13 Verses Some Christians Overlook, Explain Away or Reject

When Jesus, in the beginning of his earthly ministry, was choosing his Apostles, he gave them a key doctrine reaching from the eternal past to the eternal future. It is a single verse upon which every other Christian doctrine stands and must agree with. It encompasses every Bible doctrine from The Eternal God, Love, Predestination, Creationism, Original sin, Christology, Forgiveness, Virgin Birth, Death, Resurrection, Universal Opportunity, Faith, Eternal Life, Heaven, Hell and all other Bible doctrines. That verse has become the most well known, throughout the world, of all the other verses. It is John 3:16 ...."For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." In harmonic unison with that North Star verse is the lesser known doctrine of Universal Equal Opportunity espoused in the heart of God where there is no pressurised prejudice
without reason. In John 3:16, Jesus plainly tells the world that the reason God gave him, Jesus, to die in the place of this sinful world, was that he "so loved the world" of people who were created in his own image and likeness. His heavenly Father paid that awful price for "whosoever will" (Rev.22:17), without distinguishing, by "respect of persons" between sinners... "For all have sinned ...." Rom.3:23.

Here are 13 more Bible verses that tell us that God does not show "respect of persons" between rich and poor, great and small, or men and women. Not only does he not show "respect of persons", but he commands that we are not to show "respect of persons" either. In fact, he says that "respect of persons" is "unrighteousness" (Lev.19:15), "unwise and not good" (2 Chron.19:7), and is contrary to the faith (James 2:1). He also says in these verses that he "hears" all people and so should we (Deut.1:17). The reason we are not to judge and have "respect of persons" is that God is the judge and that each person will receive judgement from Him (God) for the "wrong which he hath done" (1 Peter 1:17).

Here are 13 Lighthouse verses for Christians who would walk with Jesus in holy humility.

Leviticus 19:15   Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge 

Deuteronomy 1:17   Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great...."

2 Samuel 14:14   "... neither doth God respect any person...."


2 Chronicles 19:7   "... For there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons ...."

Proverbs 24:23   These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 

Proverbs 28:21   To have respect of persons is not good...."

Acts 10:34   Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.

Romans 2:11   For there is no respect of persons with God. 

Ephesians 6:9  "... Your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. 

Colossians 3:25   But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. 

James 2:1   My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 

James 2:3-4   And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool. Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of (with) evil thoughts? 

1 Peter 1:17   And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work ...."

Treating all people, no matter their circumstances, with respect is a cardenal doctrine and reveals a huge quality of Jesus. His great love for all people is rooted in their creation in the image and likeness of God. Jesus loved little children, the rich young ruler, the wealthy and the poor, the powerful and the weak, men and women ... equally. He loved the demoniac and the adultrous woman. He loved both thieves crucified with him. The one sealed his fate by believing on Jesus and the other by his disbelief. He rejected no one who did not first reject him.

When we subtract "respect of persons" from predestination, we have a pure predestination based on God's foreknowledge of every person rather than His foreknowledge being based on predestination, which is incorrect.

Where And When I Am Gone

When I lay aside my life's work
And all else I've ever known
When my final breath is taken
With a yielding painful groan
When my spirit life floats free
And leaves my flesh and bone
I Will carry no accounting
Except all my own ... alone.

When I depart this Earthy place
And go up where I belong
I will leave no big empty space
Nor a massive name in stone
But I'll hear all hymns asinging
As a single glorious song
And I'll see my Savior reigning
Where and when .... I am gone.

Rayburn Blair, an old man looking up.

The Frequency Of Correctness Does Not Matter; Its The Magnitude That Matters

The following is from a secular financial newsletter, The Outsider Club whose byline is, "Because you will never be on the inside".  That is no doubt true when referring to Politics, the Federal Reserve, the IMF or the World Bank. But we followers of Christ are and will be on the inside of glory for eternity.
Here is a recent message from The Outsider Club which has merit relating to financial investments.... but also Life and eternal investment. RB

The frequency of correctness does not matter; it is the magnitude of correctness that matters.

What does that mean?

It means you don't have to be right all the time. It means you don't have to have a 100% win rate — or even close to that.

But it means when you are right... you need to be really right.

That quote came from a portfolio manager who was one of 20 running money for a firm. One day, the brass got the idea to fire portfolio managers based on what percentage of their stocks beat the market.

The portfolio manager in question was among the worst when ranked by batting average — he picked fewer winners that beat the market than other managers in his company.

But his total portfolio was among the best.

Why?

Because the frequency of correctness did not matter. It was the magnitude of correctness that mattered.

