Now that you have, by obeying the truth, made your souls clean enough for a genuine love of your fellows, see that you do love each other, fervently and from the heart.

For you are not just mortals now but sons of God; the live, permanent Word of the living God has given you His own indestructible heredity.

It is true that:

            All flesh is as grass,

            And all the glory thereof is as the flower of grass.

            The grass withereth, and the flower falleth:

            But the word of the Lord abideth forever.

The word referred to is the message of the gospel that was preached to you.

1^st.Peter 1:22-25 J. B. Phillips N. T.

The sub title for the above verses is;

“Let your life match your high calling”

            We are here reminded that Christians are to be characterized by a “love of your  fellows”.  Some are, no doubt, thinking, “That would be easier to do if some of my ‘fellows’ were a little easier to love.”  That is true enough and very likely some of the ‘fellows’ have the same thoughts concerning you.

            It will be easier in heaven but while on earth, ‘loving’ and ‘being lovable’  are both something that we must all work at.

            Someone wrote the following bit of doggerel.

To live above with those we love,

Oh, that will be glory!

To live below with those we know,

Well, that’s another story.

            We are given no assurance that all of the ‘fellows’ will be lovable but we are told that we can love because “the live, permanent Word of the living God (Jesus) has given us His own indestructible heredity” (An Agape love)

            Don’t expect your love to always be reciprocated! Paul wrote to the church at Corinth “...the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (2^nd.Cor.12:15)

            Loving those who love us back is wonderful but our love is not based on that. If we love only those who love us we do not accurately represent Christ.

            Jesus said, “If you love only those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.” (Luke 6:32)

            John says that if we cannot love the brethren it brings our claim of loving    God into question.  (1^st.John 4:20)

             Paul’s prayer for the church is, “May the Lord give you the same increasing and overflowing love for each other and towards all men as we have towards you. May He establish you, holy and blameless in heart and soul, before God, the Father of us all, when our Lord Jesus comes with all who belong to Him. (1^st.Thessalonians 3:12,13)

Heb 7:19

For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

NKJV

Heb 8:6

He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

NKJV

Heb 10:34

Knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.

NKJV

Our present president campaigned and was elected on a promise of “Change.” A majority of our people now feel that the change proposed is not better for the country but rather worse.

As is written above, the law was perfect but due to man’s inability to fulfill the demands of the law God made a change that was better and easier for us.

Someone wrote the following lines;

“To run and work the law commands

Yet gives me neither feet nor hands

But better news the gospel brings

It bids me fly and gives me wings”

Men can work but they always come short; Rom 3:23-24

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Anyone can, however, believe if they choose to do so and that is the better way to God that is promised above. It is much easier and better to believe in what Jesus has already done for us than to believe in the inability and futility of what we think we can do.

Men can do many good things but it is that “coming short of God’s glory” that will do us in. God is perfect and I think that you will all agree with me that we are not.

So what is this “better covenant” all about? Jesus came and took on the form of a man. Phil 2:7-8

7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

He demonstrated the perfectness that God requires and offered to share the credits of His life and death with us.

John 6:47-48

 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

The law had no provision for those who “came short”. 

James 2:10-11

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

When we stumble as we surely shall, the gospel has provision for our repentance, restoration and a second chance.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.

Hebrews 1:1-3

            There are many changes in today’s world that are unsettling and cause concern for God’s people. We must remember that nothing catches God by surprise. He knows everything that happens before it happens and has made preparation for all eventualities.

            The preparations began with Jesus’ decision to be the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8) He knew what would happen in the world that He would create, He went to the cross to redeem it and is here to uphold it. As far as the men that he created are concerned, if the cross and Jesus’ death on it had not been conceived, mankind would not have survived beyond the fall. And if Jesus were not here to “uphold all things” mankind would not survive now.

    The world in general opposes Jesus Christ and all reference to Him more than any individual who lives or who ever lived and yet the existence of everything depends on Him

            The Amplified N.T. translates a part of v.2 as follows, :He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time (that is) He made, produced, built, operated and arranged them in order.”  In Colossians 1:17 we read “And He Himself existed before all things and in Him all things consist –cohere, are held together.” 

            Since it is necessary for Jesus to hold everything together, then it follows that if He is not in control, everything will fly apart but He  isn’t going to let that happen! Men can reject the influence and control of Jesus from their own lives if they choose but God has invested much in this world and His plans are not going to be thwarted by any man or group of men. The future may look a little discouraging but God’s plan for the world and those who choose to love and serve Him will be realized.

            The Apostle described things as they are going to be in Revelation 21,22 and it is going to happen.

Thank God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that in His great mercy we have been born again into a life full of hope, through Christ’s rising again from the dead!

You can now hope for a perfect inheritance beyond the reach of change and decay, reserved in Heaven for you.

And in the meantime you are guarded by the power of God operating through your faith, till you enter fully into the salvation which is all ready to be revealed at the last.

This means tremendous joy to you, even though at present you may be temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials.

1^st.Peter 1:3-6 J. B. Phillips N. T.

            A considerable part of the Book of 1^st. Peter, is devoted to the suffering in the world and the Christian’s attitude toward it. Well, suffering is a part of life in this fallen world. Some are devoted to relieving suffering and others dedicated to causing suffering.

            So! What are we to expect? Our journey will be “eventful” but God is standing by to help. Through it all, we “are guarded by the power of God...till we enter fully into the salvation which is all ready...”

            Carol and I started on our journey over sixty years ago now and we have no regrets. The journey has provided some rough spots but God has always been there with His great helping hand.

            As to our earthly journey, we have more  behind us than we have ahead. We are closer to our destination but we are still moving toward the goal and, no doubt, there are still some of those “harassing trials” to pass through.

Looking back we can say, in the words of the gospel song, “I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now” Those “unexplained hardships”  are not worthy to be compared with that which is ahead, (See Romans 8:18) 

            The glory of our future home will be well worth any hardship we endured on the journey. Those who reject Jesus and His Gospel, will find that any advantage they thought to have gained or hardship they thought to have avoided, by that choice, was not worth the price they will pay.

The possessions in this life that men work so hard to acquire are all subject to “change and decay” but it will never happen to that “perfect inheritance” which is reserved at our journey’s end.

            We just make the journey one time. It is a one-way trip and when we arrive we are there to stay.

O Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land, As on thy highest mount I stand,

I look away across the sea, Where mansions are prepared for me,

And view the shining glory shore—My heaven, my home for evermore!

Rom 10:3-4

3 for they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

NKJV

The Scripture draws a comparison between men’s righteousness and God’s righteousness. There were those who were quite confident that their righteousness was enough to prepare them for entry into heaven. The righteousness of men is commendable but not always dependable. It’s flawed! The most righteous among us would have to admit to times of temptation when they were not always all that righteous and those times must be accounted for.

Rom 10:5

 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."

NKJV

James also wrote, James 2:10

“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

With that in view it seems like depending on our own efforts to get us ready for heaven is, to quote an old adage, as futile as “trying to pick your self up by your own boot straps”.

A promise, Rom 4:6

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

 

That’s what we need! A righteousness that doesn’t depend on our faulty works.

God has provided! Jesus Christ is the only man who possesses that kind of righteousness and He has promised to share that righteousness with us.

Rom 3:21-22

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

NKJV

That’s our only hope! Accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and depend on what He has done rather than on what we think we can do.

We are warned, however, that there is no excuse for not doing our best and following as closely as we can.

Gal 5:13

 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

NKJV

In words of a chorus’ “Christ is the answer”

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written,

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.

Romans 1:16,17

            The short phrase, “The just shall live by faith.” Is familiar to every Christian who reads the Bible at all.

            Paul found it in the records of Habakkuk (2:4) and the Holy Spirit probably said, “Paul, what’s good for Habakkuk is good for you so don’t forget it.”  Paul maintains that what is good for Him is good for all of us so he repeated it three times in the New Testament. Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38.

            I take that to mean that men and women of God are men and women of faith, but just what is involved? When we were young ministers there were a few people who advised us that the above Scripture meant that I was never to have a designated income.

            Well, as things turned out, it was that way quite often but I believe the verse can be applied to more areas of life than the  preacher’s income, or lack of it.

            Living by faith means that we have committed to a way of life and there is no turning back. We believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to go.

            Paul presents the gospel, without apology, as God’s answer to the world’s need. It is not Paul’s creation, it is the provision of Christ and therefore not open to debate! It is God’s “Faith based initiative” but does not have to survive a congressional vote! Nothing can be “added to or taken away”  (Revelation 22:18,19) as it is complete. It is designed by God and supported by the “power of God” and therefore it works.

            People of faith have, by faith, caught a glimpse of the “city whose builder and maker is God”. (Hebrews 11:10) Our faith for the journey is not based on what we can or cannot do but on what Jesus has done for us.

            Jesus said “Follow Me” and living by faith means that is what we do. Following Jesus does not necessarily mean that the travel conditions are always pleasant but it means that we are traveling in the right direction.

            Those who walk by sight prefer the downward easy route but people of faith are mountain climbers.

            It is the destination that matters.

Acts 12:1-4

12 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

NKJV

Like his neighbor, Governor Pilate, Herod was a political opportunist. James and Peter, along with James’ brother John had been with Jesus on the mountain and heard the voice of God say “This is my beloved Son, Hear Him”. (Mark 9:7)

They were three voices that the religious leaders of that day wished very much to be silenced so when Herod saw that having James killed pleased them He saw a chance to ingratiate himself with them and he had Peter locked up. 

