by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Memory of the month: And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" —Luke 24:32
Today's reading: DEUTERONOMY 16-18 MARK 13:1-20
Eternal Facts and Full Joy
In a world where we hear and see speakers who say a life in Christ is 'dollar rich' and 'storage full', it is hard to hear the real eternal facts of God for us. It is hard to hear those 'rainbow stew' messages for so long, as a teacher, and then set your jaw and tell the truth.
2 Timothy 4:3 ►For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
The truth is that Jesus said the world would get worse and we would be hated by the world.
Mark 13:12 But it will get worse...13 Everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to Me. But if you’re faithful until the end, you will be rescued.
So, how do we deal with that.?
First, we have not been given a spirit of fear.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
Walking in power must be taken in God's word. This is not power of the 'pen' or sword. It is not the power of the 'office' or accomplishment. This power has never been known by a lost heart. This power is misunderstood in disbelief by the world. They believe if power is not available to them, it cannot exist. But we know that God's Holy Spirit is the only real power and it is awesome, real power.
The world would have us live in fear because the money in this world is in the enemy's pocket and we must have it to live in this world. But we are in God's pocket and we must cling to His real power to walk in this world and it takes self-control.
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
The world does not know love the way God loves and the way He wants us to. The world knows love the natural way. Most animals out in the wild take care of their young to the death and so do most humans. Humans pair up with mates and some stay together until death. God defines marriage between a man and a woman but it goes eternally deeper than that. We are to love God with all we are and have and then love our neighbor as ourselves, Matthew 22:37-39, and this can only become reality in Christ Jesus because God is love. Apart from God, divine, eternal love is not known.
Mark 13:12; Jesus says "...if you are faithful to the end";
2 Timothy 1:7 says we have been given a spirit of 'power, love, and self control.
Faithful to the end and self-control are the same thing. We have been given the faith and we must set our jaws like rock and trust God. While all this pain and sweat is going on, what are our lives really like? Jesus said our lives are abundant and that our joy should be full. So we go out and work for abundant life and full joy? No. These cannot be earned. These are not payment for being good people. These are realized as a result of our being faithful in seeking God's kingdom, Matthew 6:33.(all these things...)
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 16:24 Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete.
Our joy may be full-might be full-both imply that we have a part in the completion of these promises. Faithfulness is our part. Taking up our own cross daily and then following heartbeat to heartbeat as we seek God's kingdom-as we follow His leading-consistently obedient-consistent confessing when we sin-prayer, meditation, Bible immersion, breaking bread with the saints-all are part of walking in this earthly life as aliens in this world-members of His kingdom.
God's message today is that it is always going to get worse in the world-but His life-His abundant life-His sustaining power and peace will deliver us.
Deuteronomy 11:13 So if you carefully obey the commandments I am giving you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 then I will provide rain for your land in season, the autumn and spring rains,
He will bring the rain that blesses our lives in all things.
...because He loves us...
Father in Heaven,
I confess my weak resolve to following you. Help me to set my face like flint-I will not be put to shame.
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