My Comment:
You can be wrong about a lot of things ... minor things, but there are some things you absolutely must be correct about, and it is not "Political Correctness". You may be wrong on eating pork ... or not. You may be wrong about eating or not eating certain other things. You may be wrong on which car is the best buy or even which house to buy. You may be wrong about fashion, political questions or current events. You may even be wrong on some Bible questions like predestination or a lot of other doctrines, but the frequency of your correctness on those lesser doctrines, though they be many, will not determine your eternal destiny. But those doctrines which will determine your eternal destiny, are of such magnitude, that you must not be wrong about them. You must believe that the Holy Bible is the verbally inspired word of God or you have no other source of the gospel or foundation for your faith. "So then faith cometh by hearing ... the word of God." Rom.10:17. And since the word of God records His creation of all things, we must believe the Bible record  or we do not believe it is God's very word, after all, and we cannot therefore have true, saving faith. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Eph.2:8. Since Jesus Christ is the central figure in the entire Bible and His substitutionary death, for sinful souls, is the central message, we must repent and believe on Him as our Savior or be  lost forever."For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. 
And finally, though Jesus Died for our sins, if he had not also arisen from the dead, Christianity would have died with Him and we would have no hope of
resurrection and eternal life either. So His good news (gospel) hinges on His death, burial and resurrection, and is a correct fact of ultimate "Magnitude" which must be believed by every true Christian.

A person may be correct on 10,000 facts of science, history, geography and 
know the precepts and doctrines of every religion on earth, but if he is wrong on Jesus, his correctness, though enormous, is  minor compared to the single, universal, eternal and Majestic correctness of God in the gospel of His Son Jesus the Christ. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6. 

"...There is no other God that can 
deliver after this sort." Dan.3:29.

Can't Run? Walk. Can't Walk ? Hobble. Can't Hobble? Crawl In The Right Direction

The grandstands are full of heavenly angels, departed saints and a world of needy, seeking  souls. The race of Christian Faith and Calling is in progress. 
Young or old, you, as a Christian, are on the track ... running, walking, hobbling or crawling with the pack or turning back. So lay aside every weight of fleshly lust, besetting sin, and never quit until you cross the finish line.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily  beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us..." Heb.12:1.

Few people have the sincere humility, of an honest appraisal, to judge themselves, objectively. Nobody likes to admit the whole truth about themselves ... even to themselves. And when we have lived and struggled with our own human faults, failures and "besetting sin", and grow weary, and give up, over the years we begin to take those things for granted. It becomes easier and easier to ignore them... and our hearts begin to harden. Repentance is a daily spiritual bath, a way of life, a constancy in God's presence. None of us are immune to sin."For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom.3:23. So sin is a human condition which plagues us all. None of us is perfect, spiritually, mentally or physically. Since we are not perfect spiritually, we are compelled to daily repentance of our sins, to relinquish our sins and only then, rest in Christ. But sin, especially "besetting sins", never cease to seek new entrance into our lives and have to be dealt with and rejected each time they return to tempt us.  Mentally, we are also imperfect. The greatest intellects and geniuses who ever lived, had flaws, failures and misconceptions mentally. In fact, I am of the opinion that we are all, mentally rather strange, peculiar and even a little crazy to some degree. I have often said to myself, "Why would you say or do such a dumb or crazy thing". Physically, I need not point out the obvious imperfections of human bodies. They are hard to miss, right there in plain sight. From hair, face, neck down to the toes, fleshly imperfection is undeniable. We can't see the spirit or mind but the body is all too visible and seldom pleasant to see.

So how do I qualify to judge all of the human race as "imperfect"? Well, first, I am one of us. I have lived the experience. I know enough about my own basic human nature to know that no one but Jesus has ever been or will ever be perfect, in this fleshly body."For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom.3:23. Jesus Christ was the only person who ever lived in a fleshly body who did no sin. "And Jesus said unto him .... there is none good but one, that is, God." Mk.10:18. "NONE" means none. Yes, you too... and me.

Since there are no sinless humans, we are all, therefore, imperfect, faulty and sinful, in the flesh ... which is not the "born again" part of us. Our flesh requires constant washing to avoid foul odors. That's not born again. It thinks bad thoughts, has pimples, pus, weakness and never ceases to deteriorate. That's not born again. It has built in humilities, gets sick, throws up and dies. THAT is not a born again body. It is the inner man, the spirit of the person, the soul, which lives in the body of flesh, that is "Born Again". The inner spirit person is the real person. To get Bible doctrine straight, we must understand the two fold nature of man. The inner, spiritual part of man and the outer, physical part of man."That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." Eph.3:16. No scripture defines the two fold nature of man like Romans 7. You must read this chapter to be able to comprehend the two-fold nature of man. I will print it at the end of this blog.

