Tag: Witness

15.r. “The very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me”

John 5:31  If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John.  For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,

Jesus speaks of three trustworthy witnesses who will testify that He is equal to the Father. Jesus found it important to give them a reason to believe beyond what He said about Himself. The Jewish leaders somewhat accepted the work of John the Baptist.  “He said that John was the lamp which burns and shines.” The light John gave off had the function to guide and point men toward repentance and to God.  These Jewish leaders were familiar with a coming Messiah and they expected Him to deliver them out of the hands of their oppressors, the Romans.  Jesus spoke of spiritual deliverance of infinitely greater importance and they rejected it.   The light should expose that which was once dark.  It should reveal that which cannot be seen in the dark.  They obviously saw the light but immediately closed their eyes to it because what it exposed was not what hey wanted or perceived needed to be exposed.

Jesus tells them that they rejected John but there is another witness, the very works that He was doing.  This too is a light shining bright in the miracle of healing the man who had been paralyzed for 38 years.  This miracle done for a needy person out of compassion and mercy was not what they were looking for.  Their hearts and minds were set on military and political deliverer. They obviously saw this light but immediately closed their eyes to it because what was exposed was not what they wanted or perceived needed to be exposed.

Jesus tells them that God the Father testifies of Him.  Jesus Tells them they never saw God or audibly heard Him, but they had His Word.  If His Word was abiding in them they would have believed in Jesus.  They searched scriptures but searched them with a heart, mind, and soul closed to what it said.  They had all the testimony one could have.  “Spurgeon,” said; “Jesus made it clear that having life is found in fulfilling the command “come to Me.” “Christ is a person, a living person, full of power to save. He has not placed his salvation in sacraments, or books, or priests, but he has kept it in himself; and if you want to have it you must come to him.”  The rejection of Jesus will leave the mind and soul open to deception, lies, and delusion.  “Clarke,” said; “The grand obstacle to the salvation of the scribes and Pharisees was their pride, vanity, and self-love. They lived on each other’s praise. If they had acknowledged Christ as the only teacher, they must have given up the good opinion of the multitude; and they chose rather to lose their souls than to forfeit their reputation among men!”  It is a very dangerous oneway road to Hell to seek honor and approval of man where the eyes become blind and the ears become deaf to things of God, rather than living to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ.

15.c. “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”

John 3:31  He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Philippians 2:9-11     Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ephesians 1:20-21   that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

John 3:12    If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

 John wanted everyone to know where Jesus came from. Jesus was different from everyone else because He came from heaven. He wasn’t an exceptionally spiritual or wise or good man; He was and is God, from heaven. Jesus is not only different from everyone else; Jesus is also greater than everyone else. If we want information about a family, we will get it at first hand only from a member of that family. If we want information about a town we will get it at first hand only from someone who comes from that town. So, then, if we want information about God, we will get it only from the Son of God; and if we want information about heaven and heaven’s life, we will get it only from him who comes from heaven. (Enduring Word)

There is a heavy price to pay for rejecting the Son of God.  When Jesus is rejected, so is God. Why does a man think they can reject the Son of God and somehow still receive eternal life? This is not possible and is a delusion, lie, and a fool-paradise.  The wrath of God awaits every soul that rejects the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The wrath of God is not fading away.  It is being held in check by His grace, mercy, and love until the fulfillment of His purpose and plan and timing.  Those that die while still rejecting Jesus Christ will enter eternity, but not in heaven.  Hell is their eternal reward for this rejection of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness.  Torment, darkness, pain, and anguish for eternity.  It is an intentional choice to receive or reject the gift of life through Jesus Christ.   Eternal consequences are the direct result of this choice.

