January 12th - The Roman Road of Salvation

"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." (Romans 3:21-23)

The word "sinned" means to miss the target.  All people miss - Romans, Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, Muslims and everybody else. 

But Christ Jesus arrived to justify and deliver sinners gratuitously (free of charge).

Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus (Whom God purposed for a Propitiatory shelter, through faith in His blood, for a display of His righteousness because of the passing over of the penalties of sins which occurred before in the forbearance of God), toward the display of His righteousness in the current era, for Him to be just and a justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus. (Romans 3:24-27)

Humanity is either justified gratuitously in His grace or not at all. Again, the word "gratuitously" means free of charge.  Nobody gets to brag about earning justification - it is free.

Where, then, is boasting? It is debarred! Through what law? Of works? No! But through faith's law. For we are reckoning a man to be justified by faith apart from works of law. Or is He the god of the Jews only? Is He not of the nations also? Yes, of the nations also, if so be that God is One, Who will be justifying the Circumcision out of faith and the Uncircumcision through faith.” (Romans 3:21-30)

Being freed from Sin as a gracious gift of God enslaves us to God - and that is OK by me.

"...now, being freed from Sin, yet enslaved to God, you have your fruit for holiness. Now the consummation is life eonian. For the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 6:20-23)

However, people need to be told about this gracious gift in order to have faith in it.

"Near you is the declaration, in your mouth and in your heart -- that is, the declaration of faith which we are heralding that, if ever you should be avowing with your mouth the declaration that Jesus is Lord, and should be believing in your heart that God rouses Him from among the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart it is believed for justification, yet with the mouth it is avowed for salvation."  (Romans 10:8-10)

Jesus is the Lord of humanity, and everyone who invokes the name of the Lord shall be saved when they hear and believe.

"For the scripture is saying: Everyone who is believing on Him shall not be disgraced. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same One is Lord of all, being rich for all who are invoking Him. For everyone, whoever should be invoking the name of the Lord, shall be saved." ((Romans 10:8-13)

To this day Israel, as a nation, does not believe in Jesus nor do they believe God raised him from the dead - they are not invoking the name, so they are not saved - but Paul tells us that eventually all of them shall be saved…

“I am saying then, does not God thrust away His people? May it not be coming to that! ... in their offense is salvation to the nations …callousness, in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be entering. And thus, all Israel shall be saved...He will be turning away irreverence from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, whenever I should be eliminating their sins.” (Romans 11:1-27)

All people in every nation shall be saved as well…

"Or is He the god of the Jews only? Is He not of the nations also? Yes, of the nations also, if so be that God is One, Who will be justifying the Circumcision out of faith and the Uncircumcision through faith.” ... "There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same One is Lord of all, being rich for all who are invoking Him.  For everyone, whoever is invoking the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” (Romans 3:29-30; 10:12-13)

Few people invoke the name of the Lord in this age.  In fact, most people have lived and died before Jesus was born.  So, when will they invoke His name? The book of Revelation tells us.

"I perceived a great white throne, and Him Who is sitting upon it...And they were judged, each according to their acts."  (Revelation 20:11, 14)

It is before the Great White Throne that all will finally invoke the name of the Lord and be saved. The Apostle Paul assures humanity that everyone will acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.

“God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee will be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue will be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

In summary, all human beings get justified and saved the same way - as a "gracious gift of God...in Christ Jesus our Lord".

January 11th - United Humanity, a Work in Progress

"The first man was from the earth, and made of dust; the second man is from heaven. Like the man of dust, so are those who are of dust…And just as we have borne the image of the man made of dust, we will also bear the image of the heavenly man.” (1 Corinthians 15:47-49)

The Bible is perfectly rational and reasonable to me. God created the Universe and then set out to make humanity into His image. Jesus is the prototype and all humanity will eventually be made like Him…

"We all, with unveiled faces, are looking in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

This "hope of glory" for humanity was kept a secret until revealed to the Apostle Paul… 

“...the secret hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known among the nations the glorious wealth of this secret, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27)

Satan tries to rob humanity of its greatest man, Christ Jesus. At the present time, Jesus is the only human being who has been made into the image of God, the rest of us are a work in progress - but we will eventually be like Jesus; united, holy, faultless and blameless.

