Christian Living

Building Barns

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And He spake a parable unto them, saying,
“The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:  and he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?’  And he said, ‘This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.’  But God said unto him, ‘Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee:’ then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:16-21

Barns are built for the purpose of the storage of grain, hay for the cattle that is hauled in out of the field during the summer months, and they can be built as protection for their from the weather for their farm equipment.  Then there are milk barns where the Dairy farmer milks his milk cows.  There is nothing wrong with the building of barns.

Before the above verses Jesus has been asked by a brother of another to talk the other one to divide their inheritance.  Jesus uses the opportunity to teach us of covetousness.  Covetousness is wanting more and more of a thing, and when in receipt if one item desires another, then another; never content, neither do they thank God for the blessing.

The farmer in Jesus’s parable was so caught up in his wealth he had not considered that God was the giver of life, and he takes life.  He was laying up treasure  for his retirement years, thinking that he could have a life of comfort and ease without God.

We cannot continue living without God, and His Son Jesus Christ.  Do you not realize that every breath we breathe, every beat of your heart, and every step we are able to take comes from the Lord.

You can trust God with your when you surrender to do His will and follow Him.  Jesus Christ died on the cross, He was buried, and He rose again the third day so that we might come to God.  Trust Him and call on His name.  He will hear you, and give you eternal life, cleansing you  of every sin.

The Least Among Us

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Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by Him, and said unto them,
“Whosoever shall receive this child in My name receiveth Me: and whosoever shall receive Me receiveth Him that sent Me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.”
Luke 9:46-48

There were some of the disciples who thought Jesus was going to set  up His kingdom on earth.  In verses preceding our text today, tells us that Jesus had told them once again that He was going to die at the hands of men.  They refused to hear it, not understanding what He was saying.  How could these men miss what Jesus told them several times?

They had preconceived ideas about the Messiah.  The death of Messiah was unthinkable to these men.  Because of the way they believed about Jesus, and thinking Jesus was there to set  up the Messianic kingdom, they were asking where they were going to sit in that kingdom, seeking for greatness.

Jesus takes a young child and sets him by Himself, and explains who the greatest will be.  The child was young, and still trusting, and humble before  God and others  too.  He was not seeking for greatness.

Anyone desiring to be great will be last; and he that is last shall be first.  To be saved from our sins we must humble ourselves before  Christ seeking Him and a cleansed life.  Trust  in the Lord, believe Him.

The Fruit of the Heart

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“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Either how canst thou say to thy brother, ‘Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye,’ when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
Luke 6:41-45

What is in your heart?  Is there an abundance of evil?  Is there an abundance of good.  If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ you still have a propensity toward sin and evil.

When you surrender your heart, soul, mind and body to the Lord Jesus your life desires will change, and you will have an abundance of good fruit.

Your choice.

The First Prophet In Five Hundred Years

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Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  And the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”  He answereth and saith unto them, “He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”  Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, “Master, what shall we do?”  And he said unto them, “Exact no more than that which is appointed you.”  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, “And what shall we do?” And he said unto them, “Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”   And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;  John answered, saying unto them all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable.”  And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
Luke 3:7-18

It had been around 500 years since God’s Spirit had moved among the people of Israel, raising up a prophet to the people. It was not until Gabriel came to Zacharias and told him he was  going to have a son, and his name was John, the forerunner of the Christ, who was coming.

Now when John is a young man and he is in the wilderness wearing camel skin clothing, and eating grasshoppers; and preaching of the One who was on the way.  Jesus, later tells the disciples that the Baptist – as John was called – was the greatest  of the  prophets.

This greatest of the prophets felt himself to be unworthy to even loose the latches of His shoes.

We are blessed people today.  The Christian who has been born again by the work of the Holy Spirit has God living  in them.  We have the Holy Spirit who is Jesus Christ in us.  The Spirit of God in us is like a down payment that will be completed when Jesus comes again.

God, our Father cares for us daily, and never forsakes us.  The only hope for a wicked world is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  begin a personal relationship with  Him today, by calling on His name, the name of Jesus.

