GOD IS LOVE....LOVE REQUIRES?

     
       1 John 4:8  "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

      As you can read, from the above verse,, we humans can't love another, [ please remember lust is not love!] unless we know God!
  
      Most of us will dispute both these statements, but for those who do, I ask these questions:
1. If we are all so filled with love, how do Y O U account for the high crime rates, around the world?
2. Or the  high divorce rates, the high abortion rates,and well as our ever-present wars?

               LOVE.....TRUE LOVE REQUIRES FOUR BASIC PARAMETERS, TO SURVIVE.

1. LOVE REQUIRES FREEDOM
2. FREEDOM INVOLVES RISK
3. RISK ENTAILS RESPONSIBILITY
4. RESPONSIBILITY ENABLES GROWTH OF CHARACTER.

     Let's expand on each of the four pillars of true love, after we have explored the three levels of love written of in the New Testament.

                                 1 LOVE REQUIRES FREEDOM.

     John 21:15  "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (1) thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love (2) thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs."     John 21:15  "So when they had dined , Jesus saith to Simon Peter , Simon , son of Jonas , lovest thou me more than these ? He saith unto him , Yea , Lord ; thou knowest that I love thee . He saith unto him , Feed my lambs ."

Note: Lovest (1)  #25, as you can see, from the Greek of the original manuscripts language, Christ ask Peter if he Peter AGAPAO Him. But Peter answered with PHILEO  (2)  #5368 [in the Strong's Concordance] which is to be a friend whom one loves, but not as wide nor deep as Apagao love
 
    John 21:16  "He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
Note: Again both use the very same words again.
     John 21:17  "He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
Note. Both use the word Phileo for love in this verse. But this last verse, shows Y O U part of the why for all these posts, on my part.It is God's gift that I Phileo all God's children, as many are very difficult to love, agree?

    So, what about the FREEDOM part? That's the most easy part of all, because I ask Y O U can love, true love ever be forced? Can we beat one into submission and then demand they love us, or receive love at the point of a gun?  NO.... love must be willingly given, to have any meaning, agreed? Which is why Your Father-God, uses only Love and Truth, to draw Y O U to Himself. Satan on the other hand will use every thing else, but love and truth, including murder! But look at God's gifts.....

     1 Thessalonians 3:12  "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:"                                                                                                1 Thessalonians 4:9  "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another."                                                                                                             1 Timothy 1:5,14.  "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:  14. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."
NOTE.  Are you beginning to understand the opening verse 1 John 4:8, a little better?

 


                     2. FREEDOM INVOLVES RISK.

    Freedom, is a must, BUT it involves God's greatest risk! Due to the fact, that in order that we each have freedom, God has given us a free-will, and a brain, to think to reason and to judge, and finally to make our choices As all MUST know, not all of God's children, choose ......
A. to believe that He even exists!
B. or those that chose to believe His existence, yet refuse to love and obey His laws
C. plus those who fit in neither, A or B yet deny the Power of Him, obeying the laws of men instead
D. to fully accept Him, in surrender of self will, obeying because of love, this Christ's Spirit is within.
Note:  Most of us have heard about the Garden of Eden, the forbidden fruit, and the fall of righteousness of mankind, right? But how many know that God has fore-seen all this and had a rescue plan in place for mankind's salvation?
      Revelation 13:8  "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."                                                                    Genesis 3:15  "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
Note:. This is the first promise of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, "her seed" is Christ and the "thy" is Satan, and those he recruits to kill Christ. the "bruise" head, in the Hebrew is crushed, but the 2nd bruise on the heel, is the nail punctures of His heels at the Cross.                                                                                                       Remember, that it was God that created His holy Angels, also with a the freedom of a free-will, and one  went south..  Revelation 12:7-9  "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. "                                                                                                                                  Satan, or Sa`-Tan [means the possessor]   deceive how many? The whole world   Cases in point ?
1.    Genesis 3:2-4  "And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: "

Note:  This was the first recorded lie in the Bible, "Ye shall not surely die," and it perpetuated the pagan belief of that at death some thing survives death of the body and that part lives forever, die and go to heaven ideology!   {if this is truth, why then did Christ need to die for our sins? Plus why does He need to come back for us, even Adam and Eve?}

