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 terrible 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)

Life after death. That is our hope, and it is the promise of God for all of us. But many people 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 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.

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 the 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.

To heck with that…

"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 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 foreknew, 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)

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 All; 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. That is the whole point of the Scripture...

"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 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 Who subjects all to Him. 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 this blog 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. I am constantly aware of the words of the Apostle Paul when I read or listen to the opinions of others. Paul informs us 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 or to teach. The Bible is the teacher.  Only the inspired words found therein will correct those who are "generating fightings" - so I spend a lot of time studying for myself.  

All I can do is share the truth as I perceive it and trust that if I error God will be "giving me repentance to come into realization of the truth". I am glad my teacher, the Bible, is "gentle toward all". 

The Bible claims to be the completed and inspired Word of God so it. will lead humanity... 

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

February 23rd - Be Perfect

“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. 

If that is the only way to enter the Kingdom of heaven, the apostle Paul had some bad news for us...

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

The good news is that after His death and resurrection Jesus taught Paul that although all sin and miss the mark of God's perfection resulting in DEATH, all would be SAVED out of death by the GRACE of a loving God - as a FREE gift.

"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 is a GIFT from God by His GRACE. A person of FAITH believes that is the TRUTH and that Jesus is the only WAY to eternal LIFE in the Kingdom of heaven. 

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

No one can be saved by being PERFECT like our righteous heavenly Father.

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 He had formed for Adam out of soil, 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 and use the terms interchangeably. But the soul is what appears when a body made of soil is infused with the spirit (power) of God. The body is then alive and capable of feeling - a soul.  

When a human dies the body returns to the soil and the power of God (Spirit) returns to God. The soul is at rest - unconscious. 

"...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 soil 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 has found repose, but I am going that I should be awakening out of sleep...Lazarus died." (John 11:11,14)

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

A "Spiritual body" is needed for humans to become immortal and enter and see and 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 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 they will be immortal souls with a "Spiritual body" rather than a body made from the soil. That spiritual body will not consist of flesh or blood and it is "imprudent" to think that it does.

"Imprudent One! What you are sowing is not being vivified (made alive) if it should not be dying. And what you are sowing, you are not sowing the body which shall come to be...God is giving it a body according as He wills...It is sown in corruption; it is roused in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is roused in glory. It is sown in infirmity; it is roused in power...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 15:36-49)

Again, the soul is not yet immortal, it needs a new body, one that is "spiritual" When that body is empowered by the spirit of God, it will become a living soul, and immortal.

February 21st - Unbelievers are Destined to Believe

“For what if some disbelieve? Will their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? Of course not! Now let God be true, yet every man a liar..." (Romans 3:3)

Human unbelief does not prevent God from being faithful to humanity. That would make God a human. He uses human unbelief as a CONTRAST to His faithfulness.

He also uses the choices humans make that result in evil as a contrast to His goodness. He uses the mortality of humans to contrast with His immortality. He uses our failure to contrast with His success. He uses our hate to contrast with His love. He uses our sickness to contrast with His perfect health. 

I could go on and on.

THE REASON FOR SIN IN THIS LIFE IS TO ALLOW HUMANITY TO APPRECIATE ITS ABSENCE IN THE NEXT!

But instead of seeing that contrast and thus glorifying God, most humans just do not get it. Why? 

Because they have believed the lies of institutional religion which teach that it is the “free will” choice of a humans which determines their eternal destiny. Nevertheless, the Bible teaches that God alone makes the choice with regard to the final destiny of a human. And He has chosen to save all - the product of His LOVE and GRACE. All humanity will eventually know, love, and trust God.

“...No longer shall they teach, each man his associate, and each man his brother, saying: Know Yahweh! For they all shall know me, from the smallest of them to the greatest of them, averring is Yahweh. For I shall pardon their depravity, and shall not remember their sin any longer." (Jeremiah 31:34)

"For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present." (Ephesians 2:8)

Mortal humanity will become immortal spiritual beings - that is our destiny. Sin, death, hate, sickness, tears, sorrow and failure will one day be swallowed up in the victory of a successful immortal life. 

"Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is roused 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 a soulish body; it is roused a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

"Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory." (1 Corinthians 15:54)

“…And He will be brushing away every tear from their eyes. And death will be no more, nor mourning, nor clamor, nor misery; they will be no more, for the former things passed away." (Revelation 21:4)

Humanity will become a new creation in Christ. Then God will be "All in all".

"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 15:28)

"...So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

February 20th - Love that does not fail

"God is love…Love never fails" (1 John 4:8; I Corinthians 13:8).

Because the God of the Bible is Love; and He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, what is there for humanity to worry about?

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8 38-39)

He is either the God the Bible says He is, or he is the god of religious myth created by man. Since He is the God of the Bible then NOTHING, even humanity's poor decisions, will separate us from the love of God. He will not, nor can He fail in His plan to reconcile and save all humans through Christ Jesus our Lord…

“For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile ALL things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.” (Colossians 1:19-22)

We should fix our hope on the God of the Bible - not the gods created by humans.

"...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:10-11)

February 19th - Wrong Question, Right Answer

"They said, then, to Him, "What may we be doing that we may be working the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you may be believing in that One Whom He commissions." (John 6:28-29)

They asked the wrong question, but Jesus gave the right answer. It is not about what we do but what God has done. The “work of God” is to bring humanity to faith in His Son Jesus, the Savior of the world. God’s work will not be complete until “every knee” bows and “every tongue” agrees that Jesus is Lord.

Will God fail in His work? - NOT A CHANCE!

"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." (Philippians 2:10-11)

When humans are resurrected, they will all become believers.

"This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven." (Acts 1:11)

"And with great power the apostles rendered testimony to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Lord. Besides, great grace was on them all..." (Acts 4:33)

Peter and the other Apostles understood their job was to tell people that Jesus had been RESURRECTED. They had seen it first hand. Paul also told humanity that Jesus died and was resurrected, and that He would return to resurrect all humans, good and bad.

"...there shall be a resurrection which is impending for both the just and the unjust...I stand attesting both to small and to great, saying nothing outside of what both the prophets and Moses speak of impending occurrences - the suffering Christ - He, the first out of a resurrection of the dead, is about to be announcing light both to the people and to the nations." (Acts 25:15; 26:22-23)

The work of God is saving humanity from death so the just and the unjust will come back to life!

"For, if the dead are not being roused, neither has Christ been roused. Now, if Christ has not been roused, vain is your faith -- you are still in your sins! Consequently those also, who are put to repose in Christ, perished. If we are having an expectation in Christ in this life only, more forlorn than all men are we. Yet now Christ has been roused from among the dead, the Firstfruit of those who are reposing. For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified." (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

February 18th - Gehenna

The Greek words "Gehenna", "Hades", and "Tartarus" are translated into most English versions of the Bible as the same word - "hell". An example of the use of "Gehenna" in a properly translated version is as follows:

"And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” (Matthew 10:28 CLNT)

"Gehenna" refers to a valley outside of Jerusalem where trash and dead bodies of animals and criminals were burned when Jesus was on earth. In Gehenna, the "worm is not deceasing" and "the fire is not going out"  until it accomplishes the job of destroying the garbage or the carcass.

"And if your hand should ever be snaring you, strike it off. It is ideal for you to be entering into life maimed, rather than, having two hands, to come away into Gehenna, into the unextinguished fire where their worm is not deceasing and the fire is not going out." (Mark 9:43-44)

While on earth, Jesus preached only to ISRAEL about the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel in the land promise Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He told them that for their Kingdom to be restored to them they needed to repent of their sins.

"Thenceforth begins Jesus to be heralding and saying, Repent! for near is the kingdom of the heavens!...teaching in their synagogues and heralding the evangel of the kingdom." (Matthew 4:17,23)

Jesus presented Himself to Israel as their Messiah who would restore the Kingdom of Israel. Jesus said they need not fear the Romans who might kill the body but had no control of the soul. God is able to resurrect souls from "Gehenna" to reign with Him in the Kingdom.