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1 Jn.3:9. Not the body of flesh is born again, but the spirit person who lives in that body gets born again. That is the true person, the eternal person, born again and "cannot sin". It doesn't say "can but shouldn't", It says, "CANNOT SIN". That is not in reference to the corruptible, dying body of flesh. It is in reference to the "inner man", the born again spirit person.

I repeat, our flesh is not yet born again.... glorified. When Christians die, their spirit simply leaves the body and goes into the presence of God to await the resurrection of their dead body, molding into dust, in a grave somewhere on earth. At the initial second coming of Christ, "in the air", all of the born again spirits of all believers will return to earth with him and be rejoined to their newly resurrected, glorified, perfect bodies."Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together  with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess.4:17.  And then there is this verse for those who are still alive on earth. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him So, finally, our bodies will be glorified, "like Jesus" and rejoined with our born again spirit souls.

God knows the truth about us even if we delude ourselves and put on a self-righteous front ... we are still very faulty. It isn't easy to be that objective about one's self, but until we admit it to ourselves, we will never confess it to God and ask His forgiveness. We might as well be honest with God ... He already knows the truth of us anyway. That is why His word says ..."Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...." Titus 3:5.

Old age brings its baggage with it when it comes to visit. Though youthful lusts are diminished or gone, the lust of the flesh and of the eyes is mostly replaced by a whole new set of sins which come to tempt us oldsters. I won't mention what they are lest you watch for them in us old people... but then, you will guess at it and probably make it worse than it is. The third type of sin, the pride of life, stays just about as strong as it was in youth and follows us all the way to the casket ... where we have the mortician dress us up in our best, including jewelry, and even have a barber or beautician put every hair in place so we will look like we are going to a wedding..... Wellll, I guess we are.... the marriage of the Lamb.

1 John 2:16   For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

So, if you can't run the race, walk it. If you can't walk it, hobble it. If you can't hobble it, crawl it. Just be sure you are going in the right direction.

Galatians 5:16   This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. But constant repentance is still essential. RB

Here is the last half of Romans 7...

 Romans 7:14   For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 

  Romans 7:15   For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (The conflict between my flesh and spirit)

  Romans 7:16   If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. (It taught me what sin is)

  Romans 7:17   Now then it is no more I (My spirit) that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (In my flesh)

  Romans 7:18   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. (I constantly seek the good way)

  Romans 7:19   For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 

  Romans 7:20   Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (My spirit tells me sin is wrong, but sin dwells in my fleshly body)

  Romans 7:21   I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (Constant conflict between the my spirit and my body).

  Romans 7:22   For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 

  Romans 7:23   But I see another law in my members (body), warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 

  Romans 7:24   O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

 Romans 7:25   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. (The life-long conflict between the inner man and the outer man, the spirit and the body). The two fold nature of every human.

Life is A Gift Which Must Be Returned To Him Who Gave It

I once visited a man in prison who was a convicted criminal with a heart condition. He told me that the 20 year sentence the judge imposed upon him was "a death sentence". I told him he already had a death sentence on him before the judge ever heard his case.

I also have a death sentence upon me ... and so do you. Everyone of us has been given an appointment, a day, hour and moment of death. "...It is appointed  unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb.9:27.

Far... far more important than dying is believing and living for Christ, which determines our eternal destiny  ... after our "appointment" with death.

It is not all of life to live or of death to die. Simply living, breathing, eating, sleeping, making a living, marrying and having children is not the primary purpose of life. We were created to love God with all of our hearts, minds and souls (Mk.12:30)... which means to "worship and serve Him" with our lives. And death is not an ending but a beginning of eternal life with God, or eternal death... separation from God

God, who created us and gave us life, also has a will and way for us to live ... and die.... "but after that the judgement". Yes, we will return our life to God who gave it for His judgement of our obedience to His word in Acts.16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...." and how we lived the life He gave us. Some will enter into eternal life with God and others into eternal death which is eternal separation from God. (Matt.25:34 & 41)

Hardship, Trials And Pain Are An Education In Patient Endurance

".... We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope." Rom.5:3-4 

The word "tribulations" here is the Greek word "thlipsis" meaning the "pressure of afflictions" and speaks of hardships, trials, pain and loss. So these are the elements God uses to build "patience" in the Christian. This word, "patience" is the Greek word "hupomone" and means "patient endurance" or "perseverance".

The building of stronger muscles requires exposure to the pain of stretching and exercising those muscles. The building of greater knowledge requires the hard work of exposure of our minds to information. The building of patient endurance and lasting perseverance requires exposure to hardship, trials and afflictions. As God's word says, "Tribulation works patient endurance".

