tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36904329009457327452024-03-13T13:48:33.787-07:00Salvation NationThis Blog is a companion site of my Common Sense Commentary Blog at rayburnblair.blogspot.com, which covers many issues and, as its name implies, Common Sense Commentary. Salvation Nation will speak to Biblical, spiritual commentary as of a voice arising from a single pulpit of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God.... the Salvation Nation of Christianity.Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-81644478885752323942017-12-30T11:39:00.002-08:002018-01-05T10:14:30.090-08:00What Does The Future Hold For The Real You, Who Will Live Forever <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Satan Is Pulling The Worldly Strings Behind The Curtain</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Your fleshly body is not you. You are the "breath of life" which your Creator breathed into your body when you became a living, human soul. From Adam's body, Eve was created, and from theirs, we were created... "formed of the dust of the ground". But your life, spirit, or aspiration was breathed into your body by the very life and love of God. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"And the LORD formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." Gen.2:7.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Our spirits were given a human, physical body in which we would live this life on Earth and by which we could express our unique, individual personalities, thoughts, actions, decisions, and aspirations, as free will human beings. Free to choose, but fully accountable to our Creator God. God's breath gave physical life capable of spiritual aspiration.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: small;">When the body dies, physical respiration ceases and our life ... spirit ... aspiration leaves the fleshly, physical body and the physical world. </span><span style="font-size: small;">This, is just as the Spirit of Christ left the the physical body of Mary's child, Jesus, hanging on the cross. And while the dead </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">physical body of Jesus</u><span style="font-size: small;"> was taken down and buried in a tomb, </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">the Spirit of Christ</u><span style="font-size: small;"> descended into the heart of the earth to give the fulfilled Gospel of salvation to the O.T. saints in Paradise. They were kept there, awaiting Jesus's prophesied death, the fulfilled payment for their sins, before they could enter the presence of holy God in Heaven. When Jesus Christ arose, </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">they</u><span style="font-size: small;"> arose from wherever their bodies had been buried and those buried in Jerusalem arose and walked in the city until Jesus finished his business with the New Testament saints there. Then continued on into Heaven to deliver those O.T. saints, who had been <u><span style="color: red;">"captivated"</span></u>, or securely guarded, in <span style="color: red;">"<u>Abraham's Bosom"</u></span>, or <u>Paradise</u>, in the heart of the earth, across a great gulf from the regions of the O.T. damned, lost in hell.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: small;">"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into <u>Abraham's bosom</u>: the <u>rich man also died, and was buried</u>, and<u> in hell</u>, he lift up his eyes ... and <u>seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom</u>. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me .... for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, <u>Son, remember</u> that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: <u>but now</u> he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, <u>between us and you there is a great gulf fixed</u>: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." Lk. 16:22-26.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"... so shall the Son of man be <u>three days and three nights in the heart of the earth</u>." Matt.12:40.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">"Wherefore he (Christ) saith, </span><u style="color: red;">When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive</u><span style="color: red;"> ... Now that <u>he ascended</u>, what is it but that he also </span><u style="color: red;">descended first into the lower parts of the earth</u><span style="color: red;">? Eph. 4:8-9</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: <u>By which also he went and preached unto the (O.T.) spirits in prison</u>." 1 Pet.3:18-19.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The word "prison" here means a securely guarded place of keeping. That place was also called "Paradise" and "<u>Abraham's</u> Bosom". O.T. saints could not go directly into the presence of a holy God, at death, until their sins had been paid for by their Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, and His blood offered upon the heavenly altar of God, which also applied to the N.T. Christians.</span></div>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"For for this cause was the <u>gospel preached</u> <u>also to them that are dead</u>, <u>that they might be judged according to men in the flesh</u>, but l<u>ive according to God in the spirit</u>." 1 Pet.4:6.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"And the graves were opened, and <u>many bodies of the saints which slept arose</u>, And <u>came out of the graves after his resurrection</u>, and <u>went into the holy city, and appeared unto many</u>." Matt.27:52-53.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">All of that was the preservation of the O.T. saints' spirits and then a rejoining with, and resurrection of their new glorified bodies. Their spirits had been kept in Paradise (Abraham's Bosom) until the sin debt was paid and Messiah came for them. Those buried in Jerusalem evidently arose and visited while awaiting Christ Jesus to finish his business with the New Testament saints living in Jerusalem: But then, He continued His holy ascension into heaven with the Old Testament saints. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prior to the crucifixion, their sins had not yet been fully atoned for, in fulfillment of their faith in their future, </span><u style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">coming</u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Messiah. They looked forward to him, in faith, while they were still serving Him during their earthly lives in the O.T.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<article class="row bible-item" data-osis="1Pet.4.6" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; margin-top: 20px; padding: 1px 10px 5px 0px; position: relative;"> <div class="bible-item-text col-sm-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; line-height: 24px; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 660.857px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="bible-item-text col-sm-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; line-height: 24px; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 660.857px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, our faith <u>looks back</u> to Messiah's first coming when He took on human form, delivered God's truth, was crucified, paid the sin debt, and arose from the dead. Christ's second coming will be in two phases. First He will return <u><span style="color: red;">"in the air"</span></u>, resurrect us and catch us away into the clouds, delivering us from the Tribulation, which is <span style="color: red;">"Jacob's trouble" </span><span style="color: red;">according to</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>Jer.30:7, and raptures us into Heaven for the wedding ceremony with His bride, at the beginning of the Tribulation Period on earth.</span></div>
<div class="bible-item-text col-sm-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; line-height: 24px; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 660.857px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="bible-item-text col-sm-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; line-height: 24px; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 660.857px;">
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="text 1Thess-4-16" id="en-KJV-29620" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>"</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Then we which are alive and remain shall be <u>caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air</u> ...." 1 Thess. 4:16-17.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"Beloved, <u>now</u> are </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">we</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">we </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">shall</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> be: but </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">we</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> know that, </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">when</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> <u>he </u></span><u><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">shall</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> appear, </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">we</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">shall</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> be like </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">him</span></u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">; for </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">we</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">shall</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">see</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">him</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> as he is." 1 John 3:2.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">When the Christians are taken out, God's Holy Spirit, who lives in them, is taken out with them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he (Holy Spirit) who </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">now</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">let</span>teth</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">will </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">let</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> until he is </span><u style="color: red;">taken out of the way."</u><span style="color: red;"> 2 Thess.2:7. </span>The "mystery of iniquity" is now working but limited by the Holy Spirit until the rapture when he (H.S.) will leave with those in whom He dwells.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">It will be at this first phase of His second coming when Christ raptures His bride into heaven, for their wedding, that the Holy Spirit will be <span style="color: red;">"taken out"</span> with the true Christians, in whom He lives. While on earth, Christians and the Holy Spirit gone, there is no Christian witness on earth until in the midst of the 7 years when God sends His two witnesses in Rev.11:3. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span> <u style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">The Tribulation Period Begins</u><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">After 7 years of Tribulation under the Anti-Christ's ruthless reign, Christ will return in the second phase of His second coming to bind Satan and set up His holy Millennial Kingdom for 1000 years. In this kingdom, the Christians, Bride of Christ, who return <u>with</u> Him will also rule with him as "Kings and Priests". </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="bible-item-text col-sm-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; line-height: 24px; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 660.857px;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"...Behold, the Lord cometh <u><b>with</b></u> ten thousands of </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">his</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">saints." Jude 1:14.</span></span></div>
<div class="bible-item-text col-sm-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; line-height: 24px; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 660.857px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="bible-item-text col-sm-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; line-height: 24px; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 660.857px;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"And</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> hast made us unto our God kings and priests: </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">and</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> we shall reign on <u>the earth</u>." Rev. 5:10.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"And <u>I will pour upon the house of David</u>, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Jews), <u>the spirit of grace</u> and of supplications: and </span><u><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">they</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> shall look upon me </span></u></span></span><u style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">whom</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">they</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">have</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">pierced</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, and </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">they</span></u><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u> shall mourn for him</u>, as one mourneth for his only son." Zech.12:10.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>Finally</u>, turning to their Messiah, Christ, the 144,000 Jews who survive the Tribulation, in a new world, without sickness, war </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">or death, will repopulate the entire Earth, exponentially, for those 1000 years of peace and health (Isa.2:4). Refilling the earth with multiplied millions of people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>At The End Of The Millennial Kingdom</u></span></div>
<div class="bible-item-text col-sm-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; line-height: 24px; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 660.857px;">
<br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="text Rev-20-6" id="en-KJV-31045" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>"</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the <u>first</u> resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be </span><u style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.</u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="text Rev-20-7" id="en-KJV-31046" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And when the thousand years are expired, <u>Satan shall be loosed</u> out of his prison, </span><span class="text Rev-20-8" id="en-KJV-31047" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and</span><u style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them</u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">." Rev.20:6-9</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This final rebellion of men is short lived.</span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And so we see that, in this final failure of man, <u>in the very presence of Christ</u>, on His throne. This will be the 7th dispensational failure of man. From his failure in the first, the dispensation of innocence, in Eden, to the last, in the dispensation of Christ's rule as King of kings. With all humanity in the visible presence of Deity, and knowing He is God, they rebel. And wasn't that also the failure of Lucifer, in heaven, recorded in </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Isa.14:12-15.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then comes the second resurrection (of the lost), for judgment at the Great White Throne. Those who have remained in the Hell, where Abraham spoke to the man across a "great gulf", who was "torment in this flame". At that judgment, every soul in the universe will acknowledge Jehovah and Christ as Lord. <span style="color: red;">"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, <u>and things under the earth</u>; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil.2:10-11.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fantastic? Yes, but "Thus saith the Lord". Unbelievable? Without Christ ... yes. But it is He who makes the difference in your eternity.</span><br />
<br /></div>
</article><br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-67481958722310086102017-09-16T15:40:00.002-07:002017-09-16T15:47:55.278-07:00Human Inclination To Hear Sweet Lies ... Reject Bitter Truth<span style="font-size: large;">This Is A Normal, Human, Fleshly Tendency</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Simple human interest, sweet words, and a good report outdraw readership, leadership, and followship</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, as opposed to eternal issues, world-wide problems, and impending catastrophe. 95% of the time people do not want to hear the negative, though it is</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> true, prefer </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">the positive, shallow good words, though they </span>be<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> false.</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br />
Here is a case in point. A King who only wanted to hear encouraging words, good and positive words, words which agreed with what he already wanted to do. Such a leader is doomed to failure, loss and pain if he surrounds himself with yes men and false prophets, as many a President, Congressman, General, Professional Athlete, Movie Star, and Employer has done.</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The account is recorded in 1 Kings 22:6-22.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-6" id="en-KJV-9487" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>Then the king of Israel (Jehoshaphat) gathered the (false) prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, <u>Go up; for the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> shall deliver it into the hand of the king.</u></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-7" id="en-KJV-9488" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </span>And Jehoshaphat (King of Judah) said, <u>Is there not here a prophet of the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></u> besides, that we might enquire of him?</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-8" id="en-KJV-9489" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, <u>Micaiah</u> the son of Imlah, <u>by whom we may enquire of the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></u>: <u>but I hate him</u>; for <u>he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil</u>. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-9" id="en-KJV-9490" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-10" id="en-KJV-9491" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah <u>sat each on his throne, having put on their robes</u> ... and all the prophets prophesied before them (falsely).</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-11" id="en-KJV-9492" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, <u>Thus saith the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></u>, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-12" id="en-KJV-9493" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>And <u>all the prophets prophesied so</u>, saying, <u>Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper</u>: for the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> shall deliver it into the king's hand.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-13" id="en-KJV-9494" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, <u>the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth</u>: <u>let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good</u>.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-14" id="en-KJV-9495" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">14 </span>And Micaiah said, As the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> liveth, <u>what the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> saith unto me, that will I speak.</u></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-15" id="en-KJV-9496" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">15 </span>So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> shall deliver it into the hand of the king.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-16" id="en-KJV-9497" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">16 </span>And the king said unto him, <u>How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>?</u></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-17" id="en-KJV-9498" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">17 </span>And he said, (Here's the truth) I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-18" id="en-KJV-9499" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">18 </span>And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, <u>Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?</u></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red;"><span class="text 1Kgs-22-19" id="en-KJV-9500" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">19 </span>And he (Micaiah) said, </span><u>Hear thou therefore the word of the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></u>: I saw the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-20" id="en-KJV-9501" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">20 </span>And <u>the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead?</u> And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-21" id="en-KJV-9502" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">21 </span>And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>, and said, <u>I will persuade him.</u></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Kgs-22-22" id="en-KJV-9503" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22 </span>And the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, <u>I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so."</u> 1 Kings 22:6-22.</span></span></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-91829741175778907842017-08-05T19:25:00.000-07:002017-08-05T19:25:09.465-07:00The Bottom Line Of Human Righteousness<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The primary difference in people.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The best you can say about any human being is that they have repented of their sins and rested their soul, by faith, in the atoning death of Jesus Christ for their unrighteousness. RB</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one ...." Rom.3:10</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">"If we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." Rom.10:3</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"I will greatly rejoice in the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">robe</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of righteousness ...." Isa.61:10</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-35966162961486485622017-08-03T13:05:00.003-07:002017-08-03T13:05:57.954-07:00God Is Revealing Sealed Prophecy In These Days Of "Increased Knowledge"<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-top: 0.17in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">This "Sign Post" of Jewish feast days and prophecy is the work of our son, Robert Paul (Bob). As you will see, he is a student of God's word and, I believe, has special insight into prophecy through the prism of Jewish feast days. RB</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">__________________________________</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Daniel
could not begin to imagine the extent of the prophecy that God
(Yehovah) gave him in Daniel</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
12:4</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">“<span style="color: blue;">But
thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book,</span> (neither Daniel
nor anyone else understood this prophecy) </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><i>even</i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
to the time of the end</span> (when we would then begin to understand): </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><u>many
shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased</u></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">.”