"And the souls of those executed because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who do not worship the wild beast or its image, and did not get the emblem on their forehead and on their hand- they also live and reign with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead do not live until the thousand years should be finished." (Revelation 20:4-5)

Those who use the above verse to teach eternal conscious torment in hell will one day be "ashamed" to have threatened humans with  eternal conscious torment.  They themselves may miss out on the reign of Christ "until the thousand years should be finished".

Believers should not fear death at the hands of the governments of men, they should entrust both body and soul to God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. When they do so, they will reign with Jesus and not be ashamed when He returns.

"For whosoever may be wanting to save his soul will be destroying it, yet whoever shall be destroying his soul on account of Me and of the evangel will be saving it...For whosoever may be ashamed of Me and My words in this generation...the Son of Mankind also will be ashamed of him whenever He may be coming in the glory of His Father." (Mark 8:35-38)

February 17th - The Eons Reveal the Wisdom of God

The Son of God made the eons (ages) to reveal the wisdom of God to His creation. 

"By many portions and many modes, of old, God, speaking to the fathers in the prophets, in the last of these days speaks to us in a Son, Whom He appoints enjoyer of the allotment of all, through Whom He also makes the eons..." (Hebrews 1:1)

The Apostle Paul, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, was selected to reveal to humanity the purpose of the eons.

"To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the secret, which has been concealed from the eons in God, Who creates all, that now may be made known to the sovereignties and the authorities among the celestials, through the ecclesia, the multifarious wisdom of God, in accord with the purpose of the eons, which He makes in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Ephesians 3:11)

February 16th - God's Love is greater than Man's Faith

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Did you notice that LOVE is greater than FAITH?

Institutional Christianity has made man's faith greater than God's love it appears to me. It agrees that God loves the world and sent Jesus to save it, but then adds that if a man does not place his faith in Christ he will be eternally lost....and most add eternally punished in hell.

So, according to that doctrine which is greater, God's love or man's faith?

God saves sinners because He loves them and He did so while they were still ungodly...

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation...for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 5:6-11; 6:23)

So what is the role of man's faith in Christ?

Well, man's faith has NO role in our salvation. It is Jesus Christs faith that saved us, our faith simply believes that He did so, and even that is a gift from God.  

"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)

Our faith unlocks the HOPE (expectation) of life after death. God's LOVE will save all sinners because of His GRACE.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...The last enemy to be destroyed is death...so that God may be All in all." (Ephesians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 15:26-28)

February 15th - A False Teaching

Some Christians are convinced in their own minds that they are a little closer to God than others, like the Pharisee in Luke's gospel.

"The Pharisee, standing, prayed this to himself: "God, I am thanking you that I am not even as the rest of men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tribute collector. I am fasting twice of a sabbath. I am taking tithes from all whatever I am acquiring." (Luke 18:11-12)

The Pharisees considered themselves the most righteous sons of Abraham. So, imagine how they felt when a poor carpenter from Nazareth told them that they were not sons of Abraham, but were sons of the Adversary - Satan.

“You are of your father, the Adversary, and the desires of your father you are wanting to do…He who is of God is hearing God’s declarations. Therefore, you are not hearing, seeing that you are not of God.” (John 8:44-47) 

"Thus you, also, outside, indeed, are appearing to men to be just, yet inside you are distended with hypocrisy and lawlessness..." (Matthew 23:28)

"And you invalidate the word of God because of your tradition. Hypocrites! Ideally Isaiah prophesies concerning you, saying...in vain are they revering Me, teaching for teachings the directions of men." (Matthew 15:6-9)

The modern day equivalent would be Jesus entering a Christian church or Jewish synagogue today and telling the preacher, priest, or rabbi that he was a follower of Satan.

The Apostle Paul warns of the false “apostles of Christ” because they would teach about "another Jesus".