15.b. “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:22  After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Jeremiah 1:5    “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

1 Corinthians 4:7    For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

Matthew 25:15     To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

1 Corinthians 12:11    All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Romans 12:6   Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us

1 Corinthians 15:10    But by the grace of God I am what I am,

James 1:17    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

1 Peter 4:10-11  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:  whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 John’s disciples seemed alarmed, but it didn’t bother John one bit. John would not allow envy or the fickle crowds make him forget his mission: to announce that the Messiah had come, and then to step back and let the attention be focused upon the Messiah. John first answered his worried disciples that everything he had – including those who responded to his ministry – were a gift from God. If they are God’s gift, then they should be received gratefully. John then reminded his disciples that he knew who he was, and he also knew who Jesus was. Understanding that, he could keep his proper place; not too high (thinking he was the Christ) and not too low (thinking he had no call or place in God’s plan). John explained to his followers that he was like the best man at a wedding; he isn’t the bridegroom. He isn’t to be the focus of attention, but to supervise the bringing of two people together.  “John had no sense of envy or rivalry. It is not easy to see another’s influence growing at the expense of one’s own; it is even less easy to rejoice at the sight. But John found his joy completed by the news which his disciples brought.”  John the Baptist understood it was good for him to become less visible and known, for Jesus to become more visible and known. In even larger aspects, this should be the motto of every Christian, especially leaders among God’s people. Jesus should become greater and more visible, and the servant should become less and less visible. John that Baptist also did not quit his work just because Jesus was doing a similar work and doing it for more people. He labored on, content to do what God called him to do even though Jesus gained more and more attention and John less and less.

14.r. “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

John 1:29   The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John 5:32   There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

Matthew 11:27     All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Hebrews 1:1-2     Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

1 John 4:9    In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

John said; “I myself did not know Him”  “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God”.  Jesus said; “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”  “yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”  God sent His Son into the world that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  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.  “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

When Jesus Christ is rejected so is the testimony about Him.  Think about how many times you make judgments for or against someone or something based on the testimony of one person.  That person may have a bias, deceit, fraud, false pretense, etc…. and yet their word printed or spoken is taken as truth while truth and testimony of Jesus Christ recorded and proclaimed by hundreds is rejected.  Why is this?  “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”  They choose to believe a lie and they choose to reject the truth.  Testimony after testimony about Jesus Christ, the Love of God, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, eternity, eternal life, and heaven are chosen to be rejected.  They have rejected the Son of God and His revelation of God’s grace, mercy, and love.  It is in this choice to believe a lie over the truth of Jesus Christ they are given strong delusion to further enhance their false belief. 

Imagine a person/company builds you a house and says it can never catch fire, it is fireproof.  Then imagine a person coming to your house, knocking on the door to warn you that your house is on fire, and you say no it is not, I don’t believe you.  Another after another comes knocking on your door and says your house is on fire you must believe me or you will surely die.  Time and time again you reject what they are saying and then the fire marshal comes with a fire truck and firemen and knocks on your door and says you must get out before the fire kills you.  You still maintain your house is not on fire because it is fireproof.  You have a piece of paper from the builder that says you paid for and bought a fireproof house.  You do not and will not believe it is possible your house will catch fire and burn.  Your hopes and trust and belief had consequences.  The result of this is your death.  You refused to believe the truth.  So it is with everyone who rejects Jesus Christ, the truth, and believes the lies, God is not real, His Son is not real, I am not that bad, God loves everyone so I am loved by God and He will not judge me or cast me into Hell, I am a good person on my own, I do not need to confess, I do not need forgiveness, I do not need redemption, my house is not burning down.

Belief in Jesus Christ means there is a reliance, trust, and clinging to Him alone.  It means you have come to the knowledge of His holiness and your sinfulness.  It means you come to the knowledge and understanding of there being only one way to be right with God and that is through belief in Jesus Christ.  It means you have surrendered all thoughts of being self-righteousness before God and with all your heart, mind, and soul you are clinging to, relying on, and trusting in Jesus Christ alone.  Because of this belief you humbly serve, honor, follow, obey, and rely on Him.  Believing the truth of Jesus Christ results in eternal life.  Believing in anything else is believing a lie and results in eternal death, Hell.

