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Friday 021425

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Together, you and I, let’s open the Word and study what we’ve ALL been freely given. Use me to help you open up your Bible and search what God wants for us to hear. We’re only going to follow what we find written in the Word that pertains to us and hopefully from what we find, we will be able to use it in our lives, not only for ourselves but hopefully for those that we love also.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Acts 9:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:8; Matthew 9:29, 15:28, 17:20; Mark 9:23, 10:52; Luke 8:48; Ephesians 6:10-18; Matthew 15:24-28.

In my attempt to spread the Word, to the people in the 21^st century, I am posting a new lesson every morning.

I am posting my lessons on eleven (11) different sites.

On Facebook, I am:

Whosoever Inhim

Whosoever inhim Bible Study

Or, in a search engine, simply type:

lrabbe.wordpress.com

whosoeverinhim.weebly.com

lrabbe2024.wixsite.com/my-site-2

lrabbe2024.wixsite.com/whosoeverinhim

whosoeverinhim.blogspot.com

www.tumblr.com/whosoeversblog

whosoeverinhim.cw.center

inhim.webador.com

free-4140862.webador.com

I feel the first hurdle that so many must get over today is found in Acts 9.

Acts 9:15 ‘…But the Lord said to him, go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

The AKJV uses the words ‘chosen vessel.’

How can so many priests, pastors, denominations and teachers defend themselves from this one simple verse?

How can there be Christians today that just simply overlook this ONE (1) verse.

Are all these people claiming they are better than Jesus? Are they saying they are all wiser than Jesus was?

I think there are a lot of people that need to re-evaluate where they placed their loyalty and who they trust the most.

Jesus is the one commenting that He is choosing Paul. It’s written by Luke, the author of Acts and then there are the writings from 2 Timothy.

2 Timothy 3

vs16 ‘…All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness…’

vs17 ‘…so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Paul wrote the book of 2 Timothy, but he is talking about the entire works found in the Bible. Paul is telling us ALL Scripture has been Inspired by God.

Maybe the second (2^nd) thing found in Acts 9, vs15 is the fact that Jesus chose Paul to teach the sons of Israel … does this mean Jesus has given up on the original apostles?

Acts 9:15 ‘…But the Lord said to him, go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

The original disciples never received the promises that are found in GRACE. The original apostles never received the description of the ‘MYSTERY.’

I’m unsure after Acts 9:15, there is really any need to go on, but we’re going to continue anyways.

Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

This has got to be our number one defense that we can tell anyone.

For by God’s GRACE, we have been SAVED from death because of our FAITH, all because this is a GIFT that has been given to us by God, Himself.

Why is this verse not known be every man, woman, and child today.

Churches today teach our kids to recite from memory John 3:16 … it is unfortunate that they don’t show the same energy to have our children learn a verse that will truly save them from the agonies of torment, the endless years of an Everlasting promise of Destruction.

In the NASB version, there are 26 words used in John 3:16 and there are only 21 words used in Ephesians 2:8.

Five (5) words extra and still, the real Gospel is still missing from John … Jesus’ Death, Burial and Resurrection.

I’ve had people recite the things the Bible tells us we are supposed to do to be saved …

… and my answer has always been, ‘I guess, my Bible doesn’t say the same thing.’

To go back to Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible), I don’t see where I’m told I need to do anything extra other than to have FAITH.

Matthew 9:29 ‘…Then He touched their eyes, saying, it shall be done for you according to your FAITH…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Matthew 15:28 ‘…Then Jesus said to her, O woman, your FAITH is great; it shall be done for you as you desire. And her daughter was healed at once…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Matthew 17:20 ‘…And He said to them, Because of your meager FAITH; for truly I say to you, if you have FAITH the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Mark 9:23 ‘…But Jesus said to him, If You can? All things are possible for the one who believes (FAITH)…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Mark 10:52 ‘…And Jesus said to him, go; your FAITH has made you well. And immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Luke 8:48 ‘…And He said to her, Daughter, your FAITH has made you well; go in peace…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Where is it that Jesus tells us we MUST do something extra besides believing?

Matthew, Mark and Luke were gospels written before Jesus’ crucifixion but even then, Jesus never told us we needed to do something extra.

Our priests, pastors, denominations and most non-believers tell us there is extra stuff we need to do but the thing is that none of those people can truly promise and give us LIFE.

Jesus on the other hand … He is our promise for Everlasting Life.

I really thought today was going to be a difficult lesson to convey what I am trying to say and to be honest, basically it was that ONE (1) verse in Ephesians 2 that paved the way.

Now, Satan is going to flip because we are elated that Jesus has made it so easy for us, that Satan is going to do his best to destroy our good mood and this is where the Armor that God gave us comes in play.

God knew Satan was going to try and defeat us. Us, being nothing but a mere human being, Satan could easily defeat us. But with the Armor God has given us, we are undefeatable.

Ephesians 6

The Armor of God

vs10 ‘…Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might…’

vs11 ‘…Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil…’

vs12 ‘…For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places…’

vs13 ‘…Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm…’

vs14 ‘…Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness…’

vs15 ‘…and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace…’

vs16 ‘…in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one…’

vs17 ‘…And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…’

vs18 ‘…With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Of all the pieces of ARMOR that God has given to equip us from Satan, there is just one (1) Piece that can be used offensively.

And that is the Word of God, our Bibles. Not only will we be able to recite verses, keeping Satan (our attacker) at bay, we will KNOW the real verses which really matter to God so we will know if we’re being lied to in the future.

The Word of God has been given to us for our protection. We are the only generation that has the Word so available to us.

Bible software can easily be downloaded onto our smartphones, onto our tablets and our laptop computers.

This is a very big advantage for us today,

vs18 ‘…With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints…’

Prayer in our lives is very important for us. A simple recognition to God allows the Holy Spirit to fill our minds with all of God’s security and love.

Prayer is like a telephone line directly linked to God for our own personal use whenever we need to speak with Him.

The thing is we don’t need wi-fi or any man-made service to reach God, all we have to do is call on His name and He is there in front of us waiting to help.

Jesus came to this earth for many reasons.

First and foremost, Jesus came to this earth to fulfill the promises made to the forefathers back in the OT, near the beginning of the Bible.

Second, Jesus came to teach us about the importance in FAITH.

Third, Jesus was given as a sacrifice for every human being on the planet earth. It was the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ that is our promise of life.

One of my favorite passages found in the Bible is found in Matthew 15.

Matthew 15

vs24 ‘…But He answered and said, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel…’

vs25 ‘…But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, Lord, help me…’

vs26 ‘…Yet He answered and said, it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs…’

vs27 ‘…And she said, Yes, Lord; but please help, for even the dogs feed on the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table…’

vs28 ‘…Then Jesus said to her, O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you desire. And her daughter was healed at once…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

In vs24, Jesus tells us He was sent ONLY for the House of Israel, that was the Jew’s. But in vs28, Jesus acknowledges that because of the Gentile woman’s FAITH in Him, her wish has been granted.

This is our hope and desire, as well, in the future.

I love every one of you.

Keep your Bibles open and continue reading of His powerful message to and for us.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Thursday 021325

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

You and I together, let’s open and study the Word that we have ALL been given. Use me to help you study the Bible and allow me to be used to help you search what God wants for us to hear.

Let’s only follow what we find that pertains to us and realize that it’s only from our own effort in studying His Word that is going to let us take anything away that we can use in our lives by ourselves and with those that we love.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 2:14-16; Ephesians 6:17, :13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

Again this morning, we’re going to tackle another difficult subject.

Everyone has an opinion today.

This is right and that’s wrong. It’s all you hear all day.

Whatever is said today, may very well be changed tomorrow BUT, you’re going to hear what has to be said today.

There is one thing we can guarantee will not change, ever, and that is the Word of God.

Man’s churches change their bylaws every day. New devotionals are passed out. Weekly church bulletins are given out as you walk inside. There are people that believe one thing one day and the next day, it’s totally something different.

Maybe they’re afraid someone might catch on to what has been changed. Maybe they think there are those that will read ahead and find a flaw. Who knows why there are so many changes?

With God, it’s been the same book for generations. Centuries after centuries have all had the same words.

Matthew 24:35

‘…Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

A more elegant version:

‘…Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away…’ NIV (New International Version)

Just in our previous study, there had to have been a thousand different opinions on whether or not FAITH and BELIEVE meant the same thing.

Church sermons are available online that a pastor can find the words he wants to say. Whatever it is that he’s trying to emphasize at any given moment.

But what’s funny, God’s Word will remain the same. It never changes.

This has to be the reason why a person should open up their own Bibles and read them for themselves. What does the Word tell you. It is all up to what YOU believe in the future, why trust what someone else tells you what the Word is saying. READ IT FOR YOURSELF!!!

