Listen To The End (Series Ending)

Hebrews 2:1-4

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders, and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

This is the last post of a series that I did not mean to be a series, but that God made by His own will. It has been about the cycles of sin, forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and us and our actions. Now here are the final words of this series. May God bless them and teach us, just as He always has.

First, we must pay attention to what we have heard. God has been the one speaking on these occasions and He is the source of all that is good. Anything good we have ever learned or done was from Him. What is good though? Good, is what is righteous. What is righteous? It is what Jesus epitomized and lived out. Therefore, whenever we do good, we are living like Jesus Christ in the name of God. When He speaks to us, His words are always good and what we need to hear. Only fools ignore His words when He speaks. This is something I have to be true for me: I have been and still am a fool! I regret thinking about all the time wasted when I could have been hearing His words and paying attention to Him. Something we should all regret. It is when I was not listening that I felt furthest away from God. But what kept me from listening? The times where I thought I knew what I was doing and had pride in my ways. They were the times that I talked and talked and did not let God get a word in. These times felt the loneliest of this life. I got in the way. I wasn't the first to let myself get in the way though.

When angels came to the Israelites and people of the past in the Bible, they would bring them word and warnings. Many listened to the angels, but so many also did not. There were so many not written about, for the Bible even says that all should invite strangers in for they might tend to an angel without knowing. But these angels were servants of God bringing warning about the things of this world that God wanted done. Every time the angels were ignored, the people receive their punishments. Now Jesus has come Himself. The One who the angels praise died on the cross to bring salvation to all those who are willing to hear and believe. With complete salvation by faith in His Name alone, what excuse does anyone have? How could anyone run away? Romans says it, "...that no man be without excuse." How will we escape if we ignore the words of God? All of His words are true and binding. That is frightening, and rightly so. For God is to be feared for His power and ability to forgive. And that is why it is also our greatest Joy; because He has used His word to promise us salvation. We are free from our sins. But this world and our sinful nature try their best to make us forget. They bring us footholds that break us down and lead us into sin away from God and His words. They make us drift away. But because God knew these things would happen, He gave us proof of His words and salvation to remind us.

Salvation through Jesus Christ was confirmed by the disciples who wrote the words of God in the Bible we now use. He followed by proving it further through His signs, wonders, and miracles that have always been done. They may be done differently now but do they not still happen? Do people survive car crashes every day? Are new lives brought into the world every hour? Are there not people who find Jesus in the last months of their lives? Yes! But in case these were not enough, God gave us a witness to prove His Love to us. He gave us the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus and worked through Him on earth now dwells in us. He is constantly changing us and bringing us to God. His words and works are constant reminders that God is with us. For as long as we can feel the Holy Spirit and hear His voice, we can know that we are saved. 

In Kings it is written that God was in the small wind/whisper that came over the mountain Elijah was on. I have found it to be true, that God is in the wind and His voice is a whisper. But the thing about wind, is that even at its gentlest, it can sound like thunder when my ear is turned toward it. So if we listen to the Holy Spirit, to God's words and promises, not only do we know that we are saved from the fact that we can hear Him, but we gain the blessings of the words themselves. God's words have brought me nothing but blessings in this life. As I continue my walk with Him, I look forward to the new words He will speak to me. The peace they will bring, and the Love they will be filled with. All the words until the day when I see Him face to face and be free from a sinful nature so I can truly say, "I Love You, because You Loved me first."

Thank You For Reading

Long Live Jesus Christ

Amen

Words To Sorrows To Words To Joy

2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Make room for us in you hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one; we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our trouble my joy knows no bounds.

For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn - conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it - I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while - yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. By all this we are encouraged.

In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.

As usual we'll go section by section. The first is after Paul tells the Corinthians to make room in their hearts for Paul and his followers. He tells them that he and his followers have not wronged, corrupted, or exploited anyone. He follows by saying that he didn't mention it to shame them for the times they had, but to make his statement seem all the better: That the Corinthians have places in their hearts and that he and his followers would live or die with all of them. In the same way, we should not only Love on other people, but make places in our hearts for them. The greatest service a man can commit is to lay down his life for someone. Are we willing to do that for others? We should be, but I know that I don't show that in my daily life. I don't always sacrifice the time and money I can for others. And this is wrong. Paul had it right here. He had Joy in the Corinthians even thought they were one of the most sexually immoral people of the time. He wrote in 1 Corinthians that even the ungodly peoples around them looked at the Corinthian's practices with contempt. But Paul sent the letter with a man named Titus to them to turn them away from it. Paul writes about Titus' return and what had been happening in the next section. 