14.m. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”

John 1:14   And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Revelation 19:13  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is living and active,

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”  What is this Word?  We know the Word was there in the beginning with God.  We know the Word was God. We know all things were made through Him.  Jesus said in John 10:30 “I and My Father are one”.  The Word is Jesus Christ.  Jesus was with God prior to creation.  Jesus is eternal.  Why would the Creator take on the form of a servant and allow being rejected, despised, beaten, and crucified?  There is no other reason than Love.  God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Out of love, He chose to redeem, forgive, and restore all of the lost souls who would believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He alone is the one and only true path/way to eternal life in heaven.  Not because they are good enough or have done enough good but because they believed the opposite in and of themselves.  Their minds and souls were awakened to their sinful nature and the Holiness of Jesus Christ.  There is no amount of good works that can bridge this gap between sin and holiness besides Jesus Christ.  In simple terms, they surrendered to this fact and wholly trusted in Jesus Christ alone.  In this surrender and trust, they were forgiven, redeemed, and promised eternal life.  The life they live now is, or at least should be, in humbler service, honor, obedience, and faith to the only one worthy, Jesus Christ.  The Creator did not redeem us to be critical of each other but to love one another, to build one another up, to encourage one another, to help one another, to pray for one another, and to worship, glorify, and praise Jesus Christ together.  There ought to be no room in our hearts, minds, and souls for anything other than our love, trust, and obedience to Jesus Christ.

14.k. “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’’

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

Malachi 3:1    “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

Acts 13:24    Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

Matthew 11:10    This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Acts 19:4    And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

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

2 Peter 3:9    The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

After Malachi, there was a famine. Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.  This famine lasted greater than 400 years and then there was John.  You have to know there were some Jewish people looking forward to this day.  They knew the scriptures that spoke of one coming to prepare the way.  They would be seeing every day as a new day closer to the coming of this messenger who was going to usher in the coming of the Lord.  And then all of a sudden there was John proclaiming repentance and the baptism of repentance. He was preparing the way for the new covenant, the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He was not the light but was witness to the light.

When you give thought to this you start to lay the foundation of God’s Grace, Mercy, and Love in your heart. This foundation shows just how much God cares for every single person and how He not only sent a messenger to bear witness to the light but also to prepare the way for each of us to understand salvation and believe in Jesus Christ.  God’s plans and timing are perfect.  God’s plan was for a famine of hearing His Word, a messenger to prepare the way,  and to send His Son.  Whenever you might think God’s love is far off remember how He reached out to you and all of mankind through the messenger, John, and through the redeemer Jesus Christ.   

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

Malachi 3:7  From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

Deuteronomy 9:7-21     Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.  Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you.

Deuteronomy 31:20    For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.

Deuteronomy 31:27-29     For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death!  Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them.  For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

Nehemiah 9:16-17    “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.

Acts 7:51-52     “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Psalms 78:8-10    and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Ecclesiastes 11:9    Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Romans 10:3     For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

Isaiah 65:2    I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices;

James 4:8     Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Jeremiah 3:12-14   Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the LORD. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the LORD; I will not be angry forever.  Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the LORD your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the LORD.

Romans 10:21   “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

When I think about COVID and all the fear that has been instilled by continual over-reporting and misreporting from virtually every national news outlets and how the nation, states, cities, businesses, and people have reacted, I wonder if this is all it takes to turn reason and logic into fear, anger, worry, panic, stress, tension, unrest, suspicion, nervousness, etc….  Continually spreading and broadcasting pessimistic, gloomy, alarmist, hopeless, and despairing news appears to be all it takes to move nations, states, cities, businesses, and to get people to think un-rational and illogical.  At some point, individuals begin to believe it so much that anyone who thinks differently than this narrative is censored, ostracized, ignored, banished, shut out, and rejected.

So I sit here this morning and wonder what it would be like if the Word of God was broadcasted, reported, declared, distributed, transmitted, and spread in the same way and manner?  Would people’s hearts, minds, and souls be moved and turned toward God?  Would people believe in Jesus Christ?  Would people repent? Would people fear God?  Would they lose interest in things of this world and have their hope and trust in Jesus Christ and eternity?  Would truth, justice, mercy, grace, and love become a way of life and the “New Normal”?  If nations, states, cities, businesses, and people can be led by lies, half-truths, and fear would they just as easily be led by truth?

