Promise of the Kingdom

A promise is a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen. That thing hasn’t happened yet but it is asssured that it will happen sometime.

If a dad makes a promise to his children that they are going to go to an amusement park later in the summer, it means that they WILL go sometime. They aren’t going right now, but it is going to happen, because the dad told his kids that they would go. It gives the children something to look forward to, and be happy knowing that they have that promise.

A few years ago, we saw a piece of property that was being developed. On the sign right in the front of the property it stated that this would be the future site of a new hotel. This was basically a promise that a hotel would sometime sit on that piece of property in the future. It is not there yet, but we have the promise and can see the work that is being done. And now a few years later, do you know what now stands where that sign once stood? A brand new hotel.

Well, we have a promise from Jesus. His promise to His believers is that He is preparing a place for them in Heaven. We are not in Heaven right now, and cannot see what is being prepared for us, but we have the promise from Jesus that He is preparing a place for us. 

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2-3

This promise is available to all. But there is something that is required: belief in Jesus and what He did for the world on the cross. We have the promise of eternal life, but if someone doesn’t believe in Jesus, they won’t receive what has been promised. 

A person might be told that when they work for two weeks at their job that they will get a paycheck. But if they don’t show up for work, do you really think that they will get paid? Just as someone needs to show up for work to be paid at a job, a person needs to believe in Jesus if they are going to receive the promise of eternal life.

“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 3:16

We don’t need to worry about God forgetting about His promises. When God says that He is going to do something, He will keep His promise. 

Jesus is coming again. He is coming to receive His followers and take them up to be with the Father. Peter taught that in the last days people will not believe the promise that Jesus is coming again, and will fall into sin.

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 

And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:3-4

Don’t be like these people. Believe the word of God and His promise of eternal life. We just need to believe His promise and patiently wait for the Kingdom.

In Christ,

Andrew

The Modified Blazer

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at some scripture from the book of Acts but before we do that I wanted to tell you a personal story.

Many years ago when I was going to start to enter high school, I had some difficulty. They wanted me to take a class of summer school to make up for a course that I had failed in the 8th grade.

To be completely honest I really don’t know what class I failed but I had to spend six weeks in a class retaking the course at the high school.

I used to live about 18 miles from the high school and I would have to get up and get on my bicycle at 5:45 in the morning and ride those 18 miles on my bike to and from my summer school classes.

It was actually a good way to get in shape but there is one thing about that summer that I will always remember. Somebody at the school would like to give me a ride home because he had his own vehicle and I didn’t. He had a beat up Blazer and because he lived out in the general area where I did, he would drop me off so I wouldn’t have to ride that long trek back home.

The very interesting thing about that summer was one time he showed up with a 100 pound propane tank in the back of his Blazer. He had a little switch on the front dash and when he got out onto the highway, he would flip the switch and it converted to propane. According to what he told me it would save piles of gas on the highway. That old pickup that was used to running on gasoline he had completely changed over to run on propane out on the highway.

That’s one of the words were going to take a look at today in our study. What does it mean to convert something?

One definition says having been adapted to be suitable for a new purpose. It means to be changed into a different form so it can be used in a different manner.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

God wants us to be converted. He wants to convert us from a sinner into a saint. He wants to change us from our immoral ways to a person who does what’s good and right with their life. In the same way that that Blazer was converted to suit a different purpose God wants to change each of us into new people. A synonym for the word convert means to adapt. That means to make suitable for a new use or a new purpose. It means to modify something.

Think about children in the 12th grade in high school who decide to go to the high school prom. Most likely they’re going to modify the things that they normally wear. Instead of wearing jeans and a t-shirt and a baseball cap, they’re going to rent a tuxedo and put on a corsage for the event. Modify has to do with change.

In order for change to happen in our hearts and our minds, the Bible teaches clearly that we have to repent in order for that conversion to truly happen.

Repentance is about having a change of your heart and a change of your mind. It’s taking a look at something differently in your life than you did in the past. Let’s look closer at this word repentance for just a moment.

The word repent means to have a change of your mind. In just a simple act of saying I’m sorry you’re admitting fault. You are admitting that you were in the wrong. A regretfully apology doesn’t seem to be enough for some people in society today. It’s the same thing that the scriptures foresaw that in the end times people would be implacable unforgiving and unmerciful.

In order for each of us to have lives that lead to a complete turnaround conversion, we have to first be able to admit fault and wrongdoing to God and others. You have to be able to admit the truth.