2.    Another risk,one that keeps growing, at present there are on earth now some 34,000 + "Christian Denomination"! But how is it possible that all have all the truth, from ONE Word, One God and One Savior? Especially in view if this simple fact, the whole Bible is it's own expositor,   meaning that it proves itself within itself, and is the only book to do so!  That's what this means....                                                              John 10:35  "If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; "
     WHY?                                                                                                                                                         2 Timothy 3:16  "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: "                                                                                                   Yet this was only the risk that meant the loss of God's children but what about the loss to Jesus?
       John 1:14  "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."                                                                                   One of Christ's accomplishments other than to suffer and die and shed His blood as payment for humanity's sins, was to show us the Character of God the Father! Another is to set an example for us, on how to live while in these "clay vessels," that He also took on unto Himself. But you may say so what? Well..
      1 Corinthians 15:50-51  "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit in-corruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, "                                                                                                                                   Jesus Christ, became a flesh man, who upon His resurrection gained a "Glorified Body", thus no longer in Spirit form, could only be in one place at one time, forever! That's the why of the story of John 14 and the Holy Spirit as the Comforter.  V.16.

                      RISK ENTAILS RESPONSIBILITY.                                                   

     John 14:15  "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Note: Here's a classic example of disobedience on our part: "The [no not any day but THE day] Sabbath day...                                                                                                                                                                  Luke 4:16  "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read."  This was Jesus Christ' custom. Why is this of importance?                                                                                                                                         John 1:1-3,14.  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  14.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."                                                             Therefore it was Jesus Christ who created all things and all life forms, as per the Word of God, right? So as Jesus was the Creator and ...                                                                                                                        Genesis 3:1-3  "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die."
     Plus it was HIS finger that wrote HIS LAWS, on the two stone tablets, and ....;

     Exodus 20:8-11  "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."
NOTE:  Do Y O U honestly think or believe that Jesus Christ knew NOT the correct day upon which to worship the Father-God? Is it not the same day that the Jews have worshiped for 1,000 's of years, from Friday sunset to Saturday's sunset! Yet it was man, who gradually became to accept the Pagan day for worshiping the SUN god, on the day named in his honor Sun-day!,While Islam, desiring to be different,worship on Friday, yet they honer Jesus Christ, Moses and Abraham, go figure!

               RESPONSIBILITY ENABLES GROWTH OF CHARACTER.

     Will, or can you at least admit that without the first three qualities, we humans would be vastly different people, growing up?  How long would we be sucking on a baby-bottle and eating Pablum?
     What is our character? Or rather what should it become like? Can we change our character b y ourselves?
      Proverbs 22:1  "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold."                                                                                                                                                 John 10:2-4  "But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice."
  Can we know the Character of God?                                                                                                            YES! Just learn and apply this Royal Law in Exodus 20:1-17, and that's His character defined. So in turn we each should be willing to allow the Holy Spirit, to remake our character ti match that of our Savior Christ Jesus.                                                                                                                                                               Titus 2:14  "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."                                                                                                            
Note: Who does the "Purifying? Jesus via the Holy Spirit.    WHY?                                                              So that His own shall be able to stand at His return, and thus be eligible for entry into heaven! As not all shall be..... 
       Ephesians 4:17-20  "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ;"                                                                                                                                                   Matthew 10:19-22  "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."
Note: Why is our character so important?                                                                                                        It is that by which we are known.....
    Revelation 22:11  "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still"
Note: At that point in time, Probation [we are all under it now] will close, and Judgment of the living shall commence. The dead have been judged since 1844, and very soon it will be the turn of the living! So what's the importance?                                                                                                                                               Revelation 22:12  "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."                                                                                                                       Revelation 22:7  "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."                                                                                                                                                             Revelation 3:11  "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."
Note: We can't receive a just reward before we are judged agree? At the same time we are to hold fat, in faith and trust in Jesus, and HIS WORD, [that we should know] thereby we shall be armed against the lies and deceptions of Satan and men and their "Traditions" which make void the Law of God!  [Sunday worship]
    Philippians 1:6 " Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"                                                                                                            1 John 4:6  "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

Want to learn more? Visit your Seventh day Adventist Church any Saturday/Sabbath @ 9:15 AM. You'll be glad that you did!