Impatience is a sure indication that this person hasn't been exposed to enough trials, tribulations, stress, pain and hardship. Those are the builders of patience.

When you go through those great difficulties and do not allow yourself to be changed for the better, to become more patient and able to endure, you have wasted the opportunity to grow into a more mature, balanced person. And that is a double tragedy, a double loss. You suffered ... but you didn't grow more Christlike.

If you are going through hard times of some kind, you will surely have even greater trials ahead and God is wanting to help you prepare for them. Lesser trials are like an inoculation of a weakened microbic disease bacterium which gives you a mild case of the disease to build up your immunity resistance to a full blown case of it.

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her  perfect work, that ye may be perfect (whole) and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:2-4. Suffering is always allowed of God and is an essential means of spiritual growth.

"Take .... the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience (endurance) of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." James 5:10-11. He allowed Job to be tested severely and brought him through it a better man.

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." Col.1:10-11. Why? Because endurance keeps us walking the path of God's will and pleases Him.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," Heb.12:1
Seeing the example set by our Lord and his prophets and disciples, let us lay aside heavy burdens and distractions and grow in faith and endurance that we might run life's race and never give up or quit God's calling.

The Ultimate Symptoms And Prognosis Of A Terminal Nation

Official U.S. Government Tax Fraud 
in favor of illegal aliens is extensive 
and defended by the IRS and the 
Obama Administration.

The only question now is this. Are these kinds of symptoms due to Insanity, Ignorance, Indifference, Accident or Conspiracy? I have eliminated the first four and am convinced that the answer is a treasonous Conspiracy, within the heart of our own government. It cannot be remedied by Presidential or Congressional vote, at the ballot box, because the quisling majority of American voters are now on the government dole and will never cast another ballot for Constitutional freedoms. That only leaves three options for Constitutionalists and Christians, revolution, retreat or cowardess. The conspiracy actually goes far beyond the Presidency and Congress. It reaches around the entire world of nation power centers. Conspiracy to this global degree can only be  the design of God or Satan. Since God cannot sin (Heb.4:15) and does not tempt people to sin (Jm.1:13), the power behind these Conspirators has to be Satan. Only Satan has so much power to do evil and cause men to do what is being done on a global scale today. In our natural state, without Christ, people fall easily under the control of the "prince of the power of the air". "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Eph.2:2. The only restraint in this world now is the presence of the Holy Spirit who lives in true Christians. When the rapture takes place and Christians are caught up to heaven, the Holy Spirit goes with them and the world is left with Tribulation and without a witness until the two witnesses (Rev.11:3) reappear. "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he (H.S.) who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way (rapture)." 2 Thess.2:7.

This from the Washington Times

IRS defends paying refunds to illegals who never filed taxes

The IRS is defending its decision to let illegal immigrants claim up to three years’ refunds on income even if they never paid income taxes, tellingCongress in a new letter last week that agency lawyers have concluded getting a Social Security number triggers the ability to go back and ask for previous refunds. President Obama’s new deportation amnesty could grant Social Security numbers to as many as 4 million illegal immigrants, making many of them eligible for tax refunds under the Earned Income Tax Credit even for years when they cheated on their taxes, by working off the books and not filing tax returns.

_________________________

Then there is this second example of IRS/illegal alien tax fraud.

This video is a preview, a small beginning of what Satan, through people, is capable of and will be doing during the Great Tribulation Period, after the rapture of Christians. RB

http://videos2view.net/tax-fraud.htm

Follow The Lord's Light By Night And His Arrow Of Deliverance By Day

GOD HAS A LIGHT FOR YOUR NIGHT

When God's man, Moses, was sent to deliver God's people from slavery in Egypt, they followed Moses, as he followed 'the angel of God', who led them to the shores of the Red Sea ... where Pharaoh's army caught up to them to annihilate them. The people were sure Moses had led them into an Egyptian trap from which there was no escape. But God always provides a way of escape to do his will, where there seems to be no way (1 Cor.10:13). The darkest storm clouds are a fearsome black danger on the bottom, from the human view point, but are a brilliant glorious white on the top ... from God's view point. God had their back.
"And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: "And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these." Exodus 14:19-20. Never forget, if you are a Christian, that the same God who delivered His people Israel, is also your Father and you, His child. He has your back, your survival and your best interests in mind. You can rest in Him. He has a destination for you to pursue and a job for you to do,

AND AN ARROW OF DELIVERANCE BY DAY

The prophet Elisha, just before he died, told the desperate, besieged  king of Israel, how to defeat the Syrian enemy. He told him to open the east window and shoot an arrow toward Aphek, in the Syrian Desert, east of the Sea of Galilee. The king of Israel shot the arrow, but then showed little enthusiasm of courage and confidence, in his response to God's prophet ... to follow that arrow into the battle for deliverance. Had he followed "The arrow of the LORD's deliverance",
with stronger faith, he would have faired well. "And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance...." 2 Kings 13:17

Arrows Point the Way

All across the USA, Seventy-foot concrete arrows can be found in remote locations.

