February 28th - Pursue the Goal.

"...be racing with endurance the contest lying before us, looking off to the Inaugurator and Perfecter of faith, Jesus, Who, for the joy lying before Him, endures a cross, despising the shame, besides is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

"...toward the goal am I pursuing for the prize of God's calling above in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)

The Apostle Paul could say in the midst of his suffering...

"For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us.." (Romans 8:18)

Abundant life after death without any suffering and sorrow. That is our hope, and it is the promise of God in the Bible for all of us. But many do not grasp onto this hope in times of trouble because they have never heard about God's plan.

“Now the God of all grace, Who calls you into His eonian glory in Christ, while briefly suffering, He will be adjusting, establishing, firming, founding you. To Him be glory and might for the eons of the eons. Amen!" (I Peter 5:10-11).

The eons/ages were created as a stage for God to demonstrate His Love.  So, I am sure that the goal set before me and my family is to be delivered out of death and into the eternal Kingdom of God.

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, nor sovereignties, nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 11:38-39) 

February 27th - Keep Climbing

"Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:32-33)

The Greek word for "tribulation" is “thlipsis” and carries the idea of using or feeling pressure. Life is designed by God so this tribulation/pressure we feel is part of God's plan for humanity.  Sometimes we put pressure on others and sometimes we are pressured. 

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven...” (Matthew 5:11-12)

When under pressure I imagine myself going up a hill against a cold high wind. The easy thing to do would be to turn around and let the wind push me swiftly back down into the valley.

Yet I keep moving forward up the hill…

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, nor sovereignties, nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 11:38-39) 

"...be racing with endurance the contest lying before us, looking off to the Inaugurator and Perfecter of faith, Jesus, Who, for the joy lying before Him, endures a cross, despising the shame, besides is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

"...toward the goal am I pursuing for the prize of God's calling above in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)

I am going to try and keep my nose into the wind as I climb out of the valley of the shadow of death toward the summit where I will finally and eternally be conformed to the image of His Son.

 "For those God knows, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29)

Is there any not known by God from the beginning? I think not!

February 26th - The Great Accomplishment

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:16-17)

"Wherefore, also, God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father. So that, my beloved, according as you always obey, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, with fear and trembling, be carrying your own salvation into effect, for it is God Who is operating in you to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight." (Philippians 2:9-13)

“Then Jesus came to them and said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

"The salvation of the whole human race is what God proposed in the creation. It is what Christ came into the world to effect, and for the accomplishment of which he was given all needed power in heaven and earth. To this end he died the death of the cross, and thus tasted death for every man; and I submit that such self-sacrificing love cannot suddenly cool, or readily give over to endless torment souls for which it willingly suffered. I should be ashamed of myself, if, believing in God and in Christ, I still feared their ultimate failure in this great work of redemption, whose history fills the Bible." - Thomas J. Sawyer (1804-1899)

God will accomplish what he sent Jesus into the world to do - save it.

It is the Great Accomplishment!

February 25th - All is out of God

The Scriptures reveal that ALL is out of God; that God is over ALLl; and that God will be ALL in ALL.

"Out of Him and through Him and for Him is ALL" (Romans 11:36)

"God and Father of ALL, who is over ALL and through ALL and in ALL" (Ephesians 4:6)

"...ALL things shall be subdued unto Him, that God may be ALL in ALL" (I Corinthians 15:28)

"ALL things work together for good..." (Romans 8:28)

Some things are hard in this life, but when ALL is said and done, even the evil will have worked out for our good. 

"For God locks up ALL together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to ALL. O, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! For, who knew the mind of the Lord? or, who became His adviser? or, who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him? seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is ALL: to Him be the glory for the eons! Amen! I am entreating you, then, brethren, by the pities of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice, living, holy, well pleasing to God, your logical divine service, and not to be configured to this eon, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for you to be testing what is the will of God, good and well pleasing and perfect." (Romans 11:30-12:2)

"I am entreating you, then, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit with the tie of peace: one body and one spirit, according as you were called also with one expectation of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of ALL, Who is over ALL and through ALL and in ALL." (Ephesians 4:1-6)

"For He (Jesus the Son of God) must be reigning until He should be placing ALL His enemies under His feet. The last enemy is being abolished: death. For He subjects ALL under His feet. Now whenever He may be saying that ALL is subject, it is evident that it is outside of Him (God the Father) Who subjects ALL to Him (Jesus). Now, whenever ALL may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be ALL in ALL." (1 Corinthians 15:25-28)

"Now He Who is searching the hearts is aware what is the disposition of the spirit, for in accord with God is it pleading for the saints. Now we are aware that God is working ALL together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose that, whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be Firstborn among many brethren. Now whom He designates beforehand, these He calls also, and whom He calls, these He justifies also; now whom He justifies, these He glorifies also. What then, shall we declare to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?" (Romans 8:27-31)

February 24th - The Bible, our gentle Instructor

"Now stupid and crude questionings refuse, being aware that they are generating fightings. Now a slave of the Lord must not be fighting, but be gentle toward all, apt to teach, bearing with evil, with meekness training those who are antagonizing, seeing whether God may be giving them repentance to come into a realization of the truth, and they will be sobering up out of the trap of the Adversary, having been caught alive by him..." (2 Timothy 2:24-25).

In writing my thoughts I determined to try to use more quotes of the Scripture than my own thoughts. I knew from the above Scripture that the timing of a person coming to the realization of the truth is up to God. Paul informs me that there...

