Christians Don’t Worry, Have Anxiety or Stay Depressed Because…

Stressed

Luke 12:13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” ¹⁶ Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. ¹⁷ And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ‘ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ ²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

²² Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. ²³ Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? ²⁵ And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ²⁶ If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? ²⁹ And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. ³⁰ For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. ³¹ But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. ³² Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. NKJV

Wow What a life!

Do you live a life free from worry, anxiety, fear and impatience?

Paul tells us we can experience this freedom of mind and commands us not to worry.

Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. NKJV

Is this the experience of your life? Are you able to cast all your cares upon Christ?

Are you free of anxiety and worry? Or do you get overly concerned about some areas of life at times?

Worry, anxiety, depression or stress, these all come from our flesh and not trusting God for who He has revealed Himself to be in the word and living in accord with that. Consider:

How presumptuous of a person to even assume they will be here tomorrow.  Perhaps that is the root of this sin.

God has only given you the grace to handle today’s challenges, He has not given you grace for tomorrow and for you to disobey Him and try to handle tomorrow’s challenges today must only be out of the flesh; so what results would one expect to have without the grace of God and only their fleshly abilities and talents to rely on?  Wait for tomorrows grace to handle it.

Elijah worried about dying and the other kings and people killing him. How foolish. For God never had it in His mind to even let him die at all but he was translated into heaven.

How foolish and what a waste of time to worry about tomorrow as if you knew the future and that you would have this problem tomorrow or next year and God might not already bring a solution to it.  Why have you not prayed in faith not doubting trusting that God will give you what you want and take care of this?

As if God did not already know how this would turn out and be giving you the grace to handle it, working it all out for good.  So rather than trust Him, rather than worship and praise Him for being the sovereign and good God, rather than obeying, rather than rejoicing in all things, giving thanks for trials, and giving God glory in the midst of them by not letting them get to them and  showing the power of God and their trust and being at peace in the midst of turmoil,  rather than living out of faith and His power one would worry about their own abilities to solve this, or what will happen to them, as if that would not be God’s perfect plan for them and He would help them through it. Rather than resisting His will for their life they will hold on to what they want and aren’t getting, which makes them feel sad and unblessed, rather than seeing What God is doing in their life, sanctifying them from their desires and making them yield to His will and submit to it and be content in it. No wonder they are depressed. They are trying to be God, rather than trust God; a very hard job.

So yes this disobedience and lack of trust and seeking to resolve out of the flesh can cause physical weakness, illness, mental problems, all because they are not trusting God.

Can it be cured by

Giving to Get in the New Covenant – Is Seed Giving Biblical? or Tithing?

Giving Offerings

 Is Tithing in the New Covenant – Do We Give to Get?

 Often we see believers in the transition time during the life of Christ or shortly after during the years of the writing of the NT scriptures still upholding OT Jewish practices. Often this was just so as to attempt to avoid offending the Jews who the apostles sought to minister to, as in the case of the circumcision of Timothy in Acts 16:3. As Acts 15 tells us there is no need for Gentile believers to be circumcised or keep the OT civil or ceremonial laws.

The moral law as summarized in the 10 commandments of course we all still hold to as a rule for our life and faith. But the feast days, new moons, sacrifices, worship style and civil government laws are now obsolete since they foreshadowed the Messiah who has come and the promise to Abraham has continued to expand beyond the nation of Israel to all nations.  Obviously we are to obey the civil laws of whatever country we now live in so we can’t all be under Israel’s civil laws. They were for the nation of Israel while it existed as a nation and picture of the true elect and heaven to come. Now that the old shadow or type has ended and the fullness of the final Sacrifice has come and been offered it would be to deny Christ to offer sacrifices on an altar for sin or continue to practice the types. Now God desires our sacrifice to be that of an obedient life. Heb 9, Eph 2:15 Col 2:15, 16, 20-23

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

Why did Israel have all the civil and ceremonial laws?

Gal 3:19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; NKJV

Gal 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. ²⁶ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. NAS

Gal 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? ¹⁰ You observe days and months and seasons and years. NAS

So these are the ceremonial laws that have been abolished since there is no more Jew or Gentile we are all one body in Christ, the feasts, special sabbaths, Passover, sacrifices for sin, feast of firstfruits of harvest and feast of end of harvest, etc.

Therefore the laws for not having tattoos or not shaving the hair on the side of the head etc. no longer bind us. The NT makes it clear how we are to live. Jesus taught and lived in accord with the 10 Commandments and taught us to do so. He made them clearer and in a sense stricter. Jews made laws allowing divorce but Jesus taught that was not the intent originally and if any gets a divorce for anything other than adultery it is wrong. He taught not to murder also meant not to be angry and act harshly to a brother. And with other illustrations he clarified the moral law or 10 commands and how we are to live now. But those laws that were for Israel while it was a nation and picture of the truth to come are done away after Christ. Christ did not keep the civil law of stoning the woman caught in adultery but certainly commanded her not to do it again. He taught the moral law but not the national and ceremonial laws. He kept the Sabbath and taught how it was to be kept properly.
Tithing is also a part of that old system. In fact if you want to tithe as Israel did it is more than 10%. You also have other tithes. Read more. There was also the 3^rd year tithe of 10% that went into the storehouse for the Levites and Widows orphans and strangers who came to Israel and hadn’t prepared along with the feasts. There were firstfruit offerings on top of tithes. Neh 12:44  And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

There was no provision for a tithe on wages or income from trade, like blacksmith or pottery maker, or even agricultural increase outside Palestine. Tithing was only on agricultural increase inside Israel and not on labor and services or other goods.
But there are no Levites to give a tithe to now and that is who the tithe was for and given to. So you would have to make up a new idea of who to give the tithe to anyway. And we have no NT instruction on who to give tithes to now which we would have if it continued. The NT tells us to

Called and Chosen to Salvation by God – References

Called and Chosen References

Rom 3:10 “There is none righteous, no, not one;  11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.  ¹² They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”  NKJV

1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Rom 6: 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.

²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. NKJV

That is you were unable to do righteousness, you had no righteous acts, because you were a slave and could only sin.

Believing in Jesus and repenting would be doing good. None can do this. None will do this. None! No one seeks God because they are blinded by sin, spiritually dead in sin and separated from God. Only God can change that and reach out to a person by 1^st covering them with the blood and righteousness of Christ. Until God gives them a new birth and frees their will which is bound in sin and by their sin nature, so they become free to believe spiritual things and repent. They have a will and make real choices but only to sin, their sin bound will can not know God or choose God.  They are selfish and won’t change.

Jer 13:23 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.  NKJV
Sinful man is so separated from God that he is compared to dead bones that cannot help themselves or believe. But God 1^st has to give them new life, THEN they know He is Lord. Breath in them is Spirit.

Ezek 37:4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”‘”  NKJV

Acts 16:14 And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

She wouldn’t respond unless the Spirit gave her the ability, free her will from bondage to her sin nature.

The only way one can begin to see or begin to enter the kingdom is they have to be born again 1st. Then they can see and understand spiritual things.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
NKJV
Enter does not mean go to heaven, it means enter the kingdom, be converted. Born again 1st by the grace of God, it is a gift, not something man gets to decide.

