Consistency of GOD

The consistency of God must not be determined in the substrates of human understanding, which might be prejudice and carried in the matters of indecision. 

The consistency/faithfulness of God is proven when God imprints himself on the individual regardless of earthly circumstances. 

For the sky is veiled by blue in the day and only reveals the stars at night.  

When one insists on the consistency of God and/or questions the consistency of God I wonder from what they are referencing.

I am not saying GOD is unfaithful but I am saying to really understand the consistency of God we must trust beyond the confines of the human conditions and mindsets that trip us up.  Let us take comforts for example.  American Christians wouldn't say creature comforts determine the faithfulness of God but if certain circumstances came upon them, would they question God's faithfulness?  Would they remember Job from the bible?  Would they remember all Jesus suffered and spoke?

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

One who reads Ecclesiastes finds everything in this life is meaningless without God.  I do wonder if the American ideals of comfort have mixed into the American church, causing a weakness in the understanding the consistency of God.

And like Pastor Charles Stanley spoke this morning, sometimes God allows certain uncomfortable situations to occur in our life to get our attention, that he might benefit our soul.    I know that is true when it came to me coming to Jesus.  God had to get my attention- so I would not just drift along in the affairs of the world and life. 

The proven consistency of GOD … needs to go beyond ourselves.  It needs to go beyond what we consider faithful in the faithful sense.  Is this not true... good as well as bad can be used for our good? 

God touched on this last time.

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.…” Romans 8:35-37  

Sense GOD is Spirit, his faithfulness does not just stop with the physical but through the Spirit, moves in us effecting our "mental/emotional state as an individual.  It causes a "self-control" that is not dependent on the faulty wiring within us.  We have peace though we should not have peace.  We are merciful in situations that could be unmerciful.  We are unforgiving in situations that seem unforgivable... and so on.

God's consistency is answering the spiritual need not just the physical need. 

It is humbling to visit a 3rd world country and see people with hardly anything yet God is their strength.  And they know, regardless of what they have or not have, they are children of the Most High.    

God allowed nearly everyone of his faithful disciples to be slaughtered except John who was boiled alive and survived? But did their faith in God break? Of course not! Jesus even told Peter how he would die. 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!" John 21:18-19

But how did God empower them?

God had to become BIGGER then the physical.  God had to become BIGGER then death.  The faith and consistency of God had to become known in the spiritual not the material or physical sense.

And throughout the centuries many Christians have been murdered and martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ but only stood to face the darkness because they saw WHO was mightier then the darkness. 

God does care about our physical everyday needs to sustain this mortal body of ours, which is His temple. (John 2:20-22 Reference of Jesus speaking of His body has the temple)

“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16

In many cases God’s temples has been trampled, ripped apart, shot, burned, beheaded, hung, crucified... hence not respected.

This temporal body, a temple, isn’t to last, it is only a vessel that holds our soul, our soul that is to be imprinted upon by God as we trust and submit in Him.  The soul is what matters most!  It is what will last forever! Not this body which will return to the ground.      

“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.” 2 Corinthians 5:1

We must recognize that our trust in God needs to go beyond confines of the human condition.   The human condition will be broken someday and the soul will be whatever God has made with it through our relationship with Him. 

The Christian soul thrives when it seeks, looks and resigns itself to God in whatever comes but it suffers when it does not.

Jesus said he came to give life and life more abundantly.  In many aspects we must think of LIFE as not us having life but LIFE possessing us for GOD is LIFE.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Johns 14:6

How many times have you seen a person’s faith grow stronger not dimmer in stimuli and circumstances that have brought about certain finalities?  What is supernaturally happening in those individuals?

Have you ever watched a Christian who is dying?  Have you ever heard the conversations and sentences they speak when they sleep?  Profound…

Their soul is being prepared to leave its dying and broken confines, in fact their soul even seems to come in and out of this reality, to where God is. 

Their dying body struggles but beyond the body is a soul at peace and rest.  (Not so for the soul that is not a Christian.)

Then after all has been accomplished in the soul, God lifts the soul out the body like taking a long sleeve shirt off over someone’s head.   The hands go up and the head lifts, the eyes open briefly and then they are gone.   All that is left is a broken shell that was once animated by the soul.