I have taught everywhere for 20 years that the very first step toward salvation, is about admitting the truth that I am a sinner. My son bears witness to these facts. When you finally accept the fact that you are a sinner then you will be capable of telling God and others that you are truly sorry for what you did. You will reach out to Him to profess the frailty of the human nature and like the humble publican claimed, God be merciful to me a sinner. That simple confession of truth leads to conversion, because in that admission you can be forgiven. Conversion happens through an acceptance of truth in your own life and in God’s mercy. We get forgiven for our sins which leads to a change and conversion. A false teaching in the world today by many moderate Christians is that conversion comes before forgiveness. The truth is this.

  1. Acceptance of truth in your own life that you have sinned.
  2. Admitting fault and getting forgiven by God and others.
  3. Those two qualities mentioned above done in sincerity and faith will lead to conversion.

Each day in the church God is changing our hearts and our minds through the teachings of the Holy scriptures.

The act of repenting is feeling true remorse in your heart. Remember that the church is a place that is filled up with sinners. We confess our sins not only to God but to each other. Things happen even in the church that hurts other people. God wants us to be very very forgiving with each other because he is very very forgiving with each of us.

pro 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

As I’ve taught numerous times in the church, everybody is growing in different stages. You wouldn’t expect a three month old baby to go out and ride a 10 speed bike because they’re not capable of doing it yet.

In the church nobody is perfect at day one either. That is why God requires us to be so forgiving with each other in the church. Everybody has got their own problems, and there is none that is righteous no not one. God doesn’t want us to be a stumbling block with other people in the church.

How can a woman who professes to be a Christian show up at church in a mini skirt and immodest attire, knowing that the person in the pew behind them had problems with adultery and fornication. That is called being a stumbling block. That is just one example, but everybody has a weakness, and each of us in the church can help others to overcome those weaknesses. That is called love.

I’ve actually heard people talk about the Christian faith like it’s a one strike and it’s over. If that was the case there would be no need for forgiveness in the Christian church or Holy Communion to wash away our sins after we become Christians. These things are actually said said by people who are unforgiving and bitter with others. It said by proud and arrogant people. Remember when Jesus openly forgave people when he was upon the earth, he was hated for it. The Prodigal Sons brother was upset that his dad had completely forgiven him. God requires that we are very forgiving with others so that people can grow and overcome problems in their lives.

As a child grows up in a household, a dad needs to be very forgiving. Welcome to Parenting 101. Children make all kinds of mistakes as they grow up into maturity. But we each need to understand that we made mistakes in our lives as well.

In the church we do not want to abuse the grace that we’ve been given but rather use it as an opportunity and a springboard to begin a new life in Christ. Remember Peter who was chosen by Christ to be an apostle but later on he denied Christ. Later on he was forgiven and reinstated by Christ himself. Because Jesus forgave his own apostle, whose forgiveness on this Earth cannot be reached when we admit the truth of what each of us truly are… a bunch of sinners, who are in need of lots of grace.

Admitting the truth and getting forgiven as Peter, are processes that lead to our conversion.

Repentance, forgiveness, Conversion. It’s the realization of God’s goodness and forgiveness and mercy that truly leads any of us to do His will.

Believe in His forgiveness, and have your past blotted out through His blood that He shed for us at the cross. It’s time for a new beginning and that day begins today.

I think that’s where I’m going to stop right now but Lord willing I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

Grow in Grace

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at the following passage of scripture.

2 Pet 3:17-18 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

I wanted to ask you something this morning. Have you ever gone tubing down a river or maybe even done some whitewater rafting. In either case, a river can pose some serious hazards that you’ve got to be watching for. There may be a large log underneath the water that you don’t even see until you’re right on top of it, or even a group of some large boulders that you are going to have to navigate through.

The word beware means to be cautious and alert to danger. If you’re a cautious person, you make sure you look a few times in both directions before crossing a busy intersection.

When you’re cautious, you’re careful to avoid potential danger or problems. Circumspect is a synonym for the word cautious.

Someone who is circumspect is very wary and unwilling to take risks. If you have this quality, you’re careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences for your actions. You think carefully before doing or saying anything. It’s a very good quality to have.

Ephesians 5:15 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

When you are circumspect you are very cautious. Wisdom teaches us to be circumspect.

2 Pet 3:17-18 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

To be led away is to be guided away from someone or something. In this case it’s to be led away from the truth of scripture.

