Gentiles – Page 3 – Praying Pint

26. “Even though I am nothing”

2 Corinthians 12:11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

Luke 17:10    So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Ephesians 3:8   To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Romans 15:18-19   For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed,  by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;

What would our lives be like if we would look at all we do, all we are able to do, and all we have done and know in our heart that we are nothing and it is by the grace of God that we exist and are able to do anything at all. Would we act differently? Would we be more thankful? Would we be more humble? Would we be more helpful to others? Would we see others in a different light? It is not a though we should be walking around with our head hung low and seemingly pouting or self-deprecating. Rather, we should walk with our head on straight with the knowledge that we are nothing in the flesh but in the spirit, we are a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In the flesh we are but a tool of our Lord, that is if we keep the influences of fleshly desires and worldly temptations out of our mind. This is not easy when there is so much technology that feeds anti-christian worldly ideas at lightning speed continuously. There is but one way to keep from being drawn away. Staying in His Word. I am not saying this lightly but that it should be a desire of your soul. Why is this important? Because without feeding and digesting His Word the world has a way of dragging you into its lifestyle and way of thinking. Feeding and digesting His Word will manifest humbleness, trust, obedience, faith, hope, praise, honor, worship, and reliance in Him alone in your life.

25.b. “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing”

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

Luke 2:34    And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed

John 9:39   Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

1 Corinthians 1:18    For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Acts 13:45-47    And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4     And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God

2 Thessalonians 2:10    and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

“Among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing”, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing”, “Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life”, “it is veiled to those who are perishing”, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers”, “They refused to love the truth and so be saved”. There are truly those who will have eternal life and those who will not. To those perishing, God’s word, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been rejected. They have chosen to believe the lies and deceptions of Satan and they have chosen to refuse the truth found in and through Jesus Christ.

Imagine a drowning man being thrown a life jacket and all he has to do is grab hold to be saved and somehow he has purposed in his mind the life jacket is foolish and will not take hold of it. He perishes in his rejection of what can save him. Imagine a person dying of thirst and is offered water and all they have to do is drink and they will not die, but somehow they have purposed water will not save them from dying and they refuse to drink and they perish in their rejection of what can save them. Imagine a person in a speeding car that is heading straight on course to drive off of a mountain cliff and have been told to apply the breaks and they will stop and not die. They reject this advice and perish because they do not believe in that which can save them from certain death. Imagine a pilot of a small plane who has been warned of severe weather and the need to avoid it. The tower has the latest weather radar and they are relaying information to all on a path with it. The pilot who has also had radar in his plane does not see it on his screen and does not believe what the tower is telling him. He chooses to continue and perishes because of his unbelief. There are hundreds if not thousands of examples that can metaphorically demonstrate the acceptance/rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

21.r. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Corintians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?

Psalms 119:98-100 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.

When we hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ there are many implications to consider. The path of wisdom begins by believing in God with reverent fear and confident trust and reliance. The path of foolishness denies and rejects that God exists and has reached out to mankind and made himself known to His creation.

The path of wisdom becomes aware of sin and confesses, repents, and turns away from it. The path of foolishness rejects and denies sin has eternal consequences.

The path of wisdom feeds on the Word of God and continues to desire and seek to humbly know, honor, and glorify God by and through His Word. The path of foolishness rejects the Word of God and denies it has any power or wisdom.

The path of wisdom seeks God first and tries to understand the world we live in through Him. The path of foolishness seeks worldly wisdom first and then tries to prove and eliminate anything of God.

The path of wisdom begins with and ends with God. Any attempt to find wisdom apart from Him is foolishness. When a heart seeks and desires wisdom from God, God will give it. Trying to find wisdom in God’s word but never spending any time in or meditating upon it is foolish.