2 Timothy 2

vs14 ‘…Keep reminding God’s people of these things. While God is watching, warn them not to argue about words. That doesn’t have any value. It only destroys those who listen…’

vs15 ‘…Do your best to please God. Be a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. Teach the message of truth correctly…’

vs16 ‘…Stay away from godless chatter. Those who take part in it will become more and more ungodly…’ NIRV (New International Reader’s Version)

What better way to teach than to have people READ it for themselves. Be there to help and to assist with any question but allow a person to have the first move themselves.

The plain truth is that there is no evidence, found in Scripture, that says we have been ‘commanded’ by God to read His Word every day.

If we were to impose such commands on people, as if that command was self-evident, we would risk making the Christian faith seem like a personal choice by us for you to obey.

We want you to choose for yourself to read the Word so you will prepare yourself for this world that we live in when you’re alone.

Let’s say, there are ten (10) of us in a group and we’re reading the Word together one evening. There is the (1) person, verbally reading the words, there are four other Bibles being shared by couples (8) and there is one (1) person in the group, sitting back and listening to what is being read aloud.

The next day, the group splits up to all run different errands. Nine (9) of the ten (10) followed the Word, letter by letter, the previous night, but there was one (1) that only listened to the words with their ears. That person didn’t see the words in front of them that had been written.

Which one might fail?

God gave us the Word to protect us. In fact, it is part of the Armor that God supplied us with.

Ephesians 6:17 ‘…And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

The SWORD.

Do you know, out of ALL the items in the Armor, the SWORD is the ONLY OFFENSIVE and DEFENSIVE piece of equipment that we have been given.

1-belt of truth

2-breastplate of righteousness

3-sandals of the gospel of peace

4-shield of faith

5-helmet of salvation

6-sword of the Spirit (the Holy Bible, the WORD)

7-prayer

You may ask, what is the value in us having any armor?

Ephesians 6:13 ‘…Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm…’ NLT (New Living Translation)

God knows the problems that we’re going to face in this life we are living.

He knows the struggles we’re going to face.

God gave us this armor to protect ourselves from this evil.

We’ve been given the Word, so we’ll be able to know when we’re being lied to.

When we’re at man’s church and they begin spewing about how we’re to be tithing every week, we’ll know those words aren’t written in the word.

When we’re told stories in man’s church about how we need to ‘DO’ something extra to be saved, we’ll know we’re being lied to by the pastor or whoever is speaking.

The more we know about what’s inside our Bibles, the more we’ll be prepared for the evil that we can guarantee is going to be circling around us. Hunting us down like hawks.

The more we know what has been written in the Word, the easier it is going to be for us to walk freely among the evil that is lying all around just waiting for the unprotected.

Over the years I have suggested several times how such a resource our search engines found online can be to us, but with that being said, also remember that evil is out there lurking right around the corner.

Don’t ask a question on your search engine and then take the first response as if its gospel. We have been blessed with a little bit of common sense, use yours a little. Read a few responses. Evaluate what you’ve just read and then compare your reading to what’s in the Word and then you will be able to feel confident that you have made the proper choice.

Always remember that Satan is out there wanting us to fail. If he could get us to spread false words or improper logic, he, in a way, could set back and declare that he won that battle. But don’t let him think he’s one over on you. If you’re going to speak, study what you are about to let others know how you’re thinking. Search different materials and make a wise conclusion that you won’t fear after you’ve voiced it to others that it might be wrong.

Check everything out before you open your mouth.

That last piece of armor is prayer. Say a short prayer to God and ask that His guidance would protect those about to hear your message.

People, God is not stupid. God didn’t make any mistakes when He created us. He created us all male and female. He created us with the purpose that He wanted, not what we want to tell others to believe.

We don’t know how much longer we will be here on this planet before that ‘trump’ is sounded and this earth, as we know it, it is going to be gone.

At the sound of the ‘trump,’ those believers that have died will rise first and then those that are alive and remain, they will all rise up into the clouds and meet Jesus where we will all follow Jesus and remain with Him, FOREVER. This is the promise found in the Rapture.

1 Thessalonians 4

vs13 ‘…Our Christian friends, we want you to understand properly about your friends who have died. Then you will not continue to be sad about them. People who do not hope for any life after death are sad when their friends die. But you should not be upset like those other people…’

vs14 ‘…We believe that Jesus died, and he rose again after death. So, we also believe that people who have died as Christians will rise again. When God brings Jesus back, he will take the Christians to go with Jesus…’

vs15 ‘…We are telling you the message that the Lord has given to us. This is what will happen when the Lord returns. Those of us who are still alive will not go to meet the Lord first. We will not go before those people who have already died…’

vs16 ‘…On that day, the Lord himself will come down from heaven. He will shout with authority. People will hear the voice of the leader of God’s angels. They will hear the sound of God’s trumpet. Then those people who have died as Christians will become alive again. They will be the first people to rise up…’

vs17 ‘…After that, those of us who are still alive will join together with them. God will suddenly take us up into the clouds. In that way, we will all meet the Lord in the sky. So, we will all be with the Lord forever…’

vs18 ‘…Because this message is true, tell it to each other. Help one another to be strong, not sad…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

How many times have scoffers read the previous words and dismissed them.

The Pharisees and the Sadducees, both leaders of the Jewish nation, they knew the writing forward and backward. They read the Word throughout every day of their lives. They forgot to pray and ask God to open their ears so they could hear the words that had been written.

We can see the same problem today, there are those that claim the only version of the
Bible that can be used in the English language is the AV1611 … where is it that these words of wisdom are written anywhere?

These people that make these ridiculous claims, they too have forgot to ask for their ears to be opened so they could ‘HEAR’ the words God has spoken through His Word.

Keep your Bibles open and continue to study His Word. Say your prayers and ask that your ears be opened so you can hear the words He has given to us.

I love ALL of y’all.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Wednesday 021225

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Jesus, guide us tonight, as we search Your Word for answers that might help us with the questions that confront us each and every day.

Our lives are filled with so many unanswered questions that this world is unable to help us solve and answer them correctly.

It is only going to be with Your help and assistance, that will lead us in the direction You want us to go.

Give us the knowledge so we’ll recognize what You have put before our eyes, so we’ll be able to see what You are showing us.

We love You Jesus.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Romans 12:9; 1 Corinthians 13:4; John 13:34; Matthew 7:1-5; 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

We are going to continue down this maze that is in front of us. Just as we were concluding our last lesson, we began to touch on the following subject:

Is it wrong for us to say nothing if we are confronted by an act that we know is unaccepted by God.

This leaves the pages wide open for us.

Just think how many things you see in your average normal day that would fall into the category of being UNACCEPTED BY GOD.

We are told that we are to LOVE one another.

Romans 12:9 ‘…Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

1 Corinthians 13:4 ‘…Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

John 13:34 ‘…A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

We’re told we are not to judge one another for what they are doing.

Matthew 7

vs1 ‘…Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you…’

vs2 ‘…If you judge others, you will be judged the same way you judge them. God will treat you the same way you treat others…’

vs3 ‘…Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood that is in your own…’

vs4 ‘…Why do you say to your friend, let me take that piece of dust out of your eye? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye…’

vs5 ‘…You are a hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to get the dust out of your friend’s eye…’ ERV (Easy-to-Read Version)

This has to be fitting, just for this situation. We have a loved one, a son or daughter, a brother or sister, a cousin, niece or nephew, it shouldn’t matter, a loved one, and we know they are doing something that God has not approved of, NOT something we disagree with, our church disagrees with or anything human.

God disagrees with.

Should we just sit back and keep quiet?

Should we change the word in the Bible so it will fit with what’s going on in front of us?

Should we turn our heads so we blindly cannot, see?

Should we confront the situation head on without worrying whether or not we damage our relationship?

NO to all of the above.

We should go to God in prayer and allow Him the Glory to solve the problem.

We’ve noticed the problem, but we also know we are unable to solve the problem … but our belief in God is enough to KNOW that He can handle the problem.

He is powerful enough to handle any problem that we ask Him to handle for us.

Is homosexuality wrong?

From last week we know that God has allowed this practice to continue because those individuals don’t show any respect to Him.

From this week we know we are to love one another.

We have been warned that we are not to judge someone if we think they are doing wrong.

We should go to God in prayer and ask that He would try and assist our loved one.

We should walk as close to the Word as we can. We shouldn’t flaunt the way we are or what we have attained because it can easily be taken away.

We should walk with the intention that someone might see us and consider our life, and our ways may be the correct choice for them.

We should allow God the ability to change someone’s heart.

Back in the early 70’s and 80’s there were protests at every abortion clinic throughout America.

Where in the Bible are we taught we should present ourselves like that?

Prayer is our only answer to solve such problems.

Do you know how many prayers are mentioned in the Bible (and how many were answered)?

