Commentary:  Proof Positive:

After the Resurrection of Jesus He spent 40 days with the disciples, He was seen by thousands.  His resurrection was attested by many. We also read in Isaiah 53 the prophecy of His Birth as the Messiah, the Lamb of God… Remember that He, Jesus Christ was there from the beginning of it all; read about this in Colossians 1: 15, 16, & 18 below, “Through Him all things were made… He is the First Born,  Verse ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy

John 1: 1-5  New International Version (NIV)

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Ephesians 1: 1-14

New International Version (NIV)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Colossians 1:15: NIV

The Supremacy of the Son of God

¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Video: Christian sentenced to jail for home Bible studies

Is this what we have been reading about in the Scriptures of things to come? 

We hope you will continue to read the contents on this Good News website and get a Bible and spend time exploring His Words of Wisdom, and focus on living by the Precepts of Jesus, knowing that only what’s done for Him will last as we sojourn through this life. Praise God…

Send us an email and we will send you some literatures or if  a Bible is requested, remember we do not ask for money and never will, and your information is not shared with anyone or any other groups.

In the last days…We read today from the writing of the Apostle Peter, who was considered an authoritative follower of Christ.  Peter’s first letter was written around 60 to 64 AD His second letter known as 2nd Peter was written between 65 and 68 AD.   He was martyred during the reign of Nero.  Peter had the zeal to bring the teaching of living for Christ, in 2 Peter 1: 3, he was making a calling to be aware of:  

2 Peter 1: Verse 3:  “His divine Power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him (Jesus Christ) who called us by His own glory and goodness”.

Comment: Just like the messages of today, we are reaching out to all to remind ourselves of what is quoted below:

Reading from: 1 Peter 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

 ¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ¹¹ and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Comments:  Peter’s strong statement of Faith, Love, Goodness, Godliness Brotherly Kindness and making our calling and election to ensure that if we do these things we will never fail…

Reading from 2 Peter 1: Verse: ¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ¹¹ and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Comment:  Peter’s writing of 1 & 2 Peter were completed 30 years before the Apostle John wrote the Revelation written AD 95 which was based on the return of Jesus Christ to deliver the believers and to judge the world as we read in:

1 Peter 1:

Prophecy of Scripture

  Verse ¹² So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. ¹³ I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, ¹⁴ because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. ¹⁵ And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

 ¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” ¹⁸ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

 ¹⁹ We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰ Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

  Conclusion: As we read below Peter is describing the: The Day of the Lord…

2 Peter 3 New International Version (NIV)

The Day of the Lord

 ¹ Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ² I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

 ³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ⁵But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. ⁶ By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. ⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

 ⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

 ¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

 ¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. ¹⁶ He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

 ¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. ¹⁸But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Recap: from the above text: “dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. ¹⁸But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!  Therefore we must receive the Prcious Gift thatour Lord gave us… in John 3:16

John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)

 ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

A reminder to our readers….Right now we can be assured that the warning in Peter’s message that we can see from verse 14 & 15 above…¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

Our Invitation to you…. To come to Christ go to our Green Pastures page, and remember this important fact: stated in Ephesians Chapter 2: Verses 5 through 10 (verse 8 is the Priceless Gift that our Lord Jesus endowed to us by His Grace (His Blood of atonement)

What a Privilege HE (God through His Son Jesus The Christ) gave us; as HE affirmed in Verse 5: (God) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that HE gave His only Son, that whosoever believed in Him may have eternal life.  
Our Lord can work miracles in our lives, trust Him today and come to Him, He is faithful and He said... I will never leave you nor forsake you.

We hope you will continue to follow our explanation of the above topics. Visit us daily and read about them in our Daily Devotion Page.

We started this lay Ministry back in December 2011 and today we have 6,800 Daily Alerts registered with Google® We thank our Lord for the privilege of serving HIM. 

Please refer your friends and families to this website, we need to grow our audience and increase the traffic.