The Needles Eye and Salvation

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And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto His disciples
“How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”
And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them,
“Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!                            
And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”   And Jesus looking upon them saith,
“With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
Mark 10:23-27

Jesus has just spoken with a young man of  great wealth.  He has asked Jesus how that he might inherit eternal life.  Jesus basically tells him that he must obey the Ten Commandments.  When he said that he had been obedient since youth Jesus told him to  go and sell all that he had.  That was too much and he went away.

By his leaving as he did shows us that his heart was away from God so he had not been obedient to the first four of the Ten.  His heart was on His wealth.

Jesus then teaching His disciples that it is hard for the rich to get into heaven, then they ask Him, “Who then can be saved?”

What is that “Needles eye”?  A camel and a needle?  A camel passing through a needle’s eye?  I have known some who say that there is a small gate in the walls of Jerusalem called the Needles Eye Gate, and they say that for someone take a laden camel through that gate they needed to unload all their packs, for the camel to get through.   There are also some who believe that The Needles Eye is exactly that and shows us that we cannot save ourselves, by unloading our sins, but solely by the power of God and His grace.  Jesus said,  “Come unto Me all of you who are burdened, and heavy laden and I will give you rest’

With God nothing is impossible; even getting a camel through the eye of  a needle; and especially a rich man to receive eternal life through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  He died, He was buried, and He rose again.

The First Shall Be Last

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And He came to Capernaum: and being in the house He asked them,
“What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?”
But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.  And He sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them,
“If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
And He took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when He had taken him in His arms, He said unto them,
“Whosoever shall receive one of such children in My name, receiveth Me: and whosoever shall receive Me, receiveth not Me, but him that sent Me.”
Mark 9:33-37

More Tolerable…

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And He said unto them,
“In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”
Mark 6:10-11

Just before sending out His followers to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and heal sicknesses, cause the crippled one to walk, heal lepers He gives them these final words.

In those days if you stayed as a guest the host would wash your feet if you were welcomed in.  If they did not wash your feet that meant you were not welcome there.

So when one of His disciples came to such a home, or city, and their feet were not washed, they were to shake the dust off their feet as they were leaving that city.  That means if they gave no respect to disciples whom the Messiah had sent out, they had no respect or reverence for Him.

Jesus says that it will be more tolerable for Sodom and  Gomorrha than for that city which had rejected them.  Because such a city that refused to hear, refused hospitality to His own, rejects Him.  Sodom and Gomorrha had no witness of God’s love, grace, and mercy.  Judgment awaits any nation, province, island, and/or any government that refuses to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

If the people of the United States of America do not turn from their sins  to Jesus Christ our nation is headed for judgment, even more than we are seeing now.

The word we need to heed is, REPENT.  Turn from your sin to Jesus, the One who gave His life to pay our sin debt by dying on the cross, and was buried, and three days later He rose again, and He lives forever more.

Seeking To Destroy Him

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And He entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.  And they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse Him.  And He saith unto the man which had the withered hand,
“Stand forth.”
And He saith unto them,
“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill?”
But they held their peace.  And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man,
“Stretch forth thine hand.”
And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.  And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
Mark 3:1-6

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were keeping their eyes on Jesus, just waiting like a hungry lion to pounce on their prey, and devour Him.  Jesus was going about ministering to the people – preaching and teaching of the kingdom of heaven, healing the sick, the lame walked, and the dead were raised to life again.

The world has not changed much.  The enemy is out to destroy Jesus and all those who love Him.  Millions of dollars maybe billions is spent on decorating for remembering the birth of Jesus, and for giving gifts to one another.

Christmas is a fun time for most children, and some adults, and it should be; I know it is with my wife and I, and the rest of our family.  Yet, there are others who are hurting, because they have lost a loved one to death; or they have lost a job and are currently unemployed; and maybe sickness in the family that takes the joy from their heart and life.

No matter what your situation is in life there is someone who cares about you and the circumstances of your life.  He loves you.  You can have joy again by trusting in Jesus who is the Christ of God, or you can choose to be one of those who are seeking to destroy Christ and all who follow Him.  If you choose not to follow Him then you have chosen the other, and you are God’s enemy and in desperate trouble.

Choose to follow Jesus who died on the cross for you; He was buried, and He rose again.

