Judging Our Sin Nature

Judging Our Sin Nature

Sin! Such a hated and misunderstood word. Words have power whether for good or bad so when a word is misunderstood or it’s meaning changed it can cause a lot of grief. We mostly use the word sin to refer to actions that offend GOD and man. It has since the 20^th century become a word of hate and attack against those we are judging; even though we are told not to judge others but only ourself. (Matthew 7:1-6; John 7:21-24; Romans 14:9-13) We will be judged for all of our actions, words, and thoughts; but only the action of rejecting GOD’s Gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ will be condemned to eternal punishment. We will wind up in hell no matter how good and righteous we live if we reject Jesus Christ! (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:11-15)

Sin is foremost personal, the law reveals that we are all sinners and therefore subject to GOD’s righteous judgment. But we are shown that GOD had a plan from the beginning to redeem us to Himself. (Romans 3:19-23, 5:12-21; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 1:29; Ephesians 1:3-14; Hebrews)

In 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 Paul clarifies the issue of sin in the church verses sin in the world. If we were to not have anything to do with sinners then we would have no reason to be on the earth. Jesus told us to be light and salt to the world. He commissioned His Church to go into all the world and preach the gospel, lay hands on the sick and see them recover, cast out demons, raise the dead, tread on serpents, make disciples of the nations and make His enemies His footstool. So we have to be involved with and in the world but not of the world. (John 17:6-26) Paul was teaching that we should not have fellowship with those who say they are believers yet live as sinners. This is the closest we can get to judging others!

Only GOD has the right and responsibility to judge us, even our judgment of ourself is only valid if we use His standard of judgment. The acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ is the only true basis of judgment. Everything else is our works and they will be judged by GOD (the sinner) or Christ (the believer). (John 5:19-30; Revelation 20:11-15; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Acts 10:42; 1 Peter 4:1-5)

 The Bible says we are born with a sin nature, this is the nature of rebellion that we get from Adam who rebelled against GOD’s only commandment to not do something; eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So from the moment of conception we are destined to rebel against GOD and therefore receive His just judgment. But since He made us and knowing that He knew that Adam would commit the first sin He made a plan with Christ and the Holy Spirit that Christ would be born as a human and live a sinless life, then give His life as the eternal sacrifice to take away our sin nature; and that the Holy Spirit would then live in each one of us that receive GOD’s gift of salvation to teach us, to lead us, to comfort us, to gift us, and to use us to glorify Jesus Christ in and through our life. They made this plan before the foundation of the earth was laid. (John 1:10-13, 3:16-21; 1 Corinthians 6:17-20; Ephesians 2:19-22)

So if we are a sinner, one who does not believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of GOD, then we will be judged by GOD and self condemned to the eternal lake of fire.

But when we believe and confess Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior then we will receive His eternal reward. (Romans 6:22-23, 10:8-10; John 14:1-3)

The Bride

Who are the friends of the Bridegroom? Who are the guests invited to the wedding and feast of the Bridegroom? Who is the Bride of the Bridegroom?

John the Baptist referred to himself as a friend of the Bridegroom, John 3:22-36, verses 27 through 29 being the key verses, “John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, “I am not the Christ,” but, “I have been sent before Him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.’”

I have always heard and believed the parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) was about believers; like the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46). But they are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb, they are not the bride. In Matthew 22:1-14, the parable of the wedding feast, the guests were not the bride. So who are the guests? Those who lived and died before the Cross; they awaited Christ and He preached to them in hell and led them forth into His Kingdom. But, they were not and can never be part of the Body of Christ who is the Bride of the Lamb. They are those invited and who prepared and waited for the arrival of the Bridegroom and for the wedding and feast. All of humanity was invited but not all cared or wanted to attend, only those who believed and waited will attend, the rest will be cast in to utter darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.

So who is the Bride, most believers have no problem understanding that the Church of Jesus Christ is the Bride of the Lamb. The Bride is all believers since the Cross and resurrection of Christ. There is only one Body of Christ, it is also the Bride of the Lamb, it is also the Church. We are not invited to the wedding as guests we are Christ’s focal point of the wedding, the reason for the wedding. All of humanity since the Cross and resurrection have been called to be part of the Body of Christ, the Bride of the Lamb; but many have rejected that call and will killed in the second death along with those who rejected the invitation to the wedding of the Bridegroom and His Bride (Revelation 20:5-6, 11-15; 21:8).