1. There are 650 prayers listed in the Bible.

2. There are approximately 450 recorded answers to prayer in the Bible.

3. The first-time prayer is mentioned in the Bible is Genesis 4:26.

4. The Bible records Jesus praying 25 different times during his earthly ministry.

5. In the Bible, Paul mentions prayer 41 times.

6. Although prayer can be done from any bodily position, the Bible lists five specific postures: Sitting, standing, kneeling, with one’s face to the ground, and with hands lifted up.

7. In Jesus model for how his disciples should pray, he provides five areas of focus: That God’s name be honored – the focus on his everlasting glory; that God’s kingdom come – the focus on his eternal will; that God’s provision is given – the focus on our present; that God’s forgiveness is granted – the focus on our past; that God’s deliverance will be provided – the focus on our future.

8. The Bible lists at least nine main types of prayer: prayer of faith, prayer of agreement, prayer of request, prayer of thanksgiving, prayer of worship, prayer of consecration, prayer of intercession,  prayer of imprecation, and praying in the Spirit.

9. The word ‘Amen’ (which means ‘let it be,’ ‘so be it,’ ‘verily,’ ‘truly’) makes its first appearance in the Bible in Numbers 5:22. In that passage God commands it to be said by a person who is yielding to his examination.

When we pray for a loved one that is involved in homosexuality, we are seeking ‘intercessory prayer’ or ‘prayer of intersession.’

1 Timothy 2

vs1 ‘…So then, this is what I want to ask you first. Please pray for all people. Ask God to supply what they need. Ask God to help them. Thank God for what he does for everyone…’

vs2 ‘…Pray in that way for kings and for all rulers and people who have authority. Pray for God to help them, so that we may live our lives without trouble or danger. Then we can live in a good way that respects God and other people…’

vs3 ‘…It is good that we should pray like that. It makes God, our Saviour, happy…’

vs4 ‘…He wants to save all people. He wants everyone to know his message about what is true…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

Prayer is the easiest way for us to possibly conquer a problem that is too difficult for us alone to handle.

It’s not going to solve anything if we confront the problem head on. We will end up making enemies and if they’re family, family is family, we cannot just turn our backs on them.

A few weeks back I wrote a lesson on Christian music we can hear today on the radio.

My favorite song of all songs has to be ‘Talking to Jesus’ by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music.

Brandon Lake was blessed with the ability to sing a song about ‘Talking to Jesus.’ (PRAYING)

I remember I’d be at work, had my earbuds in and had the song on a constant play and over and over again all day, I listened to ‘Talking to Jesus.’

It is this communication that we have with God that keeps us in a relationship with Him constantly.

He is within us, and we too are also in Him. We are one.

I used to teach I’d keep Jesus on my shoulder so that if anything evil confronted me, He was right there ready to step in and defend me and then I heard that song ‘Talking to Jesus’ and it was so easy to keep Him always in front and in center as I listened to that song.

That’s what God is there for. We are one day going to praise and worship Him continuously and today, He is there to protect us from the evil that Satan thinks he can overtake us with but with Jesus there in front of everything, Satan knows better than to mess with my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I love all of you. Understand, there are going to be things that are going to happen in this world that we will be unable to answer.

But it is when we have Jesus with us, we are armed and ready for anything.

Keep your Bibles open and near enough so you can reach them at any time without much struggle. Download Bible apps onto your smartphones, on your tablets and computers. Keep Jesus with you at all times.

There are going to be questions that are going to arise, ALL the time but always remember, Jesus is there for you.

Depend on His strength to keep you safe all the time.

Keep your nose and your focus in the Word and allow God to take care of what is going on around you.

There is never an answer that cannot be answered when using your Bibles.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Tuesday 021125

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

You and I together, let’s open and study the Word that we have ALL been given. Use me to help you study the Bible and allow me to be used to help you search what God wants for us to hear.

Let’s only follow what we find that pertains to us and realize that it’s only from our own effort in studying His Word that is going to let us take anything away that we can use in our lives by ourselves and with those that we love.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Leviticus 18:22-24, 20:13; Romans 1:18-32.

So, beginning tonight, our lessons are probably going to get more and more difficult than they’ve ever been for us. As we study God’s Word, we need to keep our prayers always in Him, asking that He’d be with us as we move forward.

I believe it would be foolish for me to keep it all ‘sugar and spice and everything nice’ kind of an atmosphere when honestly, we’ve not been told it’s going to remain that way in our Bibles.

Life and times have been hard in the past and we can just about be assured, it’s going to stay that way in the near future.

The other night, my wife and I were heading out for an evening ride over to see our grandkids and our neighbor came by to see us as we were leaving.

For ninety (90) minutes, the three of us stood out in our driveway and we were having a Bible study, a neighborhood church service. The three of us were head deep in the Word.

My neighbor has a daughter who is a lesbian and my wife has two nieces who also claim to be lesbians. Our neighbor asked, ‘what should we do if we don’t agree with what they’re doing?’

Honest question. Today we are bombarded in the front, on the side and behind us with this and other relevant situations that happen every day in the 21^st century.

Let’s dig into what the Bible teaches us, and we’ll leave it at that.

The 1^st use found in the Bible on the subject of homosexuality is found in Leviticus.

Leviticus 18

vs22 ‘…Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination…’

vs23 ‘…Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion…’

vs24 ‘…Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

A second time it is used is also in Leviticus.

Leviticus 20:13 ‘…If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

1^st things first. Leviticus is the 3^rd book found in the Bible. The 1^st five books found in the Bible, are known as being the ‘LAW.’ Being a ‘Gentile,’ the law has nothing to do with my future promise, given to me by God Himself.

2^nd thing, personally as a person, I am unable to justify a man having sex with a man, or a woman having sex with another woman.

I cannot defend any human being, male, female or other, having sex with an animal. To me, all three are not even options that should ever happen.

But with all of the above being said, what are we told in the Word that we can take from this and learn and then move forward.

From our last study, I’m talking about what does the Bible say concerning us in the Age of Grace.

From that previous study, Acts 9:3 through Philemon, and Revelation 3:14-22 have been written for us in this Age of Grace.

Romans 1

vs18 ‘…God in heaven shows that he is angry with people. He is angry because they do not respect him, and they do bad things. Because they continue to do those bad things, they choose not to accept God’s true message…’

vs19 ‘…They should understand what God is like, because God himself has shown it to them clearly…’

vs20 ‘…Ever since God made the world; he has been showing people clearly about himself. We cannot see God. But the things that he has made show us clearly what he is like. We can understand his great power that continues for ever. We can know that he is the true God. So, there is no reason for anyone to say, ‘We could not know about God…’

vs21 ‘…Those people really knew about God. But they did not respect him as a great God, and they did not thank him. They did not even think clearly anymore. Their minds became confused, and they did not understand God’s message…’

vs22 ‘…They said that they were wise, but really they became fools…’

vs23 ‘…They refused to worship the great God who can never die. Instead, they made false gods for themselves. They worshipped idols that were like people who must die. They also made idols that looked like birds, animals and snakes, and they worshipped them…’

vs24 ‘…So God let those people do all the bad things that they wanted to do. God let those disgusting things rule their lives. As a result, they did bad things with each other’s bodies. They did things that people should be ashamed to do…’

vs25 ‘…They refused to believe the true things about God. Instead, they chose to believe lies. They worshipped things that God has made, and they became servants of those things. But they refused to worship God himself who made those things! Everyone should praise him forever! Amen. This is true…’

vs26 ‘…Because those people turned against God, he let those bad things rule their lives. They strongly wanted to do things that they should be ashamed about. Even the women stopped having sex in a way which is proper. Instead, they began to have sex with other women, which is not proper…’

vs27 ‘…Also, the men stopped having sex with women. Instead, they strongly wanted to have sex with other men. Men did bad things with other men that they should be ashamed about. Because they did such wrong things, they received in their own bodies the punishment that was right…’

vs28 ‘…Those people decided that they did not need to know anything about God. So, God let their minds become spoiled. As a result, they do bad things that people ought not to do…’

vs29 ‘…They only think about wrong and bad things that they want to do. They want many things for themselves. They want to hurt other people. They are always jealous of other people. They kill people. They quarrel and fight with people. They are not honest or kind. They say silly things about other people…’

vs30 ‘…They tell lies about people. They hate God. They insult other people. They are proud and they say how important they are. They think of many ways to do bad things. They do not obey their parents…’

vs31 ‘…They do not understand what is right. They do not do what they have promised to do. They do not love anyone, and they are not kind to anyone…’

vs32 ‘…These people understand God’s message about what is right. They know that people who do bad things like this ought to die. But they still continue to do those bad things. They are even happy when other people do those bad things too…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

We are being told by the apostle Paul that God has allowed this to happen because those same people themselves, they do not show any respect towards God.