This prophecy was about 2500 years ago and just 1,500 hundred years
ago there were some who thought the sun, planets and stars revolved
around the earth. Remember when the earth was “flat”! Now, there
are millions running to and fro, flying through the air, speeding
down highways and cruising across the ocean while communicating with
anyone anywhere on earth and Googling whatever information or
knowledge is needed. Look what we have learned about DNA. </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><u>That</u></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
knowledge has changed medicine, forensics, denied evolution and
lengthened life spans. Too bad all this knowledge cannot grant us
wisdom from above… only God can do that. (James 1:5).</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, sometimes we think we are pretty smart. But plant a tomato seed and try to pinpoint exactly when your first tomato will be ripe and ready to eat… or the barley ready to harvest. Only God knows because He knows when the sun is going to shine, when it’s going to rain and what the temperature will be 24/7. Knowledge has increased and although we can give a close estimate for a harvest, we will never be able to pre-determine God’s timetable revealing the first day of each new Hebrew year or new months or feast days, prior to the sighting of the new moons. The moon cycle is not even an exact number of days. It is 29.5305882 days. Isn’t God awesome? Google it. In the following verses, read some of the history of God’s commandment concerning the Hebrew calendar year (By the way, I am referencing God’s Biblical calendar, not the “civil” Jewish calendar which was created by the Jews years after the Bible was written. They did it for their own convenience to better align their calendar with the pagan January through December calendar.):<br /><br /> Ex12:1-2 ¶ <span style="color: blue;">And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month</span> (*new moon)<span style="color: blue;"> shall be unto you the beginning of months</span> (*new moons):<span style="color: blue;"> it shall be the first month</span> (*new moon) <span style="color: blue;">of the year to you</span>.<br /><br /> Ex13:3-4 <span style="color: blue;">And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month</span> (*new moon) <span style="color: blue;">Abib</span>. (or Aviv which was changed to the name “Nisan” [their flight] after the Babylonian captivity. Esther 3:7 [the 12th month, Adar, is also mentioned here])<br /><br /> *The Hebrew for “new moon” is chodesh or hodesh and translated “month” in these two references and in 252 other places in the Bible. Hodesh is translated “new moon” in 20 Bible references such as Ps 81:3 “<span style="color: blue;">Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day</span>”. The first sighting in Israel of the first sliver of each new moon is what designates the beginning of each of the 12 Hebrew calendar months, not to mention the sun, stars and moon are for signs and seasons. Gen 1:14<br /><br />This complicated system of the reckoning of times and seasons could be why no one knows the day nor the hour of Jesus’ return. We can know when it’s getting close based on what Jesus said in Luke 21:7-28. Verse 28 “<span style="color: blue;">And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh</span>.” Yes, God has his own calendar, His own timetable and designated feast days given to the nation of Israel many years ago… and He said the feast days were to be observed <span style="color: blue;">“forever”</span> and the only way to observe them, on the day designated, is to know when the first day of the month for that feast is. Ex 12:17 “<span style="color: blue;">And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever</span>” (the feast of unleavened bread was one of three yearly feasts that God ordained after the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt. Ex 23:14-17) All of the feast days are “shadow pictures” of things to come in the future. (Colossians 2:16 “<span style="color: blue;">Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday </span>[Heorte] is the Greek word here, translated “feast” in 26 other Bible references], <span style="color: blue;">or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come</span>…”) The shadow pictures of the Spring feasts, starting in the month of Abib (March/April of the pagan calendar), have already been fulfilled by Jesus, our Passover lamb, in His death, burial and resurrection and in the gift of the Holy Spirit, during the feast of Pentecost, to indwell believers after Jesus’ ascension to Heaven. That was a time when Jesus (Yeshua) came as a servant and redeemer. The Fall feast and Holy Days, observed in the 7th Biblical Hebrew month, Tishri (Sept/Oct of the pagan calendar), are yet to be fulfilled when Yeshua will return as reigning King and Judge. One of those Holy Days is called “The Day of Trumpets” when no one knows of the day or hour that the trumpet will sound. This yearly holy day is coming up on Tishri 1 of the Biblical Hebrew calendar, somewhere around September 22, 23, 24 etc., because… no man knows the day or the hour… until the new moon is sighted in Israel. 'I’m just sayin'… it’s a yearly Holy Day and a “High Sabbath”.<br /><br />The feast days and holy days designated by God were to be observed by the Israelites forever. As a Christian, I have been “grafted in” (Romans 11:13-21), therefore I might be considered a “spiritual Jew”. Learning about the feasts of the Lord and observing them has brought even more life to the scriptures for me in these times of increased knowledge. There is a whole lot more to all this than I’ve shared so, let us ask God to give us “<span style="color: blue;">the spirit of wisdom and a revelation in the knowledge of Him</span>” (Eph 1:17) for these last days. The more we know, the more we will understand about what happens when it happens and we will trust God no matter what happens. Let us be found faithful. Robert Paul Blair (Bob)</span>Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-20271762659030792222017-07-29T14:23:00.006-07:002017-07-29T17:01:09.082-07:00If Jesus Foreknew Judas Would Betray Him, Why Did He Chose Him As An Apostle?<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>If he had never been an Apostle he could not have </b></span><b style="font-size: x-large;">fulfilled the prophecy which was based on the future reality. Jesus made no mistakes. He knew what He would do and what Judas would do.</b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">God does not need "faith" or "hope". He is the originator and object of all true faith and hope. <span style="color: red;">"Faith is the <b><u>substance</u></b> of things <u><b>hoped for</b></u>, the <b><u>evidence</u></b> of things <u>not</u> (yet) <u>seen</u>." Heb.11:1</span>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">God already owns everything in the universe, both "substance and spiritual", and hopes for nothing. <u>He doesn't "hope", He "knows</u>" in advance. He <b><u>is</u></b> our hope. </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"....God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, <u>which is our hope</u>.</span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">" </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">1 Tim.1:1.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Instead, He has certainty of knowledge, all knowledge, omniscience. He knows that He knows that He knows everything. He does not need faith or hope, he has omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, the universe and every grain of sand, breath of air and drop of water in it. Irreversible, eternal perfection requires no hope or faith. It is absolute, infinite.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The Christian believer's faith is a mustard seed off of our Creator's infinite mustard tree of omniscient knowledge and omnipotent power. True faith and hope are unknown to the unbeliever, but the faith and hope of eternal life abides in every believer. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">"... Jesus Christ: whom <u><b>having not seen</b></u>, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 1 Peter 1:8.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This is a mystery known only by believers, in that, "faith" converts "hope", into spiritual certainty, the <b><u><span style="color: red;">"substance"</span></u></b> of reality, <u>before the fact</u>, as if it were already seen and possessed... and, it is, in fact. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Prophecy, which is simply the foreknowledge of God</b></u>, of future events, given to His people through His prophets, is also certain evidence of things to come, in God's own time. True prophecy, recorded in the Bible, is certain <b><u><span style="color: red;">"evidence"</span></u></b> of future events revealed before they happen. </span><span style="font-size: large;">God's prophecies, are based on God's foreknowledge of the certain fact of their eventual fulfillment, not the other way around. The fact is not based on the prophecy of it; Prophecy is based on the future fact of it. Prophecy simply reveals what is going to happen before it happens, but would happen anyway even if it had not been prophesied. God pre-knew everything He would do and what each of us would will to do.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If this be true, why did Jesus Christ choose Judas as one of His 12 Apostles, if He knew what Judas would do? Jesus knew exactly what Judas would do. Christ was with God throughout eternity and was one with God. God and Christ have known from forever that humans would be created, would sin and become fallen sinners. He knew that He would send Christ, in to the body of Jesus, to die for the sins of all who would believe, and that Judas would betray Him. He knew all of this from eternity past and in the "Word of God", He gave prophecies of that betrayal fact even in the Old Testament, in Psm.4:9, Psm.109:8, and Zec.11:12-13. </span><span style="font-size: large;">It was destined because God knew it, and let it happen as a negative force, of men's will, to contrast good from evil, God from the Devil, light from darkness, love from hate, life from death and to emphasize</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the divine positive of the eternal Gospel. Jesus also knew that, till the end of time, there would be traitors in and out of His churches whom Christians would have to deal with. The negative makes the positive even sweeter. Therefore, </span><span style="font-size: large;">Rev.13:8 declares that Jesus was, </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"The Lamb <b><u>slain</u></b> <u><b>from the foundation of the world.</b></u>"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If all of creation, including the human race, was only good, pure, harmless and painless, then holiness would simply be universally normal and not exceptional, but common, the only reality. But the negative gives emphatic contrast and increased emphasis to God's salvation positive.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, Jesus knew Judas, that he would betray Him to be crucified.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"Jesus said unto them, the Son of man </span><u style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>shall be</b></u><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"> betrayed into the hands of men." Matt.17:22.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">"And as they did eat, he said ... one of you <b><u>shall</u></b> betray me."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Matt. 26:21.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same <b><u>shall</u></b> betray me." Matt. 26:23.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that <u><b>doeth</b></u> betray me." Matt. 26:46.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Judas was simply who and what he was... and chose to be. Jesus knew it and was not surprised by it, and didn't expect him to be saved, but chose him because of who he was, not by mistake. It is also true that if Judas had sincerely repented of his betrayal action, and confessed Christ, he could have been saved, but Jesus would also have pre-known that too. But He knew Judas would not repent, only "regret" after the fact, and commit suicide. By Judas' presence, the force of the evil negative increased the emphasis on the holy positive of God's planned redemption.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>"And we know that <u>all things</u> work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Rom.8:28</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The story would not be complete without it happening exactly as it did. He also knows exactly what you and I will, and will not do, but we are still responsible for making those decision and choices. RB</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-53639098360331235282017-07-18T14:15:00.000-07:002017-10-28T12:03:37.449-07:00The Mark Of The Beast Implanted In the Skin Of His Worshipers<span style="font-size: large;"><b>In their Right Hand Or Forehead ... Maybe a Government</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>issue, high tech tattoo or injection of a tiny micro-chip.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">First, let me point out the fact that God gave His people, who were delivered by Moses, Leviticus, which means "The Book Of The Levites" and contains the Levitical Law. In that holy book, He included this in Lev.19:28, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh... nor print any <u>marks</u> upon you: I am the <u>LORD (YHWH)</u>." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Intentional, permanent marking or scarring of the skin is forbidden.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Common Tattoos, though foolish, are not an unforgivable sin. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1 John 1:9. </b></span><b style="font-size: x-large;">But the "mark" of the Beast will be ... What is it?</b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The Hebrew word translated "marks" means cutting, into the skin.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The authority forbidding this is the LORD (YHWH), the name of GOD which the Jews dared not speak, and when written, wrote G_D, or YHWH, the unpronounceable, without vowels, name of GOD. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The New Testament makes reference to the sanctity of our bodies which belong to our LORD, Y<u>a</u>HW<u>e</u>H, and not to our own selves.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"...your <u>body</u> is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have <u>of God</u>, and ye are not your own....</span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">For ye are bought with a price...." 1Cor.6:19-20</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text 1Cor-6-19" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<u><span style="font-size: large;">The rise, power, and demands of the Beast:</span></u></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The "Beast" (Anti-Christ), during his 7-year reign, will have miracles performed by the false prophet, and thereby, deceive the masses and cause them to worship him, receive his number, name or mark on their right hands or foreheads. Any person who rejects the mark will be disqualified from buying or selling <u>anything</u> (including seed, water or land). Thus, would soon starve to death. Evidently, this "mark" would be required in all financial transactions and would include each person's identification.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rev-13-13" id="en-KJV-30922" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>"</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And he doeth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men .... </span></span><span class="text Rev-13-14" id="en-KJV-30923" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles ... </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the <u><b>mark</b></u>, or the <u><b>name</b></u> of the beast, or the <b><u>number</u></b> of his name."</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Rev. 13:13-17.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Warning to the non-Christians alive during the time of the Anti-Christ ...</u></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rev-14-9" id="en-KJV-30936" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, <u>If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark</u> in his forehead, or in his hand, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone ...." Rev.14:9-10.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>The victory of Tribulation, Christian converts over the "Beast" and the song they sing ... written by Moses in Deut.31:22</u> <u>and referenced here ...</u></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="text Rev-15-2" id="en-KJV-30949" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>"</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had <u>gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark</u>, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. </span></span><span class="text Rev-15-3" id="en-KJV-30950" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And they sing the <u>song of Moses</u> the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." Rev.15:2-4.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>The first "vial" (phiale) a basin, of God's wrath, is poured out as plagues upon the Beast's followers.</u></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="text Rev-16-1" id="en-KJV-30956" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. </span>And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which <u>had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image</u>." Rev.16:1-2.</span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The termination of the Beast's reign and his being cast, with the false prophet, into the Lake of Fire </span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Rev.19:20.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">_______________________</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Here are some of the latest upgrades in chip implants into people's skin. RB</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>_________________</b></span></div>
<h2 class="" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="color: #600090; font-size: large; touch-action: manipulation;"><a h="ID=SERP,5077.1" href="https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=implanted+chips+in+people&qpvt=implanted+chips+in+people&FORM=IGRE" style="color: #600090; touch-action: manipulation;">Images of implanted chips in people</a> - Bing.com</span></h2>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=implanted+chips+in+people&qpvt=implanted+chips+in+people&FORM=IGRE">https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=implanted+chips+in+people&qpvt=implanted+chips+in+people&FORM=IGRE</a></span><br />
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>__________________</b></span></div>
<h1 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; font-family: Proxima-Nova, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 42px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Implant Chip, Track People - <u>ABC News</u></span></span></h1>
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98077&page=1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98077&page=1</a><br />
<b>______________________________________</b><br />
<h1 style="font-family: headline-semi-bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0.36em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Microchips Will Be Implanted Into Healthy </span></h1>
<h1 style="font-family: headline-semi-bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0.36em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">People Sooner Than You Think - <u>Business Insider</u></span></h1>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microchip-implants-in-healthy-people-2014-7">http://www.businessinsider.com/microchip-implants-in-healthy-people-2014-7</a></span><br />
<b>______________________________________</b><br />