Thanks to all who are spreading the Good News by referring Friend to this site, we are reaching over 15,000 visitors per month. we have a Spanish version in the works and we expect to launch it in about a month. Thanks again and God Bless you all, it is for His Glory, and again we are reaching people in the modern day Corinth, as our society is probably more advanced in immorality and other detestable things that confronts us daily. 


Thoughts for today...

What is the opposite of Success? the default answer is usually... Failure, but the logical answer is... 'Not trying"... therefore, knowing that we were born in sin because of 
one man; Adam when sin entered the world, the invitation from our Lord that provided a way for us to be Victorious, is available, and not accepting His priceless Gift, then we fail. The logical answer of 'Not trying' applies here, therefore, we must Try and by Faith accept His Invitation of His Salvation that is free. 

Love is the essential centerpiece of all in Jesus, as He first loved us.

1 John 3:2

New International Version (NIV)

²  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Today’s Message

“The battle is not yours, but God’s. … stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed.   2 Chronicles 20:15, 17.” 

“Do not be terrified. … The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you” (Deuteronomy 1:29-31). 

“All this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). 

“If God is for us, who can be against us? … In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:31, 37). 

Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 

Hebrews 9:22
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Paul the apostle chosen by Jesus wrote to the Corinthians addressing the problem of Christian conduct in the church of Corinth. Paul’s writing is just as relevant today, while the letters to the church of Corinth were written in AD 55, Christians are still influenced by today’s culture, and more than ever, our society has adopted many of the immoralities making legal what would shock even the citizens of Corinth, such as same-sex marriage, large scale gay pride movements. While we face these issues that are an abomination to our Lord, we pray for them, and also acknowledge that our Lord is waiting with open arms to receive those that would like to receive His forgiveness

1 Corinthians 5: 1-12.  ¹ It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A mLuke 18:

Christ speaks of ‘beware do not exalt (elevate) ourselves’

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

 ⁹ To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

   ¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

   ¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Today's Scripture Text is from Paul's writing to the Corinthians. The Apostle Paul had a Headquarter operation in Corinth a city that was a bustling metropolis in his time, and the society was then a growing population with many new believers that formed a Christian community.  (see the Resource page to read an overview of the city of Corinth, click on 'resource Tab above)

New International Version (NIV)

2 Corinthians 6

 ¹ As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ² For he says,

   “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

   I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

Paul’s Hardships

 ³ We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵ in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶ in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷ in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸ through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹ known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

 ¹¹ We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. ¹² We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. ¹³ As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.

Warning Against Idolatry

 ¹⁴ Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

   “I will live with them 
and walk among them, 
and I will be their God, 
and they will be my people.”

 ¹⁷ Therefore,

   “Come out from them 
and be separate, 
says the Lord. 
Touch no unclean thing, 
and I will receive you.”

 ¹⁸ And,

   “I will be a Father to you, 
and you will be my sons and daughters, 
says the Lord Almighty.”

Posted Saturday 26, 2011

The following is a simple measure of those that are among the “icons” that found that even with their conquest, they needed Christ…

 

Name of earthly ‘icons’ that found the Lord because of the emptiness of what’s here, even in their state of conquering their quest for Fame and Fortune and ideology.

 

Those who have been raised on the Peanuts comic strip or watched the holiday specials featuring the Peanuts characters know that Charles M. Schulz, the originator of that comic strip, had a strong spiritual side. Many people do not know this, but Charles M. Schulz believed that all mankind would ultimately be saved through Jesus Christ. Robert L. Short, a good friend of Mr. Schulz, who received permission to use his characters in several of his books to me this. Robert L. Short authored The Gospel According to Peanuts, The Gospel from Outer Space, The Parables of Peanuts, Something to Believe in, and A Time to Be Born, A Time to Die. He expects to publish another book in early 2007 through Harper/San Francisco.

 

Short Meditations on the Bible and Peanuts is a wonderful way to introduce people to the abundant grace of Jesus Christ. The book teaches that Jesus Christ will ultimately save all mankind. Charles M. Schulz and Robert L. Short stand in the good company of many other famous people who have embraced the universalism found in the Bible -- greats like Abraham Lincoln, William Barclay, Karl Barth, Origen, Gregory of Nissa and many more thoughout the centuries.