Follow them, and they’ll point you out of the desert.

They come courtesy of the US Postal Service’s Air Force and will point you all the way across the continental United States.

They were constructed in 1924 to guide postal planes in

the right direction as they carried mail from coast to coast.

These old planes couldn’t rely on radio as much at the

time, so they used these arrows, along with beacon towers, to navigate.

The arrows and beacons bisect the United States

from San Francisco to New York City.

The towers were 50 feet tall and fixed with gas lights

that could be seen from 10 miles away, in order to help

lost pilots find their way.

This is a model of the arrows and towers in their heyday.

World War II brought new advances in radio technology

that effectively made the towers and arrows system obsolete.

The towers were mostly dismantled.

There has been an effort to restore and preserve

some of them, however.

Like this one in New Mexico complete with its generator shack.

Follow God's arrow through the burning desert wastes, through the impossible trials of life, through the pains, sicknesses, discouragements, betrayals and fears of life's fight, and you will arrive at His destination for your flight.  RB

http://boredomfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/10-giant-arrows.jpg

No, You Are Not Worthy And You Are Not Alone

Nobody, in this flesh, is perfect and therefore nobody is worthy of God or of Christ. Not even close .... except as we are covered with the righteousness of Christ. In fact, everybody is, in their flesh, a sinner. Yes, some sinners are worse than other sinners, but that is not where the acceptance line is drawn. That redemption line, between heaven and hell, is drawn between the spiritually born again, forgiven sinner and the unrepentant, unbelieving unforgiven sinner.

You see, our earthly, fleshly birth and our earthly parents and our earthly marriage of a groom and a bride .... are created reflections of a higher reality. That is, the reality of a Heavenly Father, and a Heavenly marriage of His son, Jesus, to a Heavenly bride, his born again believers.

And even as a child, born to a father and mother is and always will be, their child, no matter how that child might disappoint them or go astray, so it is with the second birth. A truly born again Christian is and always shall be a child of his Heavenly Father because he has been spiritually "born" into the family of God. It is that simple.

Even Bad Stuff Works To God's purpose And Our Good or He wouldn't Let It Happen

God is not powerless against evil. But judgement still falls upon the evil doers.

One of the Christian Keys to peace, contentment and surrender to God's perfect will is understanding and acceptance of Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good  to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." But that is only true "to them that love God" and "to them who are the called according to his purpose." The good a bad thing works in your life may only be "Don't do that again", or "Don't date that loser any more", or "Drive more carefully", or "Stop stuffing yourself".

Many other verses reinforce this central truth of God's word. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding  and eternal weight of glory; " 2Cor.4:17. "Affliction works for us" when we 'love God and are called to his purpose".

Apostle Paul's experience and testimony confirms that fact.  "And lest I should be exalted above measure.... there was given to me a thorn in the flesh...For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 2 Cor.12:7-10.

An Old Testament example of bad working for good, to the sons of Israel, is seen in their pride, jealousy, hatred, lying and betrayal of their bother Joseph into slavery. The record is given in Genesis 37 that Israel loved Joseph more than his other  sons because he was the youngest at that time. This hurt the other brothers feelings and they were jealous of Joseph and hated him. So when they had him alone, far from home, they sold him as a slave to Ishmaelites traveling to Egypt where Pharaoh's Captain of the guard bought him. For many years Joseph was a slave but rose in power until he was second only to the Pharaoh and was in charge of all the Pharaoh's wealth and possessions. Joseph was now much older when a drought fell upon that part of the world, including the family of Joseph's father Israel. When they were near starvation, Israel sent his remaining sons, except young Benjamin, to Egypt to buy grain which Joseph had wisely stored up for the seven good years before the drought. The story is long but eventually Joseph revealed himself to his brothers who had sold him into slavery. They were afraid he would kill them for the evil they had done and were now repentant, and Joseph graciously told them ..."But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them." Gen.50:20-21.

The grandest example, of good out of bad, is the crucifixion, suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. As awful and wicked as it was for the heartless mob to beat Jesus, pull out his beard, spit on him and nail him to that cross, as in everything else, it played into the hands of God that His holy purpose might be accomplished. (Jesus) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus 2:14. God's marvelous plan for the redemption of sinners was fulfilled there on that awful cross and was followed by His glorious resurrection.... all to the eternal benefit of believers. Out of that injustice, cruelty, betrayal and savage attack upon purity, innocence, and deity itself, came forgiveness, cleansing, redemption and eternal life for sinners.


