Sunday 8/12 ~ Jesus, Your Dawn

The scripture for today, August 12 (8/12), is John 8:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ “0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail

Jesus had only about six months left to live. He knew the religious leaders were after his life out of jealousy. Before going to Jerusalem, he told his brothers, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me” (John 7:7). Knowing people were wanting to execute him, he slipped into Jerusalem after everyone else got there (John 7:10, 14). Then suddenly he appeared in the middle of the Temple complex ~ the size of many football fields. He knew he was safe as long as there was a crowd.

Jesus answered some private questions, and then “he cried out, ‘You know me! You know where I am from!’ ” (John 7:28).

Every day of this feast, a priest would ceremonially pour out some water to represent the water that poured out of the rock when the Jews wandered in the wilderness. But on the last day, the priest did not do this, for it represented their ancestors finally arriving in the Promised Land. It was on this last day of the feast that Jesus “stood and said in a loud voice…  ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him!’ ” (John 7:38f)

First thing the next morning at dawn he returned to the Temple court.  Maybe it was a beautiful sunrise. When the sun was up and the crowds returned, he shouted something else to everyone, “I am the light of the world!” (John 8:12).

He had compared himself to the water ceremony of the day before, and now he was comparing himself to the new dawn. There he was. God the Son crying out to humanity. “Come to me! I am doing everything I can to help you! Won’t you come? Please listen to me! Please come! I can save you!!!

Such stubborn love.

~~~EasyBookBuyLink:  amzn.to/HolySpirit592

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#WaterOfLife, #LightOfWorld, #Saved, #heaven, #hell, #crucifixion, #love

Saturday 8/4 ~ Rise up!

The scripture for today, August 4 (8/4), is Acts 8:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever  they went.”

Sometimes our plans get scattered, our dreams shattered. We lose our home, our job, our chance at an education, our savings, our family.

Satan loves to discourage you. He’s good at it. But Romans 8:28 says that God can make something good come out of all things ~ good or bad.

Do you use your circumstance in life as an excuse not to share the Good News that people can be saved from hell and go to heaven instead? 

What if, for instance, you lose your home or job and go to another one? You would be the same person you were at the old home or job.  If your old excuses were not valid any longer, would you then share the Good News?  What is the likelihood you will be any different when your life is “scattered”?

Do not let Satan put excuses in your mind. Rise up! Rise up and do as our Lord Jesus did. Seek and save the lost wherever you go.

BuyBookHere: amzn.to/Paul-The-Unstoppable

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#excuses, #changes, #problems, #lost, #heaven, #hell, #discouragement, #Satan, #blog, #inspiration, #devotional, #vespers, #meditation,. #relationships, #godliness, #selfawarewness, #identity, #seekers, #consciousness, #decisions, #knowledge, #attitudes, #awakening, #dawn, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #world, #prayer

Wednesday 7/25 ~ Would you be miserable in heaven?

The scripture for today, July 25 (7/25), is Hebrews 7:25 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Thumbnail“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him [Jesus] because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Indeed, ALL of mankind is invited to come to God through Jesus. There are scriptures in the Bible about being chosen by God. But when you check the original Greek, it means you are being invited by God. A company puts out a newspaper ad inviting people to be interviewed for hiring. Then they find a qualified person. Still, the qualified person is not in the company until they company invites him and they accept the invitation. So being chosen is not a passive thing.

Then there are people who live for themselves ~ never reading God’s word, going on outings on Sunday morning, praying only in emergencies. They consider “religion” weakness.  But, as long as they don’t murder, steal big things, and only swear a little bit, God will suddenly let them into his home, heaven, when they die. If they could care less about God in this life, the would be miserable in heaven.

There are even those who do worship on Sunday morning but forget why Sunday worship is different from worship the other days of the week.  According to Acts 20:7, the early Christians met on Sunday to (for the purpose of) break bread (the Lord’s Supper). Jesus said hours before his agony to do this. But we disobey him and tell ourselves it’s okay, and spend our worship time in performing and other things.

Remember what happened on Sunday? He broke the chains of hell for us on Sunday. He broke the power of death for us on Sunday. He came back to life for us on Sunday. But football and outings are more important, and me showing off how good I can perform is more important.

Oh, Jesus, help me bury my selfishness. You gave up so much for me. Help me remember what you sacrificed for me.  Help me live for you. Help me live with you.

~~Book Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2LO8yGO

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#selfishness, #ego, #self-centered, #Sunday, #worship,#Baseball, #performances, #indifference, #invitation, #LordsSupper, #HolyCommunion, #BreakBread, #blog, #inspiration, #devotional, #vespers, #meditation,. #relationships, #godliness, #selfawarewness, #identity, #seekers, #consciousness, #decisions, #knowledge, #attitudes, #awakening, #dawn, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #world, #prayer

 

 

Sunday 7/22 ~ How do you know what you believe is true?

The scripture for today, July 22 (7/22), is 2nd Samuel 7:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

00-LUKE-KINDLE Cover-Thumbnail“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”

How do you know there is no God but the God of the Bible that we read about and “hear with our own ears” (when scriptures are read aloud)? How do you know our God is the only true God, and our Bible his only true words?

Investigating the numerous built-in proofs is how we know. Prophecies fulfilled of people and entire nations as given in the Bible and verified in secular encyclopedias. Scientific facts not known in early centuries. Over 300 archaeological facts.  Here is a colorful website showing most of them: 

bit.ly/BibleKingdomProphecies

Therefore, you can KNOW what God is like, what he wants and how he views you, for you have heard with your own ears and seen with your own eyes. How lucky you are. How blessed.