 

 Dr. Werner von Braun, well-known for his part in the U.S. space program, says he has "essentially scientific" reasons for believing in life after death. He explained: "Science has found that nothing can disappear without a trace. Nature does not know extinction. All it knows is transformation. If God applies the fundamental principle to the most minute and insignificant parts of the universe, doesn't it make sense to assume that He applies it to the masterpiece of His creation--the human soul? I think it does."

When Benjamin Franklin was about to die, he asked that a picture of Christ on the Cross should be so placed in his bedroom that he could look, as he said, "upon the form of the Silent Sufferer."

  
The "great Gatsby" said...

God knows what you've been doing, everything you've been doing. You may fool me, but you can't fool God!
...... The Great Gatsby

 

Robert L. Short also believes in universal salvation through Jesus Christ. He was a Presbyterian Minister for a number of years and has been a widely sought speaker in churches and colleges around the country. His Gospel according to Peanuts sold many millions ofcopies.

 

Words of Wisdom... posted November 25th, 2011

2 Corinthians 2:14 New International Version (NIV) 

 ¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

1. Jeremiah 29:11-13: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’”

2. Psalm 91: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust….’” (read the rest)

3. Psalm 27:13-14: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

4. Isaiah 54:16-17: “‘See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.”

5. Proverbs 3:5-7: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.”

 

Message, posted November 22, 2011

 In Prayer:  WHAT A PRIVILEGE WE HAVE FROM OUR MAJESTIC GOD… Come to our Lord and:

1. Praise Him, for His Graciousness and His Majesty, Hebrews 1: 1-3
2. Thank our Lord for the Privilege of being able to come in His Holy Presence
3. Offer my self and all to our Lord, pay attention to be able to enter HIS rest… Hebrews 2:5, 4:13
4. Seek the Precepts of our Lord and Savior
5. Asked to be filled with His Holy Spirit
6. Pray to be armed to be a Messenger for our Lord, Hebrews 4:12 “Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword’
7. Give Thanks for His Grace and His Love and Thank our Lord for Coming to save Sinners like myself
8. Accept His Grace and by His Salvation, Claim Victory in Jesus’ name
9. Bring to Jesus what we have on our minds,
10. Bring our Families to know our Lord Jesus, Pray that our Lord will touch them and save them.
11. Financial needs, acknowledge that He said He will provide all our needs according to His Riches. .Philippians 4: 19  And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
12. Relationship, HE said that all things will work for those that loves Him
13. Be Thankful to our Lord Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord, (twice not just once)
14. Wait on Him and pause (Be Still) Psalm 46:10
    He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
15. Know that Jesus is God as said in John 1, Colossians 1 & Hebrews 1.
16. Be at Peace knowing that our Lord Jesus is in Charge and Jesus Loves me and in Faith trust and Obey. Philippians 4:4  Rejoice and do not be anxious about anything
17. Know that when we see Jesus we see God, John 14

Live by His Principles and by His command to seek Him first as said in Matthews 6:33

And remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, knowing that He loves us, died to bear our sins, Rose Triumphantly and conquered death so that we can have life-everlasting, and one day we will be in our Lord’s presence in a sanctified Holy place filled with Splendor and Joy.

How to know and walk with our Lord….

Know that: The Gospel is the Whole Thing and with this as our guide and His precepts these are all we need to have a closer relationship with our Lord Jesus.

John 14 Jesus Comforts His Disciples

 ¹ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14: 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Philippians 4: 4 - 9 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

To come to Jesus Christ, go to our GREEN PASTURE PAGE…. God Bless You.

