVE us from our sins, hell, death, and the grave. 

This gets me!

Verses 3 – 10

The SCUMBAG of the Universe shows up. (And scumbag is way beyond non-descriptive of his evilness.)

 3 The Tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, order these stones to become bread.” source 

The GOD of the Universe lowered Himself, allowed Himself to take on a human body with its limitations, moreover even to hear the voice of and even interact with that vile scumbag, even to be in his loathsome presence and put up with the proud arrogance of this personification of evil. 
WHY?
Why would He do that?
Only one reason!
It had to be done in order to save wretched people like you and me! 

O the love of GOD for us!!!

And as you read the chapter, please take note of verse 17. JESUS proclaimed the same message as did John. 

17 From that time on, Yeshua began proclaiming, “Turn from your sins to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!”  source 

What does this mean the Kingdom of Heaven is near? 

My simple understanding of it today is when any human hears Holy Spirit speaking; when He confirms to a human – you are undone, you are a sinner in need of the Savior. Turn FROM your sins and TURN TO ME.

When a person knows that they know, and they don’t even know how they know, they just know they know. And what do they know? They know they need to be forgiven and JESUS is the only One who can forgive them, THEN The Kingdom of Heaven has come near them in that moment. 
They do not need to let that Holy Opportunity pass them by! 

Don’t be one of them!

We have the GOD-given Right to LIVE RIGHT in this WRONG world. 

 

 

 

2022, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Matthew, Questions, Repentance, Salvation

Scariest People on Earth

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FOR A LARGER VIEWING SCREEN, CLICK THE TITLE OF THIS POST ABOVE

Yesterday we looked at Mark 1. 
Today it is Matthew 3.

Yes. Another view of the coming of JESUS to John to be baptized.
I won’t call it a Second Opinion.
It’s not even a First Opinion.
It’s an accounting – perhaps we could say like one written with a gel pen and one with a ballpoint – giving us a different slant, but the same story.
GOD’s Story. 

Today in Matthew 3 we again see John preaching. 
His message is bold and necessary; that message is we must turn FROM sin TO GOD.
It’s is the only way to be saved from sin, death, hell, and the grave. 

I am wondering if you have noticed what I have noticed in our society. 
That’s an expectation (or shall we say demand?) that we all, particularly Christians, must be NICE.
We must be soft-spoken, tactful, obliging, and by all means necessary we must NOT offend anyone either by word or action. 
Have y’all noticed that? 

Would you be willing to look with me at verse 7?

7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them.
“You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? source 

Would you be willing to read a little more with me?

8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 
9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 
10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.  source 

Is there anyone willing to find fault with John?
Anyone willing to say he was WRONG to preach as he preached? 

NOT ME. 

No Sir. I shall not accuse John of wrong preaching.
I would rather pray O LORD move on me that I will with no intimidation and no fear, teach and share daily in every place that YOU, LORD YESHUA, was crucified because we are sinners and YOUR BLOOD is enough to clean the vilest of us and YOUR RESURRECTION is proof that THE FATHER has received Your sacrificial death as payment for the sins of every person who will turn from their sins TO YOU and TRUST YOU for forgiveness and Life Eternal. 

I appreciate and admire the man named John. 
The man who wore camel’s hair clothing, tied with a leather belt; whose food was locust and honey. 
I neither want to dress like or eat like him but I desire his holy boldness, especially in the face of the scariest people on earth! 

Perhaps the Scariest People on Earth would vary from person to person — you, think?

For a little commentary on Brood of Snakes, click HERE.
I found it interesting and enlightening. I highly recommend you check it out. 

We have the GOD-given Right to LIVE RIGHT in this WRONG world. 

2022, Gospel of Mark, Questions

Across the Table

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I would very much like to encourage you to read Mark 1. 
I will herewith provide you a LINK for easy reading. 

There are so many things to notice about JESUS in just this first chapter. 
Wouldn’t it be lovely to sit across the table from one another and share all the nuggets in this chapter? 

As the GODMAN, fully GOD and fully MAN, can you imagine how comforting and encouraging it was to JESUS to hear the audible voice of His Father saying to Him: ” You are my Son, whom I love, I am well pleased with you.” 

And on the very heels of that He is in a desolate (wilderness) place for 40 days; all that He endured is not recorded for us here but we do know The Adversary was there to tempt Him.
Satan failed. 

Perhaps it’s just me but I think the words of The Father helped Him during those 40 days. 

And don’t you love in verse 22 how the people were amazed at the difference between JESUS’ teaching and the Torah-Teachers’ teaching? 

Have you ever wondered if the devil goes to church? 
Verse 23 will answer that for you I think.  

AND don’t miss how they (the demons) refer to JESUS. 
The Holy One of GOD! 

From this, I think we can know that just knowing who JESUS is is not enough to redeem us. 

And please don’t miss that JESUS had been ministering all day and after SUNDOWN folks were still coming to be healed. 

AND then VERY EARLY in the morning, while it is still DARK, JESUS goes to a lonely (an all by Himself) spot to PRAY. 

Bible Study

So. What did YOU find as you read Mark 1?