Another example is when the Christians in Jerusalem were so hated, abused and persecuted that they were scattered abroad over all the known world and thereby the seeds of their faith and testimony were broadcast everywhere they went. Many more believed and were saved and churches sprung up everywhere as a result of their persecution. "Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch,  preaching the word...." Acts 11:19.

As I look back on my own pathway of life, I can now see clearly that those things which seemed so terrible, fearful and painful, at the time, turned out to be God's stepping stones leading me to the events and places where He wanted me, and where He could use me.

Many years ago, the story is told, of a King in Africa who had a close friend, no doubt a Christian, with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that occurred, good or bad, as "a good thing".

One day the King and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the King. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the King fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is a good thing". To which the King replied, "No, this is NOT good", and he proceeded to send his friend to prison. About a year later, the King was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied him to a post, stacked wood around it and were about to ignite it. As the village chieftain came to set the wood ablaze, he noticed that the king's thumb was missing. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So, untying the King, they sent him on his way.

As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the prison to speak with his old friend. "You were right", he said, "It was a good thing that my thumb was blown off". And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry for sending you to prison for so long. It was bad for me to do this."

"No", his friend replied, "This is a good thing".

"What do you mean, "This is a good thing"?  How could it be a good thing that I sent my friend to prison for a year?"

"If I had NOT been in prison .... I would have been with you." 

(I received that story 25-30 years ago from Esther Epperly)

Situations may not always seen pleasant while we are in them, but the promise of God is clear. If we love Him and live our lives according to his precepts, even that which seems to be bleak and hopeless will be converted by God for His glory and our good. Hold on, God is faithful! May God bless you this week as you seek His will in every situation and, in faith, accept what He sends. RB

A Word Of Knowledge Echos Across The Centuries ...

From the lips of wise King Solomon, 3000 years ago. The words of God spoken through Solomon that day were addressed to children of all ages and of all generations throughout time. In today's vernacular, the message was this ....

"My children and grandchildren, you waste and violate your parents' lives, energy and resources, in their raising of you, and shame them when you listen to lies and heresy. Stop listening to instructors, teachers, professors, preachers, psychologists, friends and even husbands and wives who lead you astray from the high standards your parents taught you and from the the Holy Scriptures. These ungodly witnesses mock God's judgement and devour every kind of sin and wickedness. 

The actual words God put into Solomon's mouth were these:

Proverbs 19:26   He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his  mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach. 

  Proverbs 19:27   Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. 

  Proverbs 19:28   An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. 

Mercy And Justice Are Two Ends Of The Same Stick

Mercy and Justice are not opposites, enemies or contradictions of each other.
They are two ends of the same stick, the Shepherd's staff. One end , the "rod", pokes and prods the sheep into the Shepherd's way or drives the wolf away. The other end is a secure hook which lifts and pulls the sheep to safety into the Shepherd's will and way, and for the sheep's welfare, which is the same thing. The Shepherd leads his "flock" in that way; he does not "herd" them. Willful, obedient and healthy followers of their Shepherd to green pastures, still waters, restoration and paths of righteousness is the Shepherd's desire for his sheep.

Psalms 23:1   The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

Psalms 23:2   He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

Psalms 23:3   He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Psalms 23:4   Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 

Psalms 23:5   Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 

Whatever Happened To "Christian America"... Is Happening To You And Me

Not many years after the founders established our nation, arose a lawyer, Charles Finney, who turned to Christ after reading an English Christian, William Blackstone's works. Finney became a nationally known revivalist/evangelist who had great influence on early America and is part of the spiritual root system of what became known as "Christian America". Finney made an interesting observation which I, as a pastor, must agree with. He said, "If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it." Most modern-day ministers would probably disagree with that statement. I say that because it is seldom, if ever, heard in most pulpits of today.... but I believe it is true. If we Christian pastors had done our jobs and fulfilled our calling to more thoroughly study and preach God's word over the last 75 years, America would not have ceased to be "Christian America". Who can honestly say, considering the rule of Satan in our halls of legislation, that America is still a Christian nation? I cannot.

Here is a very interesting article from Bill Federer's "American Minute" attesting to the importance of Blackstone's Commentaries on America's Founders, Evangelists, Churches and Christian America in general. RB

American Minute with Bill Federer

Sir William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, published 1765-1769 by Oxford's Clarendon Press, had an immense influence on America's founders, being considered the definitive pre-Revolutionary source of common law by United States courts.

