Month: October 2025

The Law, The Prophets, and The Kingdom

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided Him.  And He said unto them,
“Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.  The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Luke 16:14-17

Jesus has just told the Pharisees that you cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve God and mammon, that is be a servant to God and material things such as money.  Money is a big issue.  We need it to live, but we can be ruled by our wealth, rather than have rule of our money.  They did not like what Jesus said.  Does that surprise me?  Not at all.  They have not liked Him or anything He has said.  Their hatred for Him is clearly visible for all too see.

The Pharisees justified themselves in many ways.  One way was in taking money that was supposed to be used for their parents, and they call it for use in the temple (Mark 7:11).  They are probably holding it for themselves.  God knew their hearts, and He knows yours, and my hearts as well.  What we may value very much might just be an abomination in the eyes of God.

John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets; and the Law and the Prophets were until him.  Since Jesus has began His ministry on earth the kingdom of God is here,  and it will not pass  away.

In Jesus we have the assurance of being in the kingdom.  It is assured for us by the words of Jesus, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for one tittle of the Law to fail.”  If it has been written in the Law and the Prophets, it shall be done.   That includes our salvation by grace through faith.

…You Would Love Me

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Jesus said unto them, “If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent me.  Why do ye not understand My speech? Because ye cannot hear My word.  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not.  Which of you convinceth Me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe Me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”
John 8:42-47

In these verses Jesus is speaking to Jewish religious leaders, who were supposed to be learned  in the Scriptures.  They were denying Scripture they “believed in” by  rejecting their Messiah who was standing in front of them.  They had called Him demon possessed, a lunatic, and a blasphemer.  He is either lunatic, liar, or He is Lord.  O reader where do you stand in the matter of who Jesus is?

Jesus tells them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me…”  It is very important to confess both the Father, and His Son Jesus.  If you deny the Son you deny the Father.  If you deny the Father you deny the Son.  Denying the Son as Deity is denying the Father as well.  To believe in Jesus is to believe in the Father.

Who are those who deny Jesus?  Those who have Satan as their father, the one who is a liar, and the father of all lies.  They will not hear the word the words Jesus speaks, but seek ways to destroy Him.  They will not hear His word, because they are not of God.

Dear reader where do you stand with Jesus Christ?  Maybe you are an atheist and you do not believe in God, but you do believe that a man named Jesus lived a long time ago, historically, but he was not deity.  May I give you a suggestion?  Go and purchase a Bible (New King James, English Standard, American Standard, or even the New Living).  Begin your reading in the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and let the word of God speak to you.

Maybe you are one who has never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ before;  that Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again.  If this fits you, then today is the day of salvation.  Call on His name turning from sin to Him, confessing Him as Lord, and believing that God has raised Him from the dead.  When you do this you will have eternal life, and will live eternally with Him.