20.s.”But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”

Romans 11:25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

2 Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Israel is a chosen people, blessed by God, and used by God. Great promises were given to them. Great miracles and acts of power were shown to them. Great mercies were given to them. Jesus, the man, entered into this world through them. Jesus, the Son of God, came to redeem them and save them from the curse of death. Jesus’s ministry was first to them. Jesus did many signs and wonders among them. Jesus was rejected by them. The message of the Gospel was proclaimed through them. After Jesus’s resurrection, they rejected Him again. Paul is explaining that this mystery of God is all part of God’s plan and purpose. At some point in the near future Jesus Christ will return and whatever veil has been placed over their eyes of understanding will be lifted and they will come to worship, honor, and glorify Jesus Christ. This veil has not been placed over (gentile) our eyes of understanding. No, the Gospel has been made clear and all of creation bears witness to us that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that out of God’s grace, love, and mercy He calls out to all of mankind to believe in/on Jesus Christ. There is no hardening or darkening or veil over us. We clearly see and, thereby, clearly reject or accept/receive this precious gift of forgiveness, salvation, and redemption through Jesus Christ. We have no excuse. When we die and are immediately ushered into eternity and stand before Jesus on the Day of Judgment, we will have no grounds to stand on. A person’s receipt/acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ in this life determine one’s destiny for eternity in heaven or eternity in hell. There is no veil that blocks our understanding of the gift of God through Jesus Christ. It is out of a pure rejection of God’s grace, mercy, and love whereby we are judged guilty. God gave us His written Word, sent His Son to pay the price of sin, and did many witnessed and recorded signs, wonders, and miracles so that we would see and know of His love for us. This is made clear in, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” We are without excuse when we reject this great and precious gift of grace, mercy, and love.

20.q. “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked”

ROMANS 11:11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.

Ezekiel 18:23    Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?

Ezekiel 18:32     For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”

Ezekiel 33:11   Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

Acts 13:46-48    And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. He has no pleasure in their rejection and denial of Him and their resulting destiny – eternal hell. He withholds His wrath and anger for the single purpose that they would turn from their wicked ways and live – eternal heaven. The wicked surely know they are wicked. They choose to do acts that are against culture and society’s morals. They lie, cheat, hurt, kill, cause harm, steal, overpower, hate, cause fear, destroy, etc….., These people absolutely know they are wicked and they choose to live this way for some reason. They serve only one person – self- and they honor only Satan, knowingly or unknowingly. Their wickedness and all the harm they have caused are not unseen or unknown by God. We know these people by their acts of wickedness and destruction and arrogance. It is clear to see, and yet, God has withheld punishment to them and gives warning after warning to turn back from their wicked ways. It is easy for us to say they get what they deserve when they face the judgment of God. Yes, we agree that God is just and right in the punishment of eternal Hell for them.

There is another type of wickedness that is can be easily perceived by us. It is the wickedness of self-worth, self-reliance, self-honor, self-centered indulgence, boasting, and arrogance. It includes self-pride, greed, and more want of what the world has to offer than things of God. They may cause harm and some deceit but it is all within the laws of man. Their actions serve only themselves. Their plans serve only to advance their own plans and purpose in life. The world may even honor the accomplishments of such people and give them praise for how much they have acquired or the power they have obtained. In the eyes of the world, it may even seem as they have done everything right. We may have a hard time agreeing these people deserve the same punishment (eternal Hell) as those who outwardly do vile and hurtful things to others.

Then there is the other type of wickedness that is no seen at all by the naked eye. It is disguised and hidden deep within the heart and soul. They do good things, they help others, they say encouraging words, they live in peace with others, they are kind, they are good employees or are good to their employees, they give of their time for others, they to not lie or cheat, they live content and within their means, they may or may not attend church, they believe there is a God, and they believe there was a Jesus Christ. They have not and do not purposefully harm or do bad to another person. They live humbly and without any appearance of pride. They don’t boast and are not arrogant. But, deep within their heart and soul, they have not seen the need for forgiveness of sin. They judge themselves worthy of eternal life (heaven) by living good and upright lives. Herein lies the problem. The wicked know they are sinning, but these people are clueless. These good people think they are worthy of heaven by what they do or do not do. I think it is harder for these people to see the need for forgiveness of sin than the wicked. By all outward appearances, they do seem worthy of something better than the same judgment given to the wicked, eternal Hell.