"He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.  We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins in Him. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation...and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross - whether things on earth or things in heaven...He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him.” (Colossians 1:13-15, 20-22)

"...our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)

One day humanity we be united as a new creation with a glorious and sinless body. The eternal citizenship of humanity is destined to be in the New Heaven and New Earth - the Kingdom of God.

What God has begun, He will finish!

"Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." (Genesis 1:26)

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

"Dear friends, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2)

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ, all will be made alive...so that God may be All in all." (1 Corinthians 15:22, 28)

January 10th - What about that person in the mirror?

"...are you not aware that the unjust shall not be enjoying the allotment of God's kingdom? Be not deceived. Neither paramours, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor catamites, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards; no revilers, no extortioners shall be enjoying an allotment in the kingdom of God. And some of you were these, but you are bathed off, but you are hallowed, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Before you self righteous religious folks say "Amen" - consider that the Bible says there is NO ONE righteous, and that means YOU and me...

"...the Scriptures say: There is no one who is righteous, no one who is wise or who worships God. All have turned away from God; they have all done wrong; no one does right, not even one." (Romans 3:10-12)

So when you look in the mirror, remember the person you see will NOT enter the Kingdom of God.

"What I mean, friends, is that what is made of flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God, and what is mortal cannot possess immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:50)

For Pete's sake Robert, who, then, can be saved?

"When the disciples heard this, they were completely amazed. “Who, then, can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked straight at them and answered, “This is impossible for human beings, but for God everything is possible.” (Matthew 19:25-26)

It is impossible for the person you see in the mirror to be saved from death, even His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, died. 

"Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God." (Hebrews 9:27)

However, that person in the mirror will be resurrected out of death and transformed into the immortal image of the risen Christ Jesus - as a FREE gift from God!

"For sin pays its wage, death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

"He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like His own glorious body, using the power by which He is able to bring all things under His rule." (Philippians 3:21)

Listen as the Apostle Paul explains the entire process to the Corinthians...

"But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By Him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free." (1 Corinthians 1:30)

"If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world. But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised. For just as death came by means of a man, in the same way the rising from death comes by means of a man. For just as all people die because of their union with Adam, in the same way all will be raised to life because of their union with Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:19-22)

"This is how it will be when the dead are raised to life. When the body is buried, it is mortal; when raised, it will be immortal. When buried, it is ugly and weak; when raised, it will be beautiful and strong. When buried, it is a physical body; when raised, it will be a spiritual body. There is, of course, a physical body, so there has to be a spiritual body. For the scripture says, "The first man, Adam, was created a living being”; but the last Adam is the life-giving Spirit. It is not the spiritual that comes first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first Adam, made of earth, came from the earth; the second Adam came from heaven. Those who belong to the earth are like the one who was made of earth; those who are of heaven are like the one who came from heaven. Just as we wear the likeness of the man made of earth, so we will wear the likeness of the Man from heaven. What I mean, friends, is that what is made of flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God, and what is mortal cannot possess immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:42-50)

So you see, that mortal person you see every morning in the mirror will not inherit the Kingdom of God - but will be changed so that he or she can enter and see it - all by the GRACE of God!

"...when the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed. For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die. So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal, then the scripture will come true: “Death is destroyed; victory is complete!” “Where, Death, is your victory? Where, Death, is your power to hurt?” Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)

This is the gospel (good news) and it just doesn't get any better than this!

January 9th - Amazing Grace, the good news to tell your friends.

Romans Chapter 5: 

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly... (verse 6)

Why did He do that? 

"God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us... (verse 8)

What is the result of Christ dying for us? What about God's wrath?

"...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!...(verses 10-11)

What about judgment for sin?

"...The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many sins and brought justification..."(verse 15)

How does the grace of God fit in?

"...God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!... Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous... (verses 16-19)

What about my future sins ?

"The law was brought in so that sin would increase.  But where sin increases, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord...(verses 20-21)

Grace reigns - Wow! Thank you God! And thank you Jesus!