<br />
<h1 style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Is there a microchip implant in your future? <u>Fox News</u></span></span></h1>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/08/30/is-there-microchip-implant-in-your-future.html">http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/08/30/is-there-microchip-implant-in-your-future.html</a></span></div>
</div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-54772161353646094332017-07-17T10:23:00.000-07:002017-07-18T14:32:05.344-07:00Are The Illusions Of Grandeur And Visions Induced By Psychedelic Drugs A Religious Experience?<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Maybe "religious" but not Christian ...</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Throughout human history, Lucifer (Satan) has lied to humans about God, his word and his people. The lie and counterfeit religion were born in the heart of Lucifer, as an Archangel, while he was still in heaven as the chief light reflector of God's glory. There, he lied to a third of the angels, those under his authority, and presented his own counterfeit of "spiritual experience" and himself as the true God of the universe. His rebellion against God, an impossible illusion, resulted in his being cast out of God's presence, loss of his source of glorious light to reflect, and therefore his beauty. He became darkness and was ejected with his darkness into a small planet named Earth which became dark and void.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The next thing we read about Lucifer (light reflector), is his encounter with Eve in Eden, when he lied to her about God, His word, and good effects upon her if she would do what God had said not to do. By her disobeying God, Satan promised Eve the spiritual experience of becoming a god herself.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Satan is still lying to humans, who were created in the image and likeness, but not the deity, of God. Satan has, himself, created temporal parallelisms in similitude of all of God's holy and eternal things, These Satanic counterfeits extend from false gods, false Christs, false prophets, false churches, false bibles, false worshipers, false doctrines, a false heaven, false hope, and false religious experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">False religious experience is found in many varieties, including in professing Christian churches and in many false professing "men and women of the cloth". </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">One such false religious experience is claimed by certain religiously inclined, but unconverted, wolves in sheep's clothing who profess that psychedelic drugs enhance religious experience. As the social legitimacy and acceptance of the use of such drugs spreads around the world the false claims of the adherents is also spreading. Enough so that studies are now being made by previously reputable institutions. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Psychedelic drugs are simply another counterfeit, spiritual experience. The use of these drugs is mentioned twice in the Revelation, 9:21 and 18:23. The word sorceries in these two verses, in its Greek form, is pharmakeia as in pharmacy, and means psychedelic drugs. The first reference, in 9:21, lists it with murder, fornication and theft, and indicates it needs to be repented of. The second reference in 18:23, says that by the use of these drugs (pharmakeia), all nations will be deceived and the holy light and word of Christ (Bridegroom) and His bride (church), would no longer be heard or seen by those who use them or approve of it. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"Neither <u>repented</u> they of their <u>murders</u>, nor of their </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>sorcerie</b></u></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>s</b></u>, nor of their <u>fornication</u>, nor of their <u>thefts</u>." Rev. 9:21 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(sorceries from Greek pharmakeia).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">"And the <u>light</u> of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the <u>voice of the bridegroom</u> and of the <u>bride</u> <u>shall be heard no more</u> at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy <u><b>sorceries</b></u> were all nations deceived." Rev. 18:23</span> (Sorceries from Greek pharmakeia). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
___________________________________________<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "bebasneueregular" , "arial" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.02em;">The following is reprinted in part from </span><u style="font-family: BebasNeueRegular, arial, Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; letter-spacing: 0.02em;">Breaking Israel News</u><span style="font-family: "bebasneueregular" , "arial" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.02em;">. RB </span><br />
<h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BebasNeueRegular, arial, Georgia, serif; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.333em; margin: -7px 0px 10px; text-rendering: geometricPrecision;">
___________________</h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BebasNeueRegular, arial, Georgia, serif; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.333em; margin: -7px 0px 10px; text-rendering: geometricPrecision;">
Can Psychedelics Enhance the Mystical, Religious Experience?</h1>
<div class="entry-meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #aaaaaa; font-family: "Droid Sans", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 5px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">By <span class="byline" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"><span class="author vcard" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a class="url fn n" href="https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/author/adam_berkowitz/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(242, 242, 242); box-sizing: border-box; color: #aaaaaa; margin: 7px 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out;">Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz</a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "droid sans" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span style="font-size: large;">“And Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before Hashem, which he commanded them not.” Leviticus 10:1 (The Israel Bible™)</span></span><br />
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "droid sans" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "droid sans" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;">In their search for possible benefits of psilocybin ‘Magic Mushrooms’, researchers at </span><a href="https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/58202/earthquake-north-korea-likely-due-nuclear-testing-terror-watch/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); box-sizing: border-box; color: #135390; font-family: "Droid Sans", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Johns Hopkins University</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "droid sans" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"> put out a call for </span><a href="https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/85385/inside-story-viral-video-priest-rabbi-atheist-getting-stoned/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); box-sizing: border-box; color: #135390; font-family: "Droid Sans", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">clergy</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "droid sans" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"> from different faiths to determine if this natural psychedelic can help man connect with God. Rabbis, even those who have benefited in the past from this experience, are reluctant, highlighting that the true ‘God experience’ cannot be confined to a laboratory.</span></span></span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Droid Sans", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">After nearly 50 years of a ban on studying psychedelic drugs and </span><a href="https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/47725/israeli-medical-breakthrough-suggests-marijuana-could-help-treat-ms-health-and-science/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); box-sizing: border-box; color: #135390; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">marijuana</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, scientists are beginning to discover that psychoactive substances bear many physiological and psychological benefits for mankind. Two researchers at Johns Hopkins Bayview, Roland Griffiths and Matthew Johnson, have been studying the powerful effects of psilocybin for over a decade. </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">They discovered the natural substance is effective in </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">reducing depression and end-of-life anxiety associated with terminal cancers. Psilocybin was also found to be effective in helping end addiction.</span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Droid Sans", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many of the study’s participants reported feelings of “unity … an interconnectedness of all things … sacredness of life,” and over 60 percent reported it as the most meaningful experience of their lives. Significantly, those with the most success quitting smoking or resolving symptoms of depression all reported high levels of this mystical aspect. The researchers expanded their study and are now investigating whether psilocybin has another potential use: to deepen the spiritual experience. The experiment involves clergymen ingesting psilocybin in a relaxed and controlled setting and reporting on their experience.</span></span></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-2437156862576473582017-07-16T01:10:00.002-07:002017-07-17T10:47:52.248-07:00Yes, There Is A Land ... Where We'll Never Grow Old<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I Heard It On Good Authority....</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The best thing about growing old is ... We are closer to Heaven than we have ever been ... If we know Jesus ... Our Lord and Savior. He made us a promise when He said, <b> </b><span style="color: red;"><b>"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."</b> John 14:2-3</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rev-21-3" id="en-KJV-31057" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-size: large;">"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rev-21-4" id="en-KJV-31058" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rev-21-5" id="en-KJV-31059" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Rev. 21:3-5.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rev-21-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rev-21-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></span></div>
<ol style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>All of you old Christians remember this great old hymn:</u></b></span></li>
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></li>
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have heard of a land on the faraway strand,<br />’Tis a beautiful home of the soul;<br />Built by Jesus on high, where we never shall die,<br />’Tis a land where we never grow old.</span></li>
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></li>
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">In that beautiful home where we’ll never more roam,</span></li>
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">We shall be in the sweet by and by;</span></li>
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy praise to the King through eternity sing,</span></li>
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">’Tis a land where we never shall die.</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;">When our work here is done and the life-crown is won,<br />And our troubles and trials are o’er;<br />All our sorrow will end, and our voices will blend,<br />With the loved ones who’ve gone on before.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Never grow old, never grow old,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a land where we’ll never grow old;</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Never grow old, never grow old,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a land where we’ll never grow old. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">________________________________</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now hear it and sing along with the Gaithers</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here....</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqekNqVfRgM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqekNqVfRgM</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I call it Salvation Nation and it is our Christian </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Destination. RB</span></span></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-9414274326849764572017-07-08T10:16:00.001-07:002017-07-08T10:16:26.720-07:00Flying On God's Swift Winds Of Time To His Salvation Nation<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Christian's Eternal DestineNation</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Sailing through this trackless sea...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Just Jesus, my faith, and faulty me...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My yesterdays lived and left behind...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">God's words, my compass, all aligned...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Each second gaining an unused now...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Flying, surviving, only God knows how...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Through each eventful, passing day...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I look ahead through the pelting spray...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And yield to whatever God will allow...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Just over each dawn's horizon brow...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Flying on His swift winds of time...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It's fearful, joyful, regretful, sublime...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Over the cold and windblown brine...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My sail inhales its furious whine...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">But God has promised my preservation...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">To get me home to faith's DestineNation...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Safe harbor from life's stormy deep...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">At peace forever in His Holy keep...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In that glorious, celestial, city nation...</span><br />
<span class="text Heb-11-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">Prepared for all who have His salvation.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Heb-11-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text Heb-11-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">Psalms 115:1 ... Rayburn Blair</span></span><br />
<span class="text Heb-11-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="text Heb-11-8" id="en-KJV-30181" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>"</b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">By faith Abraham, when he <u>was called to go</u> out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. </span></span><span class="text Heb-11-9" id="en-KJV-30182" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">By faith he sojourned in the land of promise ....</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">For <u>he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.</u> Heb.11:8-10 </span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"And the wall of <u>the city had twelve </u></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>foundations</u></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Rev.21:14</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white;">God's Salvation Nation </b></span></span><br />
</div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-83211130588984142472017-05-30T14:15:00.002-07:002017-06-09T09:58:00.322-07:00Right Now Is All You Really Have... In This World<span style="font-size: large;">We Neither Have The Past Nor The Future To Do Good</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">But We All Have NOW.... Nothing More Is Certain.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>"Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." </b></span></span><b style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Prov.27:1</b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Now is the only time in life when you can do anything about anything. The past is finished, sealed, and recorded in God's unchangeable book of memories and events ... past history.... done. <b><u>Good or bad, the past is what it is</u></b> and will always be the same... unchanged. And though it can never be undone, it can be blessed or forgiven ... after the fact, </span><u style="font-size: x-large;"><b>now</b></u><span style="font-size: large;"> or some future now. If it is someday repented of and forgiven, it will not be passed or future then, but another day's </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><u>"now"</u></b><span style="font-size: large;"> which is all anyone has. We cannot live in the past, it is gone. We cannot live in the future, it is yet to come. All we really have is the ever present </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><u>now</u></b><span style="font-size: large;">. Fleeting and short lived, it is here and gone in a split second with the ticking away of time. So don't waste it or neglect it or misuse the opportunity it offers. God does not show us every detail or the timing of His perfect will for our lives, but He does show us what to do <u>NOW</u> ... the next second and one step at a time. We can know the certainty of our next step and next second of God's will for us, but nothing more, except for those things promised in His word. But why should He give us more if we are not willing to take, by faith, the next step now... into the uncertainty of the next hour or day or year by faith? It is only our </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">"faith"</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> which is the </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">"evidence of things <u>not seen</u>". Heb.11:1</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">. God wants us to learn to </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">"live by faith"</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> for our future ... from second to second and step by step</span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Rom.1:17.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">So, "now" is the only time you really have to repent, witness, </span><span style="font-size: large;">give, forgive, love, and serve our Lord. But how else is it possible to serve our Lord than to do those good things for people around us.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath see, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 1 John 4:20</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We can, of course, pray to God and praise Him but we cannot touch Him, hug Him, feed Him, take Him to the hospital, lend Him our car, take him to church, or mow his grass. But we can do those things for Him by doing them for needy people around us. Jesus said it this way...</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>"... Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matt.25:40.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span> <span style="font-size: large;">If we do not serve God, by serving people, <b><u>here and now</u></b>, we will not likely serve Him at some future time. <u>Now</u> is all we have and the only time anyone can do anything for God or for people.... is the ever present <u>now</u>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell </span><span style="font-size: large;">and get gain. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even as a </span><span style="font-size: large;">vapour</span><span style="font-size: large;">, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." James 4:13-15.</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">"For He saith, I have heard thee in <u>a time accepted</u>, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, <u>now is the accepted time</u>; behold, <u>now is the day of salvation</u>." 2 Cor.6:2</b><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-80482051788726360052017-05-20T17:03:00.002-07:002017-07-24T05:27:59.502-07:00When Christian's Suffer ... Is It God Or Satan Doing It ?<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_6987" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: "bookman old style", "new york", times, serif; font-size: 24px; padding: 0px;">