Thank Y O U for your time
Questions?..................Comments?
www.servant@frontier.com

john B.
Other sites: www.blbn.org     www,amazingfacts.org    www.amazingdiscoveies.org.
wwwservantsite@wordpress.com

    

IS SOMEBODY PRAYING?

 
     I KNOW of no one, who deep into their soul, does not want someone to pray for them! Even to those who look at prayers as hedge, or a "Can't Hurt" thing!
   
    God does bring the gently restful rains of HIS Sabbaths to His children every Friday at Sunset.....
    Hebrews 4:16  "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

    Let us all, meet there, in honest prayer, all who are in need of Mercy, and of Grace, as well as Compassion, and the strength just to go on another day, because all have been buffeted by the Deceiver, Satan, plus as all have sinned all are in need of Mercy and forgiveness!
    I'll not ever understand, why so many of us, insist on carrying all our troubles and woes, when in prayer all we need to do is to ask Christ to shoulder our burdens, so that each can walk fully upright, without all that weight on our backs!
     
     Matthew 11:30  "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

     How many of us know that the word Mercy in the King James Bible is used 341 times? Plus the word is used 128 times in the Old Book, and 158 times in the New! The term "Be not Afraid" is used 42 times and 12 times, that's 340 times total, that we are told not to fear, IF. . .if we but have Faith-TRUST in Christ!
      Have YOU not ever wished that you could have somebody in your corner, that loved you, trusted you and supported you, in all things good?  Well HE's never father away than a honest prayer, for help or guidance or support in righteousness! No He'll not help you nor give the plans on "How to rob a bank" But He will guide you into doing what's right and good! That is usually not what the worldly thinks of as good, or right, but then again the worldly are so deep within self, that many can't see their neighbors, let alone getting to know them!

    Is there one in your life, that Satan has gained full control over, in habits that are harmful to health and or a huge financial drain for their families, or those who they have not cast aside?
    Pray for them, my friend, as prayers that are intercessory in nature, without guile on our part, is giving God permission to touch their hearts via the Holy Spirit. Yes Satan will shout, "God, that one is mine leave him or her alone!"  Then God will answer, "No, HE or SHE, is mine, because so and so prayed and lifted up their name, so that one is MINE, if. . .if they want Me!"
 
     I have not heard, of a habit,  nor a life-style, no matter the type, nor its duration, that if a person's, true desire was to get rid of it, that Christ was not able to remove the need, physical or mental, from anyone, that truly wanted the freedom from it!

    Why can this be said, with such surety? One needs only to look at the Cross, upon which HE willingly died for the all sins for all time for all humanity! As HE willingly gave His life, who could think that He'll not do ALL HE's able, to get you right with the Father? He in fact lives to reach you, and will not ever stop, until JUST BEFORE He returns, in the effort to have you with Him forever?

     But, you say, I think I am a good person, and I don't need Jesus in my life? Well sorry, but just as there is no neutral nature, neither can we be neutral, and sit on the fence, as life's "Fence" will cut us in half figuratively. If this is you Satan has already got you!
     Therefore, you are in a greater need of Jesus than you realize, because my friend, Satan never takes a day off, and never gives up, then again look at history's despots, Satan used them for his own ends, and then cast aside when they ceased to be of use to him! Satan's testing is never shut off. Thankfully neither does Jesus quit, unless you say do not bother me,anymore.

    Luke 22:21  "But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table."                                   Satan used Judas' greed to ensnare him, and what happened to him? He was so despondent...depressed, that he hung himself, but the branch broke, and he feel from the cliff to it's base and his belly split open! Look at Herod, the King of Judah, He ordered the murder of all boy children under 2 years of age, in Satan's quest to kill Jesus, but he died alone and eaten by worms! Look at all the 20th Century's monsters, not one died, old, and of of old age, right?

     Luke 22:31-34  "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."
   Please note that even Jesus, prayed for Simon Peter, even while He knew that Peter would deny Him three times before the roster's crows!Plus the words: "when thou art converted"!   Meaning  ??? [they still lacked understanding, agree?]

     Luke 22:59-62  "And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly."                                                                                                    John 14:24-27  "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

  Here is MY prayer to you my friend!

    John 17:15-26  "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them."