All three of these types of people fall short of eternal life. There is only one way to eternal life, belief in/on Jesus Christ. This belief encompasses complete humble acknowledgment and awareness of sin-nature and repents and turns away from it by a surrender of self-reliance. In this turning away there is a desire and seeking of forgiveness that results in a belief in/on Jesus Christ that relies on faith, trust, and reliance in Him alone. They became fully aware of the need for belief in/on Jesus Christ and how foolish all of their good works were in providing eternal life to their soul. Their eyes were opened and now they understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the completeness of Christ. The life they formally lived was revealed as worthless in comparison and their humble surrender, trust, reliance, faith, and obedience made perfect sense in the light of this understanding and wisdom given by God.

God’s Word makes it very clear that all three types of people are wicked and will perish if they do not believe in, rely on, trust in, and cling to Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Without complete trust and reliance in/on Jesus Christ, all will be judged wicked and will perish into eternal Hell.

20.g. “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

Romans 9:30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

1 Corinthians 1:23   but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,

John 6:27-29     Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”  Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Acts 16:30-34     Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

1 John 5:12   Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

By all appearances, the Gentiles found righteousness even though it did not seem that they really looked for it. By all appearances, Israel seemed to work for the righteousness of God with everything it had, but did not find it. What was the difference? Why did the unlikely Gentiles find righteousness, when the likely Jews did not? Because the Gentiles pursued the righteousness of faith, and the Jews pursued the law of righteousness. The Gentiles who were saved came to God through faith, receiving His righteousness. The Jews who seem to be cast off from God tried to justify themselves before God by performing works according to the law of righteousness. (Guzik)

There appears to be this huge stone that trips many multitudes of people up. Rather than trust in, rely on, and cling to Jesus Christ alone they choose to either flat out deny one true God exists and this is His plan and purpose for mankind, neglect, and complacency toward things of God and thereby can not recognize the difference between the worldly and things of God, or they, like many try to be right before God by performance (doing things that seem right in their own eyes as a means to be acceptable before God). All of these will lead people straight to hell for eternity. Don’t get me wrong about good works. We are to do good works, but not so that we are right before God, but rather to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ.

Surrender of self-reliance, self-worth, and self-independence to belief, faith, trust, reliance, and obedience in, too, and on Jesus Christ alone is God’s plan and purpose for all of mankind. His Word says we should know Him by the mere fact of creation, but what has man done? They say creation was from a big bang that happened before time and from the existence of nothing. His Word says we should believe and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, but many have deemed this to be nothing more than a fairy tale. His Word says the only way to be right in God’s eyes is to believe in, cling to, trust in, and rely on Jesus Christ alone, but many have turned this into works of themselves so that by doing them God is, by some means, required or obligated to give us eternal life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Salvation through Jesus Christ is a gift from God. Other than believing faith, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ will anyone receive this gift from God.

19.n. “Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

2 Corinthians 5:17   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Ephesians 4:17   Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

Ephesians 4:22-24  to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

1 John 2:6   whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Colossians 1:10-12    so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Philippians 3:17-18    Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.  For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Romans 13:13-14     Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

“That we too might walk in newness of life.” “Behold the new has come.” “He is a New Creation.” Renewed in the spirit of your minds.” “Put on the new self.” “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” “Let us walk properly as in the daytime.” What does it mean to walk properly and in a manner worthy of the Lord? The easiest way to think about answering this is to know what sin is and to know what is pleasing to God. How do we know what sin is? Do we know it by instinct? Do we instinctively know what is good and bad – right and wrong – true and false? Unfortunately, we do not instinctively know, but through our upbringing and our culture, we determine what is socially acceptable. If something is socially or culturally acceptable is it good, right, and true? – (Maybe) If it is socially and culturally acceptable can it still be sin? – (absolutely) Someone said wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it, and right is right if there is only one doing it.