~~~Easy BUYlink for BOOK: amzn.to/Luke-Slave-Physician (He was born a pagan. How did he sort through all the false gods to find the one true God?)

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#proof, #Jehovah, #Yahweh, #heaven, #hell, #truth, #knowledge, #blog, #inspiration, #devotional, #vespers, #meditation,. #relationships, #godliness, #selfawarewness, #identity, #seekers, #consciousness, #decisions, #knowledge, #attitudes, #awakening, #dawn, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #world, #prayer

Monday 7/9 ~ How long did you say it was?

The scripture for today, July 9 (7/9), is Deuteronomy 7:9 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-REV-Cover-No Logo-KINDLE-lg-thumbnail“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”

Our amazing God! He loved our great great grandparents and He will love our great great grandchildren. The average age of having children is 30. Therefore, if we took this literally, 1000 generations would be 30,000 years. In that case, we’ve only just begun.

If taken figuratively, 10 to the Jews meant all-inclusiveness, and 1000 is 10 x 10 x 10 or all-inclusiveness times all inclusiveness times all-inclusiveness. This means God will love us all inclusive years, times all inclusive years, times all inclusive years ~ for eternity!

And God gives everything we ask of him if it is good for us. All he asks in return is for us to give the little bit that he asks of us ~ faithfulness and keeping his few commandments. Then he will help us escape this world for his world. What a small price for us to pay and what grand arrangement!

~~~BUYLINK to eBOOK and discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/RevelationLoveLetter

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#generations, #genealogy, #love, #commandments, #heaven, #faithfulness, #promises, #lifetime, #Bible, #scriptures, #Christianity, #church

Saturday 6/30 ~ Must we rebuild the temple in Jerusalem?

The scripture for today, June 30 (6/30), is 1st Kings 6:30 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-REV-Cover-No Logo-KINDLE-lg-thumbnail“He also covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold.”

About 40 years ago it was figured that Solomon put $3 trillion worth of gold in the temple to line the ceiling, walls, and floor. And that figure would probably be around $12 trillion today. Talk about streets of gold in heaven!

There are some people today asking for money to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Even if they accomplished it, what would it do for Christians? The book of Hebrews in the New Testament explains to the Hebrew (Jewish) Christians that they no longer need or want the temple. Why? Hebrews 8:13 says, “By calling this covenant (Testament) ‘new’ he has made the first one [Old Testament] obsolete.”

Let’s look at the temple in a spiritual sense through the eyes of a Christian ~ and of Jesus himself in Hebrews 9:1.

Now the FIRST COVENANT [TESTAMENT] had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 7 Only the High Priest entered the inner room [Most Holy Place]…and never without blood.…. 11When Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle [temple] that is not man-made. 12. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood [He being the Lamb of God ~ John 1], having obtained eternal redemption. 24. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered HEAVEN ITSELF. For this reason, Christ is the mediator of a NEW COVENANT [TESTAMENT].

Why in the world would anyone want an imitation temple and holy of holies made with hands back in Jerusalem again, along with all the animal sacrifices on the altar, and priests who would have to be of the Tribe of Levi, and tithing and all the other over 600 laws of Moses? It makes no sense.

Thank God, we live in a more spiritual age ~ the age of Christ and the temple of heaven itself.

