Power of God – Praying Pint

34.w. “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.”

Matthew 22:29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

Job 19:25-27    For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,  whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Psalms 16:9-11    Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Isaiah 26:19    Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

Jeremiah 32:17    ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Genesis 18:14    Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Acts 26:8    Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

Mark 12:27   He is not God of the dead, but of the living.

In this world, death takes away one after another, and so ends all earthly hopes, joys, sorrows, and connections. How wretched are those who look for nothing better beyond the grave! If a person does not understand scripture they will not understand even less of faith in the Power of God. It is possible for a person to have much Bible knowledge, yet not fundamentally know the Scriptures. The Sadducees denied supernatural truths such as the existence of angelic beings and the bodily resurrection. They had a fundamental doubt about the power of God to do beyond what they could measure and understand in the material world; many today are like the Sadducees in this respect.

“If you knew the power of God, you would know that God is able to raise the dead…If you knew the Scriptures, you would know that God will raise the dead.” (Poole)

Know this, God will raise the dead, some to eternal life and some to eternal torment. To know Jesus Christ and have a relationship with Him, having faith in Him, relying on Him, trusting Him, following Him, obeying Him, is much different than knowing of Him and putting your trust in the knowledge of Him rather than knowing Him. Resurrection from the dead will happen just as eternal judgment will happen. Having a knowing relationship with Jesus Christ assures the promise of eternal life just as not knowing or having a relationship with Him promises eternal torment. A person intentionally chooses to have this trusting and reliant relationship with Jesus or not. This choice will result in your eternal destiny. Every person is without excuse for the whole and entire Word of God proclaims this from beginning to end.

33.c. “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards”

Mat 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 13:53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Matthew 11:6   And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Isaiah 53:3    He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Mark 6:3    Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Luke 7:23     And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

John 6:42    They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

1 Corinthians 1:23-28  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.  For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

A miracle conception, humble birth, the Son of God, with brothers and sisters of a carpenters family, in a small village of little recognition, Nazareth and spoken of by prophets is where Jesus seems to have the same type of rejection as was from the Jewish leaders. Their unbelief limited the mighty works that He had done in other villages. They were offended that He was teaching them as one with authority, wisdom, and understanding. They could only see Him as Jesus the son of Joseph and Mary. Who was He to come back home and proclaim things of God?

Rejection of Jesus results in a continuation of life without Him. Many think life is fine this way and they close their ears and eyes to things of God. Like these people from His hometown who rejected Him personally are those who now continually reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They say it is a made-up story, a fairytale. They seem to have made up their minds and become firmer and firmer in their rejection of the Son of God. They find no value and purpose in Jesus in their lives.

To those who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, He is more than just the Son of God. He is their redeemer, friend, power, strength, joy, peace, courage, and rest. He gives them life, a life more abundant and purposeful. He has given them hope of eternal life. He gives them strength to face all trials and troubles because He said He would never leave them or forsake them. He gives them peace that passes all understanding. He gives them light in a dark and lost world. He guides their paths through this life. He has promised that He will be with them forever and ever. Though He cannot be seen, He is more real than what we can see and touch. He is able to redeem the vilest and lost person and give that person new life. How can anyone reject Jesus Christ and the gospel of redemption, salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life? We do well to remember to honor and glorify the Son of God, Jesus, in all we say, think and do.

25.j. “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,”

2 Corinthians 6:3 Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

Ezekiel 16:8    “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.

Luke 19:42-44    saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side  and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Hebrews 3:7     Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,

Hebrews 3:13   But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 4:7    again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

God has an acceptable time for us to work with His grace. God has a day of salvation that will not last forever. This is no time for Christian lives consumed with ease and comfort and self-focus. It is time to get busy for the Lord and to be workers together with Him. What is it that keeps us from seeing, knowing, and doing the Work of God? Is it trials? Is it ease and comfort? Are we deceived or influenced into believing He can’t or won’t use us? Do we find excuse after excuse, time and time again? I am not knowledgeable in the bible enough to be used by God. I am too busy. I am not good enough. I am not brave enough. I am not worthy enough. The list is as long as the number of excuses we make that keeps us from making a commitment to listen and then obey. Is the world influencing your ability to listen? Does it steal time away from working for God? Does it deafen your ears to hear His leading and calls for action in your life?

When we understand that our purpose in this life is to honor and glorify God in all we say, think, and do, it is then we will begin to understand His leading and calling and purpose and plans for our lives. Today is the day. Now is the moment. Right now. Make an intentional choice to make God-honoring and God-glorifying the reason for all you say, think, and do.

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.”

22.q. “Search me, O God, and know my heart!”

1 Corinthians 15:34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

Hebrews 5:11-12 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,

Jeremiah 9:3

“They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 22:29

Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

Psalms 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Wake Up! Stop living like a drunk person who is unable to reason with a sound mind. Have you lost all of your senses? You are living in ways that are sinful. Can’t you see it? Are you aware that some of you have no knowledge of God for you are disgracefully ignorant of Him, and ignore His truths. Paul is making a point. “Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?”

We can all get sideways in our walk with God. When His Word is put aside and our interests seem to leave no time for it, is when we fall into a void and subject ourselves to wrong thinking and acting. Test what you do against what is written in God’s Word. Have a heart that asks God to show you where you are not honoring Him and be willing to receive instruction through His Word and leading. It is a lonely path leading to a void of instruction when we choose to put aside His Word for the interest of other things.