Vs21, they have no ‘respect’ towards God.

Vs23, they refuse to worship Him.

Vs24, so God let’s them continue in their devious ways.

Vs25, MOSTLY, they refuse to BELIEVE.

We might need to use a little common sense here, because God is allowing them to continue committing these deeds against themselves, we So in essence, MUST believe that these deeds are wrong in the eyes of God.

Here is where it gets difficult on our part, if it’s wrong in Gods eyes, how can we as believers in God, say that it’s alright for our kids and our kin to get involved in these deeds?

Unfortunately for these people practicing and continuing in these evil ways, the final outcome doesn’t have a very promising outcome for them.

What are they hurting by continuing to have homosexual and lesbian relationships some may ask, how are they hurting themselves or anyone else, and the simple and only answer that can be given is there is and has never been any promise of Everlasting Life by going down this path to destruction that they are on.

Man-made churches today, are accepting these homosexuals and lesbians in their doors and accepting their bad habits, because they think they’ll get money from them. They think they’ll be able to make up the difference from those they’ve lost because of their past lies.

But ALL the parties are looking at futures that will be coming to an end. These man-made churches, homosexuals and lesbians have no future to look forward to anything other than torment.

And even worse, family members that accept these evil practices are also looking to torment.

These homosexuals and lesbians have no future. Everlasting torment cannot be a promise that someone looks forward to.

Do I sit back at night and glow with anticipation on that day when all this torment will happen, actually I don’t because there are so many that deserve more than what they are going to receive.

Unfortunately, their future depends on themselves making a change and a change in their hearts. But I don’t see anything even close to that happening.

This subject will need to continue because of the number of those souls facing this crisis.

We will dig in deeper beginning in the next lesson.

I love y’all. Jesus is there for us even if we think we’re being left alone with no one watching out for us.

Keep your Bibles open and keep yourself in the Word. Prayer is important to us, especially in these difficult areas that surround our lives.

Jesus, we pray for ALL those tonight that are not standing the way You want for them to stand before You. Help us God and give us the knowledge so we can assist this world with what needs to be voiced for us all to see what is happening in front of us.

Allow us ALL to be used Father so we might be able to save, even if it’s ONLY one.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Monday 021025

Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by GRACE you have been SAVED through FAITH; and this is not of yourselves, it is a GIFT of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Jesus, allow me to be a voice and hopefully I can reach out and help spread Your Word this morning.

Allow Your Word to open up for us this morning Jesus, and allow our eyes and ears to welcome Your presence and fill our minds with Your love and Your kindness.

We truly love You Jesus. Amen.

The verses we will use this morning in our study is:

Acts 4:12; Leviticus 25:1-5; Daniel 9:24-27; Luke 4:16-21; Isaiah 61:1-2; Acts 9:15.

Maybe we all need to take a moment a stop where we are right now and take our eyes off what we have acquired in this human life we are living and realize that God, in His Sovereignty, can at any time bring this world as we know it, to an END.

This, directly, straightforward and head on, will make every person take a stand for what they believe in right now.

There are two (2) choices and maybe a third response, but that third response is nothing more than an answer to one of the two original choices.

You either BELIEVE in God …

… or You do not believe in God.

Now there are going to be some that will have an excuse for not answering, like, your too busy to answer, which in essence is stating that you do not believe in God.

This is about all there is, it’s an either you DO BELIEVE in God, or you do not.

Today in the 21^st century, the simple response that you do believe in God, will then find an entire conglomeration of people coming up with excuses when they file their claim.

First off, many people will each have a special category to include with their exclamation in BELIEVING in God.

These categories can range from particular denominations, or particular churches, or particular priests or pastors, or  certain denominational set of bi-laws, and there are many others I’m not even going to try and mention until finally the last category even offered is going to be the Holy Bible (the Word of God).

If a person’s ‘category’ is anything other than the Holy Bible (the Word of God), in essence this person is stating they do not believe entirely on God, they instead value their category as being higher or more valuable than a one-on-one relationship with God Himself.

In this lesson, I am only going to focus on this last category, our Holy Bible (the Word of God).

To me, all of these ‘categories’ are useless. None of the other categories are going to save you when the End comes.

The ONLY One that is going to save anyone of us, and it is God Himself, there’s nothing even slightly hinted to about there being a special category, like a Get-Out-Of-Jail card or anything like that.

Acts 4:12

‘…Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved…’ AKJV

‘…And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved…’ NASB

‘…Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved…’ NIV

I am only going to show these three (3) versions for this one (1) verse, if you need to look at other versions, please feel free to do so, allow yourself to search any other version you might feel more comfortable with, they will ALL basically state the same thing,

IT IS ONLY GOD THAT OFFERS US SALVATION.

So, continuing to build onto this category of the Word of God for that individual that BELIEVES in Him, along with my previous statement of SALVATION, much of the Bible can be set aside since Salvation isn’t mentioned or even thought of on many of these pages.

What do I mean you might be asking:

Well nowhere in the entire OT is the word or even the thought of Salvation even mentioned and besides the only one being talked to in the OT from Genesis 12 onward are the Jewish people.

The four (4) synoptic gospels, nowhere mentions that Salvation is an available possibility to anyone walking on the earth, back in the days when their books were written.

Skipping ahead to the book of Revelation, this book is telling about a promised punishment that God declared onto His Chosen people, way back in the book of Daniel for their disobeying of God’s command to allow the land to rest, every seventh (7th) year.

Leviticus 25

vs1 ‘…The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai and commanded him…’

vs2 ‘…to give the following regulations to the people of Israel. When you enter the land that the Lord is giving you, you shall honor the Lord by not cultivating the land every seventh year…’

vs3 ‘…You shall plant your fields, prune your vineyards, and gather your crops for six years…’

vs4 ‘…But the seventh year is to be a year of complete rest for the land, a year dedicated to the Lord. Do not plant your fields or prune your vineyards…’

vs5 ‘…Do not even harvest the grain that grows by itself without being planted, and do not gather the grapes from your unpruned vines; it is a year of complete rest for the land…’ GNT

Read Leviticus chapter 26 to see how upset God was because the land was not given this rest He had commanded.

In the book of Daniel we find where the punishment is given in detail to the prophet Daniel that is to be cast onto the Jewish people.

Daniel 9

vs24 ‘…Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] have been decreed for your people and for your holy city (Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make atonement (reconciliation) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness (right-standing with God), to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place…’

vs25 ‘…So you are to know and understand that from the issuance of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until [the coming of] the Messiah (the Anointed One), the Prince, there will be seven weeks [of years] and sixty-two weeks [of years]; it will be built again, with [a city] plaza and moat, even in times of trouble…’

vs26 ‘…Then after the sixty-two weeks [of years] the Anointed One will be cut off [and denied His Messianic kingdom] and have nothing [and no one to defend Him], and the people of the [other] prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined…’

vs27 ‘…And he will enter into a binding and irrevocable covenant with the many for one week (seven years), but in the middle of the week he will stop the sacrifice and grain offering [for the remaining three and one-half years]; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until the complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who causes the horror…’ AMP (the Amplified Bible)

Many men will ask, how can God do such a thing?

And the problem with ALL mankind, we seem to have memory problems, God is SOVERIGN.

God can do whatever He wants to do, whenever He wants to do it and as many times as He wants to have it done.

GOD IS SOVERIGN

We are nothing but creations created by Him and for His own pleasure.

God gave us the GIFT of Salvation if we obey HIS rules.

His wants and His desires.

GOD IS GOD. HE IS A SOVERIGN GOD.

To go one (1) step more, after the Jews had their promised Messiah killed, God, nowhere in any Scripture foretold of the 2000 years of Jesus’ church.

The Bible doesn’t know it, the Jews didn’t know about it, Jesus’ remaining apostles, that hunkered down in Jerusalem didn’t know about it, no one knew anything about it EXCEPT GOD, HIMSELF.

This is the reason given why Jesus stopped short, in the middle of a verse when He was speaking in the synagogue.

Luke 4

vs16 ‘…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…’

vs17 ‘…And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written…’

vs18 ‘…The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…’

vs19 ‘…to preach the acceptable year of the Lord…’

vs20 ‘…And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him…’

vs21 ‘…And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears…’ AKJV

What did Jesus skip and not read, you might ask.

Isaiah 61

vs1 ‘…The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound…’

vs2 ‘…to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn…’ AKJV

Jesus didn’t finish reading the verse in Isaiah 61 because He knew.

Jesus knew the Day of Vengeance was about to be interrupted.

And it is here where I lose my patience and understanding with what our churches have been preaching for almost these two thousand (2000) years.

How can they actually stand up there in front of their congregation of people and blatantly lie directly to them, right to their face.

Why am I not taught how I should read my Bible?

Why am I not shown how Salvation was never mentioned in the OT?