~~~BUYLINK for eBOOK and discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/RevelationLoveLetter

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#wealth, #treasure, #gold, #temple, #Solomon, #Jerusalem, #heaven, #HolyOfHolies, #HolyPlace, #rebuild, #covenant, #testament, #fortune, #AnimalSacrifices, #Blood, #curtain, #Jesus, #crucifixion, #church, #NewTestament, #OldTestament, #Bible, #Scriptures, #Christianity

Thursday 6/14 ~ Are you willing to collect the wages?

The scripture for today, June 14 (6/14), is Numbers 6:14 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Thumbnail“There he is to present his offerings to the Lord…a year-old ewe-lamb without defect for a sin offering… “

A lot of people don’t understand what Jesus dying on a cross has to do with going to heaven. Romans 6:23 says “the wages of sin is death” ~ both physical and soul death. It is Satan who pays us our wages.  In Old Testament times, God intervened and allowed people to kill a perfect animal in their place whenever they sinned. But it was only a temporary fix because it is impossible for us to be perfect.

Finally, God the Word came to earth as a human, and John the Baptist called him the Lamb of God (John 1:29). Jesus was perfect; that is, he never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). Then he took the wages of sin from Satan and died as the perfect Lamb of God in our place ~ both physically (separation from people on earth) and spiritually (separation from God the Father). He even went a step further and miraculously came back to life!

Then God said, If you’ll believe and imitate Jesus, I will consider your debt paid in full and consider you perfect too (Romans 6). Then I’ll bring you back to life in heaven. How amazing! 