“For if, indeed, he who is coming is heralding another Jesus whom we do not herald, or you are obtaining a different spirit, which you did not obtain, or a different gospel, which you do not receive, you are bearing with him ideally….such 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 11:4-15) 

Paul taught that the real Jesus would save "all mankind" and "reconcile" all creation to God.  So, anything less than the salvation and reconciliation of all is a "different evangel" about "another Jesus".

I once read an almost forgotten piece of literature from 1890 written by Thomas Allin entitled “Christ Triumphant” where he speaks of the most egregious false teaching of modern day Christianity.

“The consequences of the false teaching of eternal torment are now the fabric of society...The consequences of the false doctrine of eternal torment are so all pervasive, so closely connected to the invisible and nearly universal undercurrent of human thinking concerning God, that they are impossible now to separate and calculate.”

That was written almost 130 years ago and avoiding eternal torment is still the basis for most Christian evangelism today. Nevertheless, God's teaching of the salvation of all will come to pass rather than the "directions of men" regardless of how many believe those men. 

Here is the truth about salvation from the Scripture...

"...through Him (Jesus) to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on earth or those in the heavens.  And you, being once estranged and enemies in comprehension, by wicked acts, yet now He reconciles by His body of flesh, through His death, to present you holy and flawless and unimpeachable in His sight." (Colossians 1:20-22)

“I am entreating then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, pleadings, thanksgiving be made for all mankind...for this is ideal and welcome in the sight of our Savior God, Who wills that all mankind be saved, and come into a realization of truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

"For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and mankind, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all (the testimony in its own eras)." (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.  These things be charging and teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

All other Scripture must be harmonized with the above in a search for truth.

February 14th - Is your God in a Lamp?

“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….” (Romans 8:28-29)

I get mad sometimes because I rub the lamp with much prayer and do not get even one of my three wishes. But that lamp does not contain the God of the bible. He is not waiting for me to get his attention by rubbing the lamp with just the right amount of prayer and faith. That is the Genie of Aladdin’s lamp, not the God of the bible. Biblical prayer gives me "peace" as I toss my worry on Him knowing that He cares about me.

“…toss your entire worry on Him, for He cares about you." (1 Peter 5:7)

"Now, faithful is God, Who will not be leaving you to be tried above what you are able, but, together with the trial, will be making a sequel also, to enable you to undergo it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

There is a "sequel" to our struggles in this life that we pray about, and that sequel is the new heavens and new earth after we are completed in "the image of His Son".

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind." (Isaiah 65:17)

"He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel...I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” (2 Timothy 1:8-12)

Paul told us how to pray and its peaceful result.

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, that is superior to every frame of mind, shall be garrisoning your hearts and your apprehensions in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

My immature nature will keep rubbing the lamp from time to time, but my mature trust remains in the God of the bible, not the Genie of Aladdin's Lamp.

February 13th - Be Diligent

"Yet be growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory now, as well as for the day of the eon. Amen!" (2 Peter 3:18)

What I say is what I believe at the time I write…but I reserve the right to change those views as my ongoing study and experience requires. That is because I would like my views to be "approved" and to be “unashamed” at the coming of the Lord.

"Have a pattern of sound words, which you hear from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. The ideal thing committed to you, guard through the holy spirit which is making its home in us." (2 Timothy 1:13-14)

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

"All scripture is inspired by God, and is beneficial for teaching, for exposure, for correction, for discipline in righteousness, that the man of God may be equipped, fitted out for every good act." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

I have made the assumption that the Bible is infallible when properly translated. However, we do not possess a perfectly translated version, so my views about what I read are subject to change. What I do day by day is simply let my thoughts flow - being willing to change those thoughts as I grow in grace and knowledge.

"May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the recognition of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord!" (2 Peter 1:2)

February 12th - The Teaching of Paul the Evangelist

The apostle Paul was a tentmaker and, he was an evangelist in the true meaning of the word - a bearer of the good news from God. Here is a summary of the teaching of Paul the Evangelist.