Why am I not taught that the book of Revelation is punishment God made ONLY to the Jew?

This causes me to question now whatever I’ve been taught, and now I read a verse, and I have to ask, WHY didn’t you show me this?

Acts 9:15 ‘…But the Lord said unto him, go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel…’ AKJV

If Jesus CHOSE Saul, why have you pointed elsewhere?

If Jesus CHOSE Saul, why did you think you were wiser than Him to choose someone different for us?

This lesson this morning, is to teach you that maybe you need to step away from what we’ve been taught throughout our lives.

Maybe Jesus wants us to see WHAT HE WANTS US TO SEE.

I love ALL of y’all.

KEEP your Bibles open and continue to study the Word that God has given to us.

The Bible is one of the easier books to read if you let Jesus speak to you in His Word.

Allow yourself to see what God has been trying to get this world to recognize for centuries.

Hurry before it’s too late.

I am InHIM.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Sunday 020925

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

You and I together, let’s open and study the Word that we have ALL been given. Use me to help you study the Bible and allow me to be used to help you search what God wants for us to hear.

Let’s only follow what we find that pertains to us and realize that it’s only from our own effort in studying His Word that is going to let us take anything away that we can use in our lives by ourselves and with those that we love.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Revelation 22:12; Romans 13:11-14; Ephesians 5:15-20; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 10:17; 1 Timothy 4:13; Acts 20:32.

Today, as I was sitting in my ‘easy chair,’ laptop turned on and opened as I was doing my daily study in the Word.

Reading in Genesis, Exodus, the four gospels and then into Acts; reading some interpretations online when I noticed a person wanting to see proof from a verse, taken from the AV1611.

I spent a good fifteen to thirty minutes continuing to read this debate online when I heard a ‘ding’ from my phone, reminding me I had unopened messages on one of my Facebook accounts.

I switched to Facebook and began reading the notifications, when I saw one from my son-in-law, so I began reading his post.

As I was reading what he wrote, I visualized, in the back of my mind, what I’d seen from the television show the Chosen.

JW was talking about the word ‘LATER’ and how imprecise it actually was, and I remembered how the television show described the inexactness in the word ‘soon.’

Both words: ‘SOON’ and ‘LATER’ are subjective. They both are inexact expressions in lengths of time that vary from person to person and circumstance to circumstance.

The terms ‘soon’ and ‘later’ both refer to time, but they convey different meanings regarding when something will happen.

Soon: This term implies that something will happen in the near future. It suggests a relatively short time frame, often within minutes, hours, or days. For example, if someone says, ‘I’ll call you soon,’ they likely mean they will call within a short period.

Later: This term indicates that something will occur after some time has passed, but it does not specify how long. ‘Later’ can refer to a timeframe that could be hours, days, weeks, or even longer. For instance, if someone says, ‘Let’s meet later,’ they could mean at any point in the future that is not immediate.

In summary, ‘soon’ suggests a closer time frame, while ‘later’ indicates a more indefinite or extended future time.

JW’s wrote:

‘Later’ – talk to you later. – I’ll call you later. – see you later. – we’ll walk later. ‘I’ll tell you later.’

We leave everything for later but forget that ‘later’ does not belong to us.

Later, our loved ones are no longer with us.

Later, we don’t hear them, and we don’t see them.

Later, they are just memories.

Later, the day becomes night, the force becomes helpless, the smile becomes grimace, and life become death.

‘LATER’ becomes ‘TOO LATE.’

And just as fast, I was reminded of the man that wrote needing to see a verse, but only from the AV1611 version.

So, I went and found the verse.

Revelation 22:12

‘…Listen!” says Jesus. I am coming soon! I will bring my rewards with me, to give to each one according to what he has done…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

‘…And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

And right away I noticed the word ‘soon’ is not used in the AV1611.

But just as ‘quickly’ I realized, there was a group of men back in the times of Jesus that read the Bible daily, they knew everything that was written but what was unfortunate is that these men, they never heard the words that God was speaking to them. The same as this man that needed the AV1611 version.

Notice the word ‘quickly’ from the AV1611 and the word I used in the previous paragraph, that statement made by Jesus was nearly 2000 years ago … how quick is ‘quickly?’

I ‘quickly’ realized this AV1611 version meant nothing.

Once again this is ‘MAN’ trying to let God know He made a mistake.

‘MAN’ once again didn’t believe. He was showing his UNBELIEF.

Almost the entire OT is one large display of mankind’s UNBELIEF in God.

JW making his statement how we (mankind), we are unable to make the promise ‘LATER,’ is very true because we have no control over ‘LATER.’

Later is time, mankind we are unable to alter time.

We can set our watches, set the alarm clocks for in the morning, set the timers on our stoves and microwaves but that is about our limit. We can’t make time, we can spend it, but we can’t add to it.

Romans 13

vs11 ‘…I say this because you know that we live in an important time. Yes, it is now time for you to wake up from your sleep. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed…’

vs12 ‘…The night is almost finished. The day is almost here. So, we should stop doing whatever belongs to darkness. We should prepare ourselves to fight evil with the weapons that belong to the light…’

vs13 ‘…We should live in a right way, like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or be drunk. We should not be involved in sexual sin or any kind of immoral behavior. We should not cause arguments and trouble or be jealous…’

vs14 ‘…But be like the Lord Jesus Christ, so that when people see what you do, they will see Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the desires of your sinful self…’ ERV (Easy-to-Read Version)

TIME …

Ephesians 5

vs15 ‘…So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely…’

vs16 ‘…Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times…’

vs17 ‘…So do not be foolish but learn what the Lord wants you to do…’

vs18 ‘…Do not be drunk with wine, which will ruin you, but be filled with the Spirit…’

vs19 ‘…Speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord…’

vs20 ‘…Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…’ NCV (New Century Version)

TIME …

Our days remaining on this earth are numbered. Us human beings, we don’t know that number, we don’t know if it’s minutes, days, months or even years … we don’t know and we don’t have control over time.

 But what we do have control over is we can get up right now, get our Bibles, open them up and begin reading the Word that will help us in this ‘TIME.’

Hebrews 4:12 ‘…For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart…’ NET (New English Translation)

Jesus is not with us here today in the 21^st century. It is only going to be through His Word that we are going to be able to find out the truth that He has for us. We are only going to find it if we’re looking for it.

2 Timothy 2:15 ‘…Do your best to know that God is pleased with you. Be as a workman who has nothing to be ashamed of. Teach the words of truth in the right way…’ NLV (New Life Version)

We would be foolish to just run away and hide. We should make our way out in front and shout the Word to others … because odds are, they need it more than we do.

Romans 10:17 ‘…So then, people must hear the message before they can trust God. And people hear that message when someone tells them about Christ…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

For those that have never had the opportunity to listen and hear the Word of God, they will never know until they are able to hear the Words spoken to them.

1 Timothy 4:13 ‘…Until I come, give your time and effort to the public reading of the Scriptures and to preaching and teaching…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Once again as I said earlier, we don’t know when Jesus is going to return. We’ve got from now to whenever, after He returns, it’s too late.

Acts 20:32 ‘…Now I trust God to take care of you. I commit you to the message about his grace. It can build you up. Then you will share in what God plans to give all his people…’ NIRV (New International Readers Version)

You could very well be the only person that could speak to someone that is lost, and it could be words from your mouth that might be able to save someone.

Open your mouths and help spread the words of God onto this evil world that we are living in.

I love each and every one of y’all. Just remember that day is coming when Jesus will tell us Himself just exactly ALL that word means.

Keep your Bibles always open and continue to study His Word. Keep your Bibles near you so you can easily reach over and grab the Word and begin to read. Download Bible apps onto your smartphones, your tablets and computers. Keep the Word available to you at all times.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Saturday 020825

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Don’t let me or my writings influence or scare you in any way, instead, allow me to be used as a vessel to open the Word, just a little bit, and hopefully, together we are going to read and study His Word, and let God teach us what He wants us to hear.

Since the beginning of this study, our vision has been that we are ONLY going to follow what is found in the Holy Bible, that pertains to us, and we realize that it’s ONLY from our own effort that we put into this study, that we’re going to take anything away for our own use.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Acts 11:1-3, 13:16-43, 15:1-5; Ephesians 2:8-9.

We’re trying to stop looking at what ‘MAN’ is telling us we need to do and get back into the Word and see what God is telling us we need to do.

The reason for that is because in the end, it is what God has said and not ‘man’ that will determine if we are going to live a life with Him or if we are going to live a life of torment as we’ve been foretold in Revelation.

And then ‘ULTIMATELY,’ the choice is up to us, WHO ARE WE GOING TO CHOOSE.

The way we ended our last lesson with Peter changing his ways and stepping outside of that ‘Jewish’ made box, so it is with so many today caught up inside their man-made churches and denominations just waiting to pounce on their congregation of people.