   In your prayers for others, give YOUR Father their name, and pray for specifics, for a drug habit to be gone, or what ever, and ask HIM to convict their Hearts/Minds!

Thank YOU for your time/
Questions?  Comments?
www,servant@frontier.com

Want to learn more?  Visit your Seventh day Adventist Church, any Saturday/Sabbath @ 9:15 Am.  You just may be very glad that that you did.

Other site: www.servantsite@wordpress.com    wwwblbn.org.  www.amazingfacts.org

A COMMON PROBLEM - CONTROL EVENTS-PEOPLE OUR WAY.

      PLEASE BEAR WITH ME, as most of us, self included, will try to control others, and or events, that fit within OUR understanding, and or our accepted doctrines, and try to convince, cajole, or even "sell", others to our ways of understanding!   After all that's how we today have about 33,000 different Denominations, under the very loosely fitting title "Christian." , but ALL came from ONE WORD, ONE SAVIOR,ONE GOD, RIGHT?
             
                                         FIVE PASSAGES THAT SHOW THIS.

     Joshua 9:3-6  "And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us"
NOTE: These people used lies and deception to control events agree?

       2 Samuel 13:1-8  "And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.  But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.  And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand. So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes."
Note: Lies and deception to gain his selfish desires, to control people to his wants, right?

      Daniel 3:1-26  "Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.  Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire."
Note: here the threat of death by fire was used to extract worship, yes?

    Matthew 20:8-12  "So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house,  Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day"
Note: Did not all agree to work for a penny a day? Yet some, who toiled all day, used fairness to try to control the outcome to their favor,.  Last one!

     Luke 14:18-20  "And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come"
Note: each had a selfish excuse to control event.

    All passages above, are shown that people will use, or attempt to use control another to get what they wanted  There's not one example that Jesus used this method to guide others to His ways, because LOVE and TRUTH will not fit within these examples, agree?

     1 Peter 2:20-24  "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
       Isaiah 53:3-9  "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth."

    Note: Would you agree, that one's need to control others or events, really stems from a self-centered need, yet keeps those trapped within this need?  What does the Holy Word of God, tell us of this all "Too Human" problem?

     Proverbs 21:2  "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts"
Note: Most people, if asked, "Are YOU a good person?" will agree that they are  but notice....
      .Proverbs 14:12  "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

Note: I know there's many "NEW TESTAMENT Christians"  out there, but that's only the roof of the "House of the Word of God, the Old Testament is the foundation and walls, so how can Y O U build this way?????
        Ephesians 1:18  "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"
Note: It is only by our surrender to Christ, that Grace become available to us, but know that God read our hearts and minds, even our very thoughts, how can we know this?.........

       Matthew 5:28  "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart"

       Jeremiah 10:23  "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."
Note: Self, is not good, and we can't make self better, as this takes for us all a new way of thinking. Yes, we can on the surface, put a a new face, but the old ways are just below the surface right? Our steps/actions sooner or later will reveal the true self, unless we agree to allow outside force to to re-new us!
      .Jeremiah 15:5  "For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?"
Note: Who other that God and Christ, cares enough about you to to see "How you are doing"? Remember Jesus took your place and mine, for the wage of sin is death...Romans 6:23.

    Jeremiah 17:9-10  "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings".
Note: The Human Frontal lobe, is where we judge things, evaluate things for right or wrong, it's where our conscience resided, and none can close this to God's searching!
     Proverbs 23:6  "Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: "       Proverbs 23:7  "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."
Note: An evil person, does not have your best interests in mind, would you concur?  Because. "As a person thinks so they are and do"
     Matthew 12:33-35  "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."

Note: Does all this not point you, dear reader, to the simple fact that we all need Jesus' power,  and guidance?
    John 15:5  "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
Note: nothing that is worthy!   Without Jesus in our life we can't do......
     Matthew 7:12-13  "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"
Note: Two verses, two paths, the first with Christ leads to salvation and eternity, while Vs.13's path is on your own and leads also to eternal not life but death, as life can NOT exist with the very presence of God's life force Spirit!  This is why there'll be no sinners in Heaven, as Christ's Spirit within His own people, will HE, then,  be able to keep us from sinning!

     Matthew 11:27-30  "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."   [emphasis are mine j.b.]