The soul that was not made for this world but made for God, to glorify God on this earth in the body which is was given.

God DOES heal.  God DOES rescue.  God DOES restore.  God DOES provide.   I have experienced these things but but let's not the circumstances in life short change us in getting a fuller deeper understanding of the faithfulness of God.

“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:3-5

 

He Set's Us Free (Knowledge of the Truth)

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“Voice of Christ

My child, you must strive diligently to be inwardly free, to have mastery over yourself everywhere, in every external act and occupation, that all things be subject to you and not you to them, that you be the master and director of your actions, not a slave or a mere hired servant.  You should be rather free and a true Hebrew, arising to the status and freedom of children of God who stand above present things to contemplate those which are eternal; who look upon passing affairs with the left eye and upon those of heaven with the right; whom temporal things do not so attract that they cling to them, but you rather put these things to such a proper service as is ordained and instituted by God, the great Workmaster, Who leaves nothing unordered in His creation.”

Quote from Thomas A Kempis’ book entitled “The Imitation of Christ” pages 99-100

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be one of those people who is always learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.  Many Christians know what God’s words says but are still held captive by religious and worldly traditions/practices, ideals, understandings, mentalities, and perceptions about life then where God wants us.   We are living in a shadow far from how God wants us to see, breath and live. These things may not be obvious to us but when seated next to someone totally surrendered to God- they stick out.

Some might say we act like a dog chained to a tree.  The dog wants to be in the sun but the tree’s shadow is just a bit larger then the dog’s chain can reach.  We think, like an elephant chained to a little stick.  God wants us know there is no chain or stick.  God wants us to know we no longer have to live in the shadow of the tree of good and evil but are free to enjoy and eat and be nourished from the tree of life! The tree of living wisdom.

“Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast. The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens.…” Proverbs 3:18

Again coming to the knowledge of truth. 

Today (Nov 19th) as I was listening to Stuart Briscoe on the radio, he too was speaking about this!  His message was entitled “By Living Like Enoch”.

I know this wasn’t a matter of chance. God knew exactly when I would be listening to the radio.  He had prepared Stuart Briscoe to speak on this subject and knew when radio program would be airing the message.  God was in control of all the aspects and delivering them as a living word, a living word that was not only confirming what He (God) spoke to my heart but also encouraging me to live in the liberating reality He wants all His people to live in.

These are some of the verses Stuart Briscoe used.

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

Letting go of control- not being conformed to this world, who thinks it has some kind of control.  Presenting our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God by resigning our selves to God.   Renewing and transforming our mind- by believing and seeing God as above all things. 

In other words,

“We walk by faith not by sight.”  2 Corinthians 5:7

 It is to really know…

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

To come to the knowledge of this is to learn to live more attentive to His Presence, who orders our thoughts and contents of the heart, than being attentive to the naggings and cares and affairs of this life that often try to exalt themselves in our life over God.  And many times, when we are unaware, unguarded, tired, and overwhelmed- they can easily entangle us- they can succeed and cause things like depression, fear, anxiety, frustration, worry, and just plain yuck!

We forget that despite all things that come and across our path,  

“Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love”.

The love that sets us free… look at the attributes of love in 1 Corinthians 1:13

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?  Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, ‘For your sake we are killed everyday; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’) No despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.  And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below- indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39

We forget to let go and pray knowing God is more then capable.   

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

God wants us to come to the living understanding that by the grace of God we will overcome not be overcome – all things will pass even death but a life in God is never lost.

God wants us to understand that in our reliance on Him and His love our entire attitude and mindset changes and there is self-control that is beyond us.

God wants us to understand He is with us in the most mundane to the direr of situations. 

He is our peace.  He is our strength. He is our humble confidence because we have allowed Him to be in his rightful place in our hearts and minds and because we have done so His power and goodness is reflected in our lives.

We submit and honor God in Spirit and truth and in turn God gracefully honors and empowers our inner soul to overcome despite the circumstances.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

I find at times the church misses aspects and spiritual mechanisms of this power and pride, ignorance, false piety, take over putting those who misunderstand this to shame and even endanger because they know the words of the truth but are not resigned to it in the manner they should.