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.l. “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Luke 16:29-31 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

1 Corinthians 1:18-24 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.

If salvation is so simple, available to all who trust in the person and work of Jesus, then why do so many reject, deny, or neglect it? Saving faith comes through hearing by the word of God. Though people hear or read about the Gospel of Jesus Christ they do not exercise saving faith in Christ – making them (and us) all the more responsible. How much more responsible is a person for their rejection of the Gospel once they have heard it? This is a bit of a dilemma for me. On one hand they hear it, but unless their heart is open to receiving understanding and wisdom from God about it it will be just words on paper or sounds in the air. On the other hand when their heart is open to the gospel God exposes their hearts, minds, and souls to the Gospel (hearing or reading) something utterly changes – they understand sin, their sin and separation from God, and God’s plan and purpose of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. This point in a persons life is where they will either humbly surrender all self-reliance and self-worth and believe in/on Jesus Christ. In their hearts, minds, and souls they are changed. They have gone from being condemned to redeemed, unforgiven to forgiven, guilty to innocent, hell bound to heaven. This is what the Gospel will do to a person when they act on the wisdom and understanding given by God to them. It is true to many good people never see the need for Jesus Christ. They have determined in their heart that they are good enough and worthy of heaven. The destiny of all people, both good and bad, is eternal hell.

Decision – Crucify Him

John 19:16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Psalms 22:18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Acts 13:26 “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,

1Corinthians 1:20 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.

1 Corinthians 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Many things done by rulers and even us seem right to do. Are they really the right thing to do? How do we know? What is guiding us to the decisions we make? What do we use as a the foundation to which we build our decision? Depending on the circumstance some may say if it is good for me or if it is good for others. If the decision is based on something or someone that hurt us financially, emotionally, or physically, some may use what is allowed by the culture they live in. The problem is the decision is not based on the word of God and being led by the Holy Spirit in their response. We have a sinful nature and it wants to believe and act in ways that do not humbly serve, honor, follow, or obey God. We need to be mindful of this sinful nature. We need to test each of our thoughts and decisions against the word of God. His word is able to lead us properly. His word gives us power and courage to forgive, encourage, help, and make decisions according to His purpose and plans. Spend time in His word. Desire to be led by Him. Listen for His whispers of guidance. Build your foundation for decisions on His word. Do not trust the first thought that comes to mind, test it against His word and either the conviction or confirmation by the Holy Spirit in your heart.

For, Against, Abstain

“Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

John 7:40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Matthew 10:35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

Luke 12:51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

Acts 14:4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.

Acts 23:7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”

1 Corinthians 1:22 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. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

Acts 6:7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Scripture is clear on the fact that there are going to be people who see, hear and believe. There are also those who are on the fence and those who are hard set and will not believe. Division will come because of this. Once our heart, mind and soul has been awakened to the truth a choice will be made. The problem is that many do not see the magnitude of the choice they are making. This choice has eternal consequences. Forever with Christ or forever separated and tormented day and night. Just because a person can say it will not happen and that it is all fantasy does not make this a fact of truth. Many educated and worldly wise people have taken hard stances and declared the thought there being a God, creation, and need of salvation, FOOLISHNESS and being SIMPLE MINDED. Others take a path of complacent neglect and commit to what seems to be a place in the middle but unfortunately the results are the same. They may not speak out against God but they do not acknowledge Him or their sin and in need of Christ. Their choice is still not to believe. In meetings there are those who can vote for, against, or abstain. However with this decision here is no middle ground. Abstaining from making the choice to believe, humbly serve, honor, follow and obey is to deny God and the need for your sins to be forgiven. The result of choosing to abstain is forever separated and tormented day and night forever. Those who choose to believe and see the need for redemption come to Christ with broken hearts and wanting forgiveness of sin. Their heart and mind have been opened by God and they are drawn by Him to this place of decision. They rely on, trust in and cling to Him for they know there is absolutely no other way to be right before God but by through the redeeming work of Christ. They can walk in His light, His purpose and know their eternal destiny. Acknowledge your sin, seek and trust in forgiveness through Christ, and humbly serve Him. Jesus Christ came into the world to seek and save the lost. John 3:16 “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.”

Signs and Wonders

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”

John 2:18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?”

John 12:37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,

John 15:24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.

Numbers 14:11 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

Matthew 16:1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

Luke 16:31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

1 Corintians 1:22 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.

Unbelieving souls are everywhere. The field is ripe and ready for harvest. Yet there are some plantings that just did not take and grow. The seeds were planted and watered but did not grow. This metaphor was given multiple times to try to explain the stumbling block of those looking for signs or finding Christ through wisdom/philosophy. Unbelieving unbelievers. And then there are those who “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” However there is more to being a believer than believing. Imagine you have been given $10 million. You place it securely in the bank. You are a millionaire. If someone asked you if you were a millionaire you would say yes but other than that no one would know other than the one who gave you the millions and where you deposited it. You spend none of it and for all of those around you none would know you’re a millionaire. Some make come by your house and see a bank statement if it was left out but other than that no one would know. What good is this money? What benefit does it have? It has little to no value to you and certainly does not meet the expectations of one who gave it to you. I fear the christian walk of many are similar. Our purpose this side of eternity is more than believing. Learn to humbly server, honor, follow and obey our Heavenly Father.