Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Mount Seir and Mountains of Israel

Ezekiel Chapters 35 and 36

A Prophecy to the Mount Seir

The word of the LORD came to me:

"Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir; prophesy against it and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you and make you a desolate waste. I will turn your towns into ruins and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

" 'Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax, therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and cut off from it all who come and go. I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines. I will make you desolate forever; your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

" 'Because you have said, "These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession of them," even though I the LORD was there, therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.

Then you will know that I the LORD have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, "They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour."

You boasted against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.

Because you rejoiced when the inheritance of the house of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, O Mount Seir, you and all of Edom. Then they will know that I am the LORD.' "

A Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel

"Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The enemy said of you, "Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession." ' Therefore prophesy and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because they ravaged and hounded you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people's malicious talk and slander, therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign LORD : This is what the Sovereign LORD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you- this is what the Sovereign LORD says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.' Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations. Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.

" 'But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk upon you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.

" 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because people say to you, "You devour men and deprive your nation of its children," therefore you will no longer devour men or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign LORD. No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign LORD.' "

Again the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman's monthly uncleanness in my sight. So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, 'These are the LORD's people, and yet they had to leave his land.' I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.

" 'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel!

" 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited." Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.'

"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep, as numerous as the flocks for offerings at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

Praise God Almighty, Amen

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

What are we to make of Jesus Christ?

Essay: What are we to make of Jesus Christ? C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock (Page 156)

What are we to make of Jesus Christ? This is a question which has, in a sense, a frantically comic side. For the real question is not what are we to make of Christ, but what is He to make of us? The picture of a fly sitting deciding what it is going to make of an elephant has comic elements about it. But perhaps the questioner meant what are we to make of Him in the sense of ‘How are we to solve the historical problem set us by the recorded sayings and acts of this Man?’ This problem is to reconcile two things. On the one hand you have got the almost generally admitted depth and sanity of His moral teaching, which is not very seriously questioned, even by those who are opposed to Christianity. In fact, I find when I am arguing with very anti-God people that they rather make a point of saying, ‘I am entirely in favour of the moral teaching of Christianity’-and there seems to be a general agreement that in the teaching of this Man and of His immediate followers, moral truth is exhibited at its purest and best. It is not sloppy idealism, it is full of wisdom and shrewdness. The whole thing is realistic, fresh to the highest degree, the product of a sane mind. That is one phenomenon.

The other phenomenon is the quite appalling nature of this Man’s theological remarks. You all know what I mean, and I want rather to stress the point that the appalling claim which this Man seem to be making is not merely made at one moment of His career. There is, of course, the one moment which led to His execution. The moment at which the High Priest said to Him, ‘Who are you?’ ‘I am the Anointed, the Son of the uncreated God, and you shall see Me appearing at the end of all history as the judge of the Universe.’ But that claim, in fact, does not rest on this one dramatic moment. When you look into His conversation you will find this sort of claim running through the whole thing. For instance, He went about saying to people, ‘I forgive your sins.’ Now it is quite natural for a man to forgive something you do to him. Thus if somebody cheats me out of five pounds it is quite possible and reasonable for me to say, ‘Well, I forgive him, we will say no more about it.’ What on earth would you say if somebody had done you out of five pounds and I said, ‘That is all right, I forgive him’? Then there is a curious thing which seems to slip out almost by accident. On one occasion this Man I sitting looking down on Jerusalem from the hill above it and suddenly in comes an extraordinary remark- ‘I keep on sending you prophets and wise men.’ Nobody comments on it. And yet, quiet suddenly, almost incidentally, He is claiming to be the power that all through the centuries is sending wise men and leaders into the world. Here is another curious remark: in almost every religion there are unpleasant observances like fasting. This Man suddenly remarks one day, ‘No one need fast while I am here.’ Who is this Man who remarks that His mere presence suspends all normal rules? Who is the person who can suddenly tell the School they can have a half-holiday? Sometimes the statements put forward the assumption that He, the Speaker, is completely without sin or fault. This is always the attitude. ‘You, to whom I am talking, are all sinners,’ and He never remotely suggests that this same reproach can be brought against Him. He says again, ‘I am begotten of the One God, before Abraham was, I am,’ and remember what the words, ‘I am’ were in Hebrew. They were the name of God, which must not be spoken by any human being, the name which it was death to utter.