He intended, after the days of unleavened bread, to bring Peter out before the people, and evidently, like Pilate before him, ask the people what they wanted done with him.

Peter was in prison guarded, twenty four hours a day by four soldiers at a time. He was chained to two of them while the other two stood watch.

When the time came, Herod sent to the prison for Peter and that’s when his plans all went awry. Peter was not there!

Herod didn’t want to try explaining his disappearance to the people so he had the guards executed and he went to “Caesarea, and stayed there”. (v.19)

That poses the question, “Why are some of God’s servants taken at an early age and others remain for many years. I don’t know! The answer to that question is with God only. We are told to, “redeem” (make good use of) the time Eph. 5:16.   To “occupy” until He comes or calls (Luke 19:13)

You don’t how much time you have neither do I know how much time I have but we both can make good use of what time we do have and that is all that God asks of us.

How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done, And Thy thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with Thee;

If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.

Sacrifice and meal offering Thou hast not desired; My ears Thou hast opened; Burnt offering and sin offering Thou hast not required.

Then I said. “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me; I delight to do Thy will, O my God; Thy law in within my heart.”

Psalm 40:4-8

David, the writer of this Psalm, was mediating on the wonderful works of God and was filled with amazement. He then moved on to considering God’s “thoughts toward us” and was overwhelmed, crying, “There is none to compare with Thee.”

God’s works toward us are “too numerous to count” but one is great beyond our understanding. In verses 6-8 David is speaking prophetically of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to redeem and restore fallen mankind. (see Hebrews 10:5-7) We can’t know how much of the prophecy David understood but we understand it because we are looking back at the record of it’s happening.

If David was overwhelmed by the promise of what God had determined to do for us, we should be amazed as we read the record of what He did.

Who can imagine the love of the great Creator God who came to die, and such a horrible death, to redeem His errant, created creatures.

There is a line in a song that reads, “When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.” Very true, but we were on His mind a long time before that. Before there was time, as we know it, farther back than our minds can reach, when God spoke the word that created the world, we were on His mind. (Ephesians 1:4)

  Before He created the world the cross was on His mind. (see Revelation 13:8) The cross would be necessary to redeem those men creatures that had not yet been created. Why create them in the first place? 

Doesn’t that stagger your mind just a little?  No man would have asked for that kind of trouble but God said, “...so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

God loves us with an “everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3) we are here and we can agree with David, “How blessed is the man (or woman) who has made the Lord their trust...”

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

            There is an evil influence in the world called Satan and the Devil who is dedicated to frustrating God’s plan and destroying God’s people. In an encounter in the wilderness, (Matthew 4) Jesus thwarted the Devil’s plans by simply quoting God’s word, “It is written...”

            We can still oppose the Devil and hinder his plans by believing and quoting God’s word. Not all men seem to know that but the Devil knows it very well. He manages to manipulate men and women of the world to do his bidding but he can’t influence men and women of the word, which, I believe, accounts for the present attacks on God’s word in our country.

            The one restraining influence against the devil’s ambitions is the Christian who believes and stands firm on God’s word.

            The epidemic of anti-Bible rulings by leftwing judges outrage us but God has not lost control. Removing the Bible from public view is an affront to God but it could be a means of getting the Bible opened by more people.

Americans are an  independent minded people and when a judge rules it unconstitutional to display a Bible in public it may be the very thing needed to cause some to purchase a Bible and others to dust off the one they already own.

God has a way of using the enemy’s devises to suit His own purpose. When men attack the Bible they are not attacking an ordinary book. It is God’s Book and by His power it will “accomplish” and it will “prosper.”  

            Other books and papers can inform or misinform as the case may be but the Bible will transform. ...” Hebrews 4:12 tells us it is living,  “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword...”  Judges may have it removed from public buildings but they can’t consign it to the “dead letter office” or from the hearts of believers.

            Be indignant at the publishing of books like “The Da Vinci Code” but don’t be unduly alarmed. The Author of the Bible is not intimidated by the critics of His Bible.

            “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” while the critic’s writings run their short course and fade into oblivion.

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing, foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of

the wise,

And the cleverness of the clever

I will set aside.”

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believed.

For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness

Read 1^st Corinthians 1:18-25

NASB

There is a wisdom from below that is earthly and temporary and there is a wisdom from above that is heavenly and permanent. True wisdom is from above and leads to God; wisdom (so-called) that leads away from God is false and dangerous.

Many of those who are wise in   earthly wisdom have difficulty in recognizing the heavenly wisdom.

            The preaching of the cross is a stumbling block to the self-righteous man because it didn’t credit him enough with for all of his good deeds. “..I thank Thee I’m not like other people..” (Luke 18:10)

            Being thankful was right but his reason for thankfulness, his own self-righteous deeds, was what got him in trouble. It is written that, as for as salvation is concerned, “All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment:” (Isaiah 64:6)  A proud, self-righteous attitude spoils any good thing that we do.

            It was Spurgeon who said, “I thought that a certain man was just about perfect, until he said so.”

If it is directed toward heaven, campaign rhetoric will rise no higher than our head.

            The preaching of the cross is, to the intellectual, foolishness, because it didn’t credit him enough for his superior learning and understanding. A, “see which I myself have built...by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty.” (Dan. 4:30) attitude is a dangerous position to take.

            The advanced abilities of mankind have succeeded in developing a civilization that is the most violent since the flood, (Genesis 6:11) and now has the potential to self-destruct.

            It is only by the power of the cross that men can build a stabile life in the world and be guaranteed a permanent life in the world to come.

            The wisdom of God provided a solution  which all of the ingenuity and imagination of  the wisest cannot duplicate.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Ephesians 2:8,9

            Salvation is God’s greatest gift to mankind! It is also mankind’s greatest need and it cannot be built, bought, earned or learned.

            God does not owe us salvation for some good thing we have done. Actually, we are incapable of doing anything good enough or being anything good enough to earn or merit salvation.

            The above Scripture tells that salvation is “the gift of God”. If salvation could be earned it would lose it’s ‘gift’ status and become a debt but God is in debt to no man. So our only hope is in the goodness and grace of God

            It is about what Jesus did at the cross. The above Scripture also tells that “ye are saved through faith.” But if Jesus had not gone to the cross for us, faith or no faith, salvation would never come to us.

            The effectiveness of faith is determined by the object of our faith and faith in anything or anyone except Jesus Christ will bring you no closer to God.

            No man deserves salvation, but the undeserving are invited to place their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and receive the gift of salvation.

            It is a matter of choice and the urgency of making that choice, now, is pressed upon us. “...behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” (2^nd.Corinthians 6:2)

            Faith in Jesus as Savior is the only way. Nothing else will work! As Jesus explained to Nicodemus (John 3) it is called being ‘born again. Nicodemus protested that a man cannot be born again physically. That is true, of course, and if he could be born again physically, fifty times over, he would still be no closer to God.

            Jesus explained that it is not a physical change, that will come later, (1^st.Corinthians 15:53)  This mortal body will be left behind anyway, it is the soul that will move on and must be prepared if it will exist in the heavenly home with God.

            It is a spiritual change and spiritual things are as unseen as the wind (v.8) but the effects will be become apparent as life moves on. We will have confidence toward God, that even Nicodemus, good man that he was, could  not acquire by his works.

Accepting Jesus is the most important ‘work’ of our life.

                                                                    I charge to keep, I have

A God to glorify.

A never dying soul to save,

And fit it for the sky.

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shinneth more and more unto the perfect day.

The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Proverbs 4:18,19

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:13,14

            The Bible offers us a choice of two directions of travel through this life. One way is an upward, shining path that leads to the perfect day. The other is a dark path, which leads to a situation, which is as imperfect as things can ever get.

The lighted path leads to life and the dark path leads to destruction

            Man was not created a nocturnal creature. We are meant to live in the light down here and live eternally in that city where there “is no night.” (Rev. 22:5)

            On one occasion, during W.W.II, I found myself, with two companions, on an island in the So. Pacific, at night. It was as dark as night can get and we lost all sense of direction. We found some shelter and waited for the sunrise and, believe me, the sun never looked better or was more welcome.

                        Those who choose to walk in the broad path of darkness in this life are headed for a place where the sun will never rise. (Jude 13)          

There is a physical darkness and a spiritual darkness. Physical darkness is a part of life here but spiritual darkness need never be.

            Men have developed artificial light that can dispel the physical darkness but there is no man made light that can dispel the spiritual darkness. (although there are those who make that claim)

            Jesus is “the true light” (John 1:9) and in Him there is no darkness. (John 8:12)

When the “prince of darkness” intruded into the world a spiritual darkness settled upon mankind that not only interrupted lives but destroyed souls.

            No one can fail to recognize nor will they deny the fact of physical darkness but spiritual darkness is not so easily recognized and men don’t like to admit to its existence.

            We hear much about the “right of choice” now but that doesn’t mean that every choice is right. We are given a choice but warned that the wrong choice carries a very heavy penalty.

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one;

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them.

Then he which had the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast what is thine.

Read the Parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30

            God didn’t set a quota for accomplishments, but when we reach the end of our journey He does expect us to have something to show for the trip.