An error is a state or condition of being wrong in conduct or judgment. An error is something that you have done that is considered to be incorrect or wrong.

1 John 4:5-6 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Peter wants us to maintain our steadfastness in the Christian faith. When you are steadfast it means you’re firmly fixed in place. You are immovable. It’s being firm in your beliefs, your determination or your adherence to something or someone. One dictionary says firmly loyal, constant and unswerving.

1 Cor 15:58 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Psa 112:7 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

Here is a great verse about being steadfast.

Col 1:23 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Col 2:7 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Steadfastness is being loyal and true to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus teaches a parable about a steadfast obedient heart.

Luke 8:5-15

5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Back to our study verse.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Growing in grace is very similar to the parable that Jesus taught today. When that seed is planted into someones obedient heart, and fed and watered regularly with Gods Word, it will eventually grow into Spiritual maturity. When something grows, it undergoes the process of developing.

In the church, there are people who have been Christians for a few weeks even though on the exterior they may be 50 years old. The truth of the matter is that they’re just a young baby Christian on the inside of their hearts whom God is changing. As the Word is preached and taught to us we are undergoing that transformation process. A baby doesn’t come out of the womb as a mature adult. It needs to grow day by day and it takes a little time and some patience.

The word grace in the dictionary is defined as unmerited divine assistance given to humans, for their regeneration and sanctification.

God extends to each of us a portion of grace. I’ve said it numerous times, some of us may need more grace, some need less, but we all need some grace in order to make it home some day all the way to heaven. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. He wants us to apologize for the things that we’ve done wrong, so he can cleanse us. He gives us that grace so that we can grow into maturity.

Regeneration is the action or process of regenerating or becoming regenerated. What’s happening is that you are becoming something new. That’s the process of being born again. He is regenerating us in our hearts and our minds. We are putting away the old man and becoming a new one. God is recreating us through His Son Jesus. It happens through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Sanctification is the action or process of being freed from sin and purified.

Lastly, the Apostle Peter teaches us to …….grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Phil 1:9 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

We want to know Christ Jesus and the things that He taught from the scriptures so that we can grow into maturity.

1 Pet 2:2 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

We want to grow into spiritual maturity, so that we can become perfectly obedient to God.

Rom 12:2 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God wants us to continue growing each and every day in the faith. We can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need, so that we can do God’s will. The only way a baby is going to grow into manhood is by drinking a lot of milk. The only way that we can do God’s will perfectly is to keep growing in his forgiveness, and the teachings of Scripture.

I think that’s where I’m gonna stop for today, but Lord willing, I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then bye Bye, everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

Not Conformed to the World

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

“Conformed” is defined as to “be similar in form or type; agree; to be in agreement or harmony.” It is to do something because that is what someone else is doing.

Say someone moves into a new neighborhood and they have an older vehicle. They are perfectly happy with it, but because everyone else in the neighborhood has a brand new SUV they decide that they need to trade their old one in and get a new one too, because everyone else has one. Before they moved there they were completely happy with their car, but they conformed to what everyone else around them had. 

Sometimes people can hang out with the wrong kinds of people and get into trouble with the law. Sometimes a person will feel pressured to do something that they might know is wrong, but the pressure that others put on them to do wrong causes them to conform to something that is evil. On their own they might not have done it but because others around them did it they went along as well. They conformed to those around them. 

When we were without Christ as unbelievers, we acted the way the world acts. We lie, we are covetous, filled with pride, etc. We conform to the way that everyone without Christ is. We were focused on what we could do for ourselves, and not thinking about others. We put what we wanted before what others needed.

So to “be not conformed” to the world means that we should not do or be in agreement with the wrong that is done by those who are not Christians. We are not apart of the works of darkness. 

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Ephesians 5:11

Jesus teaches us the new way. He teaches us how to love our neighbor and to do good to all, even our enemies. He showed us how we should live and act. 

What did Jesus tell others? “Go and sin no more.” No longer should we continue to conform to sin, but we need to forsake the ways of the world. 

The world may not like you when you don’t do what they do. They might persecute you and call you weird and strange. But that is what is going to happen when you take a stand for the faith.

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:” 1 Peter 4:1-4

Don’t let sin reign and control your life. Conform yourself to Christ.

In Christ,

Andrew

Fear of the Lord

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at the following scripture.

Jude 22-23

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

You know there are a few different kinds of people in the world, some who need lots of love and compassion because they’ve been treated poorly in this life. Others need correction because the truth is that they are disobedient and rebellious. This is what we’re going to discuss today.