It isn’t given to everyone.
Matt 13:11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. NKJV

What could be clearer? One cannot know or believe that Jesus is the savior unless God 1st gives them the ability that flesh and blood does not have.
Matt 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

John 10:26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. NKJV

Note is does not say you are not My people because you did not believe, but the other way around. In fact:

Covenant of Works – Clarifying the Uses of Covenant in Scripture

A clear distinction needs to be made when speaking of the terms covenants and law.  There is so much confusion and improper teaching on these terms and the associated subjects. Especially rampant today is the dispensational heresy with all its variants that confuses the covenants.

The same is true for the word law, Israel, and Jew. When these come up in scripture we need to first make sure that the hearer or reader knows what aspect of the law we are referring to, or that scripture is speaking about, or the nation of Israel on earth or the House of Israel as the elect of all nation and all ages, the Jew as one outwardly or one inwardly, the visible church and covenant or the invisible. These all must be understood as we read the scripture and made distinct as we speak.

For example, in scripture we see there are two main covenants, works and grace. But to simply say old and new or law and promise in referring to them is confusing.  Since the Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic are all old covenants but they were all administrations of the Covenant of Grace. And that which is referred to as the new covenant is also the covenant of grace in its more clear and fulfilled administration after the true atonement which the old covenant of grace sacrifices typified.

The original covenant was the covenant of works, which was with Adam, as the representative head for all people, to be tested and procure eternal life or to curse all mankind by the fall and bring judgment of death and hell.

This covenant of Works was made with all people through Adam. He broke the conditions of it, the punishment is past on to all of us, and the covenant is ended. Every one else has ever since been under the curse and punishment of the covenant of works. But no one else could ever earn salvation or eternal life by perfectly keeping a law or doing any works. No one else has a neutral will and sinless nature that Adam had; all people since have a will that is bound to our sin nature, or limited by the sin nature.

Humans don’t have completely free will either. We cannot fly because our nature is not that of a bird or swim like a fish. Our will is limited by our nature. With the fallen sin-nature we cannot do true good, as God tells us in Rom. 3:10-12, man cannot even seek God, he is separated from God by his sin. So there is no possibility that anyone could fulfill a covenant of works and merit salvation. The only hope for man is if God first chooses to give a person a new nature that can have faith and a will that seeks and pleases God and can understand spiritual things.

So from Adam on the only covenant that offers salvation to mankind has been the covenant of grace. Yet we are under judgment from Adam’s fall until that is removed by Christ on our behalf and we are put into the invisible covenant of Grace.

The Jews were never offered The Covenant of  Works as a means of salvation, though

Amazing Words – I Would Have Given You More – 2Sam 12:7

2 Sam 12:7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! NKJV

It is such an encouragement to me that God says He would have given him more.

Should we not then feel free to ask God for more things to glorify Him?

To me this part of David’s life is the second saddest part of scripture and I just break down crying, stopping and starting again as I struggle to read through this passage, hurting over all of my past sins where I have tried to cover it, thinking God wouldn’t see or care. How foolish and shameful to me and despicable to God and the Angels who look on.

And Can you imagine how Joab must have felt when he found out why David had him kill Uriah and the other soldiers as a result? Joab would have discovered he was made to be a party to the murder of several men in a foolish failed attempt to cover someone else’s sin. And David suffered knowing that he caused all this and the death of a child and brought disgrace to God for the nation and shame before the people who would learn that he did this after having to take Bathsheba to wife.

And in the midst of this horrible dreadful rebuke God says: He would have given him more if he asked.

David could have asked for

CAN GOD BE FAIR & NOT GIVE ALL PEOPLE A CHANCE?

Some people’s religion amounts to no more than their seeking what they can get. Those truly thankful for the eternal gift they have received are seeking daily what they can give and how they can serve their Father’s kingdom, magnifying Him to all His creatures. ~ Don P

CAN GOD BE FAIR AND NOT GIVE ALL PEOPLE A CHANCE?

We all agree that God is sovereign. That means He has ultimate control of all things. Their is no power greater than He and nothing He can not control. Eph1:11. This is sensible since He created all to begin with. Rom 9:20-21. He made the creatures for His own pleasure (Eph 1:5 & 9 & Phil 2:13 ) and has every right to do anything with them He wants. Though in His treatment of us He is consistent with His nature of being balanced with both Justice and Mercy. We are His subjects, whether knowingly and willingly or not. The difficulty comes when we consider how this really applies in our life, actions and decisions.

The right understanding of God begins with God and His original plan and purposes. It can not start with man deserving certain rights. Many err in devising religions to satisfy man’s needs; to see what man can get from God. “In the beginning was God,” is where we must start if we will correctly find our purpose and what truths God has revealed.

Accepting this as our rightful position, a creature, let us proceed to see what our purpose is that we were created for.

1Cor 10:31, Eph 1:12, Ps 73:28, give us two items; to bring glory to Him and to declare His works. Eph 2:10 also shows that we are to do good works. 1John 2:4 strongly asserts we are to keep his commandments.

We are a creature; we were created for the pleasure of the Creator; and we have specific

Amazing Part of Our body That Holds All Together

Intelligent Design or another random chance occurrence?

Laminin Basically, is a protein found in the “extracellular matrix”, the sheets of protein that form the substrate of all internal organs also called the “basement membrane”. It has four arms that can bind to four other molecules. The long arm is capable of binding to cells, which helps anchor the actual organs to the membrane. They are a family of glycoproteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding in almost every animal tissue. Laminins are secreted and incorporated into cell-associated extracellular matrices.  Laminin is vital to making sure overall body structures hold together.

Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. NAS

Now here is the structure of what holds all the cells and body parts together.

Be of Good Cheer – God is Our Refuge

I just love His truth, His kingdom and His people and I know what is possible for them and do not want to see Him dishonored by their slackness but reflecting His glory as much as possible.
He has told us the victory is ours, the victory over our flesh and the world and sin, as well as the victory over the lost, and yet so many live such weak and unexcited lives as if we are losing and there is no hope of victory.
I can see the finish line, I know we can win, and want others to see it and run harder, so they will have more their peace and that He be glorified more by their love and rejoicing in Him.

Be of good cheer! The Lord our God is Strength. Look what good things He has for you if you believe Him in spite of what your eyes see in the flesh alone. Let your eyes be liars but the Lord be True.
Matt 9:2 “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

Matt 14:27 “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

To not be of good cheer and rejoicing is to deny God. So weep for a moment, then rejoice in the God of our salvation and trust in His promises. For even His scourging is sweet to those who love Him, for we know

Science Proves Evolution Incorrect

Science is now proving that what was always believed before Darwin is correct. There has always been adaptation to help survival of animals and humans. Science shows that genes can be changed during ones lifetime and children can be born with the adapted genes.

These adaptations can be caused by drought, stress, famine and good nutritional supplementation.

Though this is not being broadly publicized or making it into text books or mainstream science yet, there are many articles being published on this as more studies coming to the same conclusion and other proofs.