            The man above, like most of us, was a one talented man, but his sin was that he didn’t try. He was given a talent and he knew what he was supposed to do with it.

            The idea is; We are to sow that He might reap an increase. We are to invest the talent that it might show a profit. The servant sows, the master reaps and the servant is rewarded for his faithfulness.

            No excuse is acceptable! (See Luke 14:18) Some excuses seem to be of a little higher quality than others and this man’s excuse didn’t rate very high.

            He said to his master “you reap where you haven’t sown” (v.24) He was standing there with the unused talent in his hand. It was not a good time to talk about sowing or not sowing.

            It isn’t about the amount of harvest it is about a harvest. Buried talents and hidden lights will never earn a “Well Done” for us. It is a “used talent” and a “light on a hill” that pleases God.

            The master took from him his unused talent and gave to another who would use it. It is a case of “use it or lose it.”  There is no talent that can be developed by burying it in the ground or hiding it under a bushel. (Matthew 5:15)

            Even if we are a one talent person, we can use that talent and we can “brighten the corner where we are” and make our part of the world a little more God-conscious by our being there.

The results are in God’s hands, it is the effort that we are responsible for.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.

Hebrews 1:1-3

            There are many changes in today’s world that are unsettling and cause concern for God’s people. We must remember that nothing catches God by surprise. He knows everything that happens before it happens and has made preparation for all eventualities.

            The preparations began with Jesus’ decision to be the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8) He knew what would happen in the world that He would create, He went to the cross to redeem it and is here to uphold it. As far as the men that he created are concerned, if the cross and Jesus’ death on it had not been conceived, mankind would not have survived beyond the fall. And if Jesus were not here to “uphold all things” mankind would not survive now.

    The world in general opposes Jesus Christ and all reference to Him more than any individual who lives or who ever lived and yet the existence of everything depends on Him

            The Amplified N.T. translates a part of v.2 as follows, :He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time (that is) He made, produced, built, operated and arranged them in order.”  In Colossians 1:17 we read “And He Himself existed before all things and in Him all things consist –cohere, are held together.” 

            Since it is necessary for Jesus to hold everything together, then it follows that if He is not in control, everything will fly apart but He  isn’t going to let that happen! Men can reject the influence and control of Jesus from their own lives if they choose but God has invested much in this world and His plans are not going to be thwarted by any man or group of men. The future may look a little discouraging but God’s plan for the world and those who choose to love and serve Him will be realized.

            The Apostle described things as they are going to be in Revelation 21,22 and it is going to happen.

Thank God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that in His great mercy we have been born again into a life full of hope, through Christ’s rising again from the dead!

You can now hope for a perfect inheritance beyond the reach of change and decay, reserved in Heaven for you.

And in the meantime you are guarded by the power of God operating through your faith, till you enter fully into the salvation which is all ready to be revealed at the last.

This means tremendous joy to you, even though at present you may be temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials.

1^st.Peter 1:3-6 J. B. Phillips N. T.

            A considerable part of the Book of 1^st. Peter, is devoted to the suffering in the world and the Christian’s attitude toward it. Well, suffering is a part of life in this fallen world. Some are devoted to relieving suffering and others dedicated to causing suffering.

            So! What are we to expect? Our journey will be “eventful” but God is standing by to help. Through it all, we “are guarded by the power of God...till we enter fully into the salvation which is all ready...”

            Carol and I started on our journey over sixty years ago now and we have no regrets. The journey has provided some rough spots but God has always been there with His great helping hand.

            As to our earthly journey, we have more  behind us than we have ahead. We are closer to our destination but we are still moving toward the goal and, no doubt, there are still some of those “harassing trials” to pass through.

Looking back we can say, in the words of the gospel song, “I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now” Those “unexplained hardships”  are not worthy to be compared with that which is ahead, (See Romans 8:18) 

            The glory of our future home will be well worth any hardship we endured on the journey. Those who reject Jesus and His Gospel, will find that any advantage they thought to have gained or hardship they thought to have avoided, by that choice, was not worth the price they will pay.

The possessions in this life that men work so hard to acquire are all subject to “change and decay” but it will never happen to that “perfect inheritance” which is reserved at our journey’s end.

            We just make the journey one time. It is a one-way trip and when we arrive we are there to stay.

O Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land, As on thy highest mount I stand,

I look away across the sea, Where mansions are prepared for me,

And view the shining glory shore—My heaven, my home for evermore!

Rom 10:3-4

3 for they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

NKJV

The Scripture draws a comparison between men’s righteousness and God’s righteousness. There were those who were quite confident that their righteousness was enough to prepare them for entry into heaven. The righteousness of men is commendable but not always dependable. It’s flawed! The most righteous among us would have to admit to times of temptation when they were not always all that righteous and those times must be accounted for.

Rom 10:5

 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."

NKJV

James also wrote, James 2:10

“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

With that in view it seems like depending on our own efforts to get us ready for heaven is, to quote an old adage, as futile as “trying to pick your self up by your own boot straps”.

A promise, Rom 4:6

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

 

That’s what we need! A righteousness that doesn’t depend on our faulty works.

God has provided! Jesus Christ is the only man who possesses that kind of righteousness and He has promised to share that righteousness with us.

Rom 3:21-22

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

NKJV

That’s our only hope! Accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and depend on what He has done rather than on what we think we can do.

We are warned, however, that there is no excuse for not doing our best and following as closely as we can.

Gal 5:13

 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

NKJV

In words of a chorus’ “Christ is the answer”

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written,

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.

Romans 1:16,17

            The short phrase, “The just shall live by faith.” Is familiar to every Christian who reads the Bible at all.

            Paul found it in the records of Habakkuk (2:4) and the Holy Spirit probably said, “Paul, what’s good for Habakkuk is good for you so don’t forget it.”  Paul maintains that what is good for Him is good for all of us so he repeated it three times in the New Testament. Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38.

            I take that to mean that men and women of God are men and women of faith, but just what is involved? When we were young ministers there were a few people who advised us that the above Scripture meant that I was never to have a designated income.

            Well, as things turned out, it was that way quite often but I believe the verse can be applied to more areas of life than the  preacher’s income, or lack of it.

            Living by faith means that we have committed to a way of life and there is no turning back. We believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to go.

            Paul presents the gospel, without apology, as God’s answer to the world’s need. It is not Paul’s creation, it is the provision of Christ and therefore not open to debate! It is God’s “Faith based initiative” but does not have to survive a congressional vote! Nothing can be “added to or taken away”  (Revelation 22:18,19) as it is complete. It is designed by God and supported by the “power of God” and therefore it works.

            People of faith have, by faith, caught a glimpse of the “city whose builder and maker is God”. (Hebrews 11:10) Our faith for the journey is not based on what we can or cannot do but on what Jesus has done for us.

            Jesus said “Follow Me” and living by faith means that is what we do. Following Jesus does not necessarily mean that the travel conditions are always pleasant but it means that we are traveling in the right direction.

            Those who walk by sight prefer the downward easy route but people of faith are mountain climbers.

            It is the destination that matters.

Acts 12:1-4

12 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

NKJV

Like his neighbor, Governor Pilate, Herod was a political opportunist. James and Peter, along with James’ brother John had been with Jesus on the mountain and heard the voice of God say “This is my beloved Son, Hear Him”. (Mark 9:7)

They were three voices that the religious leaders of that day wished very much to be silenced so when Herod saw that having James killed pleased them He saw a chance to ingratiate himself with them and he had Peter locked up. 

He intended, after the days of unleavened bread, to bring Peter out before the people, and evidently, like Pilate before him, ask the people what they wanted done with him.

Peter was in prison guarded, twenty four hours a day by four soldiers at a time. He was chained to two of them while the other two stood watch.

When the time came, Herod sent to the prison for Peter and that’s when his plans all went awry. Peter was not there!

Herod didn’t want to try explaining his disappearance to the people so he had the guards executed and he went to “Caesarea, and stayed there”. (v.19)

That poses the question, “Why are some of God’s servants taken at an early age and others remain for many years. I don’t know! The answer to that question is with God only. We are told to, “redeem” (make good use of) the time Eph. 5:16.   To “occupy” until He comes or calls (Luke 19:13)

You don’t how much time you have neither do I know how much time I have but we both can make good use of what time we do have and that is all that God asks of us.

How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done, And Thy thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with Thee;

If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.

Sacrifice and meal offering Thou hast not desired; My ears Thou hast opened; Burnt offering and sin offering Thou hast not required.

Then I said. “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me; I delight to do Thy will, O my God; Thy law in within my heart.”

Psalm 40:4-8

David, the writer of this Psalm, was mediating on the wonderful works of God and was filled with amazement. He then moved on to considering God’s “thoughts toward us” and was overwhelmed, crying, “There is none to compare with Thee.”

God’s works toward us are “too numerous to count” but one is great beyond our understanding. In verses 6-8 David is speaking prophetically of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to redeem and restore fallen mankind. (see Hebrews 10:5-7) We can’t know how much of the prophecy David understood but we understand it because we are looking back at the record of it’s happening.

If David was overwhelmed by the promise of what God had determined to do for us, we should be amazed as we read the record of what He did.

Who can imagine the love of the great Creator God who came to die, and such a horrible death, to redeem His errant, created creatures.