So in Revelation 21 when it says that the Bride of the Lamb is the New Jerusalem and goes into great detail to describe it; why does it not look like us; the Church, the Body of Christ? I do not know, while I can have the mind that was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5-8) I cannot have the mind of GOD nor His knowledge of all things while I am still in this flesh. But, I know that someday I will be like Him and know Him (1 John 3:1-3).

Unity and The Church

Why is unity so hard for the Church?

The antichrist has no problem of unity!

There are only three sets of scriptures that believers in Christ need to understand to end our division!

Psalm 133, “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down to the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing – Life forevermore.” NKJV

John 15:9-17, “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.” NKJV

John 17:13-26, “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” NKJV

The LORD revealed to David what true unity was. He who spent many years living separated from his family and in a divided kingdom; as the youngest son and keeper of the sheep, as the anointed but not crowned King, as King whose family and friends disobeyed or rebelled against him; he understood the heart of unity and what it meant.

Jesus who separated Himself from His Father by becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:14-21) and taking our punishment on the cross; tells us that if we love Him we will obey His commandments which are to love one another as The Father loves Him and He loves the Father and They love us, so we should love one another!  Study 1 John 2:3-11; 4:7-21.

Why is that so hard for most believers, if we understand that we are the body of Christ on the earth (1 Corinthians 12:12-31), that we are His Church (Ephesians 5:22-33), that we are the Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:6-9), why do we allow so many stupid things to divide us and keep us in sin. Because it is sin to hate our brother while saying we love GOD.

I am not saying that we must give up our denominations or designations or all be and look the same. That is not what Paul is saying when he describes us like a human body. We all look different enough from each other and so does each expression of the Body of Christ wherever it is. But all of our bodies are meant to have the same parts and appendages, all of our bodies are meant to function the same, just as the Church is. And all of the Church is to function as one Body locally, regionally, nationally, and worldwide. There is only one Church, one Body and Christ is the Head! Study Ephesians 4:1-16; Colossians 2:18-23.

What?

What?                                   2-7-2017

Last night I was watching the main stream media news and they were again deriding President Trump’s ban on travel from 7 nations to the US and how unfair it was and how bad it was for our economy, yada, yada, yada. They also said how many of the US’ businesses, especially our tech businesses were being negatively affected because so many of their employees are foreign nationals working here in the US. They mentioned that some of their work forces are up to 70% non US born and educated employees.

WHAT? 70% of their US based business employees are not US citizens! This is a poor reflection on two big issues of discussion in our country today and is a major reason so many voters including union members turned away from the career politicians. JOBS AND EDUCATION!

JOBS: Two personal points on business and employment, I have always believed in the right of any company to make a profit, but not at the expense of it employees or the quality of its’ product or service. I have worked for some kind of compensation since I was 12 years old. I have worked mostly in labor positions; I have worked in a couple of different types of retail businesses, food preparation and service, general labor, in a warehouse, and in administrative positions in two different types of manufacturing industries. I was in the US Navy from 1970 to 1974 and the US Navy Reserve from 1986 to 1990. In almost every job I’ve had as an adult I’ve worked with people who were not US citizens or served customers who were not US citizens and I’ve never disliked any of them, I hope they can all say the same about me.

Every person in the world wants to earn the highest salary with the best benefits they can to support the lifestyle they want to live, even me. But, they also want to pay the lowest price possible for the products and services that make their lifestyle possible, even me. This is an impossible situation; the cost of employment directly affects the cost of the product or service. We all have to learn to get less and pay more so that more Americans will be employed at a livable standard. This means that companies and shareholders must also be willing to have a lower profit margin so they can produce a high quality product at an affordable consumer price that yields a reasonable profit.

We all understand that companies purchase foreign made products and send production of products out of the country because of lower labor costs, fewer regulations, fees and lower taxation. Creating lower labor costs is the responsibility of the laborers, the unions, and the employers. Working together a reasonable wage and benefit package can be put together that will benefit both the workers and the employers. This will result in an affordable product or service and generate a reasonable profit for owners and shareholders. The keys words are reasonable and affordable!