Paul tells the Corinthians of the pain he and his followers were experiencing in Macedonia from the harassment and fears they were under. They were downcast and discouraged because of how much opposition the Gospel received. This is a feeling I can be empathetic with. I have experienced the same discouragement and pain when trying to share with people now where I live. Very few are willing to receive the words of God. But just when we feel downcast, God can bring comfort and encouragement. For Paul, it was Titus coming with good news about the Corinthians. 

Titus told Paul of how his letter had hurt the Corinthians and brought them sorrow. But this was only at first. This sorrow had come from the letter that God had written through Paul for His own plans. The Corinthians were turned in this sorrow toward God in repentance. They experienced the sorrow that Paul described as Godly sorrow. Paul added that worldly sorrow brings death. This meaning that when people feel sorrow, they turn to the world to find relief, but all this does is lead people to do more sins that they end up feeling more sorrow from like alcohol and drugs and sexual encounters that only be described as wrong. This I would call the simplified cycle of death. But Godly sorrow causes us to go to God for relief from our pain by the means of of Loving Son, Jesus Christ. Brings us earnestness and eagerness to be cleared of our sins. It brings indignation and alarm at what we have been doing when we could have done so much more good. It brings a longing for God, and a concern that if we stay where we are, we will not have Him. It also brings a desire for Justice that we do what He wants us to do with our lives.

This is what the words of the letter God had written through Paul accomplished among all the Corinthians. This is why we must not stop speaking the words of God no matter how discouraged we get. because they will reach the people who need them most. Whether it's to bring them to repentance, or to bring them to God in their troubles. The words of God brought in hand by Titus brought the Corinthians to repent and live better for God. The news the Titus brought back to Paul brought Paul and his followers Joy and encouragement. Even Titus was brought Joy and happiness by the Corinthians when they turned to God so quickly, for the greatest Joy in this world is to see someone repent for their wrongs, go to God for grace, and then freely receive it from Him for the rest of their lives. There is none greater.

God used sorrows and words to do what He wanted to accomplish among Paul, his followers, and the Corinthians. He brought encouragement to Paul just when He needed it, and had the Corinthians repent for their sins. God can use anything for His will. But what does that mean for us now? It means, that we do not understand what is really happening when life does not go the way we want it to. But God has a plan for us and will use everything around us for His glory. This post was written completely differently this morning, but after everything that has happened today and how I saw God working, it needed to be changed. It much better than the other one too. God is able to use anything for His will. With this case, He used the Corinthian's sorrows to bring redemption and Joy to many people. What about your case and mine? We need to wait and see. Looking at the past is easy, seeing the future is impossible. Be patient and wait for God to do what He will. He might just take your sorrows and turn them to Joys.

Thank You For Reading

Long Live Jesus Christ

Amen 

Help Out

Hey everyone, I have a great opportunity to help out right now. A friend at my church works at Taylor Guitar factory here in San Diego and he has been donating scrap wood to me to make rings with. I recently made an online business out of it too. My friend also helps head up a mission trip to Peru every summer to go and build orphanages and schools in the jungle. So now with every ring purchase, I'm donating 10% of all gross profits to the Peru trip. I can't go this summer because of surgery, but I'm gonna try and make it next summer. So until then I'm working to raise money for the people going. It mean a lot if you could by one. If you can't, I would still ask that you keep the people going on the trip and the kids they are helping in your prayers. Thank You.

Here's the link ---> https://www.etsy.com/listing/96062460/wood-ring-koa-wood-ring-water-resistant?listing_id=96062460&listing_slug=wood-ring-koa-wood-ring-water-resistant

Humbly Bow Joyfully Stand

Luke 13:10-17

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from you infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."
The Lord answered him, You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath unties his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

What would it be like to live for 18 years and not be able to sit up straight? How many sleepless nights and how much discomfort and pain? How could she cook and work for herself? How would it be to be permanently bowed down to others? How much humility did she have? Unlike some of the other times Jesus healed people, when the people came to Him begging or were brought by friends, Jesus saw her and called her forward in front of everyone. Just like He calls us to come to Him in front of the world for all to see. Put yourself in her place now, and see if this feels familiar.