"...are false apostles, fraudulent workers, being transfigured into apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is being transfigured into a messenger of light. It is no great thing, then, if his servants also are being transfigured as dispensers of righteousness..." (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

I do not write to correct anyone. I read the Bible and meditate on its words for myself before I share what they tell me. If I am wrong I trust God will be "giving me repentance to come into realization of the truth". 

My views are not intended to "generate fightings", they are intended to help me... 

"...to the unity of the faith and the realization of the son of God, to a mature man.." (Ephesians 4:13)

February 23rd - Try to Be Perfect but Rely on God's Grace!

“Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven…anyone who says, you fool! will be in danger of the fire of hell…If your right hand offend you, cut it off, it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell…love your enemies…be ye PERFECT even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:20,22,30,44,48)

There you have it out of the mouth of Jesus himself. In order to avoid the fire of hell all you have to do is to love your enemies, avoid calling anyone a fool, cut off any limb that is offensive, and be PERFECTLY righteous like our heavenly Father. Oh, and the apostle Paul added some more bad news...

"There is none righteous, no not one...all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:10, 23)

If it is up to us, none of us will avoid hell (hades: death in the unseen realm).

There is some very good news however. All will be SAVED out of death by the GRACE of our loving God - as a FREE gift - through the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing, for there is no distinction, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:21-24)

"For the wages of sin is DEATH, but the FREE GIFT of God is eternal life..." (Romans 6:23)

"By GRACE you have been SAVED through FAITH...it is a the GIFT of God not a result of works." (Ephesians 2:8-9) 

“...as in Adam all DIE, even so in Christ shall all be MADE ALIVE...Listen, I tell you a mystery…the DEAD will be raised imperishable…DEATH...swallowed up in victory…through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 15:22,51-57)

SALVATION of unrighteous sinners is a GIFT from God by His GRACE. A person of FAITH believes that Jesus is the WAY to eternal LIFE in the Kingdom of God. 

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was entombed, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Titus 2:11)

We should try to be perfect like Jesus while placing our faith in God's grace, not our own righteousness.

February 22nd - What is the Soul?

"For the word of God is living and operative, and keen above any two-edged sword, and penetrating up to the parting of SOUL and SPIRIT...." (Hebrews 4:12)

Soul and Spirit are not the same thing. When God joined His Spirit with the body made of soil He had formed for Adam, the first human became a "living SOUL".

"Yahweh Elohim formed the human out of soil from the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living SOUL." (Genesis 2:7)

Animals of the field and birds are also called living souls.

"Yahweh Elohim had formed from the ground every animal of the field and every fowl of the heavens; and brought each one to the human to see what he would call it. And whatever the human would call it, each living SOUL, that was its name.." (Genesis 2:19)

Many do not see a difference between soul and spirit, yet the Bible teaches that the "soul" is what appears when a body made by God is infused with His Spirit (power). The body is then alive and capable of walking or flying around aware of its surroundings (it has feelings) - it is a "living soul".  

When a "living soul" with a body of soil dies, it returns to the soil and the power that kept it alive (Spirit of God) returns to God. The Bible refers to this death as sleeping, or at rest - why? Because God is not through with us yet! It is not His will that any should perish (stay dead/asleep).

 "...the Lord is not slow in regard to the promise, as certain count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not counselling (intending) any to be lost but all to pass on to reformation." (2 Peter 3:9 YLT))

"...You gather away their spirit; they breath their last and return to their soil." (Psalm 104:29)

"His spirit shall go forth, and he shall return to the ground; in that day his reflections perish." (Psalm 146:4)

.."And the soul returns to the earth just as it was, and the spirit, it returns to the One, Elohim, Who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7)

"From those sleeping in the soil of the ground, many shall awake..." (Daniel 12:2)

"Lazarus our friend is sleeping, but I am going that I should be awakening out of sleep." (John 11:11)

"...we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed..." (1 Corinthians 15:51)

The Bible teaches me that a "spiritual body" is needed for mortal animals, including humans, to become immortal - the image of the now risen Christ Jesus. And, the Bible says  all humans will be given this new body in the future so we can finally ENTER and SEE the "Kingdom of God".

"Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the Kingdom of God, neither is corruption enjoying the allotment of incorruption...

This gift from God of a new spiritual and incorruptible body was a mystery until revealed to the Apostle Paul.

Lo! a secret to you am I telling!...the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)

When God is finished with humanity, we will all be immortal because our soul will dwell in a "spiritual body" rather than a body made of soil. That spiritual body will not consist of flesh or blood (made of soil).

"Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown (buried) in corruption; it is roused (made alive) in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is roused in glory. It is sown in infirmity; it is roused in power. It is sown in a soulish body (mortal body); it is roused a SPIRITUAL BODY (immortal body)...The first man was out of the earth, MADE OF SOIL; the second man is the Lord out of heaven...And according as we wear the image of the one MADE OUT OF THE SOIL, we shall also be wearing the image of the Celestial." (1 Corinthians 15:42-49)

Our present "soul" is not immortal, it dies with the body made of soil. However, the Bible says God is preparing for each human a new spiritual immortal and totally different body. That spiritual body will be be made alive by the power of God (Holy Spirit), a new "living soul" that will enter and see the Kingdom of God with Whom we will joyfully dwell forever!

"Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?”Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. " (John 3:3-6)