2 Timothy 2:20-26 (New International Version)

 20.  In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹ Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 
22. Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26. and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

As stated in Ephesians 2: 8, 9 & 10… For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9.  not by works, so that no one can boast. 10.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Can a Jew accept Christ? YES… Jesus came as a Jew… Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ Ephesians 2: Verse 11… Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12.  remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

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"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." - John 4:23

”Warning against refusing GOD... Hebrews 12: 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Psalm 90
 A prayer of Moses the man of God. 1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” 4 A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning: 6 In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered. 7 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. 10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. 11 If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. 12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 13 Relent, LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. 17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
 † 

 ARE WE THERE YET? As we read from Timothy today, we will reflect back on his life and his background. Timothy was not an apostle, he was an assistant to the apostle Paul, according to the introduction the letters to Timothy are written by Paul. He was mentioned in Paul’s letters to the Philippians, and was given credit by Paul as a co-sender of the Letters written to the; Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians and Philemon. Timothy spent his time in Ephesus attending to the Church in Ephesus. He is regarded as an apostolic representative, delegated to carry our special work. Paul wrote a series of Pastoral Letters,  these were like what we refer to today as operational manuals. Apparently, Timothy and Titus also a follow of Christ brought to the Lord by Paul.  From what we read, Timothy and Titus collaborated in their efforts to assist Paul in his mission. We read about what Paul wrote “But mark this” He was describing the terrible times ahead, and describing the last days. These events are what we read or see in the media today…  

The question is… Are we there yet? 2 Timothy 3 1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. A Final Charge to Timothy 10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

Hebrews 4:7 NIV
God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
Hebrews 4:6-8 (in Context) Hebrews 4 (Whole Chapter)

In Colossians 3: we are told how to come to Jesus….

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

To come to Jesus and be Redeemed by His Blood that atoned for your sin, you can come to Him right now by praying… Heavenly Father by the Blood of Your Son Jesus Christ, I accept Your gift of Salvation and I repent of my sins, and accept you Lord Jesus as my personal Savior, knowing I cannot save my self and it is only by Your Grace that I can be saved through Faith in You my Lord. I commit my life in Your hands and receive You Lord Jesus and I accept Your Holy  Spirit that will guide me from here on, and I give You the Glory Lord Jesus, knowing You are now my Eternal Living God. I pray in Your Holy name Lord Jesus… Amen.

Praise God, for every sinner that repents and accept our Lord,  the angels celebrates in heaven.

Luke 15:10
In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:9-11 (in Context) Luke 15 (Whole Chapter)

Now that we have seen the scriptures that affirmed Jesus to be born of a Virgin and made a supreme being; made higher that the angels and ascended to the Throne of Righteousness as our High Priest, and intercede on our behalf to the Father, we can boldly come to Him…

Why do I refer to Jesus becoming a God of Consuming Fire? This is the fact…

1.       Hebrews 12:29
for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:28-29 (in Context) Hebrews 12 (Whole Chapter)

2.       Deuteronomy 4:24
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:23-25 (in Context) Deuteronomy 4 (Whole Chapter)

 We are under Grace; ‘Grace’ means, to receive something that we do not deserve, the Bible says that today is the day of Salvation;

Today we can look and Hope in HIM knowing that by His Grace we are Pardoned for our Sins… we as human beings say if this ‘Pardon’ is a’ Given’ therefore; we can continue to sin as He already Paid it all?.... actually NO, for this reason, we need to look back at the actions of this Majestic God, as oftentimes many will take His Love and His ever presence Grace for granted, because again, as humans, the term Familiarity breeds contempt… We look at the presentation of God by many that we can categorized as a persistent Used-Car salesman, the proliferation of television and the multitudes of televangelists tend to make the spread of the Good News a promotional sales program, as many are offering the messages for a price.                

Today this message is Free and it is focused at several key things that we need to know…

#1: That our Lord is the same and HE never changes, His message is the same, “You must be born again”…. John 3: 7  as He said…You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (These are the Words of Jesus) 

#2:: That when we come to the Cross and receives Jesus, we need to know that it is by HIS GRACE that we are saved… Ephesians 2: 8  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—… The Key words here are the Gift of God and the 2^nd is FAITH… and 3^rd we cannot save ourselves.