This is a great reason to be careful about what foods and nutritional supplements you put in your body which is the temple of the Spirit. Having optimal nutrition before pregnancy could make the difference in your child’s health.

Check out this Time Magazine cover article. Your DNA does not determine your destiny.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1951968,00.html

Does God Hear the Prayer of Unconverted?

God does not hear or regard the prayer of the wicked.

Prov 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

Prov 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. 9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But He loves him who follows righteousness.  NKJV

Prov 28:9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.  NKJV

Prov 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent! NKJV

Prov 1:24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, 25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,

27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you.

28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge  And did not choose the fear of the LORD, NKJV

Mic 3:4 Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds. NKJV

John 9:31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. NKJV

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. NKJV

James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. NKJV

1 John 3:22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. NKJV

Ps 11:5 The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. NKJV

Luke 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? NKJV

Does God Hide Truth From Man?

God Does Clearly Hide Things From Man and Man Can Only Understand the Word By the Spirit Revealing It

Matt 8:4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”  NKJV

Matt 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. NKJV

Matt 13:10And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:’Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;    NKJV

Matt 16:11 How is it you do not understand

Will the Temple Be Rebuilt?

Matt 27:51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, NKJV

The earthly temple was destroyed and dispensationals like to speak of the temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem.

The only rebuilding of the temple the Bible speaks to is the temple of His body and the unity of the saints with Him being built up as living stones, the new temple and dwelling place of God, in the New Jerusalem. The old earthly temple will never be built again because Christ and His people are the rebuilt temple. It would be to reject Christ as the resurrected temple to build an earthly one. There is no other temple of God. The OT prophecies are not pointing to an earthly fulfillment but the spiritual fulfillment, Christ and the heavenly temple.

John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.  NKJV

1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? NKJV

2 Cor 6:16 For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”    NKJV

Eph 2:22 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,  21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.  NKJV

1 Peter 2:5 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. NKJV

Rev 11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. NKJV

Rev 21:22  But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.   25

Is Seeking Wealth Greed?

Desire of riches is not simply covetousness, for a man may lawfully pray for them. So much is intended in the fourth petition. Now what a man may pray for, he may desire, with the same limitations as he may pray for it. Therefore it is an immoderate desire: that is, when a man is not content with that portion which God by his providence in a lawful and warrantable course doth afford unto him, but (according to the apostle’s phrase) he will be rich; he will have more than God alloweth him in a fair way; and if he cannot otherwise get more, he will be discontent.

The general object of covetousness is riches. Under this word all the commodities of this world are comprised, and withal abundance of them, yea, more than is necessary. Things necessary may be desired, but not superfluity, Prov. xxx. 8.

This sin is especially in the heart. One may have little, and yet be covetous; and one may be rich, and yet free from covetousness.

To Read this whole article on Covetousness by Rev William Gouge Click Here

The Shepherd – An Old Story Versified

An Old Story Versified

By the Rev John Graham, A.M.

The careful Shepherd had a flock,

of thriving sheep his only stock,

Their pasture he with walls surrounded,

as wolves throughout the land abounded.

Great were his pains, his labor long,

To make the barrier high and strong;

yet often as he went to sleep,

the wolf broke in and slew the sheep,

at last he finds his work complete,

no entrance left but at the gate;

his flock protected and at peace,

began to flourish and increase;

till full of years, and honest pride,

at his success the Shepherd died.

A son succeeded, mild and kind,

of liberal and gentle mind,

who wished in deed to save the sheep,

and yet the wolves in humor keep,

Him the submissive brutes petition,

To pity their forlorn condition;

of their primal rites denuded,

and from the pasturage excluded.

They vowed, the they swore, their altered mind,

to sheep had long become so kind,

they would not put a tooth or foot on

the choicest, fattest leg of mutton.

Their ancestors they all confessed,

of harsher notions were possessed;

and often broke the shepherd’s wall,

and made the sheep in thousands fall;

spread death and desolation round,

and stained with blood the blushing ground.

But they, kind souls, had other kidneys,

as noble as Sir Philip Sidney’s.

Mild as Melanchthon they would keep,

and help to feed this flock of sheep.

The shepherd, fearing such a trial,

was resolute in his denial;

till by false friends extremely puzzled,

he let the wolves in strongly muzzled.

Pared from each foot was every claw,

and 20 straps bound up each jaw;

each wolf was forced an oath to pass,

he would eat nothing there but grass.

The Wall was leveled, and the meeting

twixt wolves and sheep was graced with greeting;

one would suppose through all the plain,

the golden age was come again.

Sheep joined with Wolf, hard names to call

the builders of leveled wall.

A few bold watchmen dared to cry,

against this frightful novelty,

and said it soon would come to pass,

that wolves would think all flesh is grass;

and in their plentitude of power,

the silly, feeble sheep devour.

These warnings all are given in vain,

within the fold the wolves remain.

The watchmen meet contempt and hate,

as borne 200 years to late,

vile bigots who for private ends,

would disunite the new made friends.

Meantime the claws which had been cut,

grew strong and sharp on every foot;

some of the straps are old and worn,

and others from the muzzle torn;

slender and few those that remain,

give tenfold discontent and pain;

till as a useless galling brand,

they’re all drawn off with gentle hand.

Then starts the Shepherd as from sleep;

resolved to save the trembling sheep;

suspicion shows, and late takes care,

new straps and muzzles to prepare;

but vain is all precaution now,

the grim Wolf knits his horrid brow;

the muzzle he rejects with scorn,

and on that melancholy morn,

destruction rages through the fold,

the sheep are slaughtered young and old;

in vain for help the shepherd cries,

amidst his butchered flock he dies,

and curses in his hapless fall,

the day he moved his father’s Wall.

Lifford, April 5^th 1821

True Christians Do Not Continue to Sin!

Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?

 Sin and the child of God are incompatible. They may occasionally meet; they cannot live together in harmony – John R. W. Stott

It will help when we speak about the subject of sin to use clear and precise language about the type of sin we are revering to. Though any sin is worthy of our damnation and is an offense to God, not all sins are treated the same by God or by people with each other or by the church in discipline. First, there are scandalous sins and small sins or sins of imperfection. There are presumptive, intentional sins and sins in ignorance, public sins and unseen sins. There are sins of omission and commission. Scripture speaks of past sins and current sins. And there is a difference between committing a sin and continuing in sin. People often speak of besetting sin or besetting temptations. We must be clear what type of sin the passage we are reading is speaking about and keep these distinct in our doctrine and practice. Though any sin is enough to send one to hell and say they have violated the commands, yet not all sins are equally heinous or dealt with the same by the body. Here are some examples. 1^st from the Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q. 83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others

Explained in the Larger Catechism Q.151 are things that increase the aggravations. Clearly some sins are more heinous in the sight of God than others.  One key distinction in scripture and the Confession is over 2 types of sins, scandalous and sins of imperfection or small sins.