Blackstone wrote:

"The principal aim of society is to protect individuals in the enjoyment of those absolute rights, which were vested in them by the immutable laws of nature."

Blackstone wrote:

"It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer."

Blackstone wrote:

"Of great importance to the public is the preservation of this personal liberty; for if once it were left in the power of any the highest magistrate to imprison arbitrarily whomever he or his officers thought proper...there would soon be an end of all other rights and immunities."

Blackstone wrote:

"There is nothing which so generally strikes the imagination, and engages the affections of mankind, as...that sole and despotic dominion which one man claims and exercises over the external things of the world, in total exclusion of the right of any other individual in the universe."

Blackstone wrote:

"To bereave a man of life, or by violence to confiscate his estate, without accusation or trial, would be so gross and notorious an act of despotism, as must at once convey the alarm of tyranny throughout the whole kingdom;

but confinement of the person, by secretly hurrying him to jail, where his sufferings are unknown or forgotten, is a less public, a less striking, and therefore a more dangerous engine of arbitrary government."

Blackstone defined "Crimes against God", "Crimes against Man," and in his Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book 4, he defined the act of sodomy as a "Crime against Nature":

"It is an offence of so dark a nature... a disgrace to human nature... a crime not fit to be named; 'peccatum illud horribile, inter christianos non nomtnandum' (that horrible crime not to be named among Christians.'

Blackstone wrote that Parliament during the reign of Edward III heard of an accusation "that a Lombard did commit the sin 'that was not to be named,'" continuing in Latin: "where that crime is found, which it is unfit even to know, we command the law to arise armed with an avenging sword, that the infamous men who are, or shall in future be guilty of it, may undergo the most severe punishments."

This "crime against nature" deserved capital punishment, as Blackstone cited Leviticus 20:13-15 and wrote: "the voice of nature and of reason, and the express law of God, determine to be capital," making reference to the "signal instance, long before the Jewish dispensation" of "the destruction of two cities (Sodom and Gomorrah) by fire from Heaven; so that this is an universal, not merely a provincial, precept."

Blackstone also explained how Islam resulted in political despotism, as shown by"...terrible ravages committed by the Saracens in the east, to propagate the religion of Mahomet."

Abraham Lincoln's life changed when a poor family heading west stopped by his little country store in Illinois and traded a barrel of miscellaneous items for food. At the bottom of the barrel, Lincoln found a copy of Blackstone's Commentary on English Law.

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Beginning in 1870, Harvard Law School dean Christopher Columbus Langdell applied evolution to the legal process. Instead of having students study Blackstone and the original intent of those who wrote the Constitution, Langdell taught that laws could evolve through a series of "case precedents."

Blackstone's Commentaries were also read by 29-year-old attorney Charles Finney.

Finney saw so many Scripture references in Blackstone's Law Commentaries that he bought a Bible.

After reading in the Bible, Charles Finney, on October 10, 1821, decided to head into the woods near his home, saying: "I will give my heart to God, or I never will come down from there."

After several hours, he returned to his office, later writing:"The Holy Spirit ... seemed to go through me, body and soul... Indeed it seemed to come in waves of liquid love, for I could not express it in any other way."

The next morning, at his law office, a church deacon suing a fellow-church member asked Finney about his case. Finney replied"I have a retainer from the Lord Jesus Christ to plead his cause, and cannot plead yours."

Finney began presenting the Gospel with a convincing lawyer's argument. He would pray using common, colloquial language rather than in formal, traditional King's English.

Charles Finney began the tradition of an 'altar call' in his 1830 revival in Rochester, New York: "I had found, that with the higher classes especially, the greatest obstacle to be overcome was their fear of being known as anxious inquirers. They were too proud...

Something was needed, to make the impression on them that they were expected at once to give up their hearts; something that would call them to act, and act as publicly before the world, as they had in their sins; something that would commit them publicly to the service of Christ... I had called them simply to stand up in the public congregations...to bring them out from among the mass of the ungodly, to a public renunciation of their sinful ways, and a public committal of themselves to God."

Finney's revival preaching paved the way for evangelists Dwight L. Moody, Billy Sunday and Billy Graham.

Charles Finney's 1835 Revival Lectures inspired George Williams to found the YMCA-Young Men's Christian Association-in 1844.

Finney inspired William and Catherine Booth to found what would be called The Salvation Army in 1865.

Charles Finney formed the Benevolent Empire, a network of volunteer organizations to aid poor and aged with healthcare and social needs, which in 1834 had a budget rivaling the Federal Government.

Finney organized the Broadway Tabernacle in New York in 1831.