#3: That when we are saved His Holy Spirit will come to us, just like when the Apostles were told in Acts 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” These are the words of Jesus…

#4:: That as humans we are constantly subjected to all the temptations of this world, and we cannot please God by having Idols, what is an Idol?, anything that we place in a priority over our Lord… in Isaiah 12:17: Those that trust in idols, who say to images “you are our gods” will be turned back to utter shame

These 4 points are principles of Our Lord, who is Faithful. We are Saved by Grace, His Holy Spirit will Bless us and We are to have no other God. HE said in Psalm 81:9  You shall have no foreign god among you;  you shall not worship any god other than me. 

Historically, we will briefly look back at the times of Israel, you may say why we are wasting time on this, it is because what is being reviewed it is relevant to our everyday living…

In the Beginning…. God Created the Heavens and the earth…. This stated fact establishes that our Creator made it all….how can we prove this….Because God is Supreme, and if we were able to prove these things then we would be God ourselves, there are many things that we still cannot do even with all of our scientific breakthrough; we still use chemical to try and cure cancer, we still cannot explain what man refers to as a Miracle…

All of what we have read since we were kids in Sunday’s school, including Adam and Eve, to Noah and the Ark are documented Biblical accounts as accounted for in Clay Tablets found in 1974 at the ancient site of Ebla, these Tablets were made 2,500-2,300 BC (Before Christ)

SIN came as we read… Genesis 3 describes the Fall of Man… even through all things are made by God, even the serpent that tempted Eve, that ate of the tree of knowledge, because God created us to live a life in a place of Splendor, the Garden of Eden, he did not make us slaves, he gave us ‘Free will” but with one caution… through this action of breaking the commandment of God, Sin entered the world… now we are all offspring of Adam. no matter how we look, we may be Jews, Syrians, Asians, Africans, English, German, Indian, Heinz 57 or some of the most beautiful people , we are all from the same stock, and was cursed by sin against God with this thing called Sin…we can see the evilness of Sin as stated in history of Cain and Abel… and the eventual out of control of man and women,  then came the Flood, as in Genesis 6: 5 God saw how great man’s wickedness had become, and all that man did was to think of evil thoughts all the time, this grieved God, and He said I will Wipe out Mankind…as stated in Genesis 6: 9.  We all know about the Story of Noah and the Ark, and after the Flood God made a Covenant not to repeat the Flood                                                                                

Now we will talk a little about HIS Redemption:

The Messiah: 700 Years before Christ came, the Prophet Isaiah foretold of the Lamb of God, the Messiah, Isaiah 53, The Prophet Isaiah wrote a comprehensive history of Judal (Israel’s) rise and fall and gave a complete account of God’s punishment and Reward and renewal, and foretold of Jesus as the Messiah.

 Remember I just said no matter how we look, and why there are different nations? This is something all of us have sometime or the other wondered how, and why we have many nations? Here is how and why God separated us into Nations around the World,

The breakout of one nation into a worldwide settlement is an event when the Lord saw that men were building the Tower of Babel, and HE sent His Holy Spirit to confuse them and broke them into foreign tongues…Genesis 11:we read: verse 1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. ² As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. )skip to Verse 4_

 ³ They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

 ⁵ But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. ⁶ The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

 ⁸ So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. ⁹ That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.  This occurred long before the oldest nation on earth, China known to have thousands of years in history; Genesis was long before China was ever established… or any other ancient time or civilization then..

But He also warned us against going against His will, as evidenced in our daily attitude towards many things, example…

While God is good and merciful, it is dangerous to presume upon His goodness. It is the goodness of God that should lead us to repentance, but if we persist in our sin, God will respond in judgment.

There is a Judgment, and we can avoid this Judgment, by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior,

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

Romans 8 is my favorite chapter… it is like an instruction manual

Life Through the Spirit… we read….

 ¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Let’s make one thing clear….After looking at the Supremacy of God, we need to know that HE loved us so much that He sent His SON, now many of us  are confused how did God have a Son and He was not married? Jesus, who is The CHRIST, is God in One of the Triune God, (The Holy Trinity)  by The Father, Son and Holy Spirit…  In actuality Jesus who said ‘before Abraham, I was” and having lived among us for 33 years, His Ministry tells us of a Loving God-Man,  His sole mission here was to Redeem us from Sin, remember in (HE said in) Genesis 2: ¹⁶ And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Because HIS words are emblazed and spoken as when He created the Heavens and Earth, and made Light by saying ‘let there be Light’… These words had to be cancelled by HIM personally….So therefore Jesus came to Redeem us, as said in Acts 2:  ²²  His Disciple Peter, said….“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,^[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.                                   

HIS Resurrection was witnessed by many as we read in… Acts 2: ³²God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. ³³Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. , this was said by Peter at the day of Pentecost   His testimony was He and his fellow Disciples witnessed Jesus’ Resurrection as Jesus spent 40 days with them before His Ascension into Heaven.³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

   “‘The Lord said to my Lord: 
“Sit at my right hand 
³⁵ until I make your enemies 
a footstool for your feet.”’^[f]

(This was at the Festival known as Pentecost, Peter was speaking)… ³⁶“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

Verse  37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

The same condition persists today…  The answer of what to do is

 ³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” THIS Opportunity still exists to this very hour in our lives. But remember HE is coming again, and as we sojourn through this life we need to have insurance for our cars, so why not have HIS Assurance which is already fully paid for and it Free…

Finally…How can this Supreme God understand us in these times? 

In Romans 8:  (We are made Sons and Daughters)

 ¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Come to our Lord today and take a reflection on what we discussed here today… I invite you if you have never come to the Cross and placed all your sins and ask Jesus to be your Redeemer, you can do this right now, look at what He offers and...

What a Privilege HE gave us….

1. Life
2. His Grace that Pardoned US
3. His Holy Spirit
4. His Assurance of A Place that HE prepared for us, which is a place of Splendor
5. Until He calls use, we are assured of an Abundant Life through HIM.

To Receive His Holy Spirit today, we have this opportunity right now… Because of HIS Blessed Assurance… If you come to Christ today the Angels will celebrate in heaven today.

Romans 8: 28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

(Today you are all here for one Reason, to be given this Opportunity to become JOINT HEIR with Jesus, because in verse)  ²⁹ For those ( You and me)  God foreknew he also predestined (YOU) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he (JESUS) might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, (you and me) he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. ³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”  Verse 37 Says… No

 ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pray…

Lord Jesus The CHRIST, Son of our Father and our Creator, who is GOD in One of Your Holy Trinity, as our Eternal GOD, I  come to You to seek you today Lord and to come to the Cross where you Paid it ALL… and by Your divine Resurrection, You triumphed over Death, and declared that “IT IS FINISHED”… Lord by your Grace I can come and receive Your Great Salvation today knowing that You are at the Right Hand of our Father and that no one can come to the father unless through You Lord Jesus, as our Intercessor and our Redeemer, I dedicate my life and accept You Lord Jesus as my Redeemer and by Your divine Resurrection, You paid for my sin, today, I give You the Glory.  I  Pray in Your name Lord JESUS and praise You and to You be the Power and the Glory in Your Matchless name Lord Jesus… Amen

·      My Pledge of Decision to be Saved: Today is the ___ day of ___________ 2011, I came to know Jesus that accepted me as I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior

 

Sign: _______________________

· Statement of Faith: I come with a humble heart knowing that I have received Jesus, THE CHRIST, as my Eternal God today, knowing that Jesus is God in One of His Holy Trinity as the Anointed Holy One from our Father and Creator, and I come to Jesus and in Faith look to receive His Holy Spirit and be guided by HIM, and knowing that Jesus is now my Eternal Living God, I can join in by saying,  in Hebrews 9:28       so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.  By today’s acceptance of our Lord, I can say I am Saved by HIS Grace.

Or:

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maurice@goodnewsforever.org

Good News Forever is a Volunteer lay person ministry that publishes short messages and books on “The Reason for HIS Coming”  and other select publications proclaiming Jesus our Messiah and why we need to keep looking up….