It Was Not A Little Baby Who Died On The Cross

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And they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said,  “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.  He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”  The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
Matthew 27:39-44

At this time of year all Christendom remembers the birth of a baby boy.  He was certainly a very special little boy.  This baby boy came with one intention, and that was to glorify His Father, through obedience and going to the cross to die for our sins,

It is seen in Luke chapter two that the religious leaders respected His wisdom for that age of twelve years, and He was teaching them (Luke 2:31-52).  The young Man Jesus was respected, but when Jesus grew to His fullness the religious leaders grew in hatred of Him.  Jesus was exposing their sin, hypocrisy, and greed, and there lust for power over the people.

The above verses show us how He was treated for being who He said that He is.  They reviled Him in blasphemy, and mockery, and saying things like, “He saved others, but cannot save Himself.”  They also said, “If You are the Son of God, deliver Yourself.

Jesus came and gave His life for the sins of Adam kind.  That Baby in the manger followed His Father’s pathway walking with Him wherever He walked doing all that the Father did.  Even going to His death  on the cross for the remission of our sins.  He was buried, and He rose again, and is alive forever more.  Since He has been raised we will be raised  up from the  grave also; because He lives.

It was not a little baby who died on that  cross; it was the full grown Son  of Man the Son of God who died.  Believe Him.

Why There Is So Much Hatred In This World Today

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“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Matthew 24:9-12

Many choose to follow their own path, do their own thing, believe in their own god, and think everybody else ought to do the same thing.  Be tolerant to my own faith, and if you believe different, then we will get along fine; as long as you don’t  mention that there is only one God.

When someone comes along and is bold enough, courageous enough, full of the Spirit of the one true God, and with the love of God in their heart, confronts such a society, and due to lack of true toleration, are filled with hatred for the individual who has been so strong in faith.

Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold.  It is due to the growing of sin, the iniquity of unbelieving, rebellious hearts.

Do not let your heart grow cold in unbelief.  Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Call on His name today.

How Many Times Shall I Forgive?

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Then came Peter to Him, and said, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?”  Jesus saith unto him,
“I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.   Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.’   Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me that thou owest.’  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.’  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.   So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.   Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, ‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?’  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.  So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
Matthew 18:21-35

From The Heart

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And Jesus said, “Are ye also yet without understanding?  Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:  these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”
Matthew 15:16-20

Where does evil come from?  There is only one correct answer to that question, and that answer is from the hearts of mankind.  It started with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, but the one who led them into evil was the serpent which yielded itself to the fallen angel known as Lucifer;  he had rebelled against God.  He hated and still does, the people of this world.

We are all born spiritually dead, in sin, and separated from our God; who is our Creator.  Notice that Jesus that it was not what enters the mouth that defiles a man (and He means man or woman), but what comes from the heart. Jesus gives us a list of things that come from the heart – evil thoughts, murders, adultery, fornication (all kinds of sexual sin), thefts, false witness, and blasphemies.  Many, and maybe all these sins are approved of by a majority of people.  God through His Son tells us they come from an evil heart.

Since we are all born into the wickedness of this world we would all stand before God guilty of sin, condemned (damned) to eternal  torment.  But Jesus, the Son of Man, the Son of God came into the world to save all who believe in Him.  Believing in Him He gives you a changed; a new heart; and new mind with different thinking.

We are nearing the day in the year that remember the coming of the Savior of the world.  The Baby Jesus.  Every body loves a baby and the story of the baby in a manger.  Let us not forget though why this Baby came.  He came to die and pay their/our sin debt, by becoming sin for us.  He died on that old rugged cross in a shameful way – stripped naked, after being beaten with a mean and horrendous whip with glass, and metal pieces in the ends  of the whip, which tore His flesh away from His body.  He was dead on that cross, they took Him down, and laid Him in a borrowed tomb, and three days later He walked out alive forever more.

Christian we do not believe in a dead Savior, but in the living Lord Jesus Christ.  Yes we believe He died for us, but  He did not stay dead.  He arose showing us that He is the Victor over sin and evil.

Will you come to Him today?