There is a line in a song that reads, “When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.” Very true, but we were on His mind a long time before that. Before there was time, as we know it, farther back than our minds can reach, when God spoke the word that created the world, we were on His mind. (Ephesians 1:4)

  Before He created the world the cross was on His mind. (see Revelation 13:8) The cross would be necessary to redeem those men creatures that had not yet been created. Why create them in the first place? 

Doesn’t that stagger your mind just a little?  No man would have asked for that kind of trouble but God said, “...so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

God loves us with an “everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3) we are here and we can agree with David, “How blessed is the man (or woman) who has made the Lord their trust...”

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

            There is an evil influence in the world called Satan and the Devil who is dedicated to frustrating God’s plan and destroying God’s people. In an encounter in the wilderness, (Matthew 4) Jesus thwarted the Devil’s plans by simply quoting God’s word, “It is written...”

            We can still oppose the Devil and hinder his plans by believing and quoting God’s word. Not all men seem to know that but the Devil knows it very well. He manages to manipulate men and women of the world to do his bidding but he can’t influence men and women of the word, which, I believe, accounts for the present attacks on God’s word in our country.

            The one restraining influence against the devil’s ambitions is the Christian who believes and stands firm on God’s word.

            The epidemic of anti-Bible rulings by leftwing judges outrage us but God has not lost control. Removing the Bible from public view is an affront to God but it could be a means of getting the Bible opened by more people.

Americans are an  independent minded people and when a judge rules it unconstitutional to display a Bible in public it may be the very thing needed to cause some to purchase a Bible and others to dust off the one they already own.

God has a way of using the enemy’s devises to suit His own purpose. When men attack the Bible they are not attacking an ordinary book. It is God’s Book and by His power it will “accomplish” and it will “prosper.”  

            Other books and papers can inform or misinform as the case may be but the Bible will transform. ...” Hebrews 4:12 tells us it is living,  “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword...”  Judges may have it removed from public buildings but they can’t consign it to the “dead letter office” or from the hearts of believers.

            Be indignant at the publishing of books like “The Da Vinci Code” but don’t be unduly alarmed. The Author of the Bible is not intimidated by the critics of His Bible.

            “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” while the critic’s writings run their short course and fade into oblivion.

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing, foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of

the wise,

And the cleverness of the clever

I will set aside.”

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believed.

For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness

Read 1^st Corinthians 1:18-25

NASB

There is a wisdom from below that is earthly and temporary and there is a wisdom from above that is heavenly and permanent. True wisdom is from above and leads to God; wisdom (so-called) that leads away from God is false and dangerous.

Many of those who are wise in   earthly wisdom have difficulty in recognizing the heavenly wisdom.

            The preaching of the cross is a stumbling block to the self-righteous man because it didn’t credit him enough with for all of his good deeds. “..I thank Thee I’m not like other people..” (Luke 18:10)

            Being thankful was right but his reason for thankfulness, his own self-righteous deeds, was what got him in trouble. It is written that, as for as salvation is concerned, “All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment:” (Isaiah 64:6)  A proud, self-righteous attitude spoils any good thing that we do.

            It was Spurgeon who said, “I thought that a certain man was just about perfect, until he said so.”

If it is directed toward heaven, campaign rhetoric will rise no higher than our head.

            The preaching of the cross is, to the intellectual, foolishness, because it didn’t credit him enough for his superior learning and understanding. A, “see which I myself have built...by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty.” (Dan. 4:30) attitude is a dangerous position to take.

            The advanced abilities of mankind have succeeded in developing a civilization that is the most violent since the flood, (Genesis 6:11) and now has the potential to self-destruct.

            It is only by the power of the cross that men can build a stabile life in the world and be guaranteed a permanent life in the world to come.

            The wisdom of God provided a solution  which all of the ingenuity and imagination of  the wisest cannot duplicate.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Ephesians 2:8,9

            Salvation is God’s greatest gift to mankind! It is also mankind’s greatest need and it cannot be built, bought, earned or learned.

            God does not owe us salvation for some good thing we have done. Actually, we are incapable of doing anything good enough or being anything good enough to earn or merit salvation.

            The above Scripture tells that salvation is “the gift of God”. If salvation could be earned it would lose it’s ‘gift’ status and become a debt but God is in debt to no man. So our only hope is in the goodness and grace of God

            It is about what Jesus did at the cross. The above Scripture also tells that “ye are saved through faith.” But if Jesus had not gone to the cross for us, faith or no faith, salvation would never come to us.

            The effectiveness of faith is determined by the object of our faith and faith in anything or anyone except Jesus Christ will bring you no closer to God.

            No man deserves salvation, but the undeserving are invited to place their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and receive the gift of salvation.

            It is a matter of choice and the urgency of making that choice, now, is pressed upon us. “...behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” (2^nd.Corinthians 6:2)

            Faith in Jesus as Savior is the only way. Nothing else will work! As Jesus explained to Nicodemus (John 3) it is called being ‘born again. Nicodemus protested that a man cannot be born again physically. That is true, of course, and if he could be born again physically, fifty times over, he would still be no closer to God.

            Jesus explained that it is not a physical change, that will come later, (1^st.Corinthians 15:53)  This mortal body will be left behind anyway, it is the soul that will move on and must be prepared if it will exist in the heavenly home with God.

            It is a spiritual change and spiritual things are as unseen as the wind (v.8) but the effects will be become apparent as life moves on. We will have confidence toward God, that even Nicodemus, good man that he was, could  not acquire by his works.

Accepting Jesus is the most important ‘work’ of our life.

                                                                    I charge to keep, I have

A God to glorify.

A never dying soul to save,

And fit it for the sky.

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shinneth more and more unto the perfect day.

The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Proverbs 4:18,19

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:13,14

            The Bible offers us a choice of two directions of travel through this life. One way is an upward, shining path that leads to the perfect day. The other is a dark path, which leads to a situation, which is as imperfect as things can ever get.

The lighted path leads to life and the dark path leads to destruction

            Man was not created a nocturnal creature. We are meant to live in the light down here and live eternally in that city where there “is no night.” (Rev. 22:5)

            On one occasion, during W.W.II, I found myself, with two companions, on an island in the So. Pacific, at night. It was as dark as night can get and we lost all sense of direction. We found some shelter and waited for the sunrise and, believe me, the sun never looked better or was more welcome.

                        Those who choose to walk in the broad path of darkness in this life are headed for a place where the sun will never rise. (Jude 13)          

There is a physical darkness and a spiritual darkness. Physical darkness is a part of life here but spiritual darkness need never be.

            Men have developed artificial light that can dispel the physical darkness but there is no man made light that can dispel the spiritual darkness. (although there are those who make that claim)

            Jesus is “the true light” (John 1:9) and in Him there is no darkness. (John 8:12)

When the “prince of darkness” intruded into the world a spiritual darkness settled upon mankind that not only interrupted lives but destroyed souls.

            No one can fail to recognize nor will they deny the fact of physical darkness but spiritual darkness is not so easily recognized and men don’t like to admit to its existence.

            We hear much about the “right of choice” now but that doesn’t mean that every choice is right. We are given a choice but warned that the wrong choice carries a very heavy penalty.

As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”

And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay His head.”

Luke 9:57,58

            Jesus had no permanent home in the world and neither do those who follow Him. No one has a permanent home in the world, of course, but those who follow Jesus are headed in the right direction when they leave.

            We must keep in mind that we live in this world as pilgrims not residents. Life in the world seems, to our limited vision, unfair. Some of God’s children, live in abundance and some under meager circumstances.  Some of us enjoy freedom of worship and some risk their lives daily for the Name of Jesus.

            We don’t know why the disparity of circumstances but God leads and we are to follow. He is the Master; we are the servants. Our assignment is a matter of priority. God’s priority!

Some are assigned to difficult places down here. but I assure you there will be no slums, poverty areas or sub-standard housing in that Eternal City.

            Following Jesus sometimes requires our leaving all and moving and sometimes it means staying put. In the case of the Demonic of Gadara (Mark 5:1-20)  following Jesus, after his deliverance from the demons, meant going home and telling all of his friends, “what great things the Lord had done for him.” (v.19)        

            We can tell the world of what God has done for us but very few of the things that we did without His help are worth bragging about

            Peter and Andrew “...left their nets and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:18-20)

Never forget that God calling us into His service is a great honor. He could make it without us. Paul admonishes us, “...not to think more highly of ourselves than we aught to think.” (Romans 12:3)

            The attitude of the Pharisee of Luke 18:9-14) “Lord, You really got a bargain when you got me.” didn’t gain him much favor with God.

            God didn’t reach up to call us down, He reached down to raise us up. In the words of the song, “I was lost and undone, without God or His Son, When He reached down His hand for me.”

            A good attitude is well described in the pledge of the marriage ceremony that I used so many times, Lord I’ll serve You, “for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do we part.” Only in this case there is no parting at death.

            Our commitment, wherever it may lead us in this life, is forever and forever.     

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one;

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them.

Then he which had the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast what is thine.

Read the Parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30

            God didn’t set a quota for accomplishments, but when we reach the end of our journey He does expect us to have something to show for the trip.

            The man above, like most of us, was a one talented man, but his sin was that he didn’t try. He was given a talent and he knew what he was supposed to do with it.

            The idea is; We are to sow that He might reap an increase. We are to invest the talent that it might show a profit. The servant sows, the master reaps and the servant is rewarded for his faithfulness.