"God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes.” (Romans 5:8)

“For if, being enemies, we were conciliated to God through the death of His Son, much rather, being conciliated, we shall be saved in His life.” (Romans 5:10) 

"For even as, through the disobedience of the one man (Adam), the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One (Jesus), the many shall be constituted just." (Romans 5:19)

“For the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead.  For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified...that God may be All in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22,28)

"Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is roused 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 a soulish body, it is roused a spiritual body. If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also. Thus it is written also, the first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam a vivifying Spirit. But not first the spiritual, but the soulish, thereupon the spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-46)

"Lo! I secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality...then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory." (1 Corinthians 15: 50-54)

“God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of reconciliation...for the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:19) 

"Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did bless us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, according as He did choose us in him before the foundation of the world, for us to become holy and unblemished before Him, in love, having foreordained us to the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He did make us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have the redemption through His blood, the remission of the trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, in which He did abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the secret of His will, according to His good pleasure, that He purposed in Himself, in regard to the dispensation of the fulness of the times, to bring into one the whole in the Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth—in Him; in whom also we did obtain an inheritance, being foreordained according to the purpose of Him who is working all according to the counsel of His will, for our being to the praise of His glory, even those who did first hope in the Christ, in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth—the good news of your salvation—in whom also having believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:1-14)

“And He is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may becoming first, for in Him the entire complement delights to dwell, and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those of the earth or those in the heavens.” (Colossians 1:18-20)

“In everything be giving thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom am I." (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

“...our Savior, God, Who wills all humanity be saved and come into a realization of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and humanity, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all (the testimony in its own eras), for which I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the nations in knowledge and truth." (1 Tim. 2:4-7)

“Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this are we toiling  and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all humanity, especially of believers.” (1 Tim. 4:9-10)

"These things be charging and teaching." (1 Tim. 4:11)

"For the saving grace of God was manifested to all humanity, teaching us, that denying the impiety and the worldly desires, soberly and righteously and piously we may live in the present age, waiting for the blessed hope and manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ..." (Titus 2:11-13)

There you have it - study this teaching from Paul  until you get it - then pass it along!

February 11th - Paul the Working Man

“I covet no one's silver, or gold, or vesture. You know that these hands provide for my needs, and those who are with me.” (Acts 20:33).

Paul was not a paid professional preacher. He was not ordained by a church or synagogue. He worked as a tentmaker, as did Aquila and Priscilla.

"...because of his being of a like trade, he remained with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade." (Acts 18:3)

Those who traveled with him most likely worked with him in making tents. It is interesting that God chose a working man to deliver the secret of the good news of salvation to humanity. Yet, it makes sense because tentmakers traveled around from town to town, and such persons would be ideal to share good news with the world.

"To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the good news of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the secret, which has been concealed from the eons in God..." (Ephesians 3:8-9)

Paul had no Church to pastor. He received no wages for bringing the good news about Jesus to humanity. There is no evidence that he built church buildings in the various towns he traveled to. 

Jesus Himself was an "artisan" by trade, making things with His hands. Jesus was kicked out of His synagogue and city for what he taught there.  

"...His disciples are following Him. And at the coming of the sabbath He begins to teach in the synagogue.  And the majority, hearing, were astonished...what wisdom is being given this man!...Is not this the artisan, the son of Mary." (Mark 6:1-3)

"And filled with fury are all who are in the synagogue, at hearing these things, and rising, they cast Him outside of the city." (Luke 4:28)

Those who listened to Jesus were the working class and despised people like the Samaritans...and they were the ones who recognized Him as the Savior of the world.

"Now out of that city many of the Samaritans believe in Him...we are aware that this truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ." (John 4:42)

Nevertheless, Jesus laid down his life for all of the sheep - and in so doing saved the world. 

"I am the Shepherd ideal and I know Mine and Mine know Me, according as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. And My soul am I laying down for the sake of the sheep. And other sheep have I which are not of this fold. Those also I must be leading, and they will be hearing my voice, and there will be one flock, one Shepherd." (John 10:14-16)

"And I, if I should be exalted out of the earth, shall be drawing everyone to Myself." (John 12:32)

"They took Jesus along, then, and led Him away.  And, bearing the cross Himself, He came out to what is termed a Skull's Place, which is termed, in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucify Him...He said, it is accomplished! And reclining His head, He gives up the spirit." (John 19:17-18, 30) 

Paul the tentmaker tells us about what Jesus "accomplished" on the cross for humanity. He says we were...