In the same manner I believe man should not assign or assume the route in which God is to take us throw but know God will continually be with us to help persevere and continue to mature in our faith in HIM not us.  For who knows what can achieve what the LORD wants for the soul but the LORD?

We may look at failure negatively but God may look as failure as a way of achieving success for our eternal soul- and strengthening our dependence/ reliance on Him.  How many times has failure brought good fruit in one’s life?

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

What we must ask is what kind of mentality is God trying to achieve for our soul that He loves?

So next time you face something that stretches you think, who has control? Who am I resigning myself to? Who am I trusting and depending on?  And see how God renews and transforms our thinking. See how perfect His will is in the knowledge of the truth- that God/Jesus is above all things and we stand with Him.

Living in the Knowledge of the Truth

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As my mind became quiet these words came to mind.

“To come to the knowledge of the truth.”

So I looked up this verse:

“who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4

God doesn’t just want us to be saved but come to the knowledge of the truth- to live in it, understand it, and hence- be empowered by it!  God’s truth is not just some words on a page but guided empowered by the Holy Spirit liberate soul from all that is in the world, others, and ourselves. 

They usher us into a new way of seeing day to day.

In paraphrasing what Pastor Antonio recently shared with me from Mexico, “God is manifesting goodness in our life, not by the limitations and strings of our conscious mind, but beyond.”

For me I was presented with a picture.  Our understanding is a hallway of doors.  Doors we have opened, experienced and lived by.  But when we come to the end ourselves we are presented with a DOOR that surpasses all the others doors of our understanding.  And when this DOOR opens and by the grace of God- this magnificent light floods our soul. It takes the blinders off, cleans, clarifies, unshackles, and makes new what has been exposed to the elements of this corrupted world.  We desire not the old doors but the ONE in which the light is pouring forth, the DOOR that gave us something much more satisfying and liberating then all the other doors that are were futile and ineffective.  This is the DOOR in which we desire.

“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can shut.  You have little strength, yet you have obeyed my word and did not deny me.” Revelation 3:8

I am reminded of this verse.

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:19

Just as the miracle of our salvation cannot be fully understood when we surrendered our life to Jesus Christ so it is when we continue to surrender to God daily (sanctification).  After all it is not we, (our strength, our might, or our intelligence that was so easily enticed by the flawed and fallen understanding) but the knowledge of truth working in our lives that comes only by surrendering to Christ.  It is God and in God alone.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

C. S. Lewis wrote:

Let us picture a woman thrown into a dungeon. There she bears and rears a son. He grows

up seeing nothing but the dungeon walls, the straw on the floor, and a little patch of the

sky seen through the grating, which is too high up to show anything except sky. This

unfortunate woman was an artist, and when they imprisoned her she managed to bring

with her a drawing pad and a box of pencils. As she never loses the hope of deliverance she

is constantly teaching her son about that outer world which he has never seen. She does

it very largely by drawing him pictures. With her pencil she attempts to show him what

fields, rivers, mountains, cities and waves on a beach are like. He is a dutiful boy and he

does his best to believe her when she tells him that that outer world is far more interesting

and glorious than anything in the dungeon. At times he succeeds. On the whole he gets on

tolerably well until, one day, he says something that gives his mother pause. For a minute

or two they are at cross-purposes. Finally it dawns on her that he has, all these years, lived

under a misconception. ‘But,’ she gasps, ‘you didn’t think that the real world was full of

lines drawn in lead pencil?’ ‘What?’ says the boy. ‘No pencil marks there?’ And instantly,

his whole notion of the outer world becomes a blank. For the lines, by which alone he was

imagining it, have now been denied of it. He has no idea of that which will exclude and

dispense with the lines, that of which the lines were merely a transposition—the waving

treetops, the light dancing on the weir, the colored three-dimensional realities which are

not enclosed in lines but define their own shapes at every moment with a delicacy and

multiplicity which no drawing could ever achieve. The child will get the idea that the real

world is somehow less visible than his mother’s pictures. In reality it lacks lines because it is

incomparably more visible….  Our natural experiences (sensory, emotional, imaginative) are

only like the drawing, like penciled lines on flat paper. If they vanish in the risen life, they

will vanish only as pencil lines vanish from the real landscape; not as a candle flame that is

put out but as a candle flame which becomes invisible because someone has pulled up the

blind, thrown open the shutters, and let in the blaze of the risen sun.

