“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, ‘The servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for My name’s sake, because they know not Him that sent Me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
He that hateth Me hateth My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.” John 15:18-27 (KJB)
Truth
Words of Jesus; Son of God, God the Son – 092420
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him,
‘If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’
They answered Him, ‘We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest Thou, ‘Ye shall be made free?’‘
Jesus answered them,
‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill Me, because My word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with My Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.’ ” John 8:31-38 (KJB)
The Truth, His Commandments and Love
“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment. That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 1:4-11 (KJB)
Seek Good, Not Evil
“Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” Amos 5:14-15 (KJB)
In the year of 2019 and beyond it seems that it is getting more and more difficult for some to discern the difference between “Good” and “Evil”. Our definition of each word will depend upon our source for making that determination.
If our source is the political system, Hollywood, the News media, or any other media then we will have varied, and wide, and wild interpretations of good and evil. These forms of information are dependent upon the ideologies, and hearts and minds of sometimes not so clear thinking individuals who have only love for themselves; and not truth.
Good and evil in the best understanding must be defined by God’s Word; the Person of God’s word is the Truth and He defines what is good and what is evil. The Person of Truth is none other than the only begotten Son of God Jesus Christ.
If God’s Word tells us that something is “Good”, then it is good. If He tells us that something is “Evil”, then it is evil.
It is quite clear from the reading of Scripture that God is good. It has been said, “God is good” and “God is good all the time” and “All the time God is good”. Since He is good, then everything He says and does is good.
It becomes then quite clear that since God is good He is the only One who can truly define evil, what it is, and where it comes from; so when God speaking through the prophet Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desparately wicked. Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) then we can rest assured that God knows what He is saying, that it is the truth. We also can safely conclude that we are in need of a Savior; since we have a deceitful and wicked heart.
Amos by the word of the LORD says to “Seek good, and not evil”. What are you seeking today. There is good and there is evil. Anything contrary to God and His Word is evil. When you put your faith and trust in the work of Jesus Christ and His finished work of His death on the cross, His burial, and resurrection; then your definition of good and evil will change to agreeing with God. Seek good, and not evil. God is good.
Run Through the Streets
The following verse of Jeremiah is the theme verse of this blog. It is a verse which shows the condition of the people of Judah, and the city of Jerusalem in this prophet’s time.
“Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.” Jeremiah 5:1 (KJV)
The LORD speaking through the prophet gives reason for the approaching judgment which will come upon Jerusalem and the country. God says, “You can run through the streets of the city, and you will not find any man who is righteous in judging, that seeks the truth; and if you could I would pardon the city.” Not one. “There is none righteous; no not one.” (Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:10).
The writer of 2 Chronicles by the Spirit of God wrote, “The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (16:9). We can look to our hearts content and if one is not to be found it will not be found. The “eyes of the LORD” however knows what He will do. He has One in mind. One who will be faithful. One who will be just and righteous in in dealings, judgments, who will be the Truth Himself. His name is Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God.
Things looked hopeless for Jeremiah and the people of the city of Jerusalem at that time; but there was hope. The LORD God often causes us to take a long look at our own hearts and lives to see that if left up to us, it would be hopeless; however, with the LORD there is promise, and God will always fulfill His promises.
Can we find anyone who is worthy to lead us as a nation out of the financial crisis we are in here in the United States of America? The salvation of the problem we are in is not financial it is spiritual, and until there is repentance from greedy citizens, Senate, Congress, we are actually open to believe anything from a smooth talking, deceptive, candidate who believes he can be the leader who can solve all our problems.
It is a time for repentance. No mere man can deliver us from this, and it is certain that our government cannot successfully bail out bankrupt institutions when our nation is in fact financially bankrupt. We are first of all spiritually bankrupt before God.
Run Through the Streets, and see if you can find anyone who is honest, just, and righteous in their dealings. There are none. It is time for repentance, and turning to our God through His Son Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross of calvary, and His resurrection. He is the only one who is able.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Run Through the Streets
This blog is based on the idea of Jeremiah 5:1 which says, “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it”
There is a need for true judgment and for the seeking and knowing of truth in our land and around the world.
Most of the articles of this blog will probably be based from the Prophet Jeremiah’s writings. There is a need for men of God to take a stand; to speak out, and be strong.
Broken Pieces 