“...justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus...Who was given up because of our offenses...For the one not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him” (Romans 3:24-25; 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Before Paul the Tentmaker died, he told his friend Timothy...

"You, then, child of mine, be invigorated by the grace which is in Christ Jesus. And what things you hear from me through many witnesses, these commit to faithful men, who shall be competent to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:1-2)

He didn't tell him to build seminaries or churches or any religious organization.  He told him to tell others the good news about Jesus, the savior of the world. Two thousand years later, a few working men still do.

February 10th - Grace and Peace from God

"Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gives Himself for our sins, so that He might extricate us out of the present wicked eon, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory for the eons of the eons. Amen!" (Galatians 1:3-5).

Pretty simple.

Christ Jesus gave Himself for the sins of humanity. He did so as a result of the "grace" from God which assures humanity of "peace" with God.

In the Grace of God Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross for the sins of the world.

“...if anyone should be sinning, we have an Entreater with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just.  And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet not concerned with ours only, but concerned with the whole world also.” (1 John 2:1-2)

Christ Jesus will deliver humanity from this present wicked age. How?

First we die…then we are given new immortal life at our resurrection - FOR FREE!

“For the ration of sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian,  in Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

"...the Lord Himself will be descending from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the Chief Messenger, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead shall be rising first, then we, the living who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

"Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and 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)  

Grace and Peace from God!

February 9th - Parables and Secrets

“And, approaching, the disciples asked Him, Why are you speaking in parables to them? Now, answering, He said to them that 'to you has it been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, yet to those it is not given'.” (Matthew 13:10-11)

Many teach that a parable is a simple story with a heavenly meaning inferring that it helps common people understand the truth. Obviously that is not what Jesus said. Jesus clearly taught that the parables were given to hide the "secrets of the kingdom of the heavens" from those who did not need to understand. Paul  told us that...

"For the present we are observing by means of a mirror, in an enigma, yet then, face to face.  At present I know out of an installment, yet then I shall recognize according as I am recognized now." (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Several "secrets" were revealed to the Apostle Paul.

"To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the good news of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of this secret, which has been concealed from the eons in God, who creates all..." (Ephesians 3:8-9)

Paul was chosen to share certain "secrets" previously "concealed". My favorite is about the change that is coming to our bodies.

"Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall not all sleep, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and 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)

The vast majority of humanity have never seen a Bible, and will not hear about their salvation until AFTER they are "changed" at their resurrection.  But then, all will be shown God's secrets, and realize He is not reckoning their sins against them, and that he will save them all.

"...God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them..." (2Corinthians 5:19) 

"...and of their sins and their lawlessness should I under no circumstances still be reminded" (Hebrews 8:12)

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wills all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth...we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people... " (1 Timothy 1:15; 2:3; 4:10)

So why did Jesus speak in parables? Well, sometimes it is none of our business to know all the secrets of the Kingdom of heavens. But I am sure, when it becomes my business, God will let me know.

February 8th - Believe Paul

"For at present, am I persuading men or God?  Or am I seeking to please men? If I still pleased men, I were not a slave of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)

What does Paul teach that so many Christians refuse to believe?  Here are some examples.

"...seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is all:  to Him be the glory for the eons!" (Romans 11:36)

They do not believe that "ALL things" are from God. They insist Paul meant all "good things".

"...our Savior, God, Who wills that all humanity be saved and come into a realization of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator of God and humanity, a Man, Christ Jesus, who is giving Himself as a correspondent ransom for all." (1 Timothy 2:3-6)

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this we are toiling and being reproached), that we rely of the living God, Who is the Savior of ALL humanity, especially of believers." (1 Timothy 4:10)

They do not believe all humanity will be saved as the result of the ransom Christ Jesus paid for all. They insist Paul meant that God is "offering" to save all people, and will ransom only those who accept His offer.