When you have compassion, it means you have sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. If you’re compassionate, it means that you show kindness, you’re caring, and you have a willingness to help others. If you truly have compassion, you put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and really feel for them. Compassion means you recognize the suffering of others, and you take action to help them.

Luke 16:19

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Here is a parable about the lack of compassion for the suffering of another person. If you truly are compassionate, it means to suffer together with somebody else who is hurting. God cares about this world so much that He sent Jesus Christ so that we could be saved. He wants us to show that same compassion to other people around us.

Ephesians 4:32

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12-13

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

2 Cor 1:3

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

When you have compassion, it means that your are pitiful. Pity is a feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortune of others. Another dictionary says a feeling of sadness or sympathy for somebody else’s unhappiness or their difficult situation. It also is possessing a very forgiving attitude towards them. God is very, very pitiful towards us.

Hebrews 4:16

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Eph 2:4

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Ps 86:5

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”

Luke 6:36

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Like I said, some people need compassion because it can make a difference in their life and can lead them to become obedient.

…..23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

There are certain people who do not fear and respect God and just like children who do not fear and respect their dad, they treat him dishonourably. Fear and respect has to do with an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that somebody or something is dangerous, and likely to cause pain or threat. If you don’t have any sense of fear or respect, you’re not going to do the wish or the will of somebody else.

Prov 1:7

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

When you’re trying to lead people into the truth and trying to admonish them and help them to grow in their faith a fool despises authority or any kind of leadership.

Proverbs 8:13

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

There are many people out there in the world today who profess to be Christian, who think that God loves all things. But God does not love certain things. He hates certain things. God hates evil. If God didn’t hate evil, there wouldn’t be any damnation or a lake of fire. He hates evil and pride and arrogancy. He hates sin.

Matthew 10:28

28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Having godly fear is a very good thing.

Eccl 12:13

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Job 28:28

28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Psa 33:8

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

Prov 14:27

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

There are certain people that are in the church, who have no fear of God at all. They’ve been loved all of their life, but they don’t fear and respect God. There’s other people who’ve been hurt and hated, and being been treated terribly all their life, who need compassion.

Love and fear for God go hand-in-hand. Some people have to be saved with fear. How are you going to amend your ways without fear. You’re not going to change from the way that you’re living because you have no fear of consequences.

Pro 3:7

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Psalms 86:11

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Prov 19:23

23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

Back to our main study verse…

…….23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

There are people who profess to be Christian, who will not talk about fear, but the truth is that if they don’t have the fear of God, they are not going to amend their ways. They won’t be concerned about repercussions for their behavior or eternal punishment at judgment.

They’re not going to be concerned about living in disobedience or a heretical life. They won’t be concerned about sinning against God, because they don’t feel any consequences are going to happen because of it. The Bible clearly teaches about disobedient children in the church.

Many years ago, I heard a preacher say that you need to put the fear of God into these people. If you’re not afraid of eternal damnation, if you’re not afraid that God is gonna punish the sinful deeds that you’re doing, then you really don’t have the fear of God at all. That is a bad, bad place to be in.

Let’s think about those things for today, and Lord willing, we’ll talk some more tomorrow. Till then bye Bye, everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

The Mercy Buffet

Good morning and welcome into day. Today we’re in take a look at some scripture from Psalms 145:8-9

8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Gracious means courteous, kind, and pleasant. Somebody who is gracious is tender and mild and gentle, along with being kind and thoughtful.

Psalms 116:5

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

Psalms 111:4

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.

Ps 103:8-11

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

Have you ever cooked up a meal, and then realize after you cooked it, that there was way too much to eat! Plenteous means abundant. If you have an abundance, you have plenty of it. You don’t even think twice about having seconds because there’s so much food on the table. Our God is plenteous in mercy, and he is filled up with mercy and Grace that is available to us. And all we have to do is access it through humility and confession of sin.

Psalms 86:15

15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

If you have the quality of compassion, it means sympathetic pity, and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. Compassion is described as a feeling that arises when you’re confronted with another persons suffering, and feel motivated to relieve that suffering. Being a true neighbor to other people, is to be merciful and compassionate towards them.

Luke 10:25-37

25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Likewise, Our Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and of great mercy. Mercy means that you have a disposition to show kindness or compassion to others. Mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing, even when justice demands it. Mercy is a disposition to be kind, and forgiving. Our God is a very merciful God.