While Charles Finney was president of Oberlin College, 1851-1866, it was a station on the Underground Railroad smuggling slaves to freedom.

Under his leadership, Oberlin College granted the first college degree in the United States to a black woman, Mary Jane Patterson.

Charles Finney died AUGUST 16, 1875.

Concerning the Kingdom of God, he wrote: "Every member must work or quit. No honorary members."

In his article, 'The Decay of Conscience' published in THE INDEPENDENT of NEW YORK, December 4, 1873, Charles Finney wrote: "Christ crucified for the sins of the world is the Christ that the people need. Let us rid ourselves...of neglecting to preach the law of God until the consciences of men are asleep.
Such a collapse of conscience in this land could never have existed if the Puritan element in our preaching had not in great measure fallen out..."

Finney continued: 

"If immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great degree.  

If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it.

If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it.

If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it.

If the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it.

If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it.

If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it.

Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren; but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in respect to the morals of this nation."

In Lecture XV 'Hindrances to Revival' (Revival Lectures, 1855), Charles Finney wrote: "The church must take right ground in regard to politics. Do not suppose, now, that I am going to preach a political sermon, or that I wish to have you join and get up a Christian party in politics. No, I do not believe in that. But the time has come that Christians must vote for honest men, and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them..."

Finney continued:

"They must be honest men themselves, and instead of voting for a man because he belongs to their party, Bank or Anti-Bank, Jackson, or Anti-Jackson, they must find out whether he is honest and upright, and fit to be trusted. They must let the world see that the church will uphold no man in office, who is known to be a knave, or an adulterer, or a Sabbath-breaker, or a gambler... Every man can know for whom he gives his vote. And if he will give his vote only for honest men, the country will be obliged to have upright rulers..."

Finney stated further:

"The church must act right or the country will be ruined. God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the church will take right ground. Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God. It seems sometimes as if the foundations of the nation were becoming rotten, and Christians seem to act as if they thought God did not see what they do in politics.
But I tell you, he does see it, and he will bless or curse this nation, according to the course they take."

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In About 3300 BC, Enoch Gave Two End-Time Judgement Prophecies, Noah's Flood And The Second Coming Of Christ

As sure as the ark and flood judgement, so shall be the rapture and final judgement.

ENOCH.....

God's first preacher and prophet

Enoch was born in the seventh generation from Adam. My wife and I have a great great grandchild which is the fifth generation from us.  So it only took seven generations from creation to Enoch's day for the human race to be approaching complete depravity. So God called a preacher, prophet to warn the people of certain judgement if they did not repent. He chose Enoch.

"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth .... The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence." Gen.6:5-6 & 11.

Noah's flood should have been expected by everyone on earth for two reasons. At the time of the flood, the Earth was relatively young with only a few generations of people, and those were concentrated in basically one area of Earth, so that Enoch's prophecies of destruction were quite well known. When Enoch was 65 a close encounter with God changed his life for ever when Methuselah was born. Genesis 5:22   "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years...."

Upon that spiritual encounter with God, God put it in Enoch's heart to name this new son, Methuselah. The name was an encapsulated prophecy that divine judgement was coming, but it would be delayed until Methuselah died. And, sure enough, Immediately after Methuselah's death, a flood of  God's judgement was sent upon Earth. Thus, Enoch named his son Muth Shalach the two root words which compose Methuselah and mean "His death shall bring it forth" or "When he is dead, the end shall come". And so it was that immediately after Methuselah died, after God forestalled judgement for his entire lifetime of 969 years, God told Noah and his family to enter the ark. Amazingly, Methuselah's world record age reflects God's longsuffering patience with sinners and His unequaled love for us giving us chance after chance to turn to Him.

Enoch's second end time's, judgement prophecy, was of Christs Second Coming.

Understand that God knows a lot more than could be recorded in one Bible. Even all that Jesus said and did, while on earth, would require a world library full of books of record. Apostle John put it this way. "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written...." Jn.21:25. My reason for pointing that out is that Enoch's prophecy of the Second Coming of Christ is not recorded in Genesis with his Flood prophecy, but was revealed to Jude in Jude 1:14-15 "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. " Remember, this prophecy would have been given in Enoch's lifetime about 669 years before the flood, which he also prophesied, and 3300 years before the birth of Jesus. That was about 700 years after creation and 5300 years ago from today (6000 years). The final thousand years of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ will complete 7000 years of God's dealings with those created in His image, the human race. If the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom winds things up, the Rapture of true believers must be close at hand....allowing for minor discrepancies in our Gregorian Calendar. RB

Key verses relating to this first preacher and prophet of God:

Gen. 5:24   "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." 

 Hebrews 11:5-7  "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."