Acts 11

vs1 ‘…And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God…’

vs2 ‘…And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him…’

vs3 ‘…saying, thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

And Peter fell back into the box that had kept him boxed in, all the days of his life, except for that ONE time.

So, we’re going to jump forward to Paul’s 1^st missionary journey in:

Acts 13

vs16 ‘…Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen…’

vs17 ‘…The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it…’

vs18 ‘…For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness…’

vs19 ‘…When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about 450 years…’

vs20 ‘…After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet…’

vs21 ‘…Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years…’

vs22 ‘…After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will…’

vs23 ‘…From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus…’

vs24 ‘…after John had proclaimed, before His coming, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel…’

vs25 ‘…And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, what do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie…’

vs26 ‘…Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent…’

vs27 ‘…For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the declarations of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him…’

vs28 ‘…And though they found no grounds for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed…’

vs29 ‘…When they had carried out everything that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb…’

vs30 ‘…But God raised Him from the dead…’

vs31 ‘…and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people…’

vs32 ‘…And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers…’

vs33 ‘…that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: You are My Son; today I have fathered You…’

vs34 ‘…As for the fact that He raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: I will give you the holy and faithful mercies of David…’

vs35 ‘…Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay…’

vs36 ‘…For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay…’

vs37 ‘…but He whom God raised did not undergo decay…’

vs38 ‘…Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you…’

vs39 ‘…and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses…’

vs40 ‘…Therefore, see that the thing spoken of in the Prophets does not come upon you…’

vs41 ‘…Look, you scoffers, and be astonished, and perish; For I am accomplishing a work in your days, A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you…’

vs42 ‘…As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people repeatedly begged to have these things spoken to them the next Sabbath…’

vs43 ‘…Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and urging them to continue in the grace of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

And just as fast, we’re going to move on to Acts 15 where Paul returned to Jerusalem to meet with the original apostles.

Acts 15

vs1 ‘…Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers, unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved…’

vs2 ‘…And after Paul and Barnabas had a heated argument and debate with them, the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue…’

vs3 ‘…Therefore, after being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all the brothers and sisters…’

vs4 ‘…When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them…’

vs5 ‘…But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, it is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

These men in Jerusalem were still Jews. They still practiced in the Jewish rituals, celebrated the Jewish holidays and practiced the Jewish customs.

So too do many of our man-made churches today and their religions still practice the Jewish customs and practices.

Where do you think communion comes from? The apostle Paul didn’t teach us this practice.

We are going to get out of the Old and we’re going to teach the NEW news that we have been given by God Himself, taught to our teacher, the apostle Paul so that when that day comes, when we hear that ‘SHOUT,’ we will be able to stand and be ready for our future with Jesus Christ.

All we need to do is read, study, and BELIEVE what God has given us.

For FREE, nothing extra is expected from us.

We have got to be willing to leave our past behind us. We MUST step outside of the box we have been kept in for a long, long time.

It is on that day when we MOVE, on that day when Jesus says to us ‘FOLLOW ME,’ we can grab what we have and present ourselves to Him.

The number one verse I think we should ALL follow is Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

And one time for that ‘UN’ believer out there that only reads the AKJV:

vs8 ‘…For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God…’

vs9 ‘…not of works, lest any man should boast…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

To that man that looks at the words but doesn’t listen to what God is telling him…

… do you see that part where we are told we don’t have to do anything extra other than have FAITH in God and BELIEVE in Him …

… can you explain for us what ‘NOT OF WORKS’ mean to you …

… what do you think those words should mean for us, FOR ME?

Keep your Bibles always open and study the Word of God for yourself. Don’t allow yourself to listen to another man telling you what the word is saying … you stand up and YOU TELL HIM WHAT THE WORD IS SAYING!!!

I love ALL of y’all. Be blessed. Stand FIRM in your beliefs in God.

Get yourself out of that man-made box you’ve been kept penned in for so many years.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Friday 020725

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Don’t let me or my writings influence or scare you in any way, instead, allow me to be used as a vessel to open the Word, just a little bit, and hopefully, together we are going to read and study His Word, and let God teach us what He wants us to hear.

Since the beginning of this study, our vision has been that we are ONLY going to follow what is found in the Holy Bible, that pertains to us, and we realize that it’s ONLY from our own effort that we put into this study, that we’re going to take anything away for our own use.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Acts 9:1-2, :3-4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Acts 9:15-16, :19-20; Galatians 1:15-19; Acts 10:5-6, :12-16, :28-29, :44-48.

In my attempt to spread the Word, to the people in the 21^st century, I am posting a new lesson every morning.

I am posting my lessons on eleven (11) different sites.

On Facebook, I am:

Whosoever Inhim

Whosoever inhim Bible Study

Or, in a search engine, simply type:

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I hope you find it appealing and satisfying, studying your Bible with us.

So, ask yourself, do you feel any better today than you did yesterday?

What if you were told, your time is up!

Let’s get back into the book of Acts and continue studying His Word.

So, we just left as Peter and John returned back to Jerusalem.

In Acts 9 we (us Gentiles) begin hearing the part of the Bible that we have been meant to study and pay attention to.

Acts 9

vs1 ‘…In Jerusalem Saul was still trying to scare the followers of the Lord, even saying he would kill them. He went to the high priest…’

vs2 ‘…and asked him to write letters to the synagogues in the city of Damascus. Saul wanted the high priest to give him the authority to find people in Damascus who were followers of the Way. If he found any believers there, men or women, he would arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem…’ ERV (Easy-to-read version)

Saul was on his way to Damascus to capture the believers in Jesus Christ.

Acts 9

vs3 ‘…As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him…’

vs4 ‘…He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Every Christian today MUST have heard the story that happened to Saul. Jesus chose Saul to teach us Gentiles His Word and to teach about all of the wonderful things we had to look forward to.

There are many today, many, way too many that still want to read and recite verses from the for Jewish gospels, they want to repeat verses taken from back out of the OT, but none of these writing have been meant for us to follow.

We know from 2 Timothy 3 that ‘ALL SCRIPTURE’ is from God, but nowhere, in no version is it written that ALL SCRIPTURE is meant for us to FOLLOW.

2 Timothy 3

Vs16 ‘…All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…’

vs17 ‘…that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

I do not see the word FOLLOW anywhere.

Does ‘reproof’ mean to ‘follow?’

From google:

No, reproof means to show disapproval of someone’s behavior, not to follow. 

Definition

Reproof is a formal noun that means to express disapproval of someone’s behavior or actions. For example, a teacher might reproof a student for laughing and running around the classroom. 

Synonyms

Synonyms of reproof include rebuke, reproach, and remonstrance. 

Origin

The word reproof comes from the late Latin word reprobāre, which means ‘to disapprove, reject, or condemn.’

NO NOT LATIN!!!

Now they’re going to be talking about the Latin word ‘raptura.’ (Rapture)

ALL Scripture has been Inspired by God, but the gospels and the OT, for us Gentiles, is for us to observe, like a road map. For us to see how the Jewish people scoffed at Jesus and the UNBELIEF in God and how we were to do the exact opposite.

We are to Love Jesus and BELIEVE in God.

Saul is now called Paul, and he is chosen by Jesus to teach the Gentile nation about Him.

Acts 9

vs15 ‘…But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel…’

vs16 ‘…for I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

I have, for many years voiced that I believed that God gave up on His ‘chosen’ people. Jesus gave up on His ‘chosen’ original apostles still hanging around Jerusalem, waiting for Jesus to return to set up His Kingdom.

God chose to begin with another teacher. A teacher that would learn directly from Him and lose the man-made ways and the Jewish traditions known by man.

So, rather than Paul going to Jerusalem to learn from those that spent three years living with Jesus, God chose for Paul to learn by the teacher Himself, Jesus taught Paul what He wanted us to know about.

Now when Paul started, he too had taught in the synagogues like the original eleven.

Acts 9

vs19 ‘…and he took food and was strengthened. Saul Begins to Preach Christ. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were in Damascus…’

vs20 ‘…and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is the Son of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

But Jesus had other plans for Paul. He wanted him out away from the Jewish people, away from the synagogues. Jesus sent Paul where he was away from all man-made influences.

We are going to take a leap out of Acts and go to Paul’s writings in Galatians.

Galatians 1

vs15 ‘…But God in his grace chose me even before I was born and called me to serve him. And when he decided…’

vs16 ‘…to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the Gentiles, I did not go to anyone for advice…’

vs17 ‘…nor did I go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me. Instead, I went at once to Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus…’

vs18 ‘…It was three years later that I went to Jerusalem to obtain information from Peter, and I stayed with him for two weeks…’

vs19 ‘…I did not see any other apostle except James, the Lord’s brother…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Jesus wanted Paul to learn His teachings and not be influenced by what ‘man’ wanted him to know.