            No excuse is acceptable! (See Luke 14:18) Some excuses seem to be of a little higher quality than others and this man’s excuse didn’t rate very high.

            He said to his master “you reap where you haven’t sown” (v.24) He was standing there with the unused talent in his hand. It was not a good time to talk about sowing or not sowing.

            It isn’t about the amount of harvest it is about a harvest. Buried talents and hidden lights will never earn a “Well Done” for us. It is a “used talent” and a “light on a hill” that pleases God.

            The master took from him his unused talent and gave to another who would use it. It is a case of “use it or lose it.”  There is no talent that can be developed by burying it in the ground or hiding it under a bushel. (Matthew 5:15)

            Even if we are a one talent person, we can use that talent and we can “brighten the corner where we are” and make our part of the world a little more God-conscious by our being there.

The results are in God’s hands, it is the effort that we are responsible for.

Isa 32:1-2

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.

2 And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

ASV

There are two kinds of storm that we can think of here, storms in the physical world in which we need a hiding place  and storms in our lives in which we also need a place where we can hide and be refreshed and strengthened.

A tornado cloud passed over Sheridan a few night ago. The funnel had dropped down but it didn’t touch down until it was farther north.

I have seen some tornados and the results of them in my home state of Kansas. When Carol and I were just newly married we journeyed back to Kansas to visit my family. While traveling through Western Kansas we saw a funnel cloud that had touched down and was traveling right behind us. I believe that such a storm travels about twenty five miles an hour but our 1938 Plymouth could go faster than that so we left it behind.

After our visit and we were returning back the Calif. we drove that same route and we saw, what had been nice farm buildings that were then just a pile of wreckage.

We experience the other kind of storms also from we need a shelter. The above Scripture refers us to such a shelter, “And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest,”

It is not just any man that can qualify to be a “hiding place” but the Man Christ Jesus can. Only Jesus can speak with authority to the troubled waters or the troubled soul and say “Peace, be still.”

Faith in God will determine if we shall go through or down when the storm hits.

Paul was a man who stood firm in his faith in God! He once stood on the deck of a ship that was breaking up in the storm and cried, Acts 27:23-24

“For there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve, saying; Fear not, Paul”

ASV

Jonah also stood on the deck of a ship in a terrible storm but he had no encouraging word for he was a man running from God.

There is a song by Mosie Lister, “Hide me Lord til’ the storm passes by.”

The above scripture promises to do just that!

And Pilate wrote an inscription also, and put it on the cross. And it was written “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

Therefore this inscription many of the Jews read, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek.

And so the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate. “Do not write, The King of the Jews; but that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews,’”

Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written,”

John 19:19-22 NASB

            Pilate wrote, “ Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews” and had it posted in three languages. He was right about that! Jesus Christ is King in any language and not of the Jews only.

            When Pilate said, “What I have written I have written” he was referring to the words on the cross and he stood by his decision. Pilate wrote some other things into the record that day, however, that is not such good reading.

            There are two statements in the record that condemn Pilate. “I find no guilt in Him.” (John 18:38) and then it is recorded “So he then delivered Him to them to be crucified”. (19:16)

            Those records are not on tapes that can be erased, on paper that can be shredded or on a hard drive that could ‘accidentally’ crash. There was only one way for Pilate to have the incriminating records removed and as far as we know, he was not inclined to take that course.

            The Scripture reads, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) which means that we all have, or had, a few things on the record that needed to be removed if we would have confidence toward God.

            The plan is for us to repent, receive Jesus Christ as Savior and God’s promise is to remove the evidence, “As far as the east is from the west,..” (Psalm 103:12)

            I can’t give the exact mileage but we can take that to mean that, for the repentant soul, God wipes the record clean and removes the evidence so far away that it can never return.

            Another Scripture reads, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17) If there is a classic example of a man being guilty of the above verse, it is Pilate.

            Pilate knew what was right and he was in a position to do what was right. He didn’t do it and the record stands according to his own words, “What I have written, I have written.”

For this is contained in Scripture:

“Behold I lay in Zion and choice stone,

A precious corner stone,

And he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed.”

This precious value then, is for you who believe.

But for those who disbelieve,

“The stone which the builders rejected,

This became the very corner stone,”

And

“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence”;

for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word...

1^st.Peter 2:6-8

“What then is this that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone.

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

Luke 20:18

Scripture from NASB

Jesus Christ is, to we who believe, “A precious corner stone.” To those who disbelieve He is “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence.” To those endeavoring to build a ‘godless’ society, He is, “the rejected stone.” But to God He is the “choice stone” upon which “God’s Plan For The Ages” rests.

            In the above Scripture in Luke, Jesus had just spoken the parable of the vine growers, (vvs.9-16) an obvious reference to the nation of Israel. The people were appalled at His words so He explained how it would happen.(vvs. 17,18)

            A crucified Messiah became a stumbling stone to Israel. They fell on the stone, were broken in many pieces and scattered over the world. They were not without hope, however, for Isaiah had written, He “will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” Isaiah 11:12) Back in their land, they will, in God’s time recognize the crucified One as, in reality, their long awaited Messiah. “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication, so they will look on Me whom they have pierced...”(Zechariah 12:10)

            To the godless nations to whom he is a “rejected” stone He will become the stone that falls on them and “scatters them like dust” and “grinds them to a powder” (KJ)    

Daniel saw it happen, “Inasmuch as you saw a stone cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushes the iron, bronze etc...” (the godless nations) (See Daniel 3:44,45)

            Israel will finally recognize Him and accept Him as the Corner Stone. A ‘great multitude’ down through the years have already accepted Him as the Corner Stone. The unbelieving world will finally recognize Him as the Corner Stone but will not accept Him as such. (See Revelation 19:19)

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Hr cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God...”

John 3:3-5 NASB

            Jesus’ words to Nicodemus do not reflect, so much a refusal on God’s part but an inability on man’s part. We are born with a nature that is suitable for life on earth but we will need a new nature to enable us to live in heaven. Jesus said the transformation is called being “born again” and it is accomplished by accepting Him as Lord and Savior.  “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life.” (v.36)

            It is impossible for anyone who does not believe in Jesus Christ and has refused to be transformed by accepting Him as Savior, to live in heaven.

            Charles Spurgeon once said, “It is as impossible for an unbelieving person to live in heaven as it is for a fish to live in a tree.”

            I think I can carry the thought a little farther and say that, “A person who rejects Jesus Christ, despises the cross and refuses the authority of God word, would not be happy in heaven if they could go there.”

                        Those who are saying that the name of Jesus “offends” them here would not be happy in heaven because they would be hearing a lot about Him up there.

            All are going to leave here and besides Jesus’ heaven there is only one other place to go. Judging from the Bible description of that place, I’m quite sure that they won’t be happy there.

So! They do have a problem.

            I have the solution for them! Admit that, with your attitude, you’re  not fit for heaven anyway, repent and  accept Jesus as your Savior. Once the transformation takes place, your attitude problem will be corrected, your spiritual eyes opened and you will no longer be offended by the name of Jesus. On the contrary, you will delight in His name  and you will look forward to living forever in that country where His “name is above every name”. Philippians 2:9)

Ps 24:1-2

The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

KJV

It has been an exceptionally beautiful spring here in Wyoming with an abundance of rain. The foothills and the meadows are all a beautiful green and the trees are in full foliage.

Spring is my favorite time of the year! Spring speaks of new life and new life speaks of God.

All life comes from God and is maintained by God.

Col 1:15-16

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

16 for through him God created everything

in the heavenly realms and on earth.

He made the things we can see

and the things we can't see—

Col 1:17

He existed before anything else,

and he holds all creation together.

New Living Translation

I share a verse of poetry by Helen Steiner Rice

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”

It speaks of His greatness and sings of His love.

Through all of  creation with symphonic splendor

God speaks with a voice that is gentle and tender.

And the birds in the trees in the trees and the flowers of spring

All join in proclaiming this Heavenly King.

I agree with the author! When I see the beauty of a spring day it speaks to me of God who designed and made it. I cannot believe any of the evolutionary theories that are offered.

I use my computer every day and it does some marvelous things which I can’t explain but I prefer to believe that there was some intelligent design in the making of it.

If a huge explosion in space formed the earth then another huge explosion could blow us all away and that doesn’t sound like a promising future.

The above Scripture Col, 1:17 assures us, however, that the God who made things will maintain them. “ …and he holds all creation together.”

For our light affliction , which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2^nd,Corinthians 4:17,18

            Life in this world comes with problems but Paul assures us that the problems of life on earth serve a purpose. We are here for short time but we, as Christians, are destined for a permanent existence in a problem-free place prepared by God.

            We live in a visible world and the world to come is not yet seen, only promised. If everything in this visible world were completely trouble-free it would dim our vision and dampen our enthusiasm  for the unseen, permanent world ahead.

            Trouble will adjust our vision. 

Israel’s journey out of Egypt to their promised land is an example. Life was not easy in Egypt for the Israelites. The work was hard and the taskmasters were cruel and demanding (Exodus 5) but the “afflictions” were an incentive to the Israelites to move on toward the better land.

            We are pilgrims here but will be permanent residents over there. We don’t have permanent title to anything in this world. The treasures of this world (and the afflictions) will all be left behind.