People want the truth so bad that they will believe lies to think they have it.  It is as if they will believe lies and half-truths easier and much faster than truth.  In fact, it appears as if they choose lies over truth.  And such it is with mankind where there is an intentional choice to deny, defy, neglect, and reject the truth.  Some of this denial, defiance, and rejection come from and out of a want for truth but rather than listening to the truth they turn away from it and choose to believe lies.  However, the real reason there is denial, defiance, and rejection of the things of God is within the heart of man.  I think this is why there are so many warnings in the bible to seek Jesus Christ first.  When He is first everything else can be viewed within the context of worldly and heavenly, present and future, right and wrong, truth and lies.  There should be no fear, worry, helplessness, pessimistic thoughts, panic, anger, panic, and unrest in the hearts of those who trust in Jesus Christ.  Do not let things of this world blind your hearts, minds, and souls from the truth that is eternal life-giving.  Seek Jesus, for today is the day of salvation, hope, joy, peace, power, and courage.

14.c. ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,”

Malachi 3:1  “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts

Matthew 11:10-11    This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Luke 7:26-28    What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’  I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

John 1:6-7    There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

Acts 13:24-25    Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

Isaiah 40:3-5  A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Acts 19:4    And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

After the prophet Malachi, there was no prophetic voice heard for approximately 500 years.  With a prophet at least the people had a choice to listen to and obey what was being said.  Amos foretold of this time; 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.  Without a prophet, there were multiple groups formed who were claiming the right to interpret scriptures and lead the people.  The understanding of God diminished and confusion ruled.  New traditions and rules were common.  Along comes John the Baptist and though he was clearly revealed in scripture, John was not recognized as the prophet/messenger preparing the way.  The famine of hearing the word of the Lord has an effect on mankind.  Jesus Christ was not recognized.

Imagine what it must have been like for that first generation to have no more prophets.  Generations after this one surely must have been looking for one to come for scriptures were full of examples of prophets sent by God to lead, warn, plead, and encourage the people.  Yet, when John the Baptist arrived he was not recognized as the messenger preparing the way for the Messiah.  A famine of God’s Word has an effect.  It starves the heart mind and soul of the Bread of life and living water.  Today there is a famine but it is not caused by Jesus Christ but rather by intentional choice.  The intentional choice to neglect God’s Word.  Self-induced famine.  What do you suppose replaces this eternal life-giving food?  Things of this world and it’s shallow satisfaction of the present and denial of the future cost to the heart, mind, and soul is what it replaces.  After a while of self-induced famine the heart, mind, and soul live on the dung of this world and think it tastes good. Their hunger for the bread of life and living water is not even a memory anymore.  Do you find yourself unsatisfied, confused, anxious, and worried?  It could be a sign that you are starving.  Come to the Word of God and eat freely from its words.  You will find a fulfilling satisfaction with an unending hunger for more.

14.b. “Behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”

Malachi 3:5  “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Psalms 50:3-6   Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.  He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:  “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”  The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge!

James 5:8-9    You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.  Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

Hebrews 10:30-31   For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Proverbs 22:22-23    Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate,  for the LORD will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.

Proverbs 23:10-11     Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless,  for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.

I have never counted or looked into how many times there are warnings given to us about all of the sins that plague the world in sinful hearts.  These warnings are given to us so that we are very mindful of sinful nature temptations and worldly temptations.  These manifest sins themselves in ways that are both seen and unseen heard and unheard said and unsaid.  The temptation could be to disregard someone in need.  Be very careful on this one.  The warnings are very clear on this.  The temptation could be to think something prideful, lustful, hateful, demeaning, dishonest, etc…… and even though a word did not come out of your mouth or action from your body the thought, if not capture, recognized, and discarded, will be held in account against the day of our Lord’s coming.

Dr. David Jeremiah said it like this; “What about our spiritual life? Our world certainly seems to grow more spiritually toxic all the time, and it is impossible to avoid encountering snares and temptations. So how do we keep our spiritual “body” pure? The psalmist had a solution: Store up God’s Word in our heart so that we might not sin against Him and apply the wisdom and direction His Word offers into our life (Psalm 119:9, 11). Think about it: If we obey (apply) God’s Word, we won’t choose to sin. And if we memorize (store up) God’s Word, it will be within a thought’s reach when we are faced with temptation. The more we live “in” God’s Word, the purer our life will be in the midst of a toxic world”.

John Blanchard said this; “God requires an inward purity as well as an outward performance.”