Thomas Vincent’s answers to the question related to Q82-84 and then Q87 clarify what was meant in the Catechism. Consider how he explains the question on Repentance unto life (QA 87). Vincent expands question and answer 87 into 21 additional questions and answers to explain it thoroughly.  Below is just one of the expanded questions and answers (No. 15). He uses the term gross sins rather than scandalous sins. Page 231

Q. What is that turning from sin which is part of true repentance?

A. The turning from sin which is a part of true repentance, doth consist in two things- – 1. In a turning from all gross sins, in regard of our course and conversation. 2. In a turning from all other sins, in regard of our hearts and affections.

~ The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture, by Thomas Vincent.

Scandalous sins are exemplified in lists like Eph 5:4, 1Cor 5:11 and 1Cor 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. NKJV

With these types of sins we follow James 5:19-21; 1Cor 5:11 and Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Matt 18:15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  ¹⁶ But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’  ¹⁷ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.  NKJV

James 5:19-Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. NKJV

1 Cor 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person.  NKJV

Church discipline is not enacted for infirmities of the flesh and imperfections of good works, which are still sins. These sins must be confessed and repented of by individuals and mortified, but the church may have no knowledge of private sins or sins of thoughts. Some sins have such impact on another or seem to have a person overtaken such that a brother may need to confront them about it. Other sins we may let love cover the multitude of imperfections and ignore these and choose not to take personal offense to them.

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

1 Cor 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; … is not provoked, thinks no evil; …7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Luke 17:3 If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Note: the teaching here is specific. The subject is an illustration for forgiveness and lonsuffering in that. It is not a teaching that it is normal or acceptable for a person to continue to sin. That is taking the teaching out of context and perverting it. And the sin that a brother would be doing would be a minor imperfection, he is not stealing and lying and committing adultery with his wife over and over.

Remember that in the old covenant one who committed gross sins like adultery or being a rebellious son were not able to continue to commit these sins. They were put to death for this type of sin; which for us now would be like excommunication, putting them out of the covenant membership, proclaiming that they are not recognized as living like a Christian. This binding them from the visible church is recognized in heaven and God may allow satan to buffet them in a way He might not allow to a covenant person, but this does not mean they are barred from ever being converted as some think. It is only the same earthly action that is recognized by the heavenly kingdom, the removal from the church covenant protection. Man by his judgment does not keep one from the invisible church.

True believers should have their heart and desires turned away from even small sins, though they may commit some occasionally as frailty or infirmity of the flesh. This is not the same as wanting to keep the sin, tolerating it, avoiding all efforts to mortify it, or continuing in sin, unrepentant in these; nor is it the same as committing gross or scandalous sins, all of which would merit discipline and deprive him of assurance.  The church does not exact discipline on one who commits a small sin or a sin of imperfection, or those of thoughts that are private or un-spoken. But with gross outward and scandalous sins that hurt the person and the reputation of the church, and sins continued in unrepentant, the church must discipline, possibly even excommunicate the person, showing that they are without the fruit and visible signs of conversion which is turning from all sins. Not that they are surely unconverted, but from human judgment we do not see evidence of saving faith and repentance, so we no longer offer them the benefits of the covenant and assurance of being converted. True repentance is making a change, stopping the sin, turning to a practice of obedience, not just confessing or being sorry.

Another distinction in scripture is seen in:

Acts 3:17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

1 Tim 1:13 but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. NKJV

Heb 9:7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance;

Num 15:27 ‘And if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. ²⁸ So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the LORD, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. ²⁹ You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them. ³⁰ ‘But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he shall be cut off from among his people. ³¹ Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’ ” NKJV

We see in the OT, which is a type for us, that a person who knowingly and intentionally sins, is cut off from the people of God, or put to death. This type points to new covenant practice of one being excommunicated, put out of the people of God or even ultimate spiritual death, if sin is allowed in their lives. This sin is willful intentional gross violation of the law of God in action not just thought. Nowhere in scripture is an ongoing struggle with this category of sin, which loses over and over, shown as normal, acceptable, inescapable or to be tolerated in a Christian?  Rather we are warned:

Heb 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. NKJV

One may say Heb 10:26 is limited only to the context of true faith. But note how this corresponds exactly with our previous verses; in the OT example, a man can be forgiven a sin that is not done knowingly and intentionally; but one done presumptuously, willfully, he was stoned or cut off from the people of God. There is no tolerance for presumptuous, intentional or continual sin in the believer’s life or a desire for sin.

Deut 22:23 The woman who did not cry out for help when caught lying with a man, was stoned because she was judged compliant, but had she cried out for help she would be innocent because it was not willful compliance.

Secret sins and obvious willful sins are again distinguished in:

Ps 19:12… Cleanse me from secret faults. ¹³ Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. NKJV

Christians also sin when they do not do good works perfectly. To sin is to miss the mark of God’s perfection. So we are constantly sinning in that sense.  When we would do good, evil is present with us. We are never perfect and so we are sinners. We also sin by omission, not knowing all our duty or neglecting to do some good or reprove evil around us. But these sins are not the same as an active volitional decision to commit a sin because we lust for or desire and take pleasure in it. More on this distinction in sins later from John Owen.

Also there is a difference in committing a sin once and continuing to commit a sin over and over. We are to repent and mortify or put sin to death, not allow it to reign over us. A Christian may commit a sin and there is forgiveness for them if they repent; but continuing in sin is a person who has not repented, turned from that sin to obedience.

Confusion also comes when the “struggle” we have with temptation in this world is referred to as a struggle with sin. Our struggle should not be that we are failing and sinning regularly. The Christian struggle is that we are tempted to sin often and have to say no, over an over to our flesh and the world. We should have no struggle with sinning; our struggle should be with temptation to sin from the flesh and the world. Indwelling sin in our flesh regularly is influencing us. It taints all the good works we would do with things like pride, arrogance, selfishness, impatience, etc., so that the good we want to do, we never do perfectly. This indwelling sin is ever present with us, disgusting us and causing us to weep and lament our life and even good works before God. The exciting deliverance we long for in heaven is not just to be free of all actual sin, but to be free of the continuous temptation from our flesh and battle with the world that we have to constantly say no to.  It will be bliss to be free of the struggle with the indwelling sin nature that never gives us any peace or rest. We have to be constantly resisting it, because we hate the pleasures of this world, our fleshly desires for it and we hate the temptations being aroused. The fight is not that we keep falling into the same sins, rather it is a constant or frequent struggle not to yield to temptation to sin. We struggle to not even entertain them in our thoughts. We stay on watch all day to turn from them to think on good things, Phil 4:8, so we do not get tempted or yield to it.

Mark 14:38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. NKJV

Acts 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. NKJV

1 Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. NKJV

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you NKJV

Heaven will be a relief because we will be free from the constant bombardment of the temptations in this world, our flesh and the sin nature. As for actual sins, one had better stop practicing sins here and now. Not that they become perfect in all areas, but the known temptations and besetting desires that come on them and weaken them and have caused them to sin in the past must be resisted and mortified. We can not allow ourselves to think of any one of them as really a good or pleasant thing that God is depriving us from enjoying. That they look pleasing is a deception they are not good for us at all nor can we occasionally allow ourselves to have them, let alone continue to desire them.