Regulations, fees, and taxation are the responsibility of governments; federal, state, county, city, and municipal. Currently every level of our government is costing US jobs by over regulation, unreasonable fees and taxation so that they will have more money for their budget. This does not benefit business or labor, or the economy, because it causes fewer and smaller businesses with fewer wage earning employees who have less money to spend and therefore there are lower sales and business tax revenues for the government. This also results in more families needing government assistance (of which I and my family have needed to partake). This cycle is non-productive and destructive to both the family and the local government. Everybody (individuals and governments) is borrowing but unable to repay, this is one of the reasons that we have such large debts as families and governments.

Safety and quality have to remain a high priority of employers, employees, and governments. But, when regulations and their fees hinder the reasonable profit that all three groups want and need then they need to be changed. We do not need to give up safety or concern for our environment to achieve these results, but no one issue should create unreasonable costs that keep us in our current situation.

EDUCATION: (The preamble section is long so that those who do not know me will have a better understanding of the experiences that formed my views.) I am a product of public education! I did not go to kindergarten because it was a pay per rather than a requirement when I grew up in Texas during the 50s and 60s. For the most part I did not like school. In the first grade I averaged straight Ss, in the third grade I was held back because I was “inattentive”, in the sixth grade I averaged straight As, in the eighth grade I almost failed because I had skipped so many days, in the eleventh grade I was repeating tenth grade English and Biology and I was failing most of my classes including PE. So in April of 1970 I was eighteen and I dropped out of school and joined the Navy. When I was going through the process of withdrawing from school one of the coaches asked me why, the only teacher that did, I told him, “I was tired of the stupid rules.” (In Texas we still had dress and grooming codes). He must have laughed about that for years. About five months later while I was in transit at Great Lakes Naval Base I went and took the High School GED battery of tests, I did not study or prep for them in any manner. In June of 1971, one month after my graduating class had crossed the stage and received their diplomas my Texas High School Equivalency Diploma was issued while my ship was off the coast of North Vietnam, (at that time Texas did not issue GEDs). After I got out of the Navy and moved to California, I have taken random classes at two of the local community (Jr.) colleges.  My wife’s experiences were also not happy, she went to public school from kindergarten on here in southern California, in the ninth grade she had a bad experience, in a Performing Arts class a teacher who had a favored student gave my wife’s grade to her favored student and everyone in the class knew it, all the teacher said to my wife was that she did not deserve the grade even though she had done the work and the other student had not participated in the project at all. In music my wife had a good voice and could sing well but she could not read music. When the teacher gave her an assignment that required her to be able to read music my wife was embarrassed and quit. Neither the teacher nor a counselor reached out to her or asked her why. My wife was dyslexic and considered slow or stupid rather than being worked with. Our son attended public school here in Southern California until his Jr. (11^th) year when we put him in a private Christian school. He then attended a local community college where he was certified in a medical program for a field he just retired from this year. He continued his education through the years and always enjoyed learning. Our daughter went to public school in Florida where she lived with her father, we don’t know anything about her experiences other than she did not like school. Our oldest grandson went to a private Christian school from pre-school through the third grade. He went to public school both here and in the Tahoe area for grades four through eleven. He did not like school and did poorly during those years. As a senior he is enrolled in a charter home school program where he attends class for two hours two days a week. He does most of his school work on the computer at home, (If they had something like that when I was in school I would have been a straight A student like my grandson now is). Our younger grandson has gone to public school both in the Philippines and for the last several years here in southern California, he was not doing well here. He is now in the eighth grade in a public charter school in Texas where he is doing well in school and likes going to school.

So what are my views on public education? For the most part it is failing miserably! The classrooms are too large, the teachers are underpaid and overworked; therefore many children are falling through the cracks because they are not parent or self motivated, or they learn differently than others, or have some learning disability. There is also the problem of under qualified and uncaring teachers, this is certainly more visible with the number of teaches of both sexes being arrested for serious charges like selling drugs to students, sexual relations with students and helping students cheat on exams. The schools spend more time teaching children how to have “safe sex” or when that fails how to get an abortion, rather than teaching them life skills such as preparing for life after school, getting a job, financial skills like paying bills on time and saving for the future. There are things that go beyond academics that should be taught to students. Our colleges and universities spend more time teaching students about social revolution rather than the academics they need to be the 70% of the tech companies’ workforce.