"...reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the message of reconciliation..." (2 Corinthians 5:19)

They do not believe God is reconciling the world to himself. They insist Paul meant that only those in the world who choose Christ are reconciled to God.

So, do you believe Paul or someone else?

February 7th - Enemies and Friends of the Cross

"For many are walking, of whom I often told you, yet now am lamenting also as I tell it, who are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose consummation is destruction, whose god is their bowels, and whose glory is in their shame, who to the terrestrial are disposed." (Philippians 3:18-19)

So who are these “enemies of the cross” Paul was referring to?

Paul was talking about the Jewish leaders who did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah. They were the Jews who refused to believe that the cross upon which Jesus their Messiah died was the means of their salvation rather than the law of Moses. 

Today the “enemies of the cross” are those who insist it takes the cross of Jesus PLUS something else. This doctrine of limited salvation will meet its "destruction" when the cross is shown to have “accomplished” the salvation of all humans.

"...for we ourselves have heard Him, and we are aware that this truly is the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)

"And I, if I should be lifted out of the earth, shall be drawing all to Myself." (John 12:32)

"Jesus is saying to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one is coming to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

"Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by Himself, He went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed Him to the cross...After this, Jesus, being aware that all is already accomplished, that the scripture may be perfected, is saying...It is accomplished. And reclining His head, He gives up the spirit." (John 19:16-18, 28-30)

Humanity was saved by its Savior on that cross, and He will in the future change all enemies into friends.

"For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a Savior also, the Lord, Jesus Christ, Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation, to conform it to the body of His glory, in accord with the operation which enables Him even to subject all to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

Friends of the cross have faith in what it accomplished - the salvation of all.

February 6th - The Bodies of Adam and Jesus are Prototypes

“Yet now Christ has been roused from among the dead, the Firstfruit of those who are reposing. For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

The body of Adam was the prototype for humanity in its present mortal condition. 

“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)

Adam's body was made “out of soil”. When God added the “breath of life” to that body, Adam became the first human - a “living soul” of “flesh and blood”. 

However, this mortal prototype “is not able to enjoy an allotment in the Kingdom of God”.

"The first man was out of the earth, made of soil...Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the Kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 15:47, 50)

The bodies of all humans are like the body Adam had, they are born mortal and eventually die.  

Sometime after the death of the mortal body it is to be born again - it will be "transfigured" into a body like the body Jesus now has. It will then be a“spiritual” immortal "new creation".  

"Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is roused 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 a soulish body, it is roused a spiritual body.  If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also.  Thus it is written also, the first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam a vivifying Spirit. But not first the spiritual, but the soulish, thereupon the spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-46)

"For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a Savior also, the Lord, Jesus Christ, Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation, to conform it to the body of His glory." (Philippians 3:20-21)

"For if we have become planted together in the likeness of His death, nevertheless we shall be of the resurrection also." (Romans 6:4)

“So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This new spiritual, immortal, and glorious body will “enjoy an allotment in the Kingdom of God”.

Again, the mortal body that humanity now has cannot “perceive” or be “entering” the Kingdom of God. It must be born again. When our mothers water broke, we were born the first time of "water" as we came into this world in humiliation. At our resurrection from death, we will be born again "of spirit".

"Verily, verily, I am saying to you, If anyone should not be begotten anew, he cannot perceive the kingdom of God...If anyone should not be begotten of water and of spirit, he can not be entering into the kingdom of God." (John 3:3-7)

"Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the Kingdom of God...Lo! I secret to you am I telling!...we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump...  For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15: 50-53)

We now have a body like our prototype Adam. After God is through with us we will have a body like our prototype Jesus. Humanity is destined to  "perceive" and "enter" the Kingdom of God. We will no longer be living souls, but life giving spirits.

"If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also. Thus it is written also, The first man, Adam, became a living soul: the last Adam a life giving Spirit. But not first the spiritual, but the soulish, thereupon the spiritual. " (1 Corinthians 15:45-46)