The answer to that question is the entire book of Job. God brings up Job, to Satan, as an almost perfect man of whom there was not another like him on earth. So what happened to Job was not God's judgment or punishment for something bad he had done. It was to "prove" Job's true character to Satan, to Job and to all who knew of Job's good fortune and faith in God.</div>
<div class="qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_6988" style="font-family: "bookman old style", "new york", times, serif;">
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7029" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8291" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8290" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8769" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: red; font-size: xx-small;"><u>Job 1:8-10</u> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7029" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7649" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd232c;">And the <span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7032" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that <b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7651" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">there is none like him in th</b></span><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7656" style="color: #cd232c;">e earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? </b></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7029" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8677" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Satan responded with the accusation that the only reason Job was such a good and unique man was because God gave him everything he wanted and had built a wall of protection around him, his family and all that he possessed. But, Satan said, If God would strike down and destroy all that Job possessed ... with His own hand of</span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8726" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"> judgment, Job would turn away from God and curse Him as well.</span></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7033" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7034" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8766" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">Then Satan answered the <span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7036" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7038" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8787" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">Hast not thou made </span></span><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7705" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8781" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land</span>. </b><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">But </span><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7753" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">put forth </b><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;"><b><u>thine</u></b></span><b style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;"> hand</b><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8848" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;"> now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. </span></span></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7043" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="font-family: "bookman old style", "new york", times, serif;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8889" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_8888" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">To this, the Lord answered Satan, <u>not</u> by saying OK, I will personally destroy <u>by my hand</u> everything Job has and show you he will not do as you say, but he will continue to worship and serve me. No, the Lord simply <u>removed his hand</u> from Job, removed the protective hedge he had around all of Job's possessions, and released Satan (permitted <b><u>him</u></b>) to strike everything Job had, except his health....with <u>Satan's hand, not God's</u>. Not to punish Job but to prove him. But he limited Satan in the amount of damage (possessions only) he could do to Job. So you see, Satan could not touch or hurt Job except to the precise extent that God specified and not a hair more. So it is true that Satan cannot hurt a Christian except and only as God allows him to do so for God's own purposes ... not Satan's. God did not do the damage to Job, but he allowed Satan to do it, which eventually worked out for Job's own good.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cd232c; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"><b>"</b></span><span style="color: #cd232c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And the </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7046" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd232c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Lord</span><span style="color: #cd232c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> said unto Satan, Behold,</span><span style="color: #cd232c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7772" style="color: #cd232c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>all that he hath</u> is in thy power;<u> only </u>upon himself put not forth thine hand</span><span style="color: #cd232c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "bookman old style", "new york", times, serif;"><span style="color: #cd232c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So Satan went forth from the presence of the </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7047" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Lord</span><span style="color: #cd232c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">... </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">and straightway destroyed everything Job had except his health and life which God still protected."</span></span></span></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7043" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9326" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: red; font-size: large;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7336" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9308" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.</span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7339" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">)</span></span></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7043" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When Satan had done all he was allowed to do to Job, <b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9392" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">and only that, </b>he came back before God and declared that ... Oh sure, Job didn't curse and deny you, God, because you kept me from hurting him physically. But if <b><u>you</u></b>, <b><u>by your hand</u></b> will strike his body and cause him great physical pain, he will curse you to your face.</span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7137" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<b style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Job 2:4-7</span></b></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7137" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9904" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">And Satan answered the <span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7479" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.</span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7482" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd232c; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">But <b><u>put </u></b></span><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7802" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;"><u>forth thine hand</u> </b><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.</span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7485" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd232c; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9947" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">And the </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7486" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd232c;">Lord</span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9978" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;"> said unto Satan, Behold, </span><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7867" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">he is in thine hand; but save his life</b><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9948" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">. </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7489" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd232c; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">So went </span><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7904" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">Satan</b><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9961" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;"> forth from the presence of the </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7490" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd232c;">Lord</span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9977" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">, and </span><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7834" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;">smote Job</b><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9946" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c;"> with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.</span></span></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7137" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">As you all know, Satan smote Job down with the most miserable fleshly sufferings he had God's</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>"permissive"</u></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> power to do, which was considerable. God, himself, by His hand, did no harm to Job. All God did was to</span> <b style="font-size: x-large;"><u>remove</u></b><span style="font-size: large;"> His protective hand and all hell broke loose in Job's life ... except, God continued to protect Job's life from <u>the hand of S</u></span></span><u style="font-size: x-large;">atan.</u><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><br /></u></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;">But after all of </span><span style="font-size: large;">Job's loss and </span><span style="font-size: large;">suff</span></span><span style="font-size: large;">erings</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> he not only survived but never denied God or cursed Him or ceased to worship Him. And Job cried out of the depth of his brokenness and pain....</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">"Though he </b><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">slay</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">me</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">, yet will I trust in him...." </b><span style="font-size: large;">Job.13:15</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Then, after God had proven Job to be all God had said he was, and finally delivered him from his suffering and loss, God blessed Job with twice as many possessions, another family of children, restoration of his friends, and good health as well.</span></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7137" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">There is no way to understand how many millions of Christians have drawn strength from the reading of Job's experience, and have lived and given glory to God and witness of His grace in their lives when there seemed no hope.</span></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7137" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, who hurt you? It was Satan but he couldn't have done so without God allowing it ... to prove you and then bless y</span><span style="font-size: large;">ou with twice as much of His grace as before you suffered. </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7137" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">after</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> that ye have </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">suffer</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">ed a while, make </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">you</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">you</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">."</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">1 Pet.5:10</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_10021" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #cd232c; font-size: large;">Job 42:10</span></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7137" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "bookman old style", "new york", times, serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_9899" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: red; font-size: large;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7903" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">"And the <span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7582" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the <span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493412852445_7583" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-padding-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> gave Job twice as much as he had before."</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">This is also a New Testament principle at work in every Christian's life.</span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, <u>after that ye have suffered a while</u>, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." 1 Peter 5:10</span></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">God doesn't have to punish us, all he has to do is let down the hedge ... remove his hand of protection.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-39904716323280331062017-05-17T07:54:00.001-07:002017-05-17T07:54:53.294-07:00Flying Through Swift Winds Of Time <span style="font-size: large;">We Will Arrive Alive</span><br />
<br />
Sailing through this trackless sea...<br />
Yesterday lived and left behind...<br />
Each second gaining an unused now ...<br />
Through each darkening passing day...<br />
Into a fresh and hopeful tomorrow,,,<br />
Just over each morning's new horizon...<br />
Flying on swift winds of time...<br />
To God's eternal destine nation...<br />
Safe harbor from life's stormy deep<br />
At peace forever and in His keep.<br />
<br />
Psalms 115:1 ... Rayburn BlairRayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-34484732536915382292017-05-06T16:07:00.001-07:002017-05-07T18:19:43.637-07:00The Two Fold Nature Of Man At War With Each Other<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A baby is born and filled with physical life and grows in every way throughout its life into maturity and knowledge. The new birth, a second birth, is a spiritual birth, but it too grows into spiritual maturity and knowledge or is overpowered by the flesh in an internal death struggle. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A born again Christian is a totally new thing being created... The Greek word for this "new creature" is ktisma.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Therefore if any </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">man</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> be in Christ, he is a </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><u>new</u></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b style="color: red;"><u> creature</u></b><span style="color: red;">: old things are passed away </span><b>(dead)</b><span style="color: red;">; behold, all things are become </span></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">new</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">." 2 Cor.5:17. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The "dead works" in a newly created Christian must be totally purged out. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">How much more shall the blood of Christ ... purge your conscience from </span><u style="color: red;"><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">dead </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">works</b></u><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> to serve the living God?" Heb.9:14. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The flesh is hopeless. It cannot be saved until it is resurrected, raptured and glorified.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">This spiritual process of "making" Christians from a dual nature (spirit and flesh), into a single new spiritual creature, is a work in progress from the moment of the "new birth" unto the moment of death or rapture. That spiritual process is taking place in every Christian still in a body</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> of flesh. The remaking and perfecting of the "new creature" shall continue right up to the resurrection and rapture of true believers.</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Be</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">loved, <b><u>now</u></b> are we </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> the sons of God, and it<b><u> doth not yet appear what we </u></b></span><span style="color: red;"><b><u><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">shall</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">be</span></u></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">: but </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">we</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> know that, when he shall appear, <b><u>we </u></b></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">shall be like him;</u> for we shall see him as he is." </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">1 John 3:2.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">In the meantime</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, until that great day of resurrection, rapture and full, spiritual glorification,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> like unto Jesus, let the spirit of God purge out the old dead works and continue his work of grace making us a completely new creature in Christ.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the </span><b style="color: red;"><u><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">inner</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></u></b><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><u>man</u></b>..." Eph. 3:16</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the </span><u style="color: red;"><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">old</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">man</b></u><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And be <u><b>renewed in the spirit</b></u> of your mind; </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And that ye put on the </span><u style="color: red;"><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">new</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">man</b></u><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Eph.4:22-24.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the </span><u><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">old</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">man</b></u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> with his deeds; </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And have put on the </span><u style="color: red;"><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">new</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">man</b></u><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, which is <u><b>renewed</b></u> in knowledge <b><u>after the image of him that created him...</u></b>" Col.3:9-10</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Knowing this, that our </span><u><b><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">old</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">man</span></b></u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> is crucified with him, that the <b><u>body of sin</u></b> might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Rom.6:6</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Apostle Paul, who wrote that last verse about the "old man" and our "body of sin" continued and expanded upon the thought of the two fold nature of man and how they are at war with each other, in Romans 7 below. In this chapter, Paul uses himself and his life experience of his inner spiritual man battling the old fleshly man to grow in grace and serve God faithfully. This chapter tells the self-righteous they are sinners too. It tells the judgmental Christian that they are as guilty as those they judge. It tells the "sinless" person they are liars. It tells the humble, repentant Christian they are in the will of God. Here is the heart of Paul confessing in absolute honestly the truth about himself... and us.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><u>Romans 7</u></b></span><br />