And, by the way, since he came back to life on Sunday, that’s what makes Sunday so special. It’s an I’m-sorry-you-had-to-die-for-my-sins Day.  It’s the “Do-this-in-remembrance-of-me” Lord’s Supper Day.  It’s a Gratitude Day.

~~~BUYLINK to eBOOK and discount PAPER:   http://bit.ly/ShadowDeath

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#sin, #hell, #Satan, #Devil, #sacrifice, #substitute, #perfect, #crucifixion, #LambOfGod, #LordsSupper, #HolyCommunion, #heaven, #escape, #Christianity, #Bible, #Scriptures

Thursday 5/31 ~ Shall we rebuild the temple?

The scripture for today, May 31 (5/31), is Deuteronomy 5:31 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 5-FloodGates-Cover-Thumbnail-New“But you [Moses] may stay here [on the mountain] with me [God] so that I may give you all the commands, decrees, and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess.”

Many people believe that the “Law of Moses” consisted only of the Ten Commandments. But there was much more. It took Moses 40 days to write them all down. How many? Over 600 “commands, decrees and laws.”

Some people today want to dip back into the Law of Moses to get showy types of worship ~ candles, incense, stoning for adultery, instruments of music, choirs, animal sacrifices, separate priesthood, special clothing for priests, and tithing to pay for it all. Jesus nailed the old law to the cross (Colossians 2:14) and created a much simpler New Testament/Covenant!

Other people want to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.  Why? So they can revert to animal sacrifices and thus nullify the sacrifice Jesus made of himself?  James said that, if we keep part of the Law, we are obligated to keep it all (James 2:10).

By calling this covenant [testament] ‘new’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear’ “ (Hebrews 8:13). Not part of it. All of it. Hebrews goes on to say that the Holy of Holies is now in heaven, the curtain in the temple is now Jesus, etc.  Rebuilding the temple would mean going backward from grace to legalism.

Thank God we do not have to keep all those 600+ commandments in the Law of Moses. They were controlling and tedious, and some were impossible to keep. Why would God give a law impossible to keep? To help us understand that it is impossible for us to be perfect. Finally, understanding that, he was ready to send his Son to earth to be perfect for us.

 

~~BUYLINK to eBOOK and discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/2E7kFdm

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#Temple, #Jerusalem, #LawOfMoses, #adultery, #stoning, #AnimalSacrifices, #commandments, #laws, #legalism, #mercy, #crucifixion, #Christianity, #Bible, #Scriptures

Tuesday 5/29 ~ Are you being persecuted?

The scripture for today, May 29 (5/29), is Acts 5:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Hero Alone-COVER-KINDLE-LgThumbnail“Peter and the other apostles replied, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’ “

There are many countries in the world today where a person is beaten, imprisoned and/or killed for believing in Jesus Christ or owning a Bible. They must stay in the background and try to remain relatively unnoticed in order to survive. But their faith continues unabated, even amidst their fears. The church has survived persecution for 2000 years.

Even if they’re not killed, they are by-passed for promotion at work or fired, they are harassed when out shopping, they are threatened in public transportation, they are turned down for a good education, and they must tolerate derision just walking down the street or waiting at a bus stop. But their faith continues unabated, even amidst their fears.

Such events are usually covered up by their governments and news media, and the good people of those countries never know it is happening. There are various newsletters on the internet about the persecuted that you can sign up for. One is at

http://www.persecution.org that sends news as soon as it happens. Let us daily hold up these brave souls in our prayers ~ those who obey God rather than men.

In eternity, God will deal with the persecutors.  In eternity, it will be to God the persecuted will turn to, not men.

 

~~BUYLINK for eBOOK and discount PAPER:  http://bit.ly/HeroesAlone

Monday 5/21 ~ What if I only sin sometimes?

The scripture for today, May 21 (5/21) is 2nd Corinthians 5:21 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Thumbnail-New“God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

A lot of people do not understand what Jesus’ death has to do with going to heaven. The key is in Romans 3:23 that says “The wages of sin is death.” When Adam and Eve sinned, immediately their souls died, and the bodies gradually died. That was the wages they collected for sinning.

It’s been happening to everyone since then. But, during Old Testament times, God allowed people to make a perfect animal take their wage, shed its blood and die in their place when they sinned.

This was only a temporary fix, however. Hebrews says the blood of animals cannot truly take away (take the substitute punishment for) sins; they are remembered again every year (Hebrews 10:3-4).

Finally, John the Baptist announced Jesus was “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). In order to forever stop all the sacrificial substitute dying, God prepared his own perfect Lamb ~ Jesus, who never sinned. For 33 years, God’s Word took human form in Jesus and became one of us. Then he had to shed his blood and die in our place. In so doing, he collected our wages forever.

Jesus did two things impossible for us to do: Live a perfect life without sin, and come back to life after he died ~ both physically and spiritually. Why? So we could do another thing that is impossible for us to do on our own: Enter heaven, the home of the perfect.

Heaven is not for people who do a lot of good works and only sin sometimes so that God will have no choice but to take them into his home. It only takes one sin to be a sinner.  God cannot exist with sin.

God invites us to his heaven if we will follow Jesus. We don’t even have to be perfect ~ just forgiven. Jesus was perfect for us. What amazing love.

~~BUYLINK to ebook and discount paper:  http://bit.ly/2tukMA0