Those who love these things in the world and feel deprived and want to do them, even if they restrain themselves, are not converted or at least have no reason to hope they are. Their struggle is still only with doing them or not doing them, which even the unregenerate, to some extent, do from light of nature. They do not have a heart desire against them because they displease God, and a new desire to do right and please God, but they still suppress them. That was the plight of the unconverted and the experience of the Jews in the OT which Paul contrasts in Romans 5-8. This is what he is trying to explain to the OT saints, Jews and Gentile proselytes, why it is and how much better it is now in the new covenant because of Christ’s work and the Spirit. Christ freed us from the bondage of the sin nature, Law is written on our hearts, pouring out of the Spirit, etc.

The true convert has a new nature with new desires against sin and to obey God. It is this heart and motive change which more clearly identifies the true believer from the outward professor, who like the Pharisee only controls

Preaching Distinguishing True from Poor

Preaching That Hinders Revival

By Richard Owen Roberts
Repentance must always begin in the house of God. Doubtless the best place for it to start is with those who preach. Let us examine some errors of preaching that stand in the way of revival.

Preaching That is Man-Centered

All of us, by our very own natures, are lovers of self more than lovers of righteousness. True gospel preaching exposes the wickedness of this self-orientation and calls its hearers to radical conversion. It is only through a genuine Christian conversion that a thorough change of heart and life occurs, enabling one to keep the great commandments of Christ: loving God with all ones heart, soul, mind and strength and one’s neighbor as oneself (Mark 12:29-31).
Man-centered preaching cannot result in radical conversion. Tragically, the preaching which characterizes much of today’s pulpit activity wallows in the weakness of pandering to perceived needs – needs which are ordinarily dramatically different from true needs. For instance, many of those who are clamoring for acceptance really need repentance, and multitudes who come to church for comfort need to be severely discomforted and awakened out of their lethal

Free Will or Limited Will with Real Choices

There are 2 ways to look at man’s will.

One is to say people do not have free will.

The other is to say man has free will but his will is limited.

Now we do make real choices. So how can that be if we are predestined. The reason we can be held accountable is that we do not feel the effect of predestination. The way God predestines does no harm to our responsibility in making choices. As far as we can tell the decision is up to us. We must make real choices as far as our experience goes. But we are not conscious that these things have been ordained from before the foundations of the world.

From the perspective that we can not choose to fly like a bird or swim like a fish we are not free. Our will is bound to our nature. Since we do not have the nature of a bird we can not will to fly. So we do not have a completely free will. Just as the fish is not free to walk on dry land. There is no completely free will. So the question is

Myth of Free Will & Man’s Will Free Yet Bound

“What do you think your song will be when you come to heaven? Blessed be God, that he gave me free-will; and blessed be my own dear self, that I made a good use of it? O no, no! Such a song as that was never heard in heaven yet, nor ever will, while God is God, and heaven is heaven.” - What Will Be Your Song by Augustus Toplady -  Or maybe Amazing Free Will (:-)

The Myth of Free Will
Walter Chantry

Most people say that they believe in “free will.” Do you have any idea what that means? I believe that you will find a great deal of superstition on this subject. The will is saluted as the grand power of the human soul which is completely free to direct our lives. But from what is it free? And what is its power?

THE MYTH OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL FREEDOM

No one denies that man has a will — that is, a faculty of choosing what he wishes to say, do, and think. But have you ever reflected on the pitiful weakness of your will? Though you have the ability to make a decision, you do not have the power to carry out your purpose. Will may devise a course of action, but will has no power to execute its intention.

Joseph’s brothers hated him. They sold him to be a slave. But God used their actions to make him a ruler over themselves. They chose their course of action to harm Joseph. But God in His power directed events for Joseph’s good. He said, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good” (Gen 50:20).

And how many of your decisions are miserably thwarted?

By saying that your will is free, we certainly do not mean that it determines the course of your life. You did not choose the sickness, sorrow, war, and poverty that have spoiled your happiness. You did not choose to have enemies. If man’s will is so potent, why not choose to live on and on? But you must die. The major factors which shape your life cannot thank your will. You did not select your social status, color, intelligence, etc.

Any sober reflection on your experience will produce the conclusion, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but THE LORD DIRECTETH his steps” (Prov 16:9). .     …  Read Whole Article Click Here or you can continue with 2nd Article Excerpt first; both by Author – Walter Chantry

Man’s Will – Free Yet Bound
by Walter J. Chantry

For more than fifteen hundred years the Church has engaged in a heated debate over the freedom of man’s will. The major issues came to general attention in the early fifth century when Augustine and Pelagius did battle on the subject. Through medieval times the nature of man’s freedom received a great deal of attention. As they studied the Scriptures, Bernard and Anselm made significant contributions to the doctrine of the human will. In the sixteenth century the freedom or bondage of the will was one of the chief issues dividing Reformers and Roman Catholics. To the mind of Martin Luther, it was the key to his dispute with Rome. In the seventeenth century the nature of man’s freedom was at the heart of the debate between Arminians and Calvinists. The conflict surfaced again in the eighteenth century during the Great Awakening. Finney’s approach to revival in the nineteenth century led the church astray through a misunderstanding of the human will. So too the nature of man’s will continues to bring intense disagreement between Reformed and Fundamentalist believers.

A proper understanding of the content of the gospel and the use of GOD-honouring methods in evangelism are dependent on one’s grasp of this issue. ….

Read 2nd  Article  Click Here

Read: Man’s Will in Conversion

Do not look at his Appearance 1 Sam 16:7

1 Sam 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  NKJV

Do not look to your abilities or lack of them or any cowardice you may have. Our Lord does not need your strength or ability or skilled voice or quick thinking.
Just be willing to be used by Him and trust in the unseen work He is performing as you speak.
Therefore hold closer to the scripture than human wisdom and your past experience.
Free up God to work mightily by only using His word, which may even offend or be insufficient in man’s thinking, so that God will get all the glory and the results will be visibly His.
Live more in the invisible spiritual realm and less in the earthly. Trust in the angels about you and the Spirit to move men’s hearts than in any wisdom and techniques you may have or lack. Work on developing a heart of love to God as David had the puts Him first in all and trusts Him completely in all things.

1 Sam 16:23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.  NKJV

Hmmm…   for years this has meant little to me but today it speaks volumes.

The mere presence of David playing was soothing to Saul. Our presence should be the presence of the Spirit to people. It may not always soothe and may convict. But either way we are the salt, we are the light, to people.  We are Christ to them, we should be effecting other people.  They should sense the presence of the Spirit by our being among them.
Do we radiate Christ as we could?  Are we having an effect on the world and people around us, our governors?

What could we do that we would have more effect on people as David did Saul?

I have to think much more on this strange passage, there is so much more possibility in it.
The Spirit left Saul but he sensed that lost comfort in David. David was good to Saul yet Saul ultimately ignores this and persecutes him, though Daivid was no threat to Saul and would not harm him. It was God who was Saul’s enemy yet he turned it toward David his own servant who showed him kindness.

What does it say about us if the world is kind to us?