I do not blame foreigners for wanting to come to America because of the opportunities available. I blame our public education system that spends more money on administration and infrastructure rather than lowering costs to students. On teachers unions that protect all teachers and tenure rather than making sure their members are the most qualified and motivated available. I blame school districts that still require students to attend poor performing schools because they live close by rather than allowing students to attend better schools within the district or in neighboring districts, thereby causing the poorer schools to improve.

That is why I and so many others are in favor of charter schools and school vouchers. Parents want real choices when it comes to the education of their children since most families cannot afford private schools. This is the only alternative to continuing poor performance by our children in the modern technological world in which the US competes. Colleges and universities must return to teaching academics and not social change if we want our hi-tech jobs to be filled with American workers.

It’s not choice verses public, it’s the two working together to give our children the best education available and our nation the best possible economic future.

Ruth 2:20

“Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!’ And Naomi said to her, ‘This man is a close relation of ours, one of our close relatives (our redeemers, Heb. goalenu).” Ruth 2:20 NKJV In the KJV the note is “Or, one that hath right to redeem.”

I do not know the Hebrew pronunciation for goalenu but in English I would pronounce it goal-en-u. Our goal as believers is to get our Redeemer in you – goal en u.

This is an amazing verse that I have read many times and did not think anything about until this morning. In the first line Naomi is blessing both GOD and Boaz; GOD because He has not forsaken her or her Moabitess daughter-in-law, even though her husband and she had not trusted GOD during the drought and gone to a foreign land. Then they let their sons marry foreign women, which was against GOD’s commandment. Boaz because he was giving them great kindness under no obligation since there was a nearer kinsman than himself. The fact that Ruth was a Moabite widow did not stop his kindness. We know very little about Obed and Jesse, Boaz’s and Ruth’s son and grandson, but David their great grandson exhibited some of Boaz’s greatest attributes, kindness and loyalty in service to GOD.

Their lives took place during the time of the Judges and several times the Moabites ruled over the Israelites, so they were not necessarily friendly with each other plus the Law and custom forbid inter marriage. Even though Ruth was a Moabitess widow she was obviously young enough and attractive enough to catch Boaz’s attention, but Boaz’s answer to Ruth’s question of why he was being so kind to her in 2:11-12 show his reason and his heart was in service to GOD. “And Boaz answered and said to her, ‘It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and left the land of your birth, and come to a people whom you did not know before. The LORD repay your work and a full reward be given you by the LORD GOD of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.’”

For the line “…who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” both the KJV & the NKJV reference Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Which references Ruth 1:16, “…for wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your GOD, my GOD.” and Proverbs 18:24, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 17:17 has always been an enigma to me, I’ve never felt that either part of that statement was fully true. There are many brothers who are close and support each other no matter what and there are friends that will not always help in a time of conflict or trouble. As a New Testament believer I understand that my brother in Christ should be closer and should be more caring and dependable then my natural brother if he is not a believer, this is not always the case.  Proverbs 18:24 is much easier to understand, if you want to have true friends you must be a true friend and there is a true friend (Jesus) who sticks closer that a brother, both natural and spiritual. “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.” John 15:12-17 Wow, Jesus says a lot in this statement, first is, He tells us what a friend is, one who does what you say, while expanding our understanding of being His friend, one who obeys His commandment to love one another as He has loved us. This is still an unfulfilled commandment, while there are many Christians who truly love other Christians and unbelievers as GOD does that is not true for most of the Church (enough said for this teaching). Second He tells us that He no longer considers us to be servants but friends. The children of Israel were servants of GOD’s Kingdom and Law, very few were called GOD’s friend, only Abraham and GOD said David was a man after His Own heart, both were flawed but through obedience and repentance they faithfully served GOD. But, after Christ gave His life as a ransom for all humanity; born again believers are now sons of GOD. That means we are Jesus’ brothers and sisters – joint heirs of GOD’s Kingdom, and as Jesus tells us we are His friends. We are both close relatives and friends, the best of both the natural and spiritual Kingdom of GOD (there is only one Kingdom of GOD that encompasses all of creation). Then He tells us that He chose us and appointed us to bear fruit so whatever we asked of the Father in His name, GOD would do. That’s because as Jesus’ friend we would not ask anything of the Father that would offend Jesus or His Father. That means that He has chosen and appointed every human being, but only those who receive Him as savior and LORD will know His will and desire to fulfill it (enough said for this teaching).