And that’s why he warns in…

James 2:13

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Luke 6:36

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Matt 5:7

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Colossians 3:12

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye

Our Scriptures teach us today that God is of great mercy. Great means of an extent, amount or intensity considerably above the normal or the average. It says very large in size or huge like a great mountain. It’s unusually or comparatively in size and dimension. That’s how much mercy God has for each of us. Our scripture teaches us today that the Lord is slow to anger.

It’s been 2000 years since Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and God is still patient and long suffering with us all, waiting for people to repent. In God’s righteous anger, he could have destroyed this world years and years ago, but the reason why any of us are here is because of his mercy.

When you think about being slow to anger, it’s not immediate. I’ve always taught my family at home, that slow to anger means not getting upset quickly.

At one little infraction, a child may drop an egg on the floor. Slow to anger means that you don’t get upset with them immediately. When we were children, we used to light off firecrackers. Firecrackers don’t always have the same length of a fuse, and sometimes they burn really fast.

Sometimes before you even had a chance to throw them, they would almost go off in your hand. I kind of rethink about that when I read this verse. Slow to anger means that God has a long fuse. He allows himself to go through a lot of suffering before he punishes.

Ultimately, judgment is going to happen when God casts people into hellfire, but look how long suffering He is.

Ephesians 4:31

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:26

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

……9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

I want you to think about something for a moment. God’s mercy and forgiveness is not extended to just a certain group of people. He extends it to everybody who desires it. The reason why I say this, is the Scriptures teach that God wants all men to come to a place of repentance. There is nobody in this world that God doesn’t want to save.

What’s required is confession of sin. What’s required is an admission of fault. What’s required is turning away from the things that are wrong, and coming back to Christ. God doesn’t want people to perish. God does not desire that.

What dad likes to come home after work and punish his children? That’s not something that a parent looks forward to. Neither did Paul when he had to punish things that went on in the church. That’s not something that he looked forward to.

Punishment has to happen because of justice. God wants each of us to simply come to him and apologize because is full of compassion. His tender mercies are over all his works.

When you are tender it means that you show gentleness, concern and sympathy for others.

Sometimes I think about chewing on a really really hard steak that’s tough. I like a tender steak or tender hamburger. It’s very easy to cut into and chew. When you are filled with tenderness, it means that you are soft or delicate in your substance. You’re not hard or tough. Tender means you’re easily damaged, vulnerable and sensitive.

Over all the things that our God does to us, His works are filled with tender mercies. Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom is within one’s power to punish or harm.

Even though each of us have sinned in the presence of God, even though each of us have come short of pleasing God completely, He’s waiting for us to apologize. It’s just an admission of truth. It’s simply saying I was wrong. You’re right. God cares for us. God wants all of us to repent. God wants us to acknowledge the truth.

God’s ways is a better way. The problem is when we’re caught up in sin, each of us are deceived. God wants to save us. He is a God of mercy. We can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need. Do you need forgiveness? If so, I think it’s time for you to jump in the boat with the rest of us.

Think about that for today and Lord willing, we’ll talk some more tomorrow. Till then, bye Bye, everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

Contending for the Faith

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at some scripture from Jude, beginning at verse three.

3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

5. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

First of all, the apostle says, He gave all diligence to write to them. When you are diligent it means that you show care and conscientiousness in one’s work or duties. It is a steady, earnest and energetic effort, devoted to accomplishing some sort of undertaking.

Jude was very diligent to write to the church. He called them beloved, which means he cared for them very much. He did not turn away from his purpose, but continued to educate them in the common salvation, it was needful for him to do so. The word needful means that something is necessary and required.

Imagine going on a camping trip somewhere, but you didn’t bring any food or water with you. These are things that are needed in order to survive out in the woods for two weeks. The Apostle Jude was giving out the things that were needful for the salvation of the church. He was teaching them and exhorting them to earnestly contend for the faith.

When you do something in an earnest matter, it means showing sincere and intense conviction.

Earnest means zealous in your intentions, purpose, or your effort. It is characterized by or proceeding from an intense and serious state of mind.

When you earnestly contend for the faith, you will struggle and actively resist those who are opposed to the truth of God’s word. You will strive to maintain the truth and the integrity of the teachings of God’s word even in the face of great difficulties. You will stand up for the truth even when surrounded by heresies and false beliefs that are held by certain people.