Living in the knowledge of the truth is living beyond the dungeon walls of what we know or understand.  What made sense in the dungeon walls no longer makes sense when we are exposed to the living knowledge of the truth.  Though we live in the walls of this world, our reality is no longer curtailed to the understanding of the world.

 "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it’s own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.” John 15:19

Wisdom

“Happy is a person who finds wisdom and gains understanding.  For the profit of wisdom is better than silver, and her wages are better than gold.  Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left.  She will guide you down delightful paths; happy are those who hold her tightly.   By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.   By his knowledge the deep fountains of earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain.”  Proverbs 3:14-20

Wisdom, how opposite it is of what most of us think.  It is not some old hardened well- educated chap that has seen, heard, and experienced it all. 

For wisdom is a child, you come by her through the Gate (Jesus Christ), and she grabs your hand and pulls you in- to green hills and lush green forests to the left.  You discover as you step through the Gate, you are no longer your age but a child.  Energy and a gleeful delight fills your soul and bubbles up as you both run like the wind.  Oh the joy of those who find wisdom and take hold of her.  

Jesus said to his disciples,

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

I would say as we mature as children of God our reality has no place to sleep and rest on the things of this world but in God alone.  And there the banquets of fruit are produced and fill the tables of heaven.

The foxes that spoil the vine, the things of the fallen world and fallen understanding, are caught and they are seen/exposed for what they are- they are things that ruin what God wants to grow and prosper in our lives.

Every single day of this life we stand at a door, knowingly or unknowingly, where God asks, “Are you going to come in? Are you going to allow me to show you a better way to live?”

Jesus said,” The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

The thief is the master of trickery…

Who would think by letting go of your life you would save it or even find it but the thief wants you to keep it -that you might save it but you know what Jesus says,

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” Matthew 10:39

As I thought about this I wondered how often does our understandings often collides with God’s will in our life because we haven’t surrendered it to Him fully. 

Later I was reminded of a one of the books in my bed stand.  It’s a book written by Thomas a Kempis, called “The imitation of Christ”.

I looked at the table contents where I saw the title, “Pure and Entire Resignation of Self to Obtain Freedom of Heart”.

I turned there (page 98)

The Voice of Christ

My Child, renounce self and you shall find Me.  Give up your own self-will, your possessions, and you shall always gain.  For once you resign yourself irrevocably, greater grace will be given you.

The Disciple

How often, Lord, shall I resign myself? And in what shall I forsake myself?

The Voice of Christ

Always, at every hour, in small matters as well as great- I except nothing.  In all things I wish you be stripped of self.  How otherwise can you be mine or I be yours unless you be despoiled of (deprived/ relieved) of your own will (disposition, bias, preference, partiality) both inwardly and outwardly? The sooner you do this the better it will be for you, and the more fully and sincerely you do it the more you will please Me and the greater gain you will merit. Some there are who resign themselves, but with certain reservation; they do not trust fully in God and therefore they will try to provide for themselves.  Others, again, at first offer all, but afterward are assailed by temptation and return to what they have renounced, thereby making no progress in virtue (morality, integrity, righteousness, purity, goodness).  These will not reach the true liberty of a pure heart nor the grace of happy friendship with Me unless they first make a full resignation and daily sacrifice of themselves.  Without this no fruitful notion lasts nor will last.  I have said to you very often, and now I say again: forsake yourself, renounce yourself, and you shall enjoy great inward peace.  Give all for all.  Ask nothing, demand nothing in return.  Trust purely and without hesitation in Me, and you shall possess Me.  You will be free of heart and the darkness will not overwhelm you. Strive for this, pray for this, desire this- to be stripped of all selfishness and naked to follow the naked Jesus, to die to self and live forever for Me.   Then all vain imaginations, all wicked disturbances and superfluous cares will vanish.  Then also immoderate (heavy, unrestrained, reckless, unwarranted, unbridled) fear will leave you and inordinate (excessive care for self which causes unrestrained feelings or behavior) love will die.