Admonition, Exhortation, Reproof and Rebuke

Thoughts to Consider on Admonition, Exhortation and Reproof

Lev 19:17 You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. NKJV

We need more and better training on how to give and accept admonition, correction and confrontation from each other in the church. It often seems that a person who is criticized, admonished, or corrected by another, especially when convicted of its truth, may become embarrassed that they did not already know it, or feel attacked rather than supported. This unnecessary sense of embarrassment or shame may tempt them to become defensive, not wanting to be wrong; they may react or go to anger toward the other person. This may result in their retaliating by judging the other to be insensitive, unloving, arrogant, judgmental or harsh, even when they were not. In fact the reality is often just the reverse.

How exactly do you act and speak that will ensure the one you are pointing out a fault to, will see you as humble or gentle or caring?  Does anyone ever feel that someone is being humble who is telling him he acted wrongly?? Or telling him some truth he did not know? The mere fact you see something he does not,

Can God Make or Cause Evil Justly?

God Makes and Uses Evil Justly and Without Sinning Himself

Dan 4:35  All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven  And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him,”What have You done?”   NKJV

Eph 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, NKJV

Is 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Is 46:10-11 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. (KJV)

Lam 3:37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it?  NKJV

Jer 18:11 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: KJV

Amos 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? (KJV)

1 Sam 2:25 Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them. NKJV

1 Sam 16:14-15 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him. 15 Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. NAS

The Saint’s Jewel – Thomas Shepard

The Saint’s Jewel

Showing How to Apply The Promise

TO THE READER

Reader, the body may as well subsist without the soul, as the soul can without a promise; and as the body is not wearied with bread, (being the staff of life,) thought it hath it every day for nourishment, so, likewise, the fainting, hungry soul can never be cloyed with feeding upon the promises.  For which cause I have also adventured this little Sermon, not doubting but it may reap its due fruit from those whose heart are rightly affected; which God granting, I shall account my labor abundantly requited.  Farewell.

Thomas Shepard.         April 2, 1655.

——————————————————————————–

2 Cor. vii. 1, “Having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

The apostle Paul in the former chapter exhorteth the Corinthians to beware of unbelievers; and he gives a double argument for it, one from the unequalness of it, the other from the promises, as in my text, “Having these promises.”

In these words are three parts:

1. A loving appellation, in these words, “Having these promises dearly beloved.”
2. A gracious exhortation, “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
3. An argument for instigation or motive, that he useth to press his exhortation, which is from the nature of the promise.   That which is in the last part of the division is first in order of the words, and therefore we will look upon the words as they lie in order; and so from the last part and first words I shall handle this doctrine.

That God made many promises unto his people.

I am come to you this day not to set out unto you the excellency of wit or learning, or the creature; but the excellency of a naked promise, according to that, (2 Pet. I. 4,)  “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.”
Now, all the promises of God unto his people are such as concern the body, or the body and the soul.  Those that concern the body are with this limitation, that is, so far as concerns God’s glory and the good of our souls; but for the body and soul, consider that place,  “For the Lord is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good will he withhold from them that live uprightly.”   (Ps. 1xxxiv. 11.)

I come to the reasons why God hath thus made many promises unto his people; and they are three.

The first reason is this: that his people might have…. Click here to Finish

Does Your Brain Add to Your Asthma?

Does Your Brain Add to Your Asthma Problems?

Simply hearing words like “wheeze” can cause asthmatics to experience more severe asthma symptoms, according to a study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin.

Study Reveals Specific Parts of Brain Involved

The study shows a link between two brain regions and the physiological processes of asthma. Previous studies have shown that stress adversely affects people with inflammatory diseases like asthma. Inflammation has also been shown to affect the brain.

But this is the first study that makes a link showing the specific brain circuits involved in the connection between asthma and the emotions.

Emotional Reactions to Words

Researchers employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brains of six asthmatics. They were asked to inhale ragweed or dust-mite extracts, and then shown three types of words:

Assurance of Being Born Again

The problems that occur in relation to the topic of Assurance are due partially to centuries of mass acceptance of false doctrines. These include the perversion of the Arminian gospel of easy believism and the inner revelatory full assurance that accompanies the on demand regeneration of the one “receiving Jesus”. Another is the ambiguous way assurance has been presented. The recent lack of the clear precise teaching that was in the Westminster Confession of Faith, which distinguishes between the certainty of faith one has in conversion, and one’s own personal assurance of being in a state of grace. These have been blurred into the same thing. The fact that one theologian has used the term applying to the one that another man has used to apply to the other has not helped. Though they both may agree concerning the distinctness of these two matters, the lack of agreement on a proper term has left confusion. It would be more clear to use, “assurance of faith” for saving faith and “assurance of hope or sense” for one’s surety he is truly born again. Some define assurance of faith as that certainty we may arrive at that confirms to us we have been converted by God’s Grace. Whereas saving faith is that infallible belief and trust in Christ and His word at regeneration.
The fact is that most historical theologians agree there are these two different subjects. We must make certain that we properly understand what an author meant by the terms he used and the terms we choose to use, so that our listeners are fully aware of what we are talking about at the time. This is of primary importance, because to give a man a false assurance of being in a state of grace, simply because we confused the term with the certainty of saving faith he should have, can be the deception that damns one eternally. And at least it certainly deprives him of the benefits of drawing nearer to Christ through self examination and ultimately by having that true fullness of assurance of our being indwelt by the Spirit that we may obtain.
A second matter is the semantic of full assurance versus assurance. Some would be clear to say that full assurance is not of the essence of saving faith, just some measure of personal confidence or hope must be. Some would say there is a hope or confidence or surety that grows in degrees and full assurance is the final stage when one never doubts again. Still others say the full assurance may be lost or diminished. These words only point out with what difficulty this topic is explained or fully understood. This issue is not as dangerous a misconception as the first, but let us see if ….
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Is The Mode Of Baptism Illustrated In Scripture, and Who Gets Baptized?

The Mode Of Baptism Illustrated In Scripture, and Who Gets Baptized?

1 Peter 3:20…in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  NKJV

How does Baptism save us? We are not born again by water baptism; but it is the symbol or picture of the real ark; Jesus who saves us. Water baptism is the symbol for what really happens to the believer. It can not cause one to be saved.

It is not the water or putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience.

“The like figure”:  the figure of baptism or being saved by water was a boat afloat, not immersed. The point is, it is not the water, but the response of conscience that is Baptism! A good conscience; not water that can only wash the flesh.

Not the putting away the filth of the flesh:  which is to say, what saves us is not the water in the symbol, but the answer of a good conscience; is what this text teaches!

The same is true of 1 Cor.10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;…

How were all people, including children baptized? They were baptized into the covenant family  by obedience.  The answer of a good conscience. Moses is a type of Christ, as was the ark. They were baptized by obeying the symbol of being safely taken  through judgment. Believers are saved by the efficacy of Christ who passed through the judgment of God for them and paid their penalty. We can do nothing to merit this salvation. Only Christ could get us pardon from the judgment that came upon those in the flood and those dying in the Red Sea; and the judgment to come upon all who do not obey Him. According to Paul and Peter what was done in the OT baptism and was an act of good conscience in obeying and doing the type or sign or symbol of that regeneration that truly pardons us from final judgment.