Everyone sees you walk up hunched over. People you know, people from all over the region who are following Jesus, the synagogue rulers and law keepers, all watching you as you walk up to the One teaching. Judging you for how you look and for looking at Him. You walk up, heart pounding with embarrassment and shame, wanting to run away from all of their stares, but not willing to because of who called you forward. This wise and pure Man with His eyes fixed on you, eyes different from the other ones around you. So you walk forward to see what He wants with you. Then when you get up to Him He says, "You are set free from your infirmity." And He puts His hands on you and you are healed. You stand up straight for the first time in 18 long years. All of it is gone and you stand up in His presence and praise God in front of all the people. YOu praise Him for this feeling that can only be felt and never properly described.

The power and joy must have been so think in that room that it was tangible. What would it feel like to be there? Even this past paragraph could not properly describe what it would be like to be there with Jesus at this time. Because all it took was for Jesus to see her, and He had compassion on her and called her forward and healed her. But this healing was not just for her.

The synagogue ruler came and told the people that there were six days that they could work. If they wanted to be healed they should come and do it on one of those days, not on the Sabbath. If you were the woman who had lived bowed down to people for 18 years, your Joy would probably feel instantly threatened and you would be scared. Even though you were only there to hear Jesus, He was the One who called you forward and healed you. He did that, but you are the one in trouble. In the same way we gain the Joy of Freedom in Jesus Christ and then have the world around us say that what Jesus is turning us into is wrong and hates us for it. Anyone who left a bad lifestyle for a Christian lifestyle knows this well. But the words of the world fail to stand against the words of Him who save us.

Jesus answered the synagogue ruler's statement by calling him a hypocrite. Jesus questioned them asking whether or not they untied their oxen and donkeys to let them drink water on the Sabbath. The answer was a rhetoric yes. So then He asked if a daughter of Abraham should not be freed as well on the Sabbath. The difference, is so humiliatingly vast in this question. Should a donkey or ox that are animals who have only been thirsty for half a day be freed on the Sabbath to have relief and drink, but a woman who has suffered at the hands of Satan for 18 years not be set free? This question is so ridiculous when said out loud that it does not even need a second thought for an answer. When Jesus asked these questions, His opponents were humiliated. But the people were delighted with the wonderful things He was doing.

In the same way, we can be delighted by the wonderful things Jesus is always doing for and around us. He will always bring down the people who lift themselves up and cast down other people based on what they think is right. But for those who let themselves be humbled by God and bow down, Jesus will always call forward, and He will give them relief, freedom, forgiveness, He will raise them up, He will Love them, and He will give them strength to stand up in front of the world and praise Him.

No matter the infirmity and sin we have, when we go to see Him, He calls us forward in front of the world. And when we choose to not run away and come forward, He puts His hands on us and heals us. He frees us from everything. And then He gives us everything we could ever need: He gives us Himself. He stands up for us when we can't stand and He has us stand with Him when He brings our strength back. He is our God! He is our healer! He is Jesus Christ!

Thank You For Reading
Long Live Jesus Christ
Amen

His Words Are True (Easter)

Romans 15:4

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

All the Scriptures were written in the past so that they might be God's tool to teach us about Him. About His nature, His Love, the lives He wants for us, what He has His hand in, the reasons for what happens in this life, and about our relationship with Him.
The purpose of the Scriptures is for them to endure this world and be around us and in us to teach us. The Scriptures are God's Words, whether they are on the pages in the Bible or in the dreams His dreamers dream, or in His creation that people see and interpret. They are His words that are to be heard and shared. They are promised to exist until the world's end. And that until that time, they will be strong.
These words are meant to be His encouraging promise to us. The words that describe His Love push us forward towards the day we see Him. They push us through the brokenness and pain. God uses them to tell us that He has not abandoned us. God uses His words to convict us for our sins, and then to bring us to Him for forgiveness. He uses them to change us. He uses them to change the world. He uses His words to move us and others. They are meant to bring courage to do His Will and not falter.
Because of these strong words, we have Hope. This Hope is that His words are true and that we really are promised all that we have been promised. The Hope that our sin went down to the grave with Jesus Christ and they stayed there while He rose to new life and that He took us with Him. The Hope now is that we are waiting for Him to come down and take us up with Him to spend an eternity with Him. Our brokenness is not permanent.

His words are true. Remember as you read.

Matthew 27:45-54

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" - which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, pit it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

Surely He was, and is the Son of God! And surely He is coming back for us!

Thank You For Reading
Long Live Jesus Christ!!!
Amen!
Happy Easter!