This should be an example for us humans on this earth today. We should be listening to the words of Jesus Christ instead of listening to what a man-made church wants us to hear or to believe in.

Now to go back into the book of Acts, seven years after the Ascension of Jesus, Peter does finally leave Jerusalem and travels outside of the city to teach. With that being said, Peter went to Joppa, a fifteen hour walk from Jerusalem.

Peter was asked by a group of Gentiles to come and speak with them in Caesarea while he was in Joppa.

Acts 10

vs5 ‘…You must send some men to Joppa. They will find a man who is staying there. He is called Simon Peter. Your men must tell him to come here to Caesarea…’

vs6 ‘…He is staying at the house of Simon the tanner. His house is near the sea…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

Maybe, before leaving these days in Joppa before Peter goes to Caesarea, this is when Peter had his dream of different foods. Foods that Jewish people did not eat … pork to be specific.

The angel of God tried telling Peter that ALL food has been made for mankind to eat but Peter still had his Jewish roots buried deep within his head.

Acts 10

vs12 ‘…In it were all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds…’

vs13 ‘…Then a voice said to him, get up, Peter; kill anything here and eat it…’

vs14 ‘…But Peter said, I can’t do that, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is not pure or fit to be used for food…’

vs15 ‘…But the voice said to him again, God has made these things pure. Don’t say they are unfit to eat…’

vs16 ‘…This happened three times. Then the whole thing was taken back up into heaven…’ ERV (Easy-to-Read Version)

Peter had not changed his Jewish ways. He still believed and practiced the Jewish religion.

It was at this time when the men from Caesarea came for Peter. They took him to meet Cornelius.

Acts 10

vs28 ‘… Peter said to the people, you understand that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit anyone who is not a Jew. But God has shown me that I should not consider anyone unfit or say they are not pure…’

vs29 ‘…That’s why I didn’t argue when your men asked me to come here. Now, please tell me why you sent for me…’ ERV (Easy-to-Read Version)

Peter is stepping outside of his (Jewish) box and beginning to follow what Jesus tried teaching His followers.

This is another lesson that so many need to learn today in the 21^st century; so many have been kept in this little box, taught to them by their church or their denomination and they don’t believe they can go outside that box. But if these people would simply read the Word for themselves, they’d see this box that has kept them pinned in for so long, it is man that has put this box up, not God. Our problems today are ‘MAN’ not God.

Acts 10

vs44 ‘…While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who were listening to his speech…’

vs45 ‘…The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the Holy Spirit had been poured out as a gift also to people who were not Jews…’

vs46 ‘…They heard them speaking different languages and praising God. Then Peter said…’

vs47 ‘…How can anyone object to these people being baptized in water? They have received the Holy Spirit the same as we did…’

vs48 ‘…So Peter told them to baptize Cornelius and his relatives and friends in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days…’ ERV (Easy-to-Read Version)

Peter had gotten out of his box …

… that is until his Jewish friends came to get him.

That is our next lesson. I love y’all. Keep your Bibles open and study all the time.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Thursday 020625

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Don’t let me or my writings influence or scare you in any way, instead, allow me to be used as a vessel to open the Word, just a little bit, and hopefully, together we are going to read and study His Word, and let God teach us what He wants us to hear.

Since the beginning of this study, our vision has been that we are ONLY going to follow what is found in the Holy Bible, that pertains to us, and we realize that it’s ONLY from our own effort that we put into this study, that we’re going to take anything away for our own use.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Exodus 1:6-7; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:47; Acts 6:4, :1a, 8:1. :4-6, :12-13, :14, :15, :18-19, :20, :25.

Today ask yourself, do you feel any better today than you did yesterday?

Your church or denomination or the version of the Bible that you read, does any of it make you feel better than you did this morning when you woke up?

The actual FACT is none of it is going to matter once the end is here.

Your church won’t be able to save you; your denomination, that you believe in, it won’t be able to save you, and your favorite version of the Bible, it won’t be able to save you either.All that will matter is the God you Praise and Worship.

So, WHAT GOD DO YOU BELIEVE IN?

The only thing that matters in the end is GOD.

I’ve studied several times the timeline that is illuminated through the Bible.

If you remember our study in Genesis, mankind was shown FAITH through the eyes of Noah and Abraham.

We entered into the book of Exodus, and we read where Jacob (Israel) and his eleven sons entered into Egypt. His twelfth son Joseph, he was already there living in Egypt.

Exodus 1

vs6 ‘…In the course of time Joseph, his brothers, and all the rest of that generation died…’

vs7 ‘…but their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and became so numerous and strong that Egypt was filled with them…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Judaism was not portrayed as of yet, but the roots had been implanted into the soil. The seed had been set in motion by God.

The exact calendar year date for the birth of Moses, as of now, is given in three different dates.

Rabbinical Judaism suggests the birth of Moses was 1391 BCE; Jerome suggests it was 1592 BCE; and James Ussher suggests it was 1571 BCE.

All three of these dates are different. It makes it difficult to make a firm timeline beginning in the O.T., this world’s past.

I can boldly state though, that today’s date is 2024 A.D.

The Bible is a difficult book, to set in stone, an exact precise timeline, so rather than beginning from the OT, I am going to work from the NT.

Dates in the NT, all have a closer span than what we can see from the OT.

Some calendars have Jesus being crucified in 30AD and others suggest it was 33AD. That’s three years, it seems better than the range given for the birth of Moses, which is a range of 201 years.

Mark 16:15 ‘…Then Jesus said to them, Go to all people everywhere in the world. Tell God’s good news to everyone…’

John 20:21 ‘…Jesus said again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, in the same way I am now sending you…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

Matthew 28:19 ‘…So you must go to people in every country of the world. Teach them how to become my disciples. Baptize them by the authority of God the Father, his Son and the Holy Spirit…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

Luke 24:47 ‘…People in every country of the world must hear God’s message. They must stop doing wrong things and change how they live. When they do this, God will forgive them. He will forgive all the bad things that they have done. People need to tell this message about the Messiah in Jerusalem first, then tell people in other countries…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

The writings above are listed in the order they are found in the Reese Chronological Bible.

The above four verses are near the end of the writings in these men’s gospels.

With the exception of John’s writings where it seems he ended his book, with the entire last chapter being a summarization of his gospel.

The point I am trying to make is that Jesus told the original remaining eleven apostles to go out, into the entire world and spread the Good News of Jesus, to the entire world.

But yet, they didn’t go anywhere.

Just a few examples: Jesus Ascended in Acts 1. In Acts 5:12, :21 and :42 it is written that apostles were in the ‘yard of the temple.’

Seeing how the temple was in Jerusalem, the apostles didn’t leave.

In Acts 6, when there was talk how the widows were being forgotten about the apostles summoned the great number of new disciples that had accumulated and from them, they picked seven disciples to care for the widows.

The original apostles, they felt they were meant solely for prayer and teaching.

Acts 6:4 ‘…But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)

There have been Bible experts over the years, fighting for the apostles. Arguing how the original was exhibiting a good example by remaining and grieving with the family during the ‘Shiva’ for the deceased. The ‘Tziduk Hadin’ and the ‘Kaddish’ are two prayers recited during the weeklong mourning period.

The apostles were still celebrating the ‘Law.’ Many experts claim Grace came from the apostles, but it couldn’t have been through them, they never left the Jewish ways.

Peter, James and John didn’t know anything other than the Jewish ways and they also knew Jesus had been crucified and He was gone.

Even though the apostles found it difficult to leave and spread the word of Jesus, the number of teachers had increased greatly.

Acts 6:1a ‘…And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied…’ KJV (King James Version)

Acts 8:1 ‘…Now Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Jesus had Ascended in Acts 1 and here in Acts 8 we read the original apostles remained in Jerusalem even though Jesus told them they needed to go out into the ‘ENTIRE’ world and spread His Good News.

Acts 8

vs4 ‘…The believers who had left Jerusalem went to many different towns. In each place, they told the people the message about Jesus…’

vs5 ‘…One of them who was called Philip went to a city in Samaria. There he told the people the message about Jesus Christ, God’s Messiah…’

vs6 ‘…Crowds of people came together to hear Philip speak. They saw him do many miracles which showed that God was with him. So, they listened carefully to his message…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

The message was being spread throughout the land, even though it was done by those other than the original apostles.

Acts 8

vs12 ‘…But when they believed Philip’s message about the good news of the Kingdom of God and about Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women…’

vs13 ‘…Simon himself also believed; and after being baptized, he stayed close to Philip and was astounded when he saw the great wonders and miracles that were being performed…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

A point I need to make here, even these new teachers, these new disciples, they taught about the Kingdom of God they had no idea of what the Gospel of Grace was, they had never heard of it before, NO ONE ON THIS EARTH KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT ‘GRACE.’