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-1" id="en-KJV-28093" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-2" id="en-KJV-28094" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>For the woman which hath <u class="">an husband</u> is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-3" id="en-KJV-28095" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-4" id="en-KJV-28096" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-5" id="en-KJV-28097" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-6" id="en-KJV-28098" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-7" id="en-KJV-28099" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </span>What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-8" id="en-KJV-28100" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-9" id="en-KJV-28101" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-10" id="en-KJV-28102" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-11" id="en-KJV-28103" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-12" id="en-KJV-28104" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-13" id="en-KJV-28105" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-14" id="en-KJV-28106" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">14 </span>For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-15" id="en-KJV-28107" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">15 </span>For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-16" id="en-KJV-28108" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">16 </span>If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-17" id="en-KJV-28109" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">17 </span>Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-18" id="en-KJV-28110" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">18 </span>For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-19" id="en-KJV-28111" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">19 </span>For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-20" id="en-KJV-28112" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">20 </span>Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-21" id="en-KJV-28113" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">21 </span>I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-22" id="en-KJV-28114" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22 </span>For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-23" id="en-KJV-28115" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-24" id="en-KJV-28116" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Rom-7-25" id="en-KJV-28117" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.</b></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-19884915807188423332017-04-28T16:13:00.002-07:002017-04-29T07:15:13.903-07:00Eternal Security? Who Does God "Blot Out" Of The Book Of Life?<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How does that square with eternal security?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some will not be <u>blotted out</u> of the Book Of Life.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and <u>I will not blot out his name out </u></span><u><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">book</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></u></b><b style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>life....</u>" </span>Rev.3:5</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Why even say this unless some others would be?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">So some names will "remain" in the book of life, but </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">other's will be "<u>taken ...out"</u> of the Book Of Life.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"...God shall <u>take away his part out of the book </u></span><u><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">of</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">life</span></u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, and out </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">of</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> the holy city...."</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><span style="color: red;"> Rev.22:19.</span></b> </span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Creator has, of course, known since before He even created the first 2 humans who each of them would be and whether they would </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: red;">"believe"</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> on Him or not. But He had to let their birth and unbelief develop in life as required by His foreknowing it. Even as Christ was foreordained to come and die for believers, before the foundation of the world, and that He would one day be </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: red;">"manifest"</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in a human body in Bible times, to deliver the good news.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> </span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<b style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">"... Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was <u style="background-color: transparent;">foreordained before the foundation of the world</u>, but <u>was <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">manifest</span></u> in these last times for you, <u style="background-color: transparent;">Who by him do </u><u style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">believe</u> in God." 1Pet.1:19-21</span></b></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even so, our Creator <b><u>foreknew</u></b> who His believers would be and <b style="color: red;"><u><span style="color: red;">"chose them, in Christ, before the foundation of the world."</span></u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span> <b style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"According as he hath <u>chosen us</u> in him <u>before the foundation of the </u></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>world</u>, that we should be holy and without blame </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">before</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> him in love." Eph.1:4</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Here are two reasons truly born again Christians cannot be "blotted out" of the Book of Life ... <u>First</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent;">,</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">if you can repent, believe, accept Christ, receive eternal life, be written into the Book of Life, then commit a single sin, lose your salvation and be "Blotted Out" of the Book of Life ... then everlasting life isn't "everlasting", as God calls it 14 times, or "eternal life", as he calls it 25 times, in the New Testament. If a truly born again Christian could lose their eternal salvation, it would take <b><u>just one sin</u></b>, of any degree or any type, to become guilty of breaking God's law... all of it... <b>"the whole law"</b> ... <b>"he is guilty of all".</b><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"> </span><b>It is a single thing</b>. <b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">fend in <u>one point</u>, he is </span><u><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">guilty</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">all</span></u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">." James 2:10. </span></span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">If you can lose it... one sin will do it. A curse word, a lustful thought, an exaggeration. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <u style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Second Reason</u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> ... God's word says in Hebrews that </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>if </u></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">you have been truly saved and then, for any reason, could lose it, you can never be saved again because that would require Jesus to be crucified again and put to shame. And that is not going to happen.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="text Heb-6-4" id="en-KJV-30049" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">"For it is <u>impossible</u> for those who were once <u>enlightened</u>, and have <u>tasted of the heavenly gift</u>, and were <u>made partakers of the Holy Ghost</u>, </span><span class="text Heb-6-5" id="en-KJV-30050" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">And have <u>tasted the good word of God</u>, and the powers of the world to come, </span><u style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">If</u> they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Heb. 6:4-6.</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">The <u>Book of the living</u> was written the day God created Adam, but Gen.5 only lists those from Adam up to the three sons of Noah when that dispensation ended. It served God's purpose to list those but there was no need or space in the Bible to list the billions which would later be conceived. </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">"</span><u><span style="color: red;">This is the book of the generations of Adam. </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1815251877" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: red;">In the day that God created man</span></a></u><a href="http://..../" style="color: red;">....</a><span style="color: red;">" Gen.5:1. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I believe this was the book God compiled, on the day the human race began, of all of the generations of Adam, also called <span style="color: red;">"the book of the living"</span>.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Our Creator certainly knew which individuals of all humanity would "believe", be born again, and "enter into redemption's rest", in Christ...</span><u><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">"if"</span></span></u><span style="background-color: white;"> they truly believed.</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></b></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"For we which have </span><u style="background-color: white;">believed </u><span style="background-color: white;">do enter into rest, as he said,... <u>if</u></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">y shall enter into my rest: although </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> works were finished <u>from the foundation of the world.</u></span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b> </b>Heb.4:3.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">God being omniscient, knew it all before it was later "manifest" in the world. That "foreknowledge" made its manifestation an absolute certainty and therefore predestined. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span> <span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"For whom he did </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">foreknow</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son...." Rom.8:29</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">All of the above was introductory groundwork for my own understanding of a difficult doctrine I once could not align, as a young pastor, with a most obvious doctrine in the Bible, Eternal Security. All scripture must and does harmonize. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Therefore, I had to </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">"Study to show myself approved unto God..."</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">"rightly divide the word of truth". 2 Tim.2:15. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">The</span><b style="color: red;"> </b><span style="color: red;">difficulty was those several verses which declare that some people will be </span><b style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;">"Blotted out of the book of life"</span></b><span style="color: red;">. </span><span style="color: red;"><u>How does that harmonize with Eternal Security?</u></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Key verse:</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"Let them be <u>blotted out of the </u></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>book</u></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u style="background-color: white; color: red;"> of the living</u><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">, and </span><u><span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: red;">not be written with the righteous</span></u><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">." Psm.69:28</span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">It is significant that in that verse, <b><u>the book of life</u></b> is called <b><span style="color: red;">"the book of the living"</span></b> and I believe that is exactly what the book of life is, the book of all the living which is referred to above, in Gen.5:1, as <b><span style="color: red;">"the book of the generations of Adam".</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">All these verses referring to someone being <b><span style="color: red;">"blotted out"</span></b> has to mean what it says and need not and must not be falsely interpreted to harmonize with eternal security or with someone's theory of falling from grace or a hymn written by a man.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b> <b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following <u>let their name be </u></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>blotted</u></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u> out</u>." Psm.109:13</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span> <span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">It is my opinion that David's reference below, to his being written in God's </span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">"book"</span><span style="background-color: white;">, is in fact, a reference to God's </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">"book of the living"</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> written before anyone had ever been born in Gen.5:1 and called </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">"the book of the generations of Adam"</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">David wrote....</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in <u>thy</u></span></b></span></span><b style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">book</span></u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Psm.139:16</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">This also means that since babies and little children who die need not have made a profession of faith in Christ, but are still safely listed in the book of life at the great white throne judgment.</span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">God's prophet, Daniel writing about Judgment Day, at the end of time spoke of </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">"books"</span></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> being opened and people being judged upon what was in the books. The primary thing would be first... whether their names are still in the book of life at the white throne judgment.</span></span><br />