Well, that is the other side. On the one side clear, definite moral teaching. On the other, claims which, if not true, are those of a megalomaniac, compared with whom Hitler was the most sane and humble of men. There is no half-way house and there is no parallel in other religions. If you had gone to Buddha and asked him ‘Are you the son of Bramah?’ he would have said, ‘My son, you are still in the vale of illusion.’ If you had gone to Socrates and asked, ‘Are you Zeus?’ he would have laughed at you. If you had gone to Mohammed and asked, ‘Are you Allah?’ he would first have rent his clothes and then cut your head off. If you had asked Confucius, ‘Are you Heaven?’, I think he would have probably replied. ‘Remarks which are not in accordance with nature are in bad taste.’ The idea of a great moral teacher saying what Christ said is out of the question. In my opinion, the only person who can say that sort of thing is either God or a complete lunatic suffering from that form of delusion which undermines the whole mind of man. If you think you are a poached egg, when you are looking for a piece of toast to suit you, you may be sane, but if you think you are God, there is no chance for you. We may note in passing that He was never regarded as a mere moral teacher. He did not produce that effect on any of the people who actually met Him. He produced mainly three effects---Hatred ---Terror ---Adoration. There was no trace of people expressing mild approval.

What are we to do about reconciling the two contradictory phenomena? One attempt consists in saying that the Man did not really say these things, but that His followers exaggerated the story. And so the legend grew up that He had said them. This is difficult because His followers were all Jews; that is, they belonged to the Nation which of all others was most convinced that there was only one God---that there could not possibly be another. It is very odd that this horrible invention about a religious leader should grow up among the one people in the whole earth least likely to make such a mistake. On the contrary we get the impression that none of His immediate followers or even of the New Testament writers embraced the doctrine at all easily.

Another point is that on that view you would have to regard the accounts of the Man as being legends. Now as a literary historian, I am perfectly convinced that whatever else the Gospels are they are not legends. I have read a great deal of legend and I am quite clear that they are not the same sort of thing. They are not artistic enough to be legends. From an imaginative point of view they are clumsy, they don’t work up to things properly. Most of the life of Jesus is totally unknown to us, as is the life of anyone else who lived at that time, and no people building up a legend would allow that to be so. Apart from bits of the Platonic dialogues, there are no conversations that I know of in ancient literature like the Fourth Gospel. There is nothing, even in modern literature, until about a hundred years ago when the realistic novel came into existence. In the story of the woman taken in adultery we are told Christ bent down and scribbled in the dust with His finger. Nothing comes of this. No one has ever based any doctrine on it. And the art of inventing little irrelevant details to make an imaginary scene more convincing is a purely modern art. Surely the only explanation of this passage is that the thing really happened? The author put it in simply because he had seen it.

Then we come to the strangest story of all, the story of the Resurrection. It is very necessary to get the story clear. I heard a man say, ‘The importance of the Resurrection is that it gives evidence of survival, evidence that the human personality survives death.’ On that view what happened to Christ would be what had always happened to all men, the difference being that in Christ’s case we were privileged to see it happening. This is certainly not what the earliest Christian writers thought. Something perfectly new in the history of the Universe had happened. Christ had defeated death. The door which had been locked had for the very first time been forced open. This is something quite distinct from mere ghost-survival. I don’t mean that they disbelieved in ghost-survival. On the contrary, they believed in it so firmly that, on more than one occasion, Christ had had to assure them that He was not a ghost. The point is that while believing in survival they yet regarded the Resurrection as something totally different and new. The Resurrection narratives are not a picture of survival after death; they record how a totally new mode of being has arisen in the Universe. Something new had appeared in the Universe: as new as the first coming of organic life. This Man, after death, does not get divided into ‘ghost’ and ‘corpse’. A new mode of being has arisen. That is the story. What are we going to make of it?