For the line, “…and a full reward be given you by the LORD GOD of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” It is cross referenced to Psalm 91:4, “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.” When we take refuge under His wings we receive His truth and this defeats fear and brings peace to our lives no matter our circumstances or situation (read verses 5 & 6).

The concepts revealed in these verses are the very concepts Jesus taught the disciples and therefore us; love your enemies, pray for those who spitefully use you, seek His Kingdom first and all your needs will be met, support the poor, orphans, and widows.

Creation Cries Out To GOD

All creation cries out to GOD and shows His Glory.

Genesis 1:1-2, “In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of GOD was hovering over the face of the waters.”

John 1:1-5, 9-11, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was GOD. He was in the beginning with GOD. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 

Psalm 24:1-2, “The earth is the LORD’s and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters.”

Psalm 90: 1-2, “LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting You are GOD.”

Proverbs 8:12-31

Revelation 4:11, “You are worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

Psalm 139:13-17, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”

Romans 1:18-23, “For the wrath of GOD is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and  unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of GOD is manifest in them, for GOD has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew GOD, they did not glorify Him as GOD, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible GOD into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”

Isaiah 40:21-22, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.”

Psalm 19:1-6, “The heavens declare the glory of GOD; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their voice has gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.”

Isaiah 66:1-2, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool. Where is the house that you will build for Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,’ Says the LORD. ‘But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.’”

Job 12:7-10 “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?”

Job 36-41

Psalm 139:7-12, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall fall on me,’ even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.”

Psalm 147:4-5, “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our LORD, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.”

Psalm 148

Matthew 3:9, “…and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that GOD is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.”

Luke 19:39-40, “And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, ‘Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.’”

Romans 8:19-22, “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of GOD. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of GOD. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”

Matthew 28:17-20, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

Revelation 15:3-4, “They sing the song of Moses, the servant of GOD, and the song of the Lamb, saying: ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, LORD GOD Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O LORD, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested.’”

Revelation 21:1, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”

Revelation 22:1-2, “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the thrown of GOD and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month.  The leaves of the were for the healing of the nations.”

One thing is clear from this limited selection of scriptures: GOD created everything that exists and He created it with purpose! And everything cries out to GOD in praise and worship both animate and inanimate! Is there praise and worship of GOD in your spirit, soul, and body?

“Father GOD, through Your Holy Spirit, teach me to live my life in praise and worship of my Redeemer and LORD Jesus Christ. I want to live my life for You and Your Kingdom in humility and obedience.  In Jesus’ name. Amen!”

The Holy Spirit and the GOD Head

What Did Jesus Say About The Holy Spirit?

Select verses from John 14 NKJV

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” 

“I tell you the truth, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,  He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.” 

Jesus is introduced to the world as The Son of GOD and then introduces GOD to us as our Heavenly Father; then says He is leaving to prepare a place for us where we will be with Him for eternity, but He will send us The Helper, The Spirit of Truth who will abide with us forever. Therefore not leaving us orphans, The Holy Spirit is the person of the GOD Head that never leaves us or forsakes us. He is the seal of our salvation, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of GOD, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30), and He dwells in us, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from GOD, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify GOD in your body and in your spirit, which are GOD’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Remember there is only one GOD, He is The Father, The Son, The Spirit! When we use the words “and the” it seems to give most believers the unspoken belief that The Spirit is separate from The Father and The Son. This is poor theological understanding, from the beginning GOD has revealed Himself as plural but not separate. The name of GOD revealed in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim which is a plural form, then in 1:26 Elohim says, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; …”. Not images or likenesses!

It is critical in our understanding of and our relationship to GOD to know that in this natural life with our natural mind we will never fully understand nor be able to fully describe Jehovah Elohim Yeshua. The Word of GOD is the foundation of faith upon which we understand the fullness of the GOD Head. When we believe the Word of GOD we are able to show others the awesomeness of the True and Living GOD who is their Heavenly Father and Eternal Savior.