I want you to remember that the faith was given to us approximately 2000 years ago. It’s referred to as the common salvation. Jude refers to it as the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

The word once means on one occasion, or for one time only. You might claim that you climbed a mountain once. You might say that you rode a horse once. Once means that it was only handed down one time. What has happened in the last 2000 years is a slow degradation of the teachings of the Christian faith. The beloved brother Jude warns people in the church to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

When you look around at Christianity today, you will see them ordaining women and preachers in the church, you find them ordaining openly sinful people. This is completely contrary to the things that Jude taught.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation….

Can you tell me an animal that creeps on the ground? It’s a snake. To creep means moving slowly and carefully in order not to be heard or noticed. All over the world, these people are creeping in. There are snakes in the church.

They completely deny the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. God has provided marriage for a way for people to avoid fornication or sexuality.

Lasciviousness has to do with things that are outside marriage such as fornication, or adultery. God really despises fornication, which is sexuality with somebody who is not your spouse within the bedroom. God teaches that the bed is undefiled, so whatever you do in the bedroom is between you and your spouse.

Lasciviousness is having sexual relationships with other people, but you’re not married to them. It’s homosexuality and lesbian relationships. Many of these people profess to be Christian today, and are living in these sins.

When you deny something, it means the state that one refuses to admit the truth. It means to contradict and to contravene. It also means to refuse to accept as true or valid. It means to declare to be untrue, or to reject as false, and refuse to accept and believe.

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

God does good works towards us and he is very forgiving and patient, kind, and merciful. But Jude is teaching here, that even though Jesus saved the people out of Egypt, he destroyed them that didn’t believe. Think about a dad who cares about you, and loves you very, very much. But then, when you completely rebel and disobey him, he eventually will have to punish. That is what the Lord does. The Lord Jesus does good works to us, but those who don’t believe and willfully reject him and his love, are going to be destroyed.

Ultimately, the word believe in the dictionary means to accept something as true, or to be sure of the truth of something. One dictionary says to accept something as true, genuine or real, or to have a firm or a wholehearted religious conviction, or persuasion. Sadly, there will be people today who do not believe the truth of what Christ taught, and they’re not going to be able to inherit eternal life without repentance. Even though he took them out of Egypt, and led them through the Red Sea, even though he delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh, he destroyed them that wouldn’t believe. Christianity is more than just claiming that you believe, it’s about having sincere belief in your heart.

The Lord Jesus, when he was on the earth did so many miracles, and healed so many people; the blind, the sick. Even though he did so many amazing things there were still people who would not believe in him. True faith is more than saying, I believe, it’s about trusting in what Jesus did for us. It’s about believing in the miracle that he did.

Not everybody who says, Lord, Lord is going to be in heaven. It has to do about doing the will of God.

Think about that for today. And Lord long, we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye Bye, everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

The phrase “at hand” means “close in time; about to happen.” For example, if someone says that they need to focus on an issue at hand, it means that they are concentrating their efforts at something happening right now or very soon. 

You know, right around Thanksgiving, many big retail stores have huge discounts on items for Christmas gifts. The allure of saving sometimes over half off an item will draw massive amounts of people to the store. But because the supply is limited, people will need to get to the store early to make sure that they can get it, sometimes waiting for hours before the store opens.

Or maybe a band is coming to town for a concert a certain weekend, and because they are such a popular band, if someone wants to get tickets for it, they need to get the tickets immediately, right then, before they sell out. Like the saying goes, “You snooze, you lose.” 

Well the time to repent of your sins is right now. Not later, not sometime when I get to it, but today, right now. Do you know what is going to happen later today? Do you know for certain that the next time that you go driving down the road that you will not die in an accident? We do not know when we are going to die, and because of this people need to repent and turn from their sins immediately, today. 

The 10 virgins in Matthew 25 knew that the bridegroom was coming, but only 5 of them were ready. They were prepared and ready to go, but the 5 foolish virgins were not ready. They had the time to prepare and get ready, but they didn’t. They thought they could wait right until the bridegroom came, but by that time it was too late and they were shut out of the wedding.

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 

But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25:1-13

And that is what is going to happen on Judgement Day. People are going to try to put off changing from their ways until the last moment, but as the Bible teaches, that time will come when they least expect it. They will not be ready and it will be too late.

“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:37-44

The time to repent and change is right now. Don’t make the mistake of the foolish virgins, and put it off until the last moment, because you don’t know when that moment is. Are you ready?

In Christ,

Andrew

Love the Brethren

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at the following scripture.