            Paul said that the afflictions of  life “worketh for us” not against us. Some of God’s children have more severe trials and afflictions than others and I don’t have an explanation for that but I point you to a most precious promise that appears in the last chapter of the Book.  “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall be my son.’ (Revelation 21:7)

            We are now in the world of afflictions but the unseen world is just ahead. The “overcoming” part is our lot at this time; the inheritance will be ours later.

            Jesus said, “...In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

            Jesus did a lot of overcoming for your sake and mine. Every child of God has their overcoming to do in this life but we can do it. God promised!  “...but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able...” (see 1^st.Corinthians 10:13)

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

            The enemy that we face in life is already defeated. There is not a single trial or temptation that you and I may face that Jesus hasn’t already faced and He won the battle every time.

            Afflictions come but we’re not going down we’re going up!

“…for I have learned to be content, whatever the circulstances may be. I know how to live when things are difficult and I know how to live when things are prosperous.

In general and in particular I have learned the secret of eating well or going hungry—of facing either plenty or poverty.

I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me.

Philippians 4:12,13

J. B. Phillips

            Paul maintained that he knew how to “eat well” and how to “go hungry” and still retain his God given contentment.

            Most Christians in America are better acquainted with the “eat well” times than they are with the “going hungry” experiences. The latest stats on obesity in America will prove that point.

            Most Christians in America favor the “eat well” teaching as the popularity of the “How To Use Your Faith To Prosper” books compared to the absence of any “How To Glorify God When Going Hungry” books show.

            We eat every day and I’m not complaining but I want to make a point. I’m convinced that God takes no delight in seeing his children hungry but if it happens, while we are still in this rebellious world, I’m equally convinced that God is interested in our reaction.

            Life in America is not typical of life in every country of the world. In some places, when a person says that they are hungry it means that they have not eaten in a couple days. When an American say’s that he is hungry, usually, it means that he was late for the coffee break.

            Some time back I read a report by a certain mission organization concerning some Christians in a “Third World” country. They all ate one meal of rice daily. There was a shortage of rice at that time and the adults are one meal a day five days each week so that the children could eat one meal a day seven days a week.

            When the missions director asked what he could do to help. They replied, “We have a shortage of Bibles. Please send us as many as you can.”

             Jesus demonstrated as recorded in John ch.4.  He sat by a well in Samaria sharing the water of Life with a woman at the well while His disciples were gone to buy bread. 

            Hid disciples returned and called, “Jesus! Come and eat!” Jesus replied, “I have already eaten.”

            It is a matter of priority. The spiritual comes first. God knows and we know that our physical body needs food to maintain life. God also knows and if we don’t know we had better learn quickly, that spiritual needs take precedence.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them.

And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Revelation 21:1-5 NASB

            The first book of the Bible tells us how God made the world, pronounced it good and ordered Adam to “cultivate and keep it.”(Genesis 2:15)  Things soon got out of hand and as more and more people were born into the world the situation became increasingly worse.

            The last book in the Bible tells us that God is going to give us another chance and this time we’ll get it right.  He is going to make, a new heavens, a new earth and populate those places with “new creatures” (2^nd.Corinthians 5:17)

            Jesus will be there to oversee all operations and nothing will get out of hand. There will be no mourning or crying there because there will be nothing happen there to mourn about. No violent people will be there and even the earth will be gentle. There will be no Tsunami there to wreck havoc, for the redemption of all things has occurred and even the creation has been “set free from it’s slavery”.(Romans 8:21)

 It will be what God intended it to be in the first place, a “people friendly” world and it will last forever. I won’t try to draw a distinction between a “new heaven”,  a” new earth” and a “new Jerusalem”. They are all part of the incredibly wonderful place that God has prepared for the eternal existence of those who will love and serve Him on this present earth.

            Now is the time to make your reservation and have your flight scheduled. Flight no. 666 is going the wrong way so avoid that. Accepting Jesus as your Savior guarantees you a ticket to the place described above and nothing less will be accepted.

But perhaps someone will ask, How is the resurrection achieved? With what sort of body do the dead arrive?

It is written, moreover, that: The first man Adam became a living soul.

So the last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. But we should notice that the “spiritual” does not come first: the order is “natural” first and then “spiritual”.

The first man came out of the earth, a material creature; the second man came  from heaven.

For the life of this world men are made like the material man; but for the life that is to come they are made like the one from heaven.

So that just as we have been made like the material pattern, so we shall  be made like the heavenly pattern.

1^st.Corinthians 15:35,45-49

J. B. Phillips N. T.

            We are born into the world with a body that is suitable for living in the world but at a time, designated by God, we shall receive another body suitable for living in the world to come.

            Our present body is patterned after Adam, who died, but our promised new body will be patterned after Christ, who can never die.

            When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord the arrangements are all made. The transition time will come! (1^st.Thessalonians 4:13-18)  When the time arrives whether we have already discarded this temporary body or whether we are still living in it, we shall “...in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye...” (1^st.Corinthians 15:51) receive our promised new body “...fashioned like unto His glorious body...” (Philippians 3:21). We shall then, in our new body that can never die go to live in that new life that will never end.

            When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ we become “a new creature” (2^nd.Corinthinas 5:17) meaning that we are changed on the inside and our desires, ambitions, attitudes, hopes etc. are all changed. But, we must continue living in the old body until moving day.

            Our eyes have not seen these promises and our minds cannot comprehend them (1^st.Corinthians 2:9) but it will all come to pass.

            It doesn’t happen to you automatically, however. It all depends upon one great decision, absolutely essential to every person made in the likeness of the first Adam. We must accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior! All provisions are made but Jesus is our only way of assurance that we shall be there. 

            There is another place for those who despise and reject the Lord Jesus and His offer of salvation but no one in their right mind would want to move to that location.

            Now is the time to make your decision! Delay is dangerous! (2^nd.Corinthians 6:2)

At the beginning God expressed Himself. That personal expression, that Word, was with God and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning.

All creation took place through Him, and none took place without Him. In Him appeared life and this life was the light of mankind.

The light still shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out.

John 1:1-5

J. B. Phillips

            Jesus is the “Light of the world” (John 8:12) and where He is not acknowledged, the world is in darkness. Ephesians 6:12 informs us that there are certain influences who are called the “rulers of the world’s darkness” who hate the light.

            They never cease trying to extinguish the light but it can’t be done.

While Jesus was hanging on the cross as the “despised and rejected sacrificial lamb” (Isaiah 53) there was, for three hours, a great darkness over the land. (Luke 23:44)) Had Jesus never risen from the grave there would have been a great spiritual darkness over all the land from which the land would never have recovered.

            The third day dawned; Jesus came forth! All of the combined powers of darkness could not prevent it. He became a Light in the world that the darkness does not “comprehend” (KJ) but cannot “overpower” (alternate rendering)

            The powers of darkness, aided by their human counterparts, try. They legislate, regulate, expostulate and intimidate but the light still shines.

            There are hundreds of religions in the present world but they only add to the darkness. Only the Lord Jesus Christ has the power to dispel darkness and bring light and hope to an, otherwise darkened world.

            There is a story that when author Robert Louis Stevenson was a little boy, his mother found him, one evening, standing at the window watching the lamplighter light the street lamps. He said, “Look mother! That man is punching holes in the darkness!”

            If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and are dedicated to His service, your very presence, everywhere you go, is punching holes in the darkness.

            Jesus also said, to you and I, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) The song, sung by Debbie Boone, has it right, saying, “You light up my life.”  God’s Holy Spirit in the lives of God’s people manifests a light that the powers of darkness hate and fear but can’t put out.

            Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men..” (Matthew 5:16) It is the only antidote to the darkness. 

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

Jeremiah 2:13

            We have here a comparison between a well and a cistern! Between a spring and a reservoir. I was raised on a farm and we had both.  The most important difference is that God placed the fountains of water there but men build a cistern.

            We bathed and washed clothes in cistern water but we drank from the well. The cistern water could clean the outside but only the well water could satisfy the inner thirst. Cistern water, after a period of time, become stagnant but well water from the underground fountains that God placed there, was always fresh.

            The fountains of water represent God’s revealed plan of salvation by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  All of men’s contrived plans for improving themselves until they qualify for heaven is represented by a cistern, and a broken cistern at that.

            The water from a cistern is not satisfying at best but cisterns, especially broken cisterns, run dry. If you are depending on one of the many broken cisterns that are presented as “a way” you will find yourself, spiritually, “in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” (Psalm 63:1)

            Jesus is the only source of soul satisfying, living water and He said, “If any man thirst, let him some unto Me and drink.” (John 7:37)  Only that “living water” can quench the thirst of the soul!

            I have been in a lot of places and I have known what it is to be really thirsty and at that time no man-made beverage will satisfy. Only water, as the song made popular by the Sons of the Pioneers, proclaims, “Cool, clear water” can satisfy.

This is no compromise in fountains and cisterns.  One satisfies; the other disappoints. One is permanent; the other temporary. One lasts; the other will pass away. One is created by God; the other is manufactured by man. The decision should not be difficult.

            Don’t make the mistake that the Israelites made and trust the broken cisterns of the world.  Put your faith in the well that will never run dry!

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”

Psalm 37:4,5

            Everyone wants to be successful, make the right choices that lead to “fulfillment” and be prosperous. Our generation is well supplied with “How To” books and “Self Help” seminars guaranteed to enable you to realize all of your greatest desires.