<b style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b> <b style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and <u>the </u></span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>book</u></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">s</u> were opened." </span></span></b><b style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Dan.7:10. </b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No one knows what all books are among those being opened on judgment day, but they could include the books of God's Law, the books of the Bible which all instruct us on God's will. Also, God's books of record of every human's life and actions, and surely the Book Of The Living, which then has become the Lamb's Book Of Life from which all the names of the unredeemed will have been, by that time, </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">"blotted out"</span></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">... and their absence there proves them lost... by their own decisions. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b> <b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">book</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, even to the time of the end...." Dan.12:4</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, <u>every one that shall be found written in the </u></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><u>book</u></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">.</u><span style="color: red;"><b>" Dan.12:1. </b></span>At this point, only the names of the truly born again will be still recorded in the <b><span style="color: red;">"Book of the Living"</span></b> and </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">"the book of the generations of Adam". </span>Therefore, since only the names of the born again Christians, the Bride of Christ, are still written in the book of the living, it becomes the <b><span style="color: red;">"Lamb's Book Of Life".</span></b></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">life</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">." Rev. 21:27.</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The difference in those who are blotted out of the Book of Life and those who remain written there, in The Lamb's Book of Life, is that the latter have believed and received Christ as their Savor and thereby had their <b><u>sins blotted out</u></b> of God's record book, by the blood of the Lamb. ....</span></span><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"I have </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>blotted</u></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u> out</u>, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." Isa.44:22</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><u>blotted </u></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">out</u><b style="color: red;">, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19.</b><span style="color: red;"> </span>Only through Repentance and redemption. That is grace. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">RB</span>Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-52293457272115337692017-04-17T15:16:00.001-07:002017-04-17T15:16:18.653-07:00The Highest Calling Of God<span style="font-size: large;">One of the most frequently mentioned attributes of God is the fact that He is not a respecter of persons. He shows no respect (or acceptance) based on appearances, natural abilities, beauty, levels of intelligence, wealth or position. He does, however, according to scripture, respect (or accept) correct offerings, prayer, obedience to His covenants, His commandments, His statutes and to humility.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There are 13 different references to the fact that "God is not a respecter of persons". Both the Apostles Peter, who was the leader of the Apostles, and the Apostle Paul, who wrote half the books of the New Testament, stated that <span style="color: red;">"God is no respecter of persons".</span> Acts 10:34 and Romans 2:11.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We all die; no exceptions; no respect of persons; but God has <b>"devised means that His own, even those banished, will not be expelled from him permanently". </b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"For we must needs die... neither doth God </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">respect</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> any person: <u>yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him."</u></span> <span style="color: red;">2 Sam.14:14.</span> Every Christian knows the means, by which God, through Christ, devised to restore believers from their sinful "banishment"... separation from God's perfect will for them. God has given every Christian spiritual gifts and a calling which we cannot neglect or avoid without consequences. And God will not change His mind about your gifts and calling. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">"For the </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">gifts</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">and</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> calling of God are without repentance." Rom.11:29</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">So what is God's highest possible calling for you or me, or anyone else for that matter? Is it the ministry, the mission field, deacon, bishop, Apostle, President, Senator, fame, or fortune? No! The highest calling of God for you and every other person is the one he gifted you for and called you to be, called you to train, educate, cultivate, live and do with the talent gifts he gave you. That may be anything from a janitor, nursery keeper, deacon or pastor. There are not any useless members of the church ... if they are doing the thing God gifted them and called them to do. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The Apostle Paul spoke of our spiritual gifts and callings as all equally important ... if we are obedient to the ones our Creator, God, gave us.</span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="text-decoration: underline;">1 Cor.12:4-26</b> <span style="color: red;">Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of (languages); to another the interpretation of (languages): But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="text 1Cor-12-15" id="en-KJV-28650" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? </span><span class="text 1Cor-12-16" id="en-KJV-28651" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the bod</span>If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="text 1Cor-12-24" id="en-KJV-28659" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. </span>That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">So let us answer the call of God and cultivate our spiritual gifts, use them for his glory and be content with our own calling without envy or jealousy of someone else's gifts or callings. We will be judged by our faithfulness in fulfilling our own gifts and calling ... not someone else's. Yours, used for Him, are God's highest calling.</span><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"And if ye call on the Father, <u>who without </u></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>respect</u></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u> of persons judgeth</u> according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear..." 1 P.1:17.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> </span> </span></span>Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-51429654732179533842017-04-16T09:51:00.003-07:002017-04-16T09:51:57.784-07:00A Christian Easter Greeting From Texas GovernorCommon Sense Commentary: Our Texas Governor, Greg Abbott may be unusual, as he is physically handicapped and in a wheelchair, but he is even more unusual as a spiritually mature Christian giant in a nation of mostly nonspiritual, political midgets in our national and state Capitols. May God bless and sustain Brother Greg Abbott as he leads Texas and serves our God at the same time. He is proving it can be done and sets the example for 49 other State Governors, our President, Congress, the Supreme Court and all other political leaders. Here is his Easter Greeting from the Texas State Capitol in Austin. RB<br />
<br />
<div id="yiv1442626986yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492345452244_10093" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you </span></div>
<div id="yiv1442626986yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492345452244_10093" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">when he was yet in Galilee, saying that the Son of man must </span></div>
<div id="yiv1442626986yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492345452244_10093" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, </span></div>
<div id="yiv1442626986yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492345452244_10093" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and the third day rise again." Luke 24:6-7</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Today we remember His sacrifice and celebrate His resurrection </span></div>
<div id="yiv1442626986yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492345452244_10093" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">so we may have eternal life.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I hope you are able to spend this Easter Sunday surrounded by </span></div>
<div id="yiv1442626986yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492345452244_10093" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">your loved ones, and that you experience the gratitude of new </span></div>
<div id="yiv1442626986yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492345452244_10093" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">life that springs eternal through faith in Christ.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">First Lady Cecilia Abbott and I wish you a joyous and blessed </span></div>
<div id="yiv1442626986yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492345452244_10093" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Easter Sunday.</span></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-43994374507242135792017-04-15T14:28:00.002-07:002017-04-15T18:17:22.248-07:00True Hypocrites Never Know They Are One, But Feel Justifiably Entitled<span style="font-size: large;">So what is a ...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">HYPOCRITE ?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Jesus defined and identified true greatness vs. hypocrites:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-weight: bold;">"....He that is greatest among you </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">shall be your servant. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Not your grand superior, his excellency, or holy eminence.... <b><span style="color: red;">"your servant"</span></b>. Which means he/she is truly concerned with you, your needs, your hopes and your welfare and his or her position of leadership is secondary to his honest commitment, love and protection of those he leads. Otherwise.... he/she is a hypocrite. </span><span style="color: red;"><b>And </b></span><u style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">whosoever shall exalt himself </u><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">shall be abased</span><span style="color: red;"><b>; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. </b></span><span style="background-color: white;">Hypocrites are narcissistic. They boast, prance, seek the limelight, are self-centered, covet titles, recognition and exalt themselves above their brethren, employers or employees.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-weight: bold;">But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for <u>ye neither go in </u></span><i style="background-color: white; color: red; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">yourselves</i><span style="background-color: white;"><u style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.</u> Hypocrites are more interested in harnessing up people to their own agendas, their own entourage, their own income and their own welfare than they are in making their followers successful or getting them more secure, more successful and into the kingdom of heaven.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-weight: bold;">Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for <u>ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer</u>: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Hypocrites constantly emphasize their own needs, desires, security, pleasure, comfort, incomes and authority, but have little or no sincere interest in the needs of the givers, their followers, staff, clients, customers or anyone else. They motivate others, even the poor and widows, to sacrifice but do little sacrificing themselves.... all the while making a show of flowery, impressive prayer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for <u>ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."</u> Matt.23:11-15. </span>Hypocrites are often very successful in recruiting people to their cause ... as opposed to the cause of their employer, their customers or the cause of Christ and the salvation of souls. They are often very adept planners, promoters, and builders of business ... for their own sake... not for other people's good or God's glory. A hypocrite is an insincere fake.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">The opposite of hypocrisy is consistent transparency. Since no one, except Jesus, little children and the severely retarded, is completely transparent and exactly what they appear to be, I suppose we are all a bit deceptive and therefore a bit hypocrital. But to constantly pretend to be what we are not is beyond the pale and is the same thing as lying and a true hypocrite.</span></span>Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-71109366750782665032017-04-11T07:57:00.005-07:002017-04-11T07:57:36.538-07:00Just One Seed Irrefutablly Testifys .... "Creator"<span style="font-size: large;">There is just one preeminent, crowning, truth in the universe, without which nothing else in the universe makes sense .... "Creator God".</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">If there was nothing but a single beam of light in the universe, or one star or one flower, tree, bee, or seed .... any one of these things </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">would conclusively prove the existence of a creator. One seed has within itself the sleeping, hidden, but infinite power to produce a bush, tree or other plant with hundreds or thousands of new seed of its exact kind. And each of those seeds have that same power so that one seed compounds itself, in one year, to become dozens or hundreds or thousands more seed like itself. Just short years later that one seed has become billions more seed, then trillions and quadrillions. So how did that marvelous miracle happen from within a single, tiny seed? There is no logical answer except a Creator... God. To say it just accidentally happened is to ignore a miracle as big as the universe and mark a person as spiritually and logically blind. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Mustard seed faith also has within it that same kind of divine, exponential, power. </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; text-align: center;">"Jesus said unto them ... </span><span class="jesus georgia" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."</span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 28px; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So our Creator put His own limitless power in mustard seed faith which he put in the tiny mustard seed. True faith is, indeed, limitless ... though it seem small. It is limitless in the since it can move mountains, claim God's promises, call forth miracles and literally change an eternal soul's destiny from hell to heaven. It is also limitless in the longevity of its effects. An answer to a single prayer of faith does not end with God's fulfilling that prayer, but the first person affected.... affects others and they still others and they still others. It is like that beginning little mustard seed being sown, and a mustard tree springs up and grows large .... filled with thousands or millions of other seeds, and each of those seeds, themselves become trees full of seeds. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth...." Mk.4:31. It is like a grain of mustard</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree...." Lk.13:19. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The same thing happens with mustard seed faith. It lives and passes on and lives again and again and again throughout eternity.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Even so, it is with Jesus Christ; He lived His life on earth in faith and died, rose again and gave his eternal life to each of His disciples who in turn gave the gospel message of life to others and they to others. It was that process which has grown into a forest of Christians all over the world and is still spreading and growing and sowing mustard seed faith till Jesus returns to take home His harvest of believers.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #be1718; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Jesus spoke of this mysterious power of proliferation in Matt. 13: 18 & 23...</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower .</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...He that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth <i>it</i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." </span> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you truly have faith, though it seem small, sow it and keep sowing it untill the Master of the sower comes to take you home.</span></span></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-48912717407377873962017-04-08T17:46:00.002-07:002017-04-09T19:06:28.443-07:00Cancer, A Plague Of These Last Days Has Also Struck Our Family<span style="font-size: large;"><b>No One Is Immune ....</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mrs Blair and I would like to ask all of our Christian friends to pray for God's tender mercies in the healing of our daughter Mary's bone cancer. She is in a great deal of pain and seriously ill, but that is no more difficult for the Great Physician than a fever. He can even heal that... if it is within His perfect will. Pray for </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">her husband Rick and her four children. While you are praying for Mary, also pray for our daughter Kaye who had a small breast cancer removed and is having reconstructive surgery next week. Her prognosis is very good. Also remember our daughter Danice's husband, Jerry, who also has cancer. We are praising God that the cancer my brother, T</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">ommy, had has been pronounced "Totally healed", by his doctor.</span><br />
<br />
<dt style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></dt>
<dt style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cancer seems to be one of the plague signs of these last days. It is increasing at a devastating rate of occurrence. But praise God, we have a better and a higher hope in Jesus.</span></dt>
<dt style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></dt>
<dd style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">"And God shall wipe away all tears </span></b><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;">from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelations 21:4</span></span></b></span></dd><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-57990123414377619652017-04-07T06:54:00.006-07:002017-04-07T06:55:59.912-07:00The Automatic End Result Of God Knowing The Future Exactly<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It is another way of saying Pre - destined. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">God's "foreknowledge" of future events are certain to happen and therefore His foreknowledge <b><u>IS</u> </b>"predestination".</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"For whom he did <u>foreknow, he also did predestinate...."</u></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Common Sense Commentary: <span style="color: red;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">"For many are called, but few are chosen." </span></b></span><span style="background-color: white;">Matt.22:14. <b>Why would God "call" the lost if they were predestined for hell by His own "pre-choice"? He wouldn't ! So the "chosen" are chosen because they willingly accept His "call".</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The average person, including some Christians, cannot comprehend the true meaning of God's "foreknowledge", and therefore misinterpret the automatic, self acting, end product of it...predestination. The word simply means to know before. There are three "time" aspects to God's foreknowledge, past, present and future. He knows every detail about everything in the present, He has always known it in the eternal past and He will continue to know everything about everything in the eternal future. Theologians call it "Omniscience" (all knowledge). <b><u>All</u></b> knowledge includes "Foreknowledge". Predestination results from human personal choices and is therefore self determined though known of God's unchangeable "Foreknowledge".</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">God's foreknowledge speaks to His knowing everything about the future, what <b><u>He</u></b> will do, create, bless, destroy, determine, and how <u style="font-weight: bold;">we</u>, as individual, free moral agents, will respond to what we see, hear and feel about what happens to us and around us.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It was God's sovereign will to give us, <b><span style="color: red;">"in His image and likeness"</span></b> a free will because He did not create us to be His little empty headed dolls, toys or chess pieces to be moved only by His hand at His own will. If that were true there would be no sin, or else He would be responsible for our sins. Only because we have a free will are we accountable for our every thoughts, words and actions. We, not God, are totally responsible for our own will to sins or not to sin, to accept Christ or not to accept Him. We are not mindless puppets on a string. So God's foreknowledge is the self acting root of its automatic fruit, a clear enlightenment in every soul, a drawing to Christ, an invitation to every person, an acceptance of their response, a choosing of the believing responders, an election of believers, a fore ordination of them, and a destining of them to eternal life by God's grace <b><u>through their faith in Jesus Christ.