1 John 3:13-15 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

When you hate somebody, it means having a feeling of intense or passionate dislike for someone else. Somebody describes hatred in the dictionary as the absence of love. In my personal life I’ve never been capable of ever saying those words to anybody although they have been said frequently to me.

When you become a disciple of Jesus Christ, there are people out in the world who aren’t going to like you. The world that we currently live in is a world filled with hatred and sin. When we become a Christian, we come out of the world, and we begin to walk in love and truth in the church. If you truly claim to love God and hate your brother, then you’re a liar.

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Love is forgiving. Love is merciful. Love forgets past misdeeds. When we come to the church, obviously, we are being called according to God’s mercy. That is what you’re supposed to show to other people in the church.

Pro 6:16-19 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

When somebody does something wrong to you, you’re supposed to rebuke them.

Leviticus 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

God does not want us to be upset with others when they are unaware that we are upset with them. Instead he wants us to rebuke people when they wrong us so that they have the opportunity to repent and apologize.

1 John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

The Lord Jesus taught that those who did the will of God were the same as his brother and sister and mother. We are talking about people in the church today. If you’re claiming that you’re in the light, which would mean your a church goer, and you hate your brother, you are in darkness even until now.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

1 John 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Remember, the Scriptures teach that we’re not supposed to be angry with somebody else without a cause. If somebody has robbed you, you’re supposed to rebuke them. In doing so, you’re giving them a fair opportunity to apologize.

There are certain things in the scriptures that are unforgivable. If somebody apologizes to you, and you will not forgive them from your heart, that is unforgivable in God’s sight. It doesn’t matter if you have had communion or been baptized. It doesn’t matter if you’re a member of a church somewhere. If you are too cold-hearted to forgive others God is not going to forgive you and you will not inherit eternal life. Another unforgivable sin is not confessing your faults when you have wronged other people. You can confess your faults to God and admit your sins to him, but you also need to confess to others in the church who you have sinned against. If you are incapable of doing either of these things that is unforgivable.

Can a person repent of these things while they’re alive here on the earth,… certainly, but if they don’t come Judgment Day, it’s not going to be forgiven.

….We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

The apostle Paul rebuked Peter, but later on in the Scriptures, Peter referred to him as a beloved brother in the church. In the church there are brethren who are capable of admonishing, correcting, and helping you to grow in your faith day by day. Think about it like having a dad who loves you very much. They do it because they care about you and want you to walk on the right path so that we can become pleasing unto Christ. You want to love them for their work sake.

We can understand that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren.

They’re attempting to put you onto the right path. But he that loveth, not a brother abideth and death.

We know that the Scriptures teach us that love will result in obedience. If a wife truly loves her husband, she will obey Him in everything that he says. If she truly loves him, she will remain at his side, through whatever they might have to endure. If a person professes to be a Christian, they’re going to love the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and obey them. If children love their dad, they will listen to what they’re told.

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

When you love others, you will be thankful for the things that they are teaching and admonishing you.

3 John 1:10 “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”

Here’s an example of a church that John was involved with, but an underling was trying to turn people against John. That’s caused by pride. That’s what the devil did. The devil led a rebellion against God.

Whosoever hated his brother is a murderer. It’s not even required that you do the physical act. If you hate a brother, you are the same as a murderer.

Matt 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:

When you think about Cain and Abel, why did Cain kill his brother Abel? The reason why is because his own works were evil and his brothers were just. He had no reason to be upset with his brother at all. Out in the world today, when you tell people the truth, there are many people who are going to hate you for saying it. Remember, Whosoever hated this brother is a murder. You don’t actually have to commit the act physically. It is simply a state of mind.

Remember that Jesus teaches us in the scriptures to love one another. Many times, people resort to hatred simply because they won’t receive the truth. There are numerous people today who are rebelling against the truth of Scripture. And when you take a stand for it, they’re going to hate you because of it.

John 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Psalms 145:18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

The Christian life is about speaking the truth. That’s what a minister or preacher does, they are preaching the truth of Christ Jesus found in the Scriptures. When we’re doing something wrong, truth can hurt, but in order for us to be in heaven someday we have to accept the facts that we are wrong. We need to apologize and to repent. What’s the old saying, don’t hate the messenger for the message that he brings.

He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. The lack of love for a brother is truly a lack of admission of one’s own faults and sins. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer and you know that no murder hath eternal life abiding in him. You don’t even have to commit the deed. If you simply hate a brother, you don’t have eternal life abiding in you. That’s very serious, and something that you need to consider today.