            Those things may be helpful but to find true happiness there is nothing that can compare with the injunctions of the two verses of Scripture above.

            Someone said that the greatest hindrances to finding true and lasting happiness are three; (1) People regard self too highly; (2) People regard sin too lightly; (3) People regard God not at all; That is a recipe for failure and disaster not success and happiness.

            According to the Scripture above, the first step to true happiness is the “commitment part.” Without the commitment we are not even in the program.

            Once we are completely committed then our desires and delights are synchronized with God’s plan and provisions and we are content.

            Paul maintains that full commitment is entirely reasonable. “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of (all) the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies—presenting all your members and faculties—as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1 Amp. N. T.)

            It is a choice between the temporary and the permanent. Those who take delight in what God disapproves will find their pleasures short-lived.

            Moses understood this and made the good choice for it is written that “By faith Moses.. Choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;” (Hebrews 11:25)

            The Psalmist wrote, “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

It is a choice of “for a season” or “for evermore”.

The afflictions for the cause of Christ are temporary and the pleasures are eternal. The devil’s promised pleasures are very temporary and the resulting misery is permanent.

            The world advertises its pleasures but don’t believe everything you hear and read.  The bill will arrive later.  Someone once said, “The morning after takes the joy out of the night before.”

            A commitment to God will result in true pleasure in this life, even with the afflictions, and there will be no regrets.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Psalm 1:1-3

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.”

Matthew 7:24

            We have here two of the “like untos” that Jesus used so often to draw us a picture. The Psalmists’ “tree by the river of water” and Jesus’ “house on a rock” both describe a man (or a woman) who has the connections to see them through life’s trials and glorify God in the process.

            They are people who, in the words of the old song about the three Hebrew children of Daniel 3 “won’t bend, won’t bow , and won’t burn”

            They are an aggravation to the devil. a puzzle to the world and a pleasing aroma to God.

            A tree that won’t wither away and a house that won’t blow away!

The Psalmist’s tree is a most extraordinary tree! It only grows by “rivers of water.” It is a fruit bearing evergreen that does not wither in dry seasons. It has a connection to an unseen water supply that will not run dry.

            Like Jesus’ “house on a rock” the storms blow but the tree stands. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19)

            All of the current “signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3) indicate trouble ahead for the world and increasing opposition for Christians. What will we do?

            We won’t “bend, bow or burn” and we will stand. If we are built on the rock that can’t be moved and connected to the river that can’t run dry then we can’t be stopped.

            I believe that Jesus could come at any time but things could, and probably will, get worse before the trumpet sounds. (1^st.Thessalonians 4:16) We in America have not yet faced the persecution that our brothers and sisters in other countries face, but if it comes, and it well may, the Rock that is supporting them, will support us. The river that strengthens them will not fail us.

For our light affliction , which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2^nd,Corinthians 4:17,18

            Life in this world comes with problems but Paul assures us that the problems of life on earth serve a purpose. We are here for short time but we, as Christians, are destined for a permanent existence in a problem-free place prepared by God.

            We live in a visible world and the world to come is not yet seen, only promised. If everything in this visible world were completely trouble-free it would dim our vision and dampen our enthusiasm  for the unseen, permanent world ahead.

            Trouble will adjust our vision. 

Israel’s journey out of Egypt to their promised land is an example. Life was not easy in Egypt for the Israelites. The work was hard and the taskmasters were cruel and demanding (Exodus 5) but the “afflictions” were an incentive to the Israelites to move on toward the better land.

            We are pilgrims here but will be permanent residents over there. We don’t have permanent title to anything in this world. The treasures of this world (and the afflictions) will all be left behind.

            Paul said that the afflictions of  life “worketh for us” not against us. Some of God’s children have more severe trials and afflictions than others and I don’t have an explanation for that but I point you to a most precious promise that appears in the last chapter of the Book.  “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall be my son.’ (Revelation 21:7)

            We are now in the world of afflictions but the unseen world is just ahead. The “overcoming” part is our lot at this time; the inheritance will be ours later.

            Jesus said, “...In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

            Jesus did a lot of overcoming for your sake and mine. Every child of God has their overcoming to do in this life but we can do it. God promised!  “...but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able...” (see 1^st.Corinthians 10:13)

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

            The enemy that we face in life is already defeated. There is not a single trial or temptation that you and I may face that Jesus hasn’t already faced and He won the battle every time.

            Afflictions come but we’re not going down we’re going up!

“…for I have learned to be content, whatever the circulstances may be. I know how to live when things are difficult and I know how to live when things are prosperous.

In general and in particular I have learned the secret of eating well or going hungry—of facing either plenty or poverty.

I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me.

Philippians 4:12,13

J. B. Phillips

            Paul maintained that he knew how to “eat well” and how to “go hungry” and still retain his God given contentment.

            Most Christians in America are better acquainted with the “eat well” times than they are with the “going hungry” experiences. The latest stats on obesity in America will prove that point.

            Most Christians in America favor the “eat well” teaching as the popularity of the “How To Use Your Faith To Prosper” books compared to the absence of any “How To Glorify God When Going Hungry” books show.

            We eat every day and I’m not complaining but I want to make a point. I’m convinced that God takes no delight in seeing his children hungry but if it happens, while we are still in this rebellious world, I’m equally convinced that God is interested in our reaction.

            Life in America is not typical of life in every country of the world. In some places, when a person says that they are hungry it means that they have not eaten in a couple days. When an American say’s that he is hungry, usually, it means that he was late for the coffee break.

            Some time back I read a report by a certain mission organization concerning some Christians in a “Third World” country. They all ate one meal of rice daily. There was a shortage of rice at that time and the adults are one meal a day five days each week so that the children could eat one meal a day seven days a week.

            When the missions director asked what he could do to help. They replied, “We have a shortage of Bibles. Please send us as many as you can.”

             Jesus demonstrated as recorded in John ch.4.  He sat by a well in Samaria sharing the water of Life with a woman at the well while His disciples were gone to buy bread. 

            Hid disciples returned and called, “Jesus! Come and eat!” Jesus replied, “I have already eaten.”

            It is a matter of priority. The spiritual comes first. God knows and we know that our physical body needs food to maintain life. God also knows and if we don’t know we had better learn quickly, that spiritual needs take precedence.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them.

And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Revelation 21:1-5 NASB

            The first book of the Bible tells us how God made the world, pronounced it good and ordered Adam to “cultivate and keep it.”(Genesis 2:15)  Things soon got out of hand and as more and more people were born into the world the situation became increasingly worse.

            The last book in the Bible tells us that God is going to give us another chance and this time we’ll get it right.  He is going to make, a new heavens, a new earth and populate those places with “new creatures” (2^nd.Corinthians 5:17)

            Jesus will be there to oversee all operations and nothing will get out of hand. There will be no mourning or crying there because there will be nothing happen there to mourn about. No violent people will be there and even the earth will be gentle. There will be no Tsunami there to wreck havoc, for the redemption of all things has occurred and even the creation has been “set free from it’s slavery”.(Romans 8:21)

 It will be what God intended it to be in the first place, a “people friendly” world and it will last forever. I won’t try to draw a distinction between a “new heaven”,  a” new earth” and a “new Jerusalem”. They are all part of the incredibly wonderful place that God has prepared for the eternal existence of those who will love and serve Him on this present earth.

            Now is the time to make your reservation and have your flight scheduled. Flight no. 666 is going the wrong way so avoid that. Accepting Jesus as your Savior guarantees you a ticket to the place described above and nothing less will be accepted.

But perhaps someone will ask, How is the resurrection achieved? With what sort of body do the dead arrive?

It is written, moreover, that: The first man Adam became a living soul.

So the last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. But we should notice that the “spiritual” does not come first: the order is “natural” first and then “spiritual”.

The first man came out of the earth, a material creature; the second man came  from heaven.

For the life of this world men are made like the material man; but for the life that is to come they are made like the one from heaven.

So that just as we have been made like the material pattern, so we shall  be made like the heavenly pattern.

1^st.Corinthians 15:35,45-49

J. B. Phillips N. T.

            We are born into the world with a body that is suitable for living in the world but at a time, designated by God, we shall receive another body suitable for living in the world to come.

            Our present body is patterned after Adam, who died, but our promised new body will be patterned after Christ, who can never die.

            When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord the arrangements are all made. The transition time will come! (1^st.Thessalonians 4:13-18)  When the time arrives whether we have already discarded this temporary body or whether we are still living in it, we shall “...in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye...” (1^st.Corinthians 15:51) receive our promised new body “...fashioned like unto His glorious body...” (Philippians 3:21). We shall then, in our new body that can never die go to live in that new life that will never end.

            When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ we become “a new creature” (2^nd.Corinthinas 5:17) meaning that we are changed on the inside and our desires, ambitions, attitudes, hopes etc. are all changed. But, we must continue living in the old body until moving day.

            Our eyes have not seen these promises and our minds cannot comprehend them (1^st.Corinthians 2:9) but it will all come to pass.

            It doesn’t happen to you automatically, however. It all depends upon one great decision, absolutely essential to every person made in the likeness of the first Adam. We must accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior! All provisions are made but Jesus is our only way of assurance that we shall be there. 

            There is another place for those who despise and reject the Lord Jesus and His offer of salvation but no one in their right mind would want to move to that location.