Now tell your friends about this Amazing Grace!

January 8th - Justified Gratuitously

“Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:24)

"Are we privileged? Undoubtedly not!, for we previously charge both Jews and Greeks to be all under sin, according as it is written, that not one is just, not even one." (Romans 3:9-11)

Jesus died for sinners, and we are "justified in His blood”...

“...Christ died for our sakes…being now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from indignation...being reconciled, we shall be saved in His life.” (Romans 5:8-11)

The proof will come at our resurrection at which time death will be swallowed up in Victory.

"...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 15:54-55)

Believers in this age are not the ONLY sinners “justified in His blood”. We have "come to the knowledge of the truth" of our justification, salvation and reconciliation before others, but we came to this knowledge as a gift from God through "faith". The rest of humanity will come by "sight" in the following ages.

“This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wills that all humanity be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth"... "Being justified by faith, we may be having peace toward God…” (1 Timothy 2:3-4; Romans 5:1)

The phrase “justified by faith” refers to those who hear about salvation from death, and believe it will happen which gives them "peace" with God. For all others, belief will come after they have been resurrected to appear before the Great White Throne. There they will see Jesus and realize that they too have been “justified in His blood” and every knee will bow to him, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

"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 2:9-11)

Every "flesh and blood" body will return to dust.

"All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust." (Ecclesiastes 3:20)

"Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the Kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 15:50)

Believers in this age dieonce and are "vivified" (made immortal) at the second coming of Jesus when He raises them out of death. Everyone else dies a second time after being raised to appear before the Great White Throne and will be made alive ("vivified") when death is finally "abolished".

“For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: The Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ’s in His presence; thereafter the consummation…the last enemy is being abolished: death…that God may be All in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

In His great love and grace, God has predetermined the victory of every sinner over the consequence of sin, which is death.

"So now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears we may have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." (1 John 2:28)

"Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2)

January 7th - Love the truth, reject everything else

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)

To be honest, no one loves like this. All of us have broken the law which makes us sinners as the Bible tells us...we are all unrighteous when compared to God.

“…there is none righteous, no not one…all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10, 23)

But in the future humanity is to be changed...

“…I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

The change happens after being resurrected from death, and both the just and the unjust will be changed into the image of Jesus.

“...there shall be a resurrection which is impending of both the just and unjust." (Acts 24:15)

"...Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.…just as in Adam ALL die, so also in Christ shall ALL be made alive….Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 49)

Only then will we be perfect.

"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

So, our only hope is the grace of God saving us - a gift, not as a reward for good works.

"For by grace are ye saved... it is the gift of God. Not of works..." (Ephesians 2-8-10)

I don't know about you but I am counting on His GRACE!  I have learned to reject any religion that requires works to be saved...

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces...You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are...Woe to you, blind guides!...You blind fools!" (Matthew 23:13-23)

Jesus was asked by His disciple Thomas to show him the way to heaven...

"Jesus says to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, if not by Me." (John 14:6)

January 6th - The Great Commission is Not What You Think

A careful reading of the first part of Acts shows that the disciples of Jesus did not witness to anyone except fellow Jews. These Jewish disciples had been instructed NOT to go to the other nations. 

"These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: Do not go in the way of the nations..." (Matthew 10:5)

 “...I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel...” (Matthew 15:22)

Peter spoke to Israel as follows...

"When the day of Pentecost had come...Peter stood up...and addressed the crowd...Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem" ... "Men of Israel..." (Acts 2:1,14; 3:12). 

Peter told them that their leaders had rejected their Messiah and had Him crucified and told them what they must do for Him TO RETURN to fulfill all unfulfilled promises made to Israel...

“Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brethren, what shall we do?' Peter said to them, 'Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins...repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.'" (Acts 2:36-38; 3:18-21)

The other nations were at that time "excluded from the commonwealth of Israel" as Paul would later tell them...

"Therefore, remember that formerly you, the nations in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by the so-called Circumcision, which is performed in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:11-12) 

The inclusion of the other nations in God's plan of salvation was a secret, a "mystery" hidden until revealed to the Apostle Paul after the death, entombment, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Paul was then told the secret... 