To come/live in the knowledge of the truth we must let go/resign/surrender ourselves completely to the LORD in all matters in life that we might exist/abide/live- liberated in CHRIST JESUS (who is the way, the truth and the life) – John 14:6.

Nothing exists without Him, no power, no peace, no life, no knowledge of the truth, no liberation, no resurrection, no fullness of life, nothing satisfying exists without Him.

No wonder why John wrote;

^“ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ” John 1:4-5

These Pointless and Senseless Acts of Violence Towards People and God's Children

I know these verses might seem random but they are not.   

We live in a world where I continually have to ask, "What is the logic? What is the foundation of such thoughts?  Has opinion replaced fact or is fact undiscernable to those those who don't know God?  

Now I ask, "What is the logic to this violence?  What is the reasoning?  There seems to be none but blind vengeance.  Drunk with hatred this evil staggers out public and harms and kills whoever might be in it's path. 

God spoke of these things in His Word. He knew times like these would to come.  He knew men's hearts would grow cold and turn to such darkness.  

But what is more alarming is the lack of wisdom/good sense the mainstream media has.  Why would ISIS tell anyone the truth?  They thrive on deception.  Small or large, why does anyone have to settle for such attacks as... "It is just the way things are"? Who settles for such ideas?     

IN a very odd sense these violent individuals are only strengthening those in the Christian faith.  They are only strengthening the Christian resolve.  Christians are holding on less to this life and turning to, holding and trusting more in GOD.  Throughout Christian history faithful Christians (men, women, and children) have been victims to bloody attacks for their faith in Jesus Christ. 
  

  "And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it." Matthew 11:12

And when these violent people are killing Christians others are seeing the conviction of their Christian faith even when faced with death.  People are taking notice and people are coming to Christ- they want what these people know and believe and won't relinquish despite their spilled blood that cries out from the ground like Abel's.

Greg Laurie shared a story about a man named Polycarp.  He was pastor of the Church of Smyrna.  He was martyred on February 23, 155 AD. 

"On that day, the public games were taking place, and the crowds were whipped into a real frenzy.  Someone cried out, "Let Polycarp be searched for!"  

The night before, Polycarp had a dream in which the pillow under his head was on fire.  He woke up and told his follow believers, "I must be burned alive."  When Polycarp was arrested, he asked for the privilege of having a final hour to spend with the Lord in prayer.  

As Polycarp entered the Roman arena, God spoke to his heart and said, "Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man."  The Roman proconsul gave him a choice between cursing then name of Christ and making a sacrifice to Caesar, or dying.  Polycarp said, "Eight-six years I have served the Lord.  He has done me no wrong.  How can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?"

When the proconsul threatened him with being burned at the stake, Polycar replied, "You threaten me with the fire that burns for a time and is quickly quenched, but you do not know the fire that awaits the wicked and the judgment to come into everlasting punishment. Why are you waiting?  Come and do what you will."

The crowds went crazy, providing firewood and kindling from their woodshops.  There Polycarp stood, and they set the wood around him on fire.  Amazingly, the fire did not harm him.  It came right up to him and would not burn him, while Polycarp sang praises to God. 

Finally, they couldn't wait any long and thrust him through with spears.  Polycarp showed true courage in the face of true persecution."    

Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior said:

 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell^." Matthew 10:28

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, said:
"Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers."

  Matthew 24:9

This violence today is just as irrational as it was back in Polycorp's time.   It was too kill anyone thought less of and doesn't follow and go along with certain religious practices.  Today it is the same but instead of killing for sport they kill for terror hoping it to cause panic, sow distrust, fear and unrest.  These are tactics that come straight from the devil handbook.  This is this pointless violence.  This is senseless violence. This violence has no reward.   It kills many and condemns the attacker to unquenchable flames of hell.  This violence is only a tool of evil.  A tool the devil uses to destroy what God has created and misdirect what God wants for His creation.  The devil manipulates men to destroy men, the creation God made in His own image. GOD sent HIS SON, Jesus Christ, to save and transform humanity from this kind of fallen mentality, this thinking that only separates them from their Creator.