These texts says nothing of immersion. It speaks of obedience from the heart!!  The only way water baptism can be said to save us is as a type of the real baptism of the Spirit in regeneration.

The passage through God’s judgment which was procured by another; Noah and his ark, or Moses and his parting of the Sea were types.

The obvious mistake of those who state baptizo always means immersed, is manifest as we saw in the baptizo at the Red Sea where they were  on dry ground.

Pharoah’s Egyptians were immersed in judgment, while God’s people were said to be baptized as they walked on dry ground through the parted Red Sea. The only water for the covenant people here would have been the sprinkling overspray from the held back waters.  Immersion is more clearly a sign of judgment than baptism in scripture.

Baptism in these passages does not mean immersion in water but the answer of a good conscience toward God. Water baptism does not convert us, it does not unite us to Christ in his death or burial. That is the old heretical teaching of baptismal regeneration.

We see the contrast in this verse of water baptism with the non-immesion, non-water baptism of the Spirit. Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” NKJV

So we see there is more than one distinct useage and meaning for the word baptism in scripture. One is Read Whole Article Click Here

Reproof in Preaching-Do We Love Reproof or Sin

“Your Word is completely pure, and Your
servant loves it.” Psalms 119:140

Do we love the holiness of the Word? The Word is
preached—to beat down sin, and advance holiness.
Do we love it for its spirituality and purity? Many
love the Preached Word only for its eloquence and
notion. They come to a sermon as to a performance
(Ezek. 33:31,32) or as to a garden to pick flowers;
but not to have their lusts subdued or their hearts
purified. These are like a foolish woman who paints
her face—but neglects her health!

Do we love the convictions of the Word? Do we
love the Word when it comes home to our conscience
and shoots its arrows of reproof at our sins? It is the
minister’s duty sometimes to reprove. He who can
speak smooth words in the pulpit—but does not know
how to reprove, is like a sword with a fine handle, but
without an edge! “Rebuke them sharply!” (Titus 2:15).
Dip the nail in oil—

BAPTISM – Clarified from Scripture

BAPTISM – Clarified from Scripture

BAPTISM

Rev. John Scott Johnson

Part1: Affusion (  Sprinkling)

Are we not impressed with the simplicity of the Bible accounts of water baptism? Physical preparation for baptism was recorded only once–that of Saul of Tarsus. He was told to “arise and be baptized” (Acts 22:16), and he “arose and was baptized” (Acts 9:18). That is the whole record of the ceremony.

There is no suggestion nor intimation anywhere in the Bible that clothing had to be changed, nor of any inconvenience of wet garments (even out on the desert road to Gaza). In a jail, about the Jordan, around the house in Jerusalem containing the upper chamber, in the home of Cornelius, by a river’s brink in Philippi, out on a desert road­ whenever and wherever water baptism was needed, it was administered without delay and with no hubbub, no commotion. Does not this fact argue strongly as to the simplicity of the ceremony? Does not the cumbersomeness and unwieldiness of im­mersion seem utterly repugnant to, out of keeping with, the simplicity of the record?

It is no accident that the verb “sprinkle” (in various forms) occurs 41 times in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, and 6 times in Hebrews. “Immerse” never occurs in the Bible in any of its forms.

SEC. 1. The BIBLE’S PRESCRIBED MODE

God has not left us in doubt as to His intended mode of baptism. Heb. 9:10 speaks of “divers wash­ings” (Greek: baptismois, “baptisms”) which the whole 9th chapter of Hebrews identifies as- they can be no other than- the sprinklings of blood and water, which are commanded in Exodus_‘ Leviticus, and Numbers. The following quotations prove this: Read Whole Article

All Christians Believe in Predestination But…

All Christians Believe in Predestination. But In The Way The Bible Teaches It?

 

Eph 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,  NAS

Dan 4:35  All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven  And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?”   NKJV

Eph 3:11This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,  NAS

Not a change of plan because He didn’t know if Adam would sin.  Not a second plan because His 1st plan for man to live forever was stopped by men. This was His eternal purpose. He does all things according to His own will!  He does all that He pleases; not some of it, not that He could do it, but chooses not to. He does it!

Lam 3:37 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? ³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth? NAS

Isa 46:9… I am God, and there is none like Me, ¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure, ¹¹… The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

Job 23:13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.

¹⁴ For He performs what is appointed for me, NKJV

Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased
Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
Matt 20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? NKJV

Prov 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD. NKJV

 

Of Jesus’ Death

The whole gospel plan that is preached was predestined before the world began. It was not an after thought due to Adam or anyone’s sin. The whole glorious gospel of redeeming love was ordained before the world. God knew the end even from the beginning of time. There is nothing hid from Him because He has brought it to pass just as He Pleased. God used the wicked desires of the Jews to accomplish His plan of crucifying Christ.

 

What if God could not determine what people did and only could look into the future as some people wrongly think the word foreknow means? What if God foresaw that Jesus was made King and not crucified by the people’s will? What good would that do to foresee it, if God could not change it or do anything about it? What could He do? We would have no sacrifice for sin and all people would go to hell. But Christ was predestined to be slain from the foundations of the earth Rev 13:8 So there was no chance the people would or could change it. They had to crucify Him.  Foreknow means to foreordain. The reason He knows is because it is done, He has predestined it to be so.

Even though God Predestined Jesus’ death to be done by Judas and the Jews, yet man is still held accountable for his own selfish desires because he does not feel forced to do it. God so moves man in a way that He does not force a man to act against his will. We do not experience predestination therefore we cannot excuse our actions or blame God for our actions.  God does as He pleases and though we may not understand, He is just and good in all He does.

Luke 22:22 And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;  NKJV

Acts 4:28 …to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. NKJV

 

In these and other texts we see that though God predestines all things, yet He still holds man responsible for his decisions. Some people are confused because some text seem to speak of man’s desires, decisions and actions while other texts speak of God’s doing it. One has to understand that God sometimes speaks from the perspective of human responsibility and sometimes from the perspective of His sovereign predestination. God also speaks to us in scripture in anthropomorphisms. God is not a bird and yet speaks of his wings. He speaks of His desires in earthly terms or as if He changed His mind because of man’s repenting etc. God does not change and already knows what ids going to happen so He is simply speaking in story form and from human perspective and understanding.  These narratives do not contradict each other or the truth that God predestines man’s actions. God ordains things to happen by means or methods involving people; even sinful people at times. So He is still just when he predestines the Assyrian king to attack Israel and then punishes the Assyrian king for doing it. Because He predestines in a way that people do not feel it so the choices people make are real choices from their desires. The king chose to do it for selfish evil reasons and God was using the king’s selfishness to accomplish God’s plan to punish the Israelites for their sin. God uses the wicked people’s desires to accomplish His good ends.

 

Even the wills of the wicked are under the control of God and He can send Calamity on People

1 Sam 16:14Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him. ¹⁵ Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. NAS

1 Sam 18:10 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house… NAS

Deut 2:30 “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day NKJV

Is 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Amos 3:6 shall evil befall a city, and Jehovah hath not done it? (ASV)

Prov 16:4 The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil. NAS

Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:8 They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. NKJV

1 Sam 2:25But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the LORD desired to put them to death. NAS

Speaking of the Egyptians it says God caused them to hate Israel.