"...you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you...which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men...to be specific, that THE NATIONS are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the good news of which I was made a minister...to me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the nations the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the MYSTERY which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things." (Ephesians 3:1-8).

It was the Apostle Paul, not the disciples of Jesus, who was chosen to take the good news of salvation to the other nations of the earth. And in Acts Chapter 13 Paul began doing so...

“For so the Lord has commanded us, I have placed you as a light for the nations, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth. When the nations heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord." (Acts 13:46-49)

Thereafter, Paul preached about the saving grace of God to both the people of Israel and all of the other nations, but finally gave up on the leaders of the Jewish nation...

“Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews...they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening...when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word...let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the nations; they will listen.” (Acts 28:17-28)

Only a few of the people of Israel believe Jesus is their Messiah today. But all the people of Israel are destined to believe when the "fulness of the nations" is complete.

"...a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the nations has come in; and so ALL Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “the deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11:25)

Are people from other nations required to become Jewish? Of course not! The grace of God is for all nations, not just  the people of Israel. The hope of ALL humanity is now in the return of Jesus.

"God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has given us this word of reconciliation...”  (2 Corinthians 5:19)

“...the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all humanity, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus." (Titus 2:11-13)

Those of us who believe the gospel rejoice in our salvation and tell our families and friends that God loves them, He is not mad at them, and that they have been saved and reconciled to God through the death of His Son Jesus, a Jew born in Bethlehem who grew up and saved the world. He did so by shedding His blood to atone for the sins of the world. When we share this simple truth to friends and family we fulfill our commission - and that is GREAT!

January 5th - What Manner of Spirit are You?

Thinking today about the "kind of spirit" I find in myself from time to time.

"...they went and they entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him (Jesus). But they did not receive Him...when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? But he turned and rebuked them, and said, You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." (Luke 9:54-56 NASB)

Nebuchadnezzar had this "kind of spirit" and so he built a furnace of fire for those who would not fall down and worship him...

“Then the herald loudly proclaimed, Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” (Daniel 3:4-6)

Paul warned the believers in Corinth that "another Jesus" was being proclaimed among them.

“For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed…” (2 Corinthians 11:4)

In my perspective, this other Jesus is often proclaimed today, a Jesus who will cast all unbelievers into hell to be eternally tormented. The "wrath" of God is death, not a blazing furnace.

“God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through him…For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:8-9; 6:22-23)

The real Jesus is the “Savior of the world”, not its condemner. When you meet Him you will declare with the Samaritans...

"We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:17)

So, if you think eternal conscious torment in hell is the right thing for God and Jesus to do to unbelieving sinners...you might consider "what manner of spirit you are of". 

The Scripture says that the fruit of the Spirit of God is...

"...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness..." (Galatians 5:22)

January 4th - Crushed and Reformed

"And now I am committing you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to edify and give the enjoyment of an inheritance among all who have been hallowed." "(Acts 20:32) 

Humanity is a work in progress.  Formed by God who knew they would be marred by sin, crushed, and then He would remold them into His image. God determined it was necessary to demonstrate His mercy.

"That which is molded will not protest to the molder, Why do you make me thus?...now if God, wanting to display His wrath and to make His powerful doings known, carries, with much patience, the vessels of wrath, adapted for destruction, it is that He should also be making known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy...us, whom He calls also, not only out of the Jews, but out of the nations also...For God locks up all together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all" (Romans 9:22-24; 11:32)

So relax, we all have been committed "to God and the word of His grace." He has chosen the  human race to reveal His mercy and grace. Nothing you do, or do not do, will change that. 

"...He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight, in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace, which graces us in the Beloved..being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will." (Ephesians 1:4-11)

God is in total control of our destiny. It is a good work and will be perfected.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

January 3rd - Is Jesus Returning Soon? Watch and Wait!

Is Jesus returning soon? Watch and wait.

“…be waiting for His Son out of the heavens, Whom He raised from among the dead, Jesus, our Rescuer out of the coming wrath.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10)

Believers have been waiting a long time, more than 2,000 years. It is not surprising that we wonder sometimes if He is really coming again. Before the Apostle Peter died, he warned that in the “last days” there would be some who would doubt that Jesus would return. 