Jesus Christ from whom all things were created through said, "Put away your sword, those who use the sword will die by the sword." Matthew 26:52

MURDER is SIN

God says: "You must not murder." Exodus 20:13 

This is how Jesus Christ, the Creator, spoke to some of religious men who were trying to kill him: 

³⁴ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. ³⁵ A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. ³⁷ Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. ³⁸ I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”

³⁹ “Our father is Abraham!” they declared.

“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. ⁴⁰ Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. ⁴¹ No, you are imitating your real father.”

They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”

⁴² Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! ⁴⁴ For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! ⁴⁶ Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”

⁴⁸ The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?”

⁴⁹ “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. ⁵¹ I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”

⁵² The people said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!’ ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’ ⁵⁵ but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”

⁵⁷ The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?”

⁵⁸ Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am!” ⁵⁹ At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.

John 8:34-59

    

These violent estranged individuals from God, have not embraced God for who He is but have alienated themselves from God by carrying out these violent acts.  THINK!  Acts of violence never make one right before God. 

 These evil acts are man wanting control. They are placing themselves in God's place.  They are of religion not of GOD.  Has anyone not learned from the past?  This pointless violence comes from the fallen sinful understanding that is idolatry, participation in demonic activities (murder, lies, deceit) hostility, quarreling, jealousy, out bursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, and feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group...) Note Galatians 5:19-21

The word says, "Don't be misled.  Remember that you will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death.  But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.  So don't get tired of doing what is good.  Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time," Galations 6:7-9  

 These violent acts of terror are against God and HIS Ways. 

 Jesus CHRIST, Deity, GOD, LORD of lords, Who conquered death and the grave and is Life said,

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me." Matthew 12:30

I know some of these violent people think Jesus was only a good man or a prophet of God but he was MORE then a prophet.

Jesus said, "I am the Messiah!" John 4:26

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying." John 11:25

No prophet can promise that! 
Why do I tell you these things? One is remind you of the things Christ said and encourage you.  Two, to reach those who do not know.  That they might turn to God so God can give them living revelation in their heart that these things are true.  

I was speaking to a brother in Christ who used to be entrenched in evil practices.  He was told about Jesus. Curious, he just asked, "Jesus if you are real reveal yourself to me".  And instantly Jesus appeared before him in his face.  Needless to say, he left his evil practices behind and surrendered His heart to the LORD.  Now, years later he is teaching others about Christ Jesus as the Lord leads him. 

Jesus said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day.  With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations,  beginning in Jerusalem:  There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.  You are witnesses of all these things.  And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised.  But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven."

For by the Holy Spirit comes living wisdom, resurrection power that continually teaches and transforms the heart to live liberated in God's love.

It is just as the Sovereign LORD spoke to the prophet Ezekiel

"And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you.  I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new obedient heart.  And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command."

Ezekiel 36:26-27

The Apostle Paul wrote,

"So we have stopped evaluating other by what the world thinks about them.  Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being.  How differently I think about him now!  What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons.  They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone.  A new life has begun!  All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did.   And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him.  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them.  This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others.  We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you.  We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!"  For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

It takes a honest, humble, strong, discerning person to realize he/she needs God, Jesus Christ.  He is the one who gives you direction and purpose in every good thing you do.

 Jesus said, "God blesses those who realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them." Matthew 5:3

Jesus said, "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8 

I too have seen Jesus Christ and things I did not think I would likely see until I passed through the veil of this life.  I tell you these things not to boost. I am an ordinary simple person.  A man very unimportant in the eyes of the world.  I share these things in hopes people stop and turn to Jesus so they might be saved and be transformed in heart and mind, and spirit.

Remember what Jesus said, "God bless you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.  Be happy about it!  Be very glad!  For a great reward awaits you in heaven,  And remember the ancient prophets were persecute, too."

Matthew 5:11

Again, persecution has the opposite affect of what these violent men want.