                                   WHY OF OUR DIFFERENCES IN DOCTRINES?

     Romans 14:5  "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."

       Romans 14:7-9  "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living."
Note: Because Jesus died for all sins for all time, HE has the right to Judge us, to hold each of us to account, and all shall be judged according to the Royal Law, the Ten Commandments!  Therefore, what each of us believes, will not change the facts of accountability nor of Judgement, because no human can change God's Law, yet many think they can on #'s 2 and 4 of His Law! In point of fact the vast majority of Christians ignore the 4th Law's SPECIFIC DAY, THE SEVENTH DAY! SO HOW DOES THIS SET WITH THIS......?
    Revelation 14:12  "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."     Genesis 2:1-3  "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."
      Exodus 20:8-11  "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."
Note: Please tell this simple man, "What can man do , to "MAKE"  anything holy, including a Common day"?
We must learn to be more like Jesus, by keeping our minds upon Jesus, and study His word as the whole Book is about Jesus! [John 1:1-3,14].

                         FAITH---TRUST---- ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN!

     2 Corinthians 4:8-16  "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.  We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."
Note: If. . .if you are with Jesus, then who can stand against you?  Only YOU! That's why He gave us a free-will, because love can NOT be forced, He loves YOU and wants your love in return! It's really that simple!

                       Our Efforts to CONTROL must be Controlled, right ?

     We must allow the Holy Spirit to have full access to our hearts/minds and ask daily for the infusion of the Holy Spirit to work within us, to develop a Christ like character, within us/ Not as Judas Iscariot......
         John 12:4-6  "Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein."
Note Thief? WHO, after three years of daily togetherness with Jesus?
      Matthew 26:6-10  "Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me"
Note: still not yet named but......
    .Matthew 26:14-16  "Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him."

Note: Judas was money hungry, and that's not healthy.....
      Colossians 3:1-5  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, [desires, lusts]and covetousness, which is idolatry:"

QUESTION:  ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT BEING READY FOR CHRIST'S SOON RETURN?
     Colossians 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Note: Then set your mind and heart, NOT on earthly stuff, or treasure, but on things Heavenly! Please know that it IS the mind you must work with, not feelings, but well thought-out doctrines within the Bible's covers! WHY?
     Jeremiah 17:9  "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
This verse asks a question "Who can know it, who can know our thoughts?  God knows!

     The above verse  we must also allow it to tell us to prayerfully ask the Father for help in our ways of thinking, and get rid of our earthly,"Stinken Thinken" syndrome!
       Philippians 2:2-3  "Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."    Philippians 2:5  "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: "

Note: One that Great Day of the LORD, when He returns to gather His own, those who have rejected Him, will by Him be rejected, thus perish on the spot! Those with Christ's Spirit within shall stand!  So self examine self against the Word of God, for IT is our ONLY guide, to learn it, study it, know it, and be not deceived by man nor men!
     2 Corinthians 13:5  "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"
     2 Corinthians 7:10-11  "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter."
Note: I know of no better place, to learn a better way of thinking than one's study with a good king James Study Bible, that has the "Chain of Evidence"  in it's margins. This takes a word, a thought, a precept from all other locations, making your understanding  Biblical and correct! The Bible is it's own expositor, it proves self within self!

    Romans 8:13-14  "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
Please read Romans 8: 3-30.

                   ALL WHO ARE WILLING TO CONDEMN OTHERS:

     Christ died for all sinners, thus earned the right to judge, but unless  y o u are willing to die for another best not judge that person, right!    
    Yes many a "Christian" is quick to point out "Thou shalt not Judge" but they forgot the rest, "Until you yourself is without sin!"

As Jesus Christ committed His self unto us, unto death, how much commitment on our part does He desire?
    Job 23:10-12  "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.  My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food."

Note: We can NOT to this on our own power and will, but when we ask we receive all the power and will to over-come our hang-ups, our secret sins, and YES our OLD WAYS OF THINKING shall be replaced with thinking as HE thinks!

Thanking you for your time.   What or Need more?  Visit your Seventh day Adventist Church, any Saturday?Sabbath @ 9:15 AM. You just may be very glad, that you did!

Questions?  Comments?

John at-- www.servant@frontier.com
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