“…knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will be coming with scoffing, going according to their own desires and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers were put in the grave, all is continuing as it has been from the beginning of creation…the Lord is not tardy as to the promise, as some are deeming tardiness, but is patient because of you, not intending any to perish, but all to make room for repentance." (2 Peter 3:3-4, 9)

Jesus Himself promised that He would return.

“In My Father's house are many abodes; yet if not, I would have told you, for I am going to make ready a place for you. And if I should be going and making ready a place for you, I will  come again and I will be taking you along to Myself, that where I am, you also may be.” (John 14:2-3)

“...and as they were looking intently into heaven at His going, lo! two men stand beside them in white attire, who say also, "Men! Galileans! Why do you stand, looking into heaven? This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come again in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven." (Acts 1:10-11)

And the Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus will return.

“…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 in Christ shall be rising first. Thereupon we, the living who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with them in clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, shall we always be together with the Lord. So that, console one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-18)

Two thousand years is a long time to wait but if the Bible is true there will be a generation that will see Jesus return - and I personally think it is my generation, for we baby boomers have seen the rebirth of the 

"fig tree", which I believe to be the State of Israel! Jesus said...

"Now from the fig tree learn a parable: Whenever its bough becomes tender, and the leaves sprout out, you know that summer is near. Thus you, also, whenever you may be perceiving all these things, know that He is near-at the doors. Verily, I am saying to you that by no means may THIS GENERATION be passing by until all these things should be occurring."  (Matthew 24:32-35)

But what about the Scripture that says, “concerning that day and hour no one is aware”?

“…and they shall see the Son of Humanity coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory…concerning that day and hour no one is aware, neither the messengers of the heavens, nor the Son; except the Father only." (Matthew 24:30, 36-37)

That was true two thousand years ago. At that time even Jesus did not know the day or the hour. But I suspect He knows now. And, the Bible says that there will be some who are not "in darkness, that the day may be overtaking you...".

“Now you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day may be overtaking you as a thief, for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness.  Consequently, then, we may not be drowsing, even as he rest, but we may be watching and be sober...” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6)

Those watching know the time for Him to return, for the evidence is all around us...

“And there shall be signs in the sun and the moon and constellations, and on the earth pressure of nations in perplexity, at the resounding of the sea and the shaking, at the chilling of men from fear and apprehensiveness of that which is coming on the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then they shall be seeing the Son of Humanity coming in a cloud with power and much glory. NOW AT THE BEGINNING of these occurrences, unbend and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." (Luke 21:25-28)

We baby boomers have seen the budding of the fig tree, and the beginning of "fear and apprehensiveness", so I am expecting His return to be "drawing near"!

January 2nd - Grow in Grace and Knowledge

"...grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18)

Paul prayed the following prayer for those who believed the gospel (good news)...

"Therefore we also, from the day on which we hear, do not cease praying for you and requesting that you may be filled full with the realization of HIS WILL, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding..." (Colossians 1:9)

He would later tell Timothy what His will is and what they should rely on. He says that God...

"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 a correspondent ransom for ALL..." (1 Timothy 2:3-6)

"...rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all humanity, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching." (1 Timothy 4:10-11)

I am a slow learner so it has taken many years to finally feel confident in my understanding of God's plan.  It is really good news for humanity, and all other created beings. The truth as I understand it is that God intends to save "all humanity" and reconcile all other creatures to Himself through Jesus, His only begotten Son.  

I read the Bible hoping each year to "grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 

January 1st - New Year's Resolutions

New Year Resolutions:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart...” (Proverbs 3:5)

"Do not worry about anything..."  (Philippians 4:6)

"Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things..." (Colossians 3:2)

"...do what is right, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

"...lead a quiet life, attend to your own business, and work with your hands." (1 Thessalonians 4:11)

"...learn to be content." (Philippians 4:11)

"...rejoice in the LORD..." (Psalm 97:1)

"...grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  (2 Peter 3:18)