Acts 8:14 ‘…The apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the word of God, so they sent Peter and John to them…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Now in defense of the original apostles, they DID receive the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

So, after hearing how people were being ‘baptized’ they knew they needed to go and update the teachings that were being made.

Acts 8:15 ‘…When they arrived, they prayed for the believers that they might receive the Holy Spirit…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

When Phillip seen this ‘Holy Spirit’ he acted as if it was a magic act. He inquired how could purchase the ability to do such things.

Acts 8

vs18 ‘…Simon saw that the Spirit had been given to the believers when the apostles placed their hands on them. So, he offered money to Peter and John…’

vs19 ‘…and said, give this power to me too, so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Once again, I must defend the original:

Acts 8:20 ‘…But Peter said to him, may your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire the gift of God with money…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Peter knew the power of the Holy Spirit was something that mankind could not purchase with money, but with that being said, Peter and the other eleven, as well as ALL the new disciples, had no idea what GRACE meant (other than a prayer they said before a meal).

Acts 8:25 ‘…And they (Peter and John), when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans…’ KJV (King James Version)

They again, returned to Jerusalem.

Keep your Bibles always open so you can use them when you study. Get Bible apps and put them on your smartphones, your tablets and your computers. It is so easy to study the Word today, you just have to start doing it.

I love ALL of you.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>

Wednesday 020525

Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)

Don’t let me or my writings influence or scare you in any way, instead, allow me to be used as a vessel to open the Word, just a little bit, and hopefully, together we are going to read and study His Word, and let God teach us what He wants us to hear.

Since the beginning of this study, our vision has been that we are ONLY going to follow what is found in the Holy Bible, that pertains to us, and we realize that it’s ONLY from our own effort that we put into this study, that we’re going to take anything away for our own use.

The verses we are going to study tonight:

Philemon 1:1, :2, :2c; Romans 16:5; Philemon :3, :4-7, :8a, :10-11, :12-14, :15-16, :17-19, :20-22, :23-25.

We’re going to be reading the small book of Philemon tonight.

Philemon :1 ‘…This letter is from me, Paul. I am in prison because I serve Christ Jesus. Our Christian friend Timothy is here with me. We are writing to you, Philemon. You are our friend, and we love you. You work on behalf of Christ, as we do…’ EASY (Easy English Version)

The book is one of Paul’s prison letters, this letter was sent to Philemon, a leader in the Colossian church. It deals with the themes of forgiveness and reconciliation.

What better of a way for me to teach a lesson on forgiveness, other than by myself forgiving ‘ME’ for losing the paper to this lesson I had written earlier.

I pray to Jesus that this version of this paper would be superior to the first, or I ask that it too would come up missing as well.

Our lesson tonight is on FOREGIVENESS.

That should be one of those obvious clues that we have received through the Word …

WE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN

It also should be just as obvious; we have to accept that forgiveness for us to be forgiven.

We are able to accept that GIFT, as well as the other GIFT’s that God has given us, ONLY by BELIEVING IN HIM.

Philemon :2 ‘…We say hello also to Apphia, who is like a sister to us. And we say hello to Archippus, who serves Christ like a soldier, as we do. We also say hello to the group of ‘Christians’ who meet in your home…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

I remember from my first paper on this letter, I focused in on this one part of this verse …

Philemon :2c ‘…We also say hello to the group of Christians who meet in your home…’

This is a group of people, a church, an assembly of ‘believers’ that meets at Philemon’s house.

This can also be found in the book of Romans, where the ‘believers’ met at Priscilla and Aquila’s house.

These ‘believers’ are what we know today as CHRISTIANS.

Romans 16:5 ‘…Also say hello for me to the group of ‘believers’ who meet in Priscilla and Aquila’s house…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

Philemon :3 ‘…I pray that God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to help you. I pray that they will give you peace in your minds…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

We should make a mental note to us all, Paul always prays for these groups. As we should also always remember that we should pray for those groups in our life. This should be nothing but smart sense for us.

Philemon

:4 ‘…When I pray for you, I always thank my God when I think about you…’

:5 ‘…I thank God because people tell me good things about you. You love all God’s people, and you trust in the Lord Jesus…’

:6 ‘…We each have the same faith in Christ as we serve him. So, I pray that, as a result, you will become strong. I pray that you will understand more about every good thing that is ours because of Christ…’

:7 ‘…My friend, you have helped God’s people to feel stronger. Your love for them has made me very happy. It makes me feel stronger too…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

And as we begin in vs8, Paul gets into the MEAT of his letter to Philemon.

Philemon was an owner of slaves, he was a ‘slave master.’ One of his slaves, Onesimus, had apparently stolen some money from him and fled to Rome where he met Paul and heard the Good News that Paul was teaching. Paul, in turn, is writing to Philemon, in this letter, about Onesimus.

Philemon

:8a ‘…I want to ask you to do something…’

:10 ‘…So I am asking you to help Onesimus, who is like my own child. I taught him about Jesus while I was in prison. Because of that, he now has life with God. I am like his father…’

:11 ‘…Before he trusted Jesus, Onesimus did not really help you. But now he can help both you and me…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

So, it should be with us to today, if we have accepted the teaching of Jesus Christ, we too, should be changed. People around us should notice a difference.

This is exactly what Paul is telling Philemon. He should be able to see and notice a difference when he sees Onesimus again.

Philemon

:12 ‘…So, I am now sending him back to you. Because I love him, it is like I am sending you my own heart…’

:13 ‘…I wanted to keep him here with me, to help me on your behalf. I am in prison here because I taught people the good news about Jesus…’

:14 ‘…But I did not want to do anything unless you agreed. I wanted you to help me because you really want to help. I did not want to make you do it…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

These next two verses should be examples of how we act today towards our ‘masters,’ those that today might be our bosses at work.

Philemon

:15 ‘…When Onesimus ran away from you, perhaps God let that happen. Onesimus left you for a short time so that you could now have him back forever…’

:16 ‘…You can have him back again not only as your slave. He will be something much better than a slave for you. He will be like a brother that you love. I love him very much. But now you will love him even more. He will serve you as a slave, but he will also serve the Lord, as you do…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

Our jobs today, our source of income, that is a gift that we have been given from God to help us in this life we live in.

How many do you think are going to complain about their jobs right now? The thing is, maybe there was a reason God put you in that position, in that job because He needed you to TEACH someone the Good News. Maybe God is using you to do something for Him, right now in that ‘crappy’ ‘good for nothing’ place of employment.

DO YOUR BEST and allow God the Glory and who knows, maybe one day you’ll find what it truly is that you’ve been looking for.

STOP living your life for what you want. STOP doing what you want to do.

BEGIN living your life the way Jesus wants you to live your life. Live it for Him. Spread the Good News onto others. Let everyone around you notice the difference. Give God ALL the Glory.

Philemon

:17 ‘…I am your friend. Together we serve God. If you agree with that, please be kind to Onesimus. Accept him in the same way that you would accept me…’

:18 ‘…If Onesimus has done anything wrong to you, I will make it right again. If he took money from you, I will pay it back…’

:19 ‘…I, Paul, am writing this myself: I will pay the money back to you. But you should remember what I have given to you already. You have life with God because I told you the good news about Jesus…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

There is so much to learn from in this tiny, short letter that the apostle Paul sent to a believer in Jesus Christ. Just think of the letter he has waiting for you.

Philemon

:20 ‘…Yes, my friend, please help me now, because we both belong to the Lord. As a Christian friend, help me to feel happier…’

:21 ‘…I am sure that you will do what I ask. That is why I have written this letter to you. I know that you will do even more than this to help me…’

:22 ‘…I want to ask you one more thing. Please prepare a room in your home where I can stay. I know that all of you are praying for God to let me go free. As a result, I hope that I will be able to visit you again…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

Here is another lesson, the apostle Paul was in prison, and he is asking for plans when he gets out so he can travel.

So, too should be our outlook. If we’re old and in a nursing home, we shouldn’t be focusing on dying, we should be planning on traveling somewhere.

If we’re in a low grade, useless job; we shouldn’t be thinking about quitting or giving up; we should determine if there’s something we need to do before we leave this place.

The end is the end, it’s OVER. We should make sure everything is right before thinking about leaving.

To finish the book of:

Philemon

:23 ‘…Epaphras is also here in prison with me because he serves Christ Jesus. He says hello to you…’

:24 ‘…Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, who work with me here, also say hello to you…’

:25 ‘…I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to be very kind to all of you…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)

Keep your Bibles always open and continue to study the Words He has given us. Keep your Bibles within arms reach so they can be easily gotten to at night as you’re sitting in your easy chairs.

I love each one of y’all. Remember that day when Jesus is going to teach us exactly what that word means.

Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen

InHIM. ><)))o>