</u></b> All of that is called predestination and is the automatic fulfillment of God's foreknowledge. In fact, His foreknowledge <u style="font-weight: bold;">IS</u> predestination. What God knows will happen ... <b><u>will happen</u></b>. Foreknowledge is also the root of prophecy. Prophecy does not determine events, it is the verbal expressing, by the prophets, of events God foreknows He will do and how we will react. God, Himself will do many of those foreknown things, Satan will do others and people will do the rest. God does not choose, determine and execute all the evil stuff Satan and men do, though He allows it under His sovereign will to give His angels, as well as Adam and Eve and every human a free will to choose and act upon their choices.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">God foreknows whether you will respond to the "Jesus light", answer His calling, accept His invitation, repent of your sins, believe on His Son Jesus ... and be saved. <b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">"(Jesus)</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;"> was the true <u>Light</u>, which </span><span style="color: red;">lighteth</span><span style="color: red;"> </span><u style="color: red;">every man that cometh into the world.</u><span style="color: red;">" John 1:9. </span>(Every man and every wo man).</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">God knows if you will respond to that "Jesus Light", but will not force you to believe. If God decrees some to be saved without consideration of their own willful decision to believe, He also decrees others to be damned without consideration of their willful decision to reject Christ.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Please don't miss reading the verses below.... </span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: monospace;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: monospace;"><b>"...</b></span>God is no </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>respecter of persons</u></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span></b></span><b style="font-size: xx-large;"> </b></span></span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Acts 10:34.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">For God to accept one and reject another for no reason would be "respecting" the one over the other. He does not do that.</span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, </span><u><span style="background-color: white;">will draw </span><span style="background-color: white;">all </span><i style="background-color: white;">men</i></u><span style="background-color: white;"><u> unto me.</u>" John 12:32.</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"For </span><span style="background-color: white;"><u>whosoever shall call</u></span><span style="background-color: white;"> upon the name of the Lord <u>shall be saved</u>." Rom.10:13</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"I am come a light into the world, that </span><span style="background-color: white;"><u>whosoever believeth</u></span><span style="background-color: white;"><u> on me</u> should not abide in darkness." John 12:46</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;"><u>Elect</u></span><span style="background-color: white;"><u> according to the foreknowledge of God</u> the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, <u>unto obedience</u> and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ...." 1P.1:2</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"For whom he did <u>foreknow, he also did predestinate</u> </span><i style="background-color: white;">to be</i><span style="background-color: white;"> conformed to the image of his Son... </span><span style="background-color: white;">Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also <u>called</u>: and whom he called, them he also <u>justified</u>: and whom he justified, them he also <u>glorified</u>." Rom.8:29-30 </span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">These verses are often overlooked in reference to predestination.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;">"And Jesus answered ....</span><span style="background-color: white;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">The kingdom of heaven is like</u> unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">And sent forth his servants to</span> <u style="font-weight: bold;">call them</u><b style="color: red;"> that </b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><b style="color: red;">were </b><u style="font-weight: bold;">bidden</u><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"> </span><b>(invited) </b><span style="color: red;">to the wedding: <b>and </b></span><u style="font-weight: bold;">they</u><b style="color: red;"> <u>would</u> <u>not</u> come. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">Tell them which are bidden </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">,...</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">all things are </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">ready: <u style="font-weight: bold;">come unto the marriage</u><b>.....</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">But they made light of </span><i style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: x-large;">it</i><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise....</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;"> <u><b>they</b></u> which were bidden<u> were not worthy.</u> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">Go ye therefore into the highways, and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;"> <u style="font-weight: bold;">as many as ye shall find, bid</u><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"> </span>(invite)<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-weight: bold;">t</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">o the </span></u></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>marriage</u></span><b>. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found<b>, </b></span><u style="color: red;">both bad and good</u><span style="color: red;">: and t</span><u style="color: red;">he wedding was furnished with guests</u><span style="color: red;">..... </span></span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><u><span style="background-color: white;">For many are called, but few are </span><span style="background-color: white;">chosen."</span></u></span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-size: xx-small;">" Matt. 22:1-14. </span></span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">The kingdom of heaven is like that.</span></b><br />
<br style="background-color: white;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: large;">And let him that is athirst come. And </span><b style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>whosoever will</u></b></b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">, let him take the water of life freely." Rev.22:17. </span><b>"Come" is not a command but an invitation to "whosoever will".</b></span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-88152560711013869132017-04-04T06:40:00.002-07:002017-04-04T06:40:52.017-07:00Lifeboats: Survival Of Last Resort... As In Titanic/Iceberg<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The USS America Headed Into Icebergs</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">First class passengers were rich... pretending to be richer. Second class passengers were pretending to be first class passengers. Third class passengers, locked out of first and second class decks, were happy to be on Titanic's maiden voyage.... </span><span style="font-size: large;">Many headed for a new life in America. Everybody was impressed with Titanic's luxury and safety. One of the builders had said, "God himself couldn't sink this ship." </span><span style="font-size: large;">It was midnight, April 14, 1912, in the freezing North Atlantic. The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank at 2:20 am. Getting in a lifeboat, in those troubled, freezing seas, was unthinkable. Not getting on a lifeboat was certain death in 28-degree sea water miles deep and hundreds of miles from any </span><span class="" style="font-size: large;">rescue</span><span style="font-size: large;">. There were only half enough lifeboats for the 3,327 passengers. Very few men, the lifeboat coxswains, and most women and children survived. But far more 3rd Class women passengers and their children did not survive. That was a major failure on the part of the owners, the Captain and crew. A few men begged, threatened lawsuits or </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">pretended</u><span style="font-size: large;"> to be women, to get on a lifeboat. But if the crew let one such man on a lifeboat, it would set a president and they would have to let every man on, and that would have sunk the lifeboats and drown men, </span><span class="" style="font-size: large;">women,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and children. So letting any man on, except coxswains, was a serious failure. All of this while the ship's band played "Nearer My God To Thee" and some passengers drank their last cocktail of the evening. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Laws, rules, standards, and boundaries must be set in a civilized society and everyone must obey them or soon nobody will, and lawless anarchy will reign.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There are some things a Christian just must not do unless there is literally no other choice, and then only if it is not sinful or harmful to others. If I were a Jewish citizen in Nazi Germany and the Gestapo hammered on my door, and I sent my wife and children out the back door to a hiding place, what would I do if the Nazi officer demanded where my family was?' </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">I would lie</u><span style="font-size: large;">. If they shot me and I didn't die, </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">I would pretend</u><span style="font-size: large;"> to be dead, a deception. Yes, I know, you would tell them where your family was, and when they shot you, you would tell them you were still alive so they could correct their mistake. Which is the greater sin, to give your family up to the Nazi ovens or a Charles Manson, or not telling them the truth? </span><span style="font-size: large;">I do not believe God would hold that against me or punish me for lying to the devil's advocates. David, writer of the Psalms, deceived an evil king. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Before God made him King of Israel, he lied, by deception, to the evil King of Gath, in 1 Sam. 21:10-15. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span class="text 1Sam-21-10" id="en-KJV-7783" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">"</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And David arose and fled that day <u>for fear</u> of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And <u>he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad </u>in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: Why then have ye brought him to me?</span></span><span class="text 1Sam-21-15" id="en-KJV-7788" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Have I need of mad men....</span></span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"David therefore departed thence, and escaped...."</span> 1 Sam. 22:1</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">David's pretending to be insane caused this vicious king to avoid him and have him kicked out of his kingdom. Released, David survived to become the King of Israel, fight many battles and write the Psalms.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though there may be exceptions to most rules and laws, loosening up the importance of what is acceptable, rules and laws must be obeyed to maintain a peaceful society. Until that is, they have reached critical mass and obedience is no longer possible, and the stability and peace of that nation is dying. Then, I believe, the overthrow of that government must begin. But when a civilized nation acquiesces to an everything goes society, the rulers violate the laws with impunity, and even reward error and evil, ignominy and collapse will always follow. And it happens automatically unless that government is replaced by a better one. That is exactly what Constitutional Conservatives are trying to do in America today. All the candidates in the last election were flawed, but some less so than others. Some were at least adherents of our U.S. Constitution, the foundation of all our laws. The fact is that all of us are also flawed in some way or another. But some of us are basically law abiding and love our country more than a personal, greedy agenda or a political party. There is no such thing as a perfect candidate or perfect voter, but we must always make the most of what we have and choose our best options. Pray for our President, Congress and Supreme Court. RB</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-67184297647156618072017-04-02T11:25:00.001-07:002017-04-02T11:25:36.292-07:00Tim Tebow And Benjamin Watson... Two Of America's Finest Young MenTo understand which direction this country is going, if this same thing had happened 30 years ago, the headline would have been, <u><b>Tebow And Girlfriend Break Up.</b></u> If it happened 50 years ago, the headline would have been, <b style="text-decoration: underline;">Tebow Dumps Loose Living Girlfriend.</b> But today<br />
the Main Street Media Mocks the guy who has morals and spiritual convictions. The difference in Tebow and most of the other famous athletes, in the news, who wear gold crosses around their necks is, Tebow lives up to the spiritual guidelines of the Bible the others claim to believe. God bless this virile young man for his stand ... and send a young lady of equal Christian Commitment to him. RB<br />
<br />
<br />
<h1 itemprop="headline" style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sports media mocks Tim Tebow over abstinence pledge </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">From Fox News Opinion</span></h1>
<br />
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
Tim Tebow’s alleged relationship with former Miss USA model Olivia Culpo is over. Because, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/tim-tebow-find-zone-article-1.2447008" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; transition: 0.2s linear;" target="_blank">according to reports</a>, Culpo is allegedly upset that the couple isn’t having sex, since Tebow has decided to remain abstinent until marriage.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
So long story short, it's a report that should have come as no surprise since Tebow has <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/tim-tebow-find-zone-article-1.2447008" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; transition: 0.2s linear;">already had one relationship end because of his moral stand</a> and maybe, just maybe, God-forbid engender some sense of begrudging respect from the media elite for at least having the courage of his convictions, has instead triggered a few juvenile headlines and one-liners from a legion of sports reporters who would never be allowed in the same room as a Miss USA, current or former. Unless they bought a ticket.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
First up is the New York Daily News, who ran with <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/tim-tebow-find-zone-article-1.2447008" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; transition: 0.2s linear;">this ultra-original header:</a></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 17px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5;"><b>“Tim Tebow still can’t find the end zone as girlfriend Olivia Culpo breaks it off over lack of sex”</b></span></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">Followed-up by this quip:</span></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 17px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5;"><b>“For once, it's not Tim Tebow who's having trouble scoring - it's his girlfriend.”</b></span></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">At the risk of being graphic here, the report wasn’t that Tebow “can’t find the end zone,” the problem was that Tebow would not enter the end zone. Nor, was he having “trouble scoring.” He chose not to score.</span></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2015/11/27/tim-tebow-miss-usa-sex/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; transition: 0.2s linear;" target="_blank">CBS continued the yuck-fest with this gem</a>:</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 17px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5;"><b>“Apparently an NFL job isn’t the only thing Tim Tebow can’t hold onto.</b></span></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
The New York Daily News reports former "</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Miss USA Olivia Culpo broke up with Tebow because he wouldn’t have sex with her due to his abstinent lifestyle.”</b></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">Well, again, he didn’t really lose her, so much as he let her go in order to stay true to his pledge. It’s called making a choice based on deeply held religious beliefs. Something the liberal sports media might know about if they would ever even attempt to make any choices based on deeply held religious beliefs.</span></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
But here’s the thing, why is it hard to just report that Tim Tebow and his possible girlfriend allegedly broke-up because he doesn’t want to have sex?</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
Isn’t that the journalistic news piece here? Isn’t that the critical information? Is this what CBS and others have come to, that they can’t report an abstinent athlete parting ways with his girlfriend whom, he <a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/2597045/olivia-culpo-proves-tim-tebow-is-no-russell-wilson-on-and-off-the-field/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; transition: 0.2s linear;" target="_blank">apparently deeply loved</a>, without indulging in playground mockery? As if Tebow was some kind of sexually awkward clutz who couldn’t entice a woman into the horizontal if he was the last man on Earth?</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
I would accept that this was mere Tebow mockery because Tebow’s NFL career flamed out, if the <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/07/07/russell-wilsons-abstinence-sparks-espn-in-house-twitter-fight/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s linear;" target="_blank">same sports media hadn’t treated Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson the exact same way</a> when news of his abstinent relationship became public earlier this year.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
Instead, I’ll have to see it for what it is. Yet another smear of a Christian athlete. </div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
___________________________________</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(244, 244, 244); box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">An Equally Exemplary Roll Model For Young Christians is </span><span style="line-height: 50px;">Benjamin</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;"> Watson Of The New Orleans Saints</span></div>
<br />
Thank God for those wonderful Americans who are not stilted in the mud and mire of propaganda, lies and political correctness, but have the honesty, courage and love of Christ, as Benjamin Watson has, to tell the whole truth about racial conflict in America, and give the only remedy. Fantastic young man ...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://video.foxnews.com/v/4623177206001/new-orleans-saints-benjamin-watson-gets-real-about-race-/?intcmp=hpvid1#sp=show-clips">http://video.foxnews.com/v/4623177206001/new-orleans-saints-benjamin-watson-gets-real-about-race-/?intcmp=hpvid1#sp=show-clips</a>Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-86948008091369058382017-03-31T07:32:00.001-07:002017-03-31T07:32:05.820-07:00Tocqueville Predicted How America's Freedoms Would End<span style="font-size: large;">And Compared Christianity Vs. Islam Nearly 200 Years Ago</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">From American Minute </span><br />