Is 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. (KJV)

Speaking of the Egyptians it says God caused them to hate Israel.

Ps 105:25 He turned their heart to hate His people, To deal craftily with His servants. NKJV

2Thes 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: ¹² That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (KJV)

Since the fall, all people became sinners and deserve to go to hell and all would have because no one seeks God or does good and they are separated from God by their sin.

 

A Key is Understanding Free Will

There is no totally free will. A person’s will is bound to his nature. Is a person free to will to fly like a bird or swim underwater all day like a fish? No because he has the nature of a human and not the nature of a fish. His will is not free to fly or swim and breathe under water. So we see man does not have a totally free will. Similarly, a fish has free will to go where it wants, but only in water, it does not have a free will to go on land. We can say a man on a ship has free will. He is free to go where he wills, but only on the ship; that is his limit. From a larger perspective, does the man on the ship still have free will?  Not really.  His will is limited by the bounds of the ship and the whole time He is going wherever the captain takes the ship; even off course or to a different harbor than planned and the man may not even be aware of it. So either we say we do not have free will, because it is not totally free; or we say man’s will is free, but limited to his sin nature. He will not do good, because his will is fallen and in opposition to God.

Prov 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. NKJV

Jer 10:23 O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. NKJV

Prov 16:9  A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. NKJV

We can say we have free will, in the sense we do not feel forced to act. Therefore we can be held responsible for real choices we make. But our will is always limited to some extent; never totally free. We are born in bondage to a sinful flesh fallen nature that will not seek God or please God. It will not believe in Christ or receive Him any more than the man on the ship will walk off the edge. His will is “free” and he “could” or is free to, but he won’t go against his nature he is bound by. He accepts the limits to his will.  And without a new heart put into us and new desires put in us, by a new birth, we are free only to do sin. Maybe moral good, but not good pleasing to God or

Some Thoughts and Scripture on Prosperity

Scriptures on Prosperity In The Christian Life

It is unfortunate but often we find some of the teaching we are presented with to be anti- teaching. Rather than a clear and complete unfolding of God’s word on a subject, we are often given a part of the teaching as a defense against someone else’s unbalanced or erring teaching on a subject.

One of the greatest losses to this imbalanced teaching for many Christians is in the areas of health and finances. God’s word has much to say about both the blessing and dangers in relation to our experience in these areas.

There has been such a popularity and crowd pleasing appeal in presenting a one sided view of these issues that it has even come to be labeled as Health and Prosperity Teaching. It is a virtual movement in some congregations. This has prompted a reaction to preach against the false teaching by other ministers, eager to keep their flock from this error and in many cases has also been equally one sided or unbalanced.  This reactionary type of teaching has the danger imparting a feeling of aversion to the other side of the truth in the hearers. Let’s look at the issues involved here.

1. Scriptures like Prov 11:16, Prov 14:24, Prov 19:14, Prov 22:4, Eccles 5:19, 1Tim 6:17, Mark 6:13, Mark 16:15-21, 3 John 1:2  tell us riches are a blessing of the Lord as is healing and health.

2. Other scriptures point out that sickness and poverty can come from sin. Prov 10:4, Prov 21:17, Micah 6:13, Mark 2:5, James 5:14-15.

To see only this part of the teaching as all of the truth would be unbalanced and results in error as to the true teaching of Scripture. It is only part of the truth.

3. The other side is quick to point to Job to show that loss of riches and health are not a result of sin and can be the experience of an upright believer. As with Prov 28:6, Prov 13:7, Phil 2:26-27, 2 Tim 4:20,

4. Also they point out that a rich person and one concerned about the temporal body and life can be unspiritual. Prov 28:20 & 22, Luke 12:16, Luke 18:23, 1Tim 6:9-10, Mt 6:19-20, Mt 6:31-34, Phil 4:10-12

The problem occurs when one is teaching against a popular heresy by only presenting verses in apparent opposition to the other side. They are not presenting the whole counsel of God on the issue. They do not compare scripture with scripture; rather they compile a list of proof texts to manipulate the unstudied person to their persuasion. Without a clear interpretation and application of all the verses, one ends up leaving error and imbalance in the mind of the hearers? Teaching should not only be against the popular errors of the day, but at some point also give a proper balanced Biblical perspective on the whole subject, so that sincere believers are not deprived of full understanding in an area like the enjoyment and dangers of the temporal blessings of God and a proper use of the world and things in it. 1 Cor 7:31… and those who use this world as not misusing it.

Teachers must trust the Spirit to impart grace in the hearers to give them spiritual desires to control the things of the world and not become as the Pharisees who went beyond scripture and taught: taste not, see not, and handle not; to prevent sin. There are certain things Christians must clearly abstain from, but others we must have self-control over until the Spirit sanctifies us to have new godly desires. Certain individuals may have to abstain from certain things at least for a time if they would ever gain any self control; such as alcohol, credit cards, etc. Also at times when visiting a different culture, temporary abstinence from some allowed freedom may be necessary so as not to offend a weaker brother. Balanced teaching rather than extremism and reactionary teaching is vital. Satan always seems to

Deity of Christ & Spirit – Bible Referencesf

Deity of Christ and Spirit

Matt 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (KJV)

Not a creation of God, but God with us! Not simply a man because he was born of God and a woman.

1Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (KJV)

HOW WAS GOD MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH? OR RECEIVED UP INTO GLORY? There was only one who did this. This is CHRIST!

Phil 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (KJV)

Note it was not stealing to be equal with God because He was God; or not something he had to hold on to. He made himself in the form of a man, because before He was in the form of God. As a man he was still perfect, so form of God does not mean perfect. It means nature of God, just as he tool on nature of man!

Note: God did not make Him in the form of man, HE TOOK ON THAT FORM HIMSELF. So what ever Form is in form of servant, or likeness of men, it is the same meaning for form of God.

Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me,  6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other;  NKJV

Isa 45:21 …Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior;

There is none besides Me.  NKJV

The word translated “beside” has nothing to do with equality. The roots are more to the effect of: not ever. It just plainly states there is no other God.

Strong’s # 1107 bil` adey (bil-ad-ay’); or bal` adey (bal-ad-ay’); constructive plural from 1077 and 5703, not till, i.e. (as preposition or adverb) except, without, besides: KJV– beside, not (in), save, without.

Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (KJV)

Zech 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. (KJV)

Is 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.  11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (KJV)     This is our faith, only one Lord.

1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. NKJV

There is only One Lord. There is no other Lord, no other God formed, no other savior.

1 Cor 8:4 there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.   NKJV

Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (KJV)

But look what scripture tells us.  There is another God and Father for us.

Is 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Now Jesus is the everlasting Father!   Do we have 2 Fathers? If He is only our brother who is He father to? He is a lamb, a Lion, a Father, a Brother, a Priest, a Servant; many things not just one.

Is. 9:6 SAYS CHRIST IS  GOD!  The Mighty God. The same