If we base our rights, wrongs, and truths on what is culturally acceptable then we can easily fall prey to doing what is sin in God’s eyes. There is only one place we gain insight into what is good, right, and true. That is in God’s word. He is steadfast. His Word is true. His promises are true. He is truth. There is no falsehood in Him. If we want to know what is true, right, good, and honorable then we need to not only spend time in His Word but also spend time with Him in prayer. Jesus said that out of the abundance of our heart our mouth speaks. If we are only feeding our heart with a token stab at daily devotions then His Word will not abide in us but rather pass through us as if we were empty vessels. There must be a heart-deep desire connected to our seeking of what is true, good, and right. There must be a hunger and thirst. If there is stagnate “life” flowing through your veins and if there is a neglect of God’s Word in your day, and if there is a foggy haze to your understanding of what is good, right, and true in God’s eyes, then repent and turn away from this right now. You are a new creation that has been born with the newness of life through Jesus Christ. Jesus did not die for you so that you could keep on sinning but rather so that you would choose to intentionally live to honor and glorify Him alone. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

16.e. “To open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Isaiah 9:2     The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

Isaiah 42:6-7    “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,  to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Luke 1:78-79     because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high  to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Isaiah 60:1-3     Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.

Acts 13:47     For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Job 33:28     He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’

We have all experienced physical darkness. We search for light when the lights go out during a storm when our car is broken down along the highway at night, or when we wake to a sudden sound in the middle of night. When we are used to seeing things in the light, darkness becomes a burden without it. Sometimes it is more than a burden of being out of light, it is and can be frightening. Light takes away the darkness and allows us to see all of the obstacles we would not have seen in darkness.

Jesus Christ is the “Light of the world”. His light shines in the darkness and exposes all that is unrighteous, unholy, and apart from God. His light shines bright on the darkest soul, exposing sin and the need for salvation, redemption, repentance, and forgiveness. There are two reactions to the light of Jesus Christ. One can run from it and hide in the dark shadows of sin, or one can run to it and allow it to flood over them. The world is in darkness and there are those who choose darkness over light. They will even create their own fake light to guide their path. They convince themselves that this false light is the one and only true light of the world. They run and hide from the light of Jesus Christ that shines brighter. How many times do we run from the light of Jesus Christ? How many times is our sin exposed in the light of His Word and we quickly close our eyes to it, choosing for that sin to not be exposed? God’s Word is light to our soul. Jesus Christ is the light of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness. The Holy Spirit is the light to guide us on the path to eternity in heaven. Living any moment of the day without seeking and desiring the light of the Holy Trinity is living in darkness.

15.s. “But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?””

ohn 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Romans 2:17-29 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness0 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Romans 3:19-20 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Jesus did not call these religious leaders to a new or a different faith. He called them to believe what Moses, what the Scriptures, what His works, what John the Baptist each testified about Jesus: that He is the Messiah, the Son of God and God the Son. If they refused to believe this overwhelming testimony, it was unlikely they would believe Jesus’ own words. It is hard in this flesh to rely on faith. We always seem to want to add something to it to make ourselves more right with God. The fact remains though, that faith alone in Jesus is what makes us right before God. In and through faith in Him we have been cleansed from our sin. We have been born again. We are a child of God. There is nothing we could have done to earn this adoption into His family. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we have been brought from death to life. In this new life, our works should bring honor, glory, and praise to Jesus Christ. In this new life, our actions and words should be directing people to give glory, honor, and praise to Jesus. In this new life, we find purpose and satisfaction in humbly serving and honoring Jesus Christ. In this new life, obedience is not an obligation but rather a desire. In this new life, we seek to know and do His perfect will. In this new life, our trust and reliance never stop growing, “UNLESS” neglect and complacency have found root in our hearts and minds.

12.y.O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you”

Zephaniah 3:14 Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.

Psalms 42:2-4    My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?  My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Psalms 63:1-2   O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Jeremiah 31:9    With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Romans 11:25-26    Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

Even in our trials and troubles, God is with us. “Be glad and rejoice with all your heart”. “The Lord is with you”, “I will rescue”, “I will gather”, “I will bring you home”, “I will give”, and “I will restore”. These are all from God. When all around us may be failing and falling apart, God has not changed and His promises are true, His grace, mercy, and love are steadfast, His presences is ever-present, His power to do more than we ask or can imagine is never limited, and all His foes, defiers, and deniers will be defeated and their plans destroyed. Our God is greater. Our God is all-powerful, Our God is all-knowing. Our God is all-in-all. He is our God. Do not allow fear, confusion, and worry place a cloud over you, blocking you from standing in the light of Our God, savior, redeemer, and King of kings. He is God Almighty.