The question is, I suppose, whether any hypothesis covers the facts so well as the Christian hypothesis. That hypothesis is that God has come down into the created universe, down to manhood—and come up again, pulling it up with Him. The alternative hypothesis is not legend, nor exaggeration, not the apparitions of a ghost. It is either lunacy or lies. Unless one can take the second alternative (and I can’t) one turns to the Christian theory.

‘What are we to make of Christ?’ There is no question of what we can make of Him, it is entirely a question of what He intends to make of us. You must accept of reject the story. The things He says are very different from what any other teacher has said. Others say, ‘This is the truth about the Universe. This is the way you ought to go,’ but He said, ‘I am the Truth, and the Way, and the Life.’ He says, ‘No man can reach absolute reality, except through Me. Try to retain you own life and you will be inevitably ruined. Give yourself away and you will be saved.’ He says, ‘If you are ashamed of Me, if, when you hear this call, you turn the other way, I also will look the other way when I come again as God without disguise. If it is your hand, cut if off. If you put yourself first you will be last. Come to Me everyone who is carrying a heavy load, I will set that right. Your sins, all of them, are wiped out. I can do that. I am Re-birth, I am Life. Eat Me, drink Me, I am your Food. And finally, do not be afraid, I have overcome the whole Universe’ That is the issue.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Melchizedek

Titles and Names of Christ

Last Adam
. 1 Cor 15:45 The Last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Advocate. 1 John 2:1 we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Almighty. Rev 1:8 “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord,“who Is and who Was and Who Is to come, the Almighty.”

Alpha and Omega. Rev 1:8; 22:13“I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord,“who Is and who Was and Who Is to come, The Almighty.”; Rev 22:13,
“I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last

Amen. Rev 3:14 ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

Angel. Gen 48:16The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil; ; Ex 23:20-21 “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.

Angel of God’s presence. Is 63:9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old.

Angel of the Lord. Ex 3:2; And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.; Judges 13:15-1815 Then Manoah said to the Angel of the LORD, “Please let us detain You, and we will prepare a young goat for You.” 16 And the Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Though you detain Me, I will not eat your food. But if you offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD.” (For Manoah did not know He was the Angel of the LORD.) 17 Then Manoah said to the Angel of the LORD, “What is Your name, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?” 18 And the Angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?”

Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

Arm of the Lord. Is 51:9; Awake, awake, put on strength, O Arm of the LORD! Is 53:1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the Arm of the LORD been revealed?

Author and Finisher of our faith. Heb 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith

Beginning of the creation of God. Rev 3:14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

Blessed and only Potentate. 1 Tim 6:15 He will manifest in His own time, He who is the Blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

Branch. Jer 23:5That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; Zech 3:8 For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH; Zech.6:12“ Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD;
Bread of Life. John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; John 6:48 I am the bread of life

Captain of salvation. Heb 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

A Child is born Isaiah 9:6


For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

Chief Cornerstone. Eph 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone; 1 Peter 2:6 “ Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

Chief Shepherd.1 Peter 5:4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

The Christ of God. Luke 9:20
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

Commander Is 55:4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A Leader and Commander for the people.

Commander of the Lord’s army Josh 5:14-15 14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” 15 Then the Commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Consolation of Israel. Luke 2:25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Counselor. Is 9:6

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

David. Jer 30:9
But they shall serve the LORD their God,
And David their king,
Whom I will raise up for them.

; Ezek 34:23
I will establish one shepherd over them,
and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd.


Dayspring.
Luke 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;

Deliverer. Rom 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“ The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Desire of All Nations.
Hag 2:7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.

Door. John 10:7
Then Jesus said to them again,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Elect One. Is 42:1

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

Eternal Life. 1 John 1:2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

Everlasting Father. Is 9:6

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

Faithful Witness. Rev 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the Faithful Witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. ; Rev 3:14 ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

First and Last. Rev 1:17; And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me,“Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.; Rev 2:8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:

Firstborn from the dead. Rev 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

Firstborn over all creation. Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Forerunner. Heb 6:20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become

High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Garden of renown. Ezek 34:29 I will raise up for them a Garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore.