Let’s think about those things and Lord willing, we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye Bye, everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

My Old Trumpet

Good morning and welcome in everybody.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.

For almost 20 years, I’ve had a beat up old trumpet that I hang on the outside of our cabin on a nail. Before we eventually got cell phones, and walkie talkies, I would use this trumpet to contact my children. My son told me that he had been a couple miles away fetching firewood, and he could hear me blow on my horn. I would stand on the deck, and blow on the horn three or four times, just to make sure that if they were on the four wheelers that they would hear me. About 10 minutes later, sure enough, everybody would show up. They recognized the sound of my old trumpet.

This reminds me of the Christian Life.

Jesus teaches us that His sheep will hear His voice. If you truly are Christian, you will listen to His voice found throughout the teachings of Holy Scripture.

John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Many years ago, I had read about shepherds who dwelt out in the east. They had many different call signs to bring their flocks back home to them. I read that when there were five or six different flocks at a watering hole somewhere, a shepherd could give a distinct call that was just his own, and all of his sheep would separate from the rest and come over to him. I have a cat who does the same kind of thing. I have a special call for him, kind of like a whistle. Every time he hears it, he comes running, because he knows it’s me who is doing it.  It’s very similar to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. Those who are of God will hear the voice of God through His Holy Word.

In the Old Testament, a shofar was a ram’s horn trumpet used by ancient Jews in religious ceremonies and as a battle signal. When you heard its sound, you paid attention.  Think about students at a school, who are sitting in a class waiting for the lunch bell to ring. They wait patiently until the buzzer goes off, and then everybody immediately runs to the lunchroom.  You listen for things that are important to you, whether it’s a trumpet, a shofar, or a bell at a school district somewhere. When you hear a policeman coming down the highway and his sirens are blaring, what do you do? You pull over to the side of the road. If you are in a fishing boat with your children, and one of the children starts screaming and yelling that they have caught a fish, what do you do? You grab the net so you can land the fish in the boat. Well, Christianity is about listening to God.

The voice of God is spoken throughout the teachings of the New Testament. The Bible was not written by men but by men who were moved by the Holy Spirit of God. Everything written in it can be taken as God’s Word to us. There are many people today who simply will not listen to what it teaches. The truth is it’s going to get worse and worse and worse. People will be deceived, and will deceive others. That happens because they won’t hear the truth.

How many times as a child did your parents come into your bedroom and tell you that it was time to get up? They explained to you that dinner was ready, but you rolled over and fell back asleep. At the breakfast table they told you that they tried to wake you up about four times but you just wouldn’t listen. When you hear something, it means that you understand and perceive it, resulting in some sort of activity. To increase our faith, we need to listen to what scripture says.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Listening to the words of Christ are very important in regards to our salvation.

Proverbs 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, thatthou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Matt 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Luke 8:21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.”

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

If you’re going to really hear something, you’re gonna pay close attention to it.  My cat knows that when I whistle for him, he’s got food coming. He shows up pretty quick. The Lord Jesus teaches my sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me.

Heb 3:7-8 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Jesus teaches that his sheep follow him but what does that mean? What does it mean to follow somebody?

1 Cor 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Matt 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

If you follow, it means to walk or proceed along a certain path. It means to be or act in accordance with certain directions. It means to obey or act as ordered by somebody else, or to follow their directions. God wants us to follow the things that Jesus taught. He wants us to become obedient to Him. Following Christ means to do His will.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

We learn from this verse that Christianity is more than just saying, I believe in Jesus, it’s more than saying, I believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins, Christianity is about doing the will of the Father in heaven. This means submitting to the teachings of Christ.

1 John 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

God wants us to obey His Son and wants us to follow the things that He taught.

1 Pet 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

Instead of listening and following the things of the world, (like all of us have done in our past), when we become a believer, we can be forgiven for our past so that we can begin a new future. This requires obeying the teachings of Christ.

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

The sheep of God will come to Him when He calls them, because they recognize His voice, just as my own family recognizes the familiar sound of…..

….. My Old Trumpet

Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.

tlkjbc.com♥️

Note: Any copies may be printed and freely distributed among those who have no internet service. There is no AI creative involvement in my writings, and must be left intact because they are very personal to me. These are not to be sold, and are made public only for the free benefit of Spiritual knowledge to those who are genuinely seeking the will of God.