            Now is the time to make your decision! Delay is dangerous! (2^nd.Corinthians 6:2)

At the beginning God expressed Himself. That personal expression, that Word, was with God and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning.

All creation took place through Him, and none took place without Him. In Him appeared life and this life was the light of mankind.

The light still shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out.

John 1:1-5

J. B. Phillips

            Jesus is the “Light of the world” (John 8:12) and where He is not acknowledged, the world is in darkness. Ephesians 6:12 informs us that there are certain influences who are called the “rulers of the world’s darkness” who hate the light.

            They never cease trying to extinguish the light but it can’t be done.

While Jesus was hanging on the cross as the “despised and rejected sacrificial lamb” (Isaiah 53) there was, for three hours, a great darkness over the land. (Luke 23:44)) Had Jesus never risen from the grave there would have been a great spiritual darkness over all the land from which the land would never have recovered.

            The third day dawned; Jesus came forth! All of the combined powers of darkness could not prevent it. He became a Light in the world that the darkness does not “comprehend” (KJ) but cannot “overpower” (alternate rendering)

            The powers of darkness, aided by their human counterparts, try. They legislate, regulate, expostulate and intimidate but the light still shines.

            There are hundreds of religions in the present world but they only add to the darkness. Only the Lord Jesus Christ has the power to dispel darkness and bring light and hope to an, otherwise darkened world.

            There is a story that when author Robert Louis Stevenson was a little boy, his mother found him, one evening, standing at the window watching the lamplighter light the street lamps. He said, “Look mother! That man is punching holes in the darkness!”

            If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and are dedicated to His service, your very presence, everywhere you go, is punching holes in the darkness.

            Jesus also said, to you and I, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) The song, sung by Debbie Boone, has it right, saying, “You light up my life.”  God’s Holy Spirit in the lives of God’s people manifests a light that the powers of darkness hate and fear but can’t put out.

            Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men..” (Matthew 5:16) It is the only antidote to the darkness. 

“For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”  1^st. Timothy 6:7

 Paul is saying that there are no baggage checks into the next world. We carry nothing with us when we leave! The things of this world that many work so hard to acquire will all be left behind. The only treasure that we will have on the other side is that which we have sent ahead. Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth….But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...”  Matthew 6:19, 20

            Our treasures here will all pass away but our treasure over there will last forever.

There is a commercial that appears on our television advising us to convert cash into gold and lay up the gold in a safe place. I suppose that is true enough advice for this life but no one will take their gold with them when they leave. Doesn’t matter! There’s plenty of gold there anyway for God will pave the streets with gold in the New Jerusalem. Rev 21:21 “And the street of the city was pure gold…”

In the above Scripture Paul was referring to material things when he wrote that we can take nothing with us when we leave. Is there anything that we can take with us? Some! Our love for God down here will go right along with us and be greatly multiplied when we get over there. Our joy in the Lord that we have here will be fully realized over there. What about envy, strife, selfish ambitions and the like that plague our lives here? Nope! They will be left behind never to appear over there.

When I was young a popular Western song was Home on the Range.

I tells of a place where;

Where the Deer and the Antelope play;

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,

And the sky is not cloudy all day.”

I live in the west and the deer and antelope still play on the range here but I suspect that a few discouraging words can be heard from time to time and we do have cloudy skies.

It can be applied to that place to which we are going however, No discouraging words or cloudy skies there.

The important thing is be sure that you have made your reservation to go there.

“You are the earth’s salt. But if the salt should become tasteless, what can make it salt again? It is completely useless and can only be thrown out of doors and stamped under foot.

“You are the world’s light—it is impossible to hide a town built on the top of a hill. Men do not light a lamp and out it under a bucket. They put it on a lamp-stand and it gives light for everybody in the house.

Matthew 5:13-16

J.B.Phillips

            Jesus spoke the above words and He made reference to two useless commodities. “tasteless salt” and “hidden light”, both which will be discarded.

            As Christians, we are the “earths salt” and the “worlds light”. As the earths salt, we are to make life on the earth more palatable. As the worlds light  we are to show to the world a better, brighter way.

            A Christian that does neither is useless!

Someone said that if there were only one person on the earth, Jesus would have died for him or her. I believe that! For, in God’s sight, (Matthew 16:26) one soul is of priceless value.

            If we should influence only one person for God in our lifetime, we have not lived in vain. If we influence one person to turn to Jesus as their Savior, we have performed a priceless service.

            We can hide our light and allow our saltiness to dissipate but we cannot deny the fact that we are here and we do influence. “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.” (Romans 14:7)

            Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel...”(Mark 16:15) Some carry the light to the “regions beyond” and others are to “brighten the corner where they are” but we are all to be revealed lights and salt that has retained its saltiness.

            The world resents our influence and would like to extinguish our light. The world, at least certain elements in the world, are saying, “We will tolerate your light is you keep it under a bucket but we don’t want to see it on a hill.”

             We are here on a mission for Him and until the day when our work will be done and God will remove the light (1^st.Thessalonians 4:13-18) we are to let it shine.

  The world will finally be rid of the troublesome light but the world won’t enjoy the darkness that will result.

And as He was getting into the boat the man who had been demon possessed was entreating Him that he might accompany Him. And He did not let him, but He said to him, Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”

And he went away and he began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone marveled.

Mark 5:18-20

And He said unto them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Mark 16:15

NAS

            If you watch the newscasts, at least, part of the time, it is quite evident that ‘bad news’ is the order of the day while good news, generally, is ignored or even suppressed.

            The news from Iraq is an example. Our service people return and invariably have the same report. The news people report everything bad but ignore all of the good.

            The gospel of Jesus Christ is ‘good news’ and is to be reported! The angel set the precedent, announcing,  “I bring you ‘good news’ of a great joy which shall be for ‘all the people’. (Luke 2:10)

            “All the people” have a right to know! The writer of the old American Folk Song had it right.

Go, tell it on the mountains,   Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, tell it on the mountains  That Jesus Christ is born!

            Our liberty to share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the great things that He has done is not a matter of constitutional right or wrong. It is a mandate from God! We have our orders from higher up!

            Why is there so much opposition to the publishing of the ‘good news’ of the gospel? We have an enemy called the devil who is responsible for the opposition because the gospel is the one great hindrance to his plans for the world. He is not particularly concerned about world religion in general. He designed most of them, but he hates the gospel.

A common complaint is that the gospel “offends me”. They are not offended by the gospel, they are afraid of the gospel. The gospel condemns that which men approve so they don’t want to be reminded.

            The gospel is ‘bad news’ for the enemy but it is ‘good news’ for all people who will hear, believe and accept. Our charge is to, “go and tell what great things the Lord has done for us.”

“For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

Jeremiah 2:13

            We have here a comparison between a well and a cistern! Between a spring and a reservoir. I was raised on a farm and we had both.  The most important difference is that God placed the fountains of water there but men build a cistern.

            We bathed and washed clothes in cistern water but we drank from the well. The cistern water could clean the outside but only the well water could satisfy the inner thirst. Cistern water, after a period of time, become stagnant but well water from the underground fountains that God placed there, was always fresh.

            The fountains of water represent God’s revealed plan of salvation by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  All of men’s contrived plans for improving themselves until they qualify for heaven is represented by a cistern, and a broken cistern at that.

            The water from a cistern is not satisfying at best but cisterns, especially broken cisterns, run dry. If you are depending on one of the many broken cisterns that are presented as “a way” you will find yourself, spiritually, “in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” (Psalm 63:1)

            Jesus is the only source of soul satisfying, living water and He said, “If any man thirst, let him some unto Me and drink.” (John 7:37)  Only that “living water” can quench the thirst of the soul!

            I have been in a lot of places and I have known what it is to be really thirsty and at that time no man-made beverage will satisfy. Only water, as the song made popular by the Sons of the Pioneers, proclaims, “Cool, clear water” can satisfy.

This is no compromise in fountains and cisterns.  One satisfies; the other disappoints. One is permanent; the other temporary. One lasts; the other will pass away. One is created by God; the other is manufactured by man. The decision should not be difficult.

            Don’t make the mistake that the Israelites made and trust the broken cisterns of the world.  Put your faith in the well that will never run dry!

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”

Psalm 37:4,5

            Everyone wants to be successful, make the right choices that lead to “fulfillment” and be prosperous. Our generation is well supplied with “How To” books and “Self Help” seminars guaranteed to enable you to realize all of your greatest desires.

            Those things may be helpful but to find true happiness there is nothing that can compare with the injunctions of the two verses of Scripture above.

            Someone said that the greatest hindrances to finding true and lasting happiness are three; (1) People regard self too highly; (2) People regard sin too lightly; (3) People regard God not at all; That is a recipe for failure and disaster not success and happiness.

            According to the Scripture above, the first step to true happiness is the “commitment part.” Without the commitment we are not even in the program.

            Once we are completely committed then our desires and delights are synchronized with God’s plan and provisions and we are content.

            Paul maintains that full commitment is entirely reasonable. “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of (all) the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies—presenting all your members and faculties—as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1 Amp. N. T.)

            It is a choice between the temporary and the permanent. Those who take delight in what God disapproves will find their pleasures short-lived.

            Moses understood this and made the good choice for it is written that “By faith Moses.. Choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;” (Hebrews 11:25)

            The Psalmist wrote, “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11)