Scripture

That You May Know for Certain

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Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. Luke 1:1-4

Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth Thee daily.
Forget not the voice of Thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against Thee increaseth continually.  Psalm 74:22-23

The only way to know for certain of God, the power of His word, and the truth of who Jesus is is to read the Scriptures, hear the Scriptures, and believe  the Scriptures as the Spirit of God opens your eyes and your heart to who He is.

Jesus Christ died for your sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised again and came out of that stone cold grave alive; and He forever lives, and reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords.  Call on His name today and be delivered from the darkness, and evil of your sin.

When the Sheep are Scattered

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And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. And Jesus saith unto them,
“All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, ‘I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’ But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.”   Mark 14:26-28

Hear me, O LORD; for Thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies. And hide not Thy face from Thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.  Psalm 69:16-18

When the sheep are scattered because of death, sorrow, despair, doubt or fear; remember we will see Him again, and shall be as He is.

They Were Told, and Told Again

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And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto Him, saying,
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.” Mark 10:32-34

And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of His doing.
The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory. Psalm 64:9-10

We can, as Christians, learn a lot from the teachings of Jesus, and from the way the disciples listened to Jesus. Several times as we read just one of the gospel accounts Jesus told them that He was going to die, and rise again.

They had other ideas. Do we hear Him today? Do we have our own ideas and plans in the way we want to follow Him? It would do all of us who are the redeemed of the Lord to hear Him, then we will not be surprised at His word being fulfilled.

Traditions of Men Is Not Worship

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He answered and said unto them,
“Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.” Mark 7:6-8

Unto Thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. Psalm 50:17

 

Your Faith

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Save me, O God, by Thy name, and judge me by Thy strength.
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. Psalm 54:1-3

But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him all the truth. And He said unto her,
“Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” Mark 5:33-34

It is only by the faith God gives us through His Son Jesus Christ that our lives are made whole. Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried carrying away all the garbage of our sin  and guilt and He left it behind when He rose from the grave.

Believe Him, and be made whole.

Tell the Whole World

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Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
“All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”  Amen.   Matthew 28:16-20

They Came Out of Their Graves, After His Resurrection

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Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”  Matthew 27:50-54

These are the “First fruits” of His resurrection. So shall the rest of those be who die in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Inside to Outside

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Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.   Matthew 23:25-26

Working to keep the outside of your life clean without the inside cleaned by the power of the Spirit of Christ in us, is nothing but hypocrisy; and will always lead to condemning and judging others unjustly.

Faith and a Fig Tree

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Now in the morning as He returned into the city, He hungered. And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it,
“Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.”
And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, “How soon is the fig tree withered away!” Jesus answered and said unto them,
“Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, ‘Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea;’ it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”   Matthew 21:18-22

The faith that moves mountains into the sea, is the faith of Jesus Christ.

An Offense to Jesus Christ

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From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee.” But He turned, and said unto Peter, “Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”  Matthew 16:21-23

If your opinion or view of who Jesus Christ is and His work He came to do does not agree with Scripture then you are an offense to Him.

Losing One’s Life

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Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:13-14

He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.   Matthew 10:37-39

The Mute and The Mouth

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As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a dumb man possessed with a devil.  And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, “It was never so seen in Israel.”  But the Pharisees said, “He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.”  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  Matthew 9:32-35

The fool hath said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.  Psalm 14:1

There was a man who could not speak because of demon possession. There were some mouths which needed to do some serious thinking before they spoke, but they did not.

Just a thought for these verses. May we remain silent when it would be right to do so, like when we see something that we do not understand.  There are some, like the Pharisees above who are mute in their understanding of who Jesus is. May it not be those who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Arise, O LORD

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Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in Thy sight.
Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah. Psalm 9:19-20

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.”   Matthew 7:21-23

Trusting the LORD and His Word

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Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,  “In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”   Matthew 2:16-18

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.   Psalm 4:8

It is wonderful to me. It is also comforting and reassuring to me how that the word of the LORD is fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, the first time. Knowing that He keeps His promises and warnings is assurance that He will fulfill all things He has spoken.

For the child of God born again through the faith of Christ Jesus and His crucifixion, burial and resurrection we are given the assurance of eternal life; and we can lie down safely at night, and sleep like a new born baby resting in the mother’s arms.

Call on the name of Jesus Christ. He will hear you and He will save.

Having Confidence Toward God

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My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.  1 John 3:18-22

He did Rise from the Dead

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Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.  For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.   John 20:6-10

When they had crucified Jesus

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Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also His coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be:” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, “They parted My raiment among them, and for My vesture they did cast lots.” These things therefore the soldiers did.   John 19:23-24

To Whom the Lord Reveals Himself

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I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also.
At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. John 14:18-21

The Son of Man Glorified

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Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him.
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek Me: and as I said unto the Jews, ‘Whither I go, ye cannot come;’ so now I say to you.
A new commandment I give unto you, ‘That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.’ By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”   John 13:31-35

Look at Who Can Throw the First Stone

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And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, “Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest Thou?”
This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them,
“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her,
“Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?”
She said, “No man, Lord.” And Jesus said unto her,
“Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”   John 8:3-11

And He did not.

For the Thirsty

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In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying,
“If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
(But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)   John 7:37-39

Worshiping God

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Jesus saith unto her,
“Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”   John 4:21-24

The Crucified Savior

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And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus,
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.   Luke 23:33-34

Authority

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And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon Him with the elders, and spake unto Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority doest Thou these things? Or who is he that gave Thee this authority?” And He answered and said unto them,
“I will also ask you one thing; and answer Me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?”
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we shall say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say, ‘Why then believed ye him not?’ But and if we say, ‘Of men;’ all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.” And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. And Jesus said unto them,
“Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.”   Luke 20:1-8