The Lord Rebukes Cities That Reject Him

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Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not:
“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”
Matthew 11:2024

Only A Sinner Can Be Saved

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And as Jesus passed forth from thence, He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He saith unto him, “Follow me.” And he arose, and followed Him.   And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said untoHis disciples, “Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?”  But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them,
“They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Matthew 9:9-13

Jesus had just called one of the most hated people in Judea  who was a tax collector, to follow Him, and Matthew did.  This brought many to Matthew’s home where  He age and drank.  It was a great honor for them to have such a Man as Jesus visit your home

Jesus was eating with publicans (tax collectors), and sinners.  Jesus in answer to the Pharisees remark was that He did not come to call  the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Only the lost can be found.  Only the unjust, can be made just.  Only the sick can be healed.

The Pharisees were walking around in their religious garb, and presenting themselves as righteous people but Jesus tells them they are in darkness.

Only those who call on the Lord for grace through Christ Jesus can be justified, sanctified, and glorified in Him.

“There is none righteous, no not one.”  Psalm 14:3;  Romans 3:10ff).   As long as a person denies their sin  and rebelliousness against  God, trusting their own righteousness, there is no hope of salvation.

Confess that you are a sinner calling out to the Lord Jesus, then confess Jesus as Lord, believing He was raised from the dead, and you will be saved.

Rock or Sand?

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“Not every one that saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?’   And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.
“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:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.   And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7:21-27

Not every one who says they are a Christian is a Christian.  People who say the words “Lord Lord,” and do not do what He says are lost and dying in their sins.  Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?  Does He know you; and you know Him?

The one who hears  and does his will are like the wise man who built his house on the Rock.  Those who hear the words of Jesus and do not do them are like the foolish man who built his house on the sand.

Now, where do you fit in?  There is no  middle of the road answer here.  It is one or the other.  Your choice.  One way leads to Jesus  and heaven.  The other one leads to hell and eternal destruction.

Pilate and Jesus Have a Conversation

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Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto Him, “Art Thou the King of the Jews?”  Jesus answered him,
“Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of Me?”
Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee unto me: what hast Thou done?”  Jesus answered,
“My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence.”
Pilate therefore said unto Him, “Art thou a king then?” Jesus answered,
“Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice.”
Pilate saith unto him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, “I find in him no fault at all.”
John 18:33-38

Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  Pilate was looking straight at the Truth when he asked “What is truth?”

Someone has written, “Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living.”  That would be because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life of us all.  There is none apart from Him.

The Mountain Experience

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And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.  And as He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering.  And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias: who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and they that were with Him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw His glory, and the two men that stood with Him.  And it came to pass, as they departed from Him, Peter said unto Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias:” not knowing what he said.  While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.  And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son: hear Him.  And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
Luke 9:28-36

The Words of a Father for His Son

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And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; as He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; the oath which He sware to our father Abraham, that He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.
“And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Luke 1:67-79

Having Faith In God

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And Jesus answering saith unto them, “Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Mark 11:22-26

It is a horrid thing for one to harbor a grudge against someone, especially if you profess to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  We might for a while feel angry, but soon there will be a realization of having received forgiveness from the One who forgives our sins, and paid our sin debt.

Telling a mountain to move into the sea would be a remarkable thing.  It would, in fact be a miracle of God.  Asking God for the things we desire, and receiving them, are things that are from God’s desires (Psalm 37:3-4).

If we are asking for God to do these things, then we need to be sure there  is no lack of forgiveness, toward anyone.   Any lack of forgiveness toward others is a  mockery of our heavenly Father, and we have a greater sin that needs God’s forgiveness.

Dear Lord Jesus, if there is any one with whom I have a grudge  and unforgiveness then reveal this to my heart and mind.  That I might have genuine faith in You.  Amen.

What Jesus Says About Marriage and Divorce

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And He answered and said unto them,
“What did Moses command you?”
And they said, “Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.”  And Jesus answered and said unto them,
“For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;  and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
And in the house His disciples asked Him again of the same matter. And He saith unto them,
“Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.  And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
Mark 10:3-12

The Seed Of The Sower

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“Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:  and it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.  And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: but when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.  And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.”
And he said unto them,
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Mark 4:3-9

And He said unto them, “Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
“The sower soweth the word.  And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.  And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,  and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mark 4:13-20

Wicked Farmers

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This is a story Jesus told to convict the religious leadership of time, of their hypocrisy, and tell them also, that they were going to kill Him.

“Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.  And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.  But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
“When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?”
They say unto him, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.”
Matthew 21:33-41

These people soon realized that Jesus was talking about them and their wicked hearts, and that He knew they, and their fathers had hated the prophets, and they hated him too.  Jesus knew what they were about to do to Him; and that is hang Him on a cross.

Rejection and Unbelief

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And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence.  And when He was come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, “Whence hath this Man this wisdom, and these mighty works?  Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?  And His sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?”  And they were offended in Him. But Jesus said unto them,
“A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”
And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Matthew 13:53-58

For more on this event in the life of Jesus you might want to read the  account according to the Gospel of Luke the physician and Historian (Luke 4:16-30).

At this point in the ministry of Jesus His home town where He grew up rejected Him as being the Messiah, due to their unbelief.  I have a thought that Jesus is offended by the unbelief of His home town people,  however He does not let that stop His word or works.

The reason for many of our failures to receive answer to prayers is due to our rejection of the Lord’s ministry, and  that is due to our unbelief. Because of that He does not do many  mighty works.

Lord Jesus I pray that You help my faith, and increase my faith, so that Your mighty works might continue in me.  Amen.

Judging

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“Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, ‘Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye;’ and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
Matthew 7:1-6

There are more people who seem to know this verse of the New Testament better than any other.  How many times have we heard someone say,  “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  Far too much of the time it is over someone teaching of something that God has called an abomination or evil.

Well as a Christian we are to expose  evil wherever we find it; not to condemn the ones  guilty of the evil, but to warn them.  We are not to condemn anyone, because they are already condemned  (John 3:17).  Jesus came into an already condemned world to save us.

Mankind has a bent toward sin.  Many do not know God; neither  do they want to  know Him.  Before we judge another person  we need to be clean ourselves, making sure that we do not have a bigger sin that  is binding  us.  It is like when two school bus drivers have driven the school’s football players to an away game,  The two drivers are sitting on one of the buses, and it is a cold night so they think they have all the windows up.  One of the drivers sitting on the other bus notices that the bus he is sitting on has a window down, and tells the driver, “You have a window down,”  only a few minutes later notices that he has a window down as well.

The apostle Paul wrote, “If we would judge ourselves we should not be judged.” (1 Corinthians 11:31).

We make judgments everyday.  We cannot be judges of the hearts, and motives of others in  condemnation.

Without Jesus Christ coming to die for the sins of the world we all be condemned, and without hope eternally separated from God.  Except for the resurrection of Christ from the grave.  An  old church hymn says, “Dying He saved me, buried He carried my sins far away, rising He justified  freely forever. One day He’s coming O glorious day.”

God is so good and full of mercy and grace.  He proves by having sent His only Son, His death of the cross, in His burial, and by His resurrection from the dead.

Believe Him and call on His name and be delivered from your condemnation,  Or will you continue in your condemnation, and eternal fire?

When Jesus Said, “It Is Finished”

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When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, “It is finished:” and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with Him.  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.  And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “A bone of him shall not be broken.” And again another Scripture saith, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”
John 19:30-37

The words of Jesus which He spoke from the cross are about seven.  The one in verse thirty is about the last words Jesus spoke.  It was probably next to last with His, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 23:46), being His final words from the cross.

What was it that Jesus was saying “It is finished” about?

  1.  He had finished the work the Father had given Him  to do;
  2.  He was diligent in doing the will of  God in the fulfilling of prophecy;
  3.   He lived the  life God the Father desired His Son to live;
  4.  He finished fulfilling the prophecies of Scripture concerning the sacrifices, and offerings, and of the tabernacle in the wilderness; and
  5.  The work of the priesthood was completed, in that since Jesus was raised up from the grave He has an everlasting Priesthood.

I am fairly certain that this list is not exhausted.

When Jesus said , “It is finished”, He was telling us the sin debt was paid in full.  Those who come to Him will never perish.