By Bill Federer<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Alexis de Tocqueville compared Christianity vs. Islam, and predicted how America's freedoms would end! </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">On April 16, 1859, <u>French historian Alexis de Tocqueville</u> died. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">After nine months of traveling the United States, he wr</span><span style="font-size: large;">ote: </span></b><u style="font-size: x-large;">Democracy in America</u><span style="font-size: large;"> in 1835, which has been described as "the most comprehensive ... analysis of character and society in America ever written." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Alexis de Tocqueville wrote:</u> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention ... In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions. But in America I found they were intimately united and that they reigned in common over the same country ..." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Alexis de Tocqueville continued: </b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other ... They brought with them into the New World a form of Christianity which I cannot better describe than by styling it a democratic and republican religion." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>In <b>Book Two of Democracy in America</b>, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote: </u></span><span style="font-size: large;">"Christianity has therefore retained a strong hold on the public mind in America ... In the United States ... Christianity itself is a fact so irresistibly established, that no one undertakes either to attack or to defend it." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>In the 1840's. Alexis de Tocqueville traveled twice to Algeria.</b> He wrote to Arthur de Gobineau, October 22, 1843 (Tocqueville Reader, p. 229): </span><span style="font-size: large;">"I studied the Koran a great deal. I came away from that study with the conviction there have been few religions in the world as deadly to men as that of Mohammed. </span><span style="font-size: large;">... So far as I can see, it is the </span><span class="" style="font-size: large;">principal</span><span style="font-size: large;"> cause of the decadence so visible today in the Muslim world </span><span style="font-size: large;">and, though less absurd than the polytheism of old, its social and political tendencies are in my opinion to be feared, </span><span style="font-size: large;">I therefore regard it as a form of decadence rather than a form of progress in relation to paganism itself." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">WHAT EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THE QUR'AN - A HISTORY OF ISLAM & THE UNITED STATES </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Alexis de Tocqueville stated</b></u> in "</span><span style="font-size: large;">Travail sur</span><span style="font-size: large;"> l'Algerie </span><span style="font-size: large;">dans </span><span style="font-size: large;">oeuvres complètes" (1841): </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"I came back from Africa with the pathetic notion that at present in our way of waging war ... </span><span style="font-size: large;">If our sole aim is to equal the Turks, in </span><span class="" style="font-size: large;">fact</span><span style="font-size: large;"> we shall be in a far lower position than theirs: barbarians for barbarians, the Turks will always outdo us because they are Muslim barbarians." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">In <b><u>Democracy in America</u></b>, 1840, Vol. II, Book 1, Chapter V, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote: </span><span style="font-size: large;">"Mohammed brought down from heaven and put into the Koran not religious doctrines only, but political maxims, criminal and civil laws, and scientific theories. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The Gospels, on the other hand, deal only with the general relations between man and God and between man and man. Beyond that, they teach nothing and do not oblige people to believe anything. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">... That alone, among a thousand reasons, is enough to show that Islam will not be able to hold its power long in an age of enlightenment and democracy, while Christianity is destined to reign in such age, as in all others." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>In <b>Democracy in America</b>, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote: </u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"In the United States the sovereign authority is religious... </span><span style="font-size: large;">There is no country in the whole world where the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America, </span><span style="font-size: large;">and there can be no greater proof of its utility and of its conformity to human nature than that its influence is powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>In 1895, Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert compiled The Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, which included the statement from Alexis de Tocqueville: </b></span><span style="font-size: large;">"Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts -- the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>How will America's freedoms be lost? </u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Alexis de Tocqueville predicted how Americans would lose their freedom a little at a time (Democracy in America, Vol. 2, 1840, The Second Part, Bk 4, Ch. VI): </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"I had noted in my stay in the United States that a democratic state of society similar to the American model could lay itself open to the establishment of despotism with unusual ease ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It would debase men without tormenting them ... Men, all alike and equal, turned in upon themselves in a restless search for those petty, vulgar pleasures with which they fill their souls ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Above these men stands an immense and protective power ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It prefers its citizens to enjoy themselves provided they have only enjoyment in mind. </span><u style="font-size: x-large;">It restricts the activity of free will</u><span style="font-size: large;"> within a narrower range and gradually removes autonomy itself from each citizen ..." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Alexis de Tocqueville continued: </b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Thus, the ruling power, having taken each citizen one by one into its powerful grasp ... spreads its arms over the whole of society, covering the surface of social life with a network of petty, complicated, detailed, and uniform rules ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It does not break men's wills but it does soften, bend, and control them ... It constantly opposes what actions they perform ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It inhibits, represses, drains, snuffs out, dulls so much effort that finally it reduces each nation to nothing more than a flock of timid and hardworking animals with the government as shepherd... a single, protective, and all-powerful government ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Individual intervention ... is ... suppressed ..." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Alexis de Tocqueville added:</u></b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"It is ... in the details that we run the risk of enslaving men. </span><span style="font-size: large;">For my part, I would be tempted to believe that freedom in the big things of life is less important than in the slightest ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Subjection in the minor things of life is obvious every day ... It constantly irks them until they give up the exercise of their will ... and enfeebles their spirit ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It will be useless to call upon those very citizens who have become so dependent upon central government to choose from time to time the representative of this government ..." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Alexis de Tocqueville concluded: </u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"Increasing despotism in the administrative sphere ... they reckon citizens are incompetent ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is ... difficult to imagine how men who have completely given up the habit of self-government could successfully choose those who should do it for them ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The vises of those who govern and the ineptitude of those governed would soon bring it to ruin and ... revert to its abasement to one single master." </span><br />
<br />
Read the America Minute archives<br />
Who is the King in America? -And Who are the Counselors to the King? An Overview of 6,000 Years of History & Why America is Unique<br />
<br />
Watch Bill Federer's "Faith in History" program online<br />
<br />
Bill Federer www.AmericanMinute.com American Minute is a registered trademark. Permission is granted to forward, reprint or duplicate with acknowledgement<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-82628447394694153452017-03-25T17:02:00.002-07:002017-03-25T17:06:24.103-07:00Taps...Day Is Done...Safely Rest ... God Is Nigh<span style="font-size: large;">A visit to Frontier Forts of Texas ... With God</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There are 24 Military Bugle Calls. A few are outdated to an earlier time before technology rendered them un- necessary. But, on any Army or Marine base, many of them are still in order and used regularly. A few of them are Reveille, Mess Call, Church Call, Sick Call, Fire Call and Taps. Bugle calls are a part of military service which still carry the ageless spell of the military atmosphere. I have visited many of the historic, old military Forts in Texas, dating back to the mid-1800s. There are few things I enjoy more than, in the spring, walking over those hallowed grounds, the old, often restored, barracks, stables, bakeries, and armories. These are not the stockade type forts with tree trunks standing upright encircling the fort, but wide open, usually on high ground with a Texas breeze blowing through them. Of the 50 or so forts that were in Texas, protecting the settlers from Indians, Mexican bandits, and the Stage Coach routes west, my favorites are Fort McKavett, Fort Davis, Fort Concho, Fort Stockton and Fort Phantom hill, in that order. All of these Frontier Forts were West of the early settlements, out in Indian country. I have often stood on the parade field of one of these old forts feeling the mystique of the Frontier fort, or near the barracks', rifle racks smelling the distinct aroma of cosmoline, or in the mess hall... the thirsty smell of well water and of lie soap, or at the bakery with the smell of fresh bread, or the stables where the smell of leather, hay, and horses wafts through the air. And, always, hearing, as clearly as it would have been 175 years ago, the company bugler blowing taps over a fresh grave in the post cemetery.... or at the last call of the day, as the post lamps and lanterns were blown out and sun-browned, raw-boned soldiers took their rest as Taps died out on the cool, dry air of a Texas evening.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Those experiences always leave me with a deep feeling and almost longing emotion to have lived in those early days of Texas. I sometimes feel I was born 150 years too late to have lived in my natural generation. But God had other plans for me... and He is always right.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <b><span style="font-size: large;">The tune to Taps carries with it these fitting words....</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Day is done, gone the sun, From the lake, from the hills, from the sky; All is well, safely rest, God is nigh. Fading light, dims the sight, And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright. From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night. Thanks and praise, for our days, 'Neath the sun, 'neath the stars, neath the sky; As we go, this we know, God is nigh. Sun has set, shadows come, Time has fled, Scouts must go to their beds Always true to the promise that they made. While the light fades from sight, And the stars gleaming rays softly send, To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.</span><br />
<br />
<br />Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690432900945732745.post-89437335354371691062017-03-18T12:32:00.000-07:002017-03-18T12:43:53.104-07:00Faith: Little Is Much When God Is In It<span style="font-size: large;">The open door of any particular, great opportunity usually closes the moment we pass it by. If the Spirit of God moves your heart to say a word or write a letter to a person in crisis, do it immediately. That same moment of need will never cross your path again. So often, opportunity requires a seeking soul whose desire was already in anticipation mode when the unseen eye triggered that sacred door. Each such individual opportunity is similar, in longevity, to bodily exercise, which is fleeting. <b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"For </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">bodily</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">exercise</span></span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;"> profiteth little....</span></b> (This word "little" is not in reference to the quality or value of exercise, but to the shortness of its life-span. The benefits of a strong, healthy body are many, but those benefits are temporal and begin to diminish within a few hours and must be repeated again and again. Whereas <span style="color: red;">....</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come". 1 Tim.4:8. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Profitable in this life and for eternity. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Even so, our faith must be continually fed with the Bread of Life (God's word) and prayer. Faith is born, is sustained and grows stronger by way of the word of God. </span></span><b style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">".... F</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">aith</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">cometh</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">by</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> hearing ... </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">the word of God." Rom.10:17.</span></b></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">When Jesus said, to His disciples, <b><span style="color: red;">"Oh ye of little faith"</span></b>, four times in the book of Matthew, he wasn't suggesting that they were capable of faith equal to His own, but to the general weakness of our human condition. All of us humans are weak in faith, in varying degrees, but even small faith is very powerful. Little is much when God is in it ...like a single mustard seed ...</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">"...A grain of </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">mustard</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">seed</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">, which, when it is sown in the earth, is<u> less than all the </u></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><u>seed</u></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><u style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">s</u><span style="color: red;"><b> that be in the earth." Mk.4:31. </b></span>So it is with our faith. Though it be small...It has within it great power ...</span><b style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have <u>faith as a grain of </u></span><u><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">mustard</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">seed</span></u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matt.17:20.</span></b></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue", verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"It is like a grain of </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">mustard</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">seed</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew ... a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it." Luke 13:19.</span></span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">An example of the power of "little faith" is found among the Apostles and disciples of Jesus in Acts 12:1-18. King Herod had murdered James and Jailed Simon Peter who was deep inside prison, locked up and in chains, being guarded by a quaternion of soldiers day and night, but was praying. The church, Apostles and disciples of Jesus, were also praying together that God would deliver Peter safely from prison. The faith of all of them, including Peter was mustard seed small because when God caused Peter's chains to fall off and the prison doors to open up, Peter couldn't believe it but thought he was dreaming. When he showed up at the door of the house where his friends were fervently praying for his deliverance, they couldn't believe it either. When Peter knocked on the door, the little girl watching the door ran and told the others that Peter was at the door. Those great Christians told her she must be crazy because Peter was locked behind three iron doors guarded by armed soldiers. When she insisted it was Peter, they said it must be an angel but couldn't possibly be Peter. Peter was still knocking on the door... out side. That certainly does not sound like they had great faith in their prayers or in God's power to deliver. And these were people who had seen Jesus Crucified, resurrected and ascending into heaven. So don't be too hard on yourself that neither are you a great spiritual giant full of faith. But strive to be faithful in Christ, do your best, stay prayed up and in God's word. Give witness to all Christ has done for you and in you .... and praise him for His perfection ... not yours. Little is much only when God is in it. RB</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">In the harvest field now ripened</span></b></span><br />
<ol style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="first" style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>There’s a work for all to do;<br />Hark! the voice of God is calling,<br />To the harvest calling you.</b></span><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="refrain" style="list-style-type: none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span class="refrain" style="font-style: italic;">Refrain:</span><br />Little is much when God is in it!<br />Labor not for wealth or fame;<br />There’s a crown, and you can win it,<br />If you go in Jesus’ name.</b></span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>In the mad rush of the broad way,<br />In the hurry and the strife,<br />Tell of Jesus’ love and mercy,<br />Give to them the Word of Life.</b></span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Does the place you’re called to labor<br />Seem so small and little known?<br />It is great if God is in it,<br />And He’ll not forget His own.</b></span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Are you laid aside from service,<br />Body worn from toil and care?<br />You can still be in the battle,<br />In the sacred place of prayer.</b></span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: none; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>When the conflict here is ended<br />And our race on earth is run,<br />He will say, if we are faithful,<br />“Welcome home, My child—well done!”</b></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>Rayburn Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06628908857747719973noreply@blogger.com