God. Is 40:9

O Zion,
You who bring good tidings,
Get up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem,
You who bring good tidings,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”


God Is 9:6 6
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

God John 20:28
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

God eternally blessed. Rom 9:5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

God’s companion. Zech 13:7

“ Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,
Against the Man who is My Companion,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“ Strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered;
Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.

Glory of the Lord
. Is 40:5
The Glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Good Shepherd. John 10:14
I am the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

Great High Priest. Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Head of the church. Eph 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body ; Col 1:18 And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Heir of all things. Heb 1:2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed Heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Holy One. Ps 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. ; Acts 2:27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

High Priest Hebrews 2:16-17 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 5:5-6 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
“ You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
As He also says in another place:
“ You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek"

Hebrews 6:19-20 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:26-28 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
Hebrews 9:11-15 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 9:25-28 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Holy One of God. Mark 1:24 “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

Holy One of Israel. Is 41:14
“ Fear not, you worm Jacob,
You men of Israel!
I will help you,” says the LORD
And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

Horn of salvation. Luke 1:69 And has raised up a Horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,

I AM. Ex 3:14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Immanuel. Is 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ; Matt 1:23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

Jesus. Matt 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." ; Thess 1:10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath

Judge of Israel. Mic 5:1

Now gather yourself in troops,
O daughter of troops;
He has laid siege against us;
They will strike the Judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

Just One. Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

King. Zech 9:9

“ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey." ;

Matt 21:5
Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘ Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

King of Israel. John 1:49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

King of the Jews. Matt 2:2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

King of Kings. 1 Tim 6:15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,; Rev 17:14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

King of Saints. Rev 15:3

They sing the song of Moses,
the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb, saying:
“ Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!

Lamb. Rev 5:6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ,Rev. 5:12 saying with a loud voice:
“ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
; Rev.13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ; Rev 21:22
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.;
Rev.22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

Lamb of God. John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Lawgiver. Is 33:22 For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, the LORD is our King; He will save us.

Leader. Is 55:4 Behold, I have given Him for a witness to the people, a Leader and Commander to the people.

Life. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him,
I am The Way,
The Truth, and
The Life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
; Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
1 John 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

Light of the world. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Lion of the tribe of Judah. Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Lord God Almighty. Rev 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.


Lord God of the holy prophets. Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

Lord of all. Acts 10:36 36 KJV The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all Acts 10:36 NIV You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

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

Lord our righteousness. Jer 23:6

In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The LORD Our Righteousness.

Mediator. 1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Melchizedek Psalm 110:4
The LORD has sworn
And will not relent,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 6:19-20 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:1-3 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.



Messenger of the covenant. Mal 3:1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the Messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.

Messiah. Daniel 9:25 KJV Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. NIV Daniel 9:25"Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the Ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. ; John 1:41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

Mighty God. Is 9:6
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

Mighty One of Jacob. Is 60:16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Bright and Morning Star. Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star.

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

Offspring of David. Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star.

Only begotten. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Our Passover. 1 Cor 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ Our Passover is sacrificed for us:

Prince of Life. Acts 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Prince of Peace. Is 9:6

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

Prophet. Luke 24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
John 7:40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

Ransom. 1 Tim 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Redeemer. Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:; Is 59:20 20And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

Is 60:16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Resurrection and life. John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

Rock. 1 Cor 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Root of David. Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning star.
Root of Jesse. Is 11:10 And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious

Ruler of Israel. Mic 5:2

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be Ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”;

Ruler over the kings of the earth Matt 2:6

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the Rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a Ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
Ruler over the kings of the earth.
Rev 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler over the kings of the earth.

Savior. 2 Peter 2:20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.


Scepter. Num 24:17
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel
"I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a Scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.

Servant of the Lord. Is 42:1
The Servant of the Lord
"Here is my Servant, whom I uphold,
my Chosen One in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on Him
and He will bring justice to the nations.


Servant Is 52:13
See, my Servant will act wisely;
He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

Shepherd and Overseer of souls. 1 Pet 2:25
For you were like sheep going astray,
but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls
Shiloh. Gen 49:10

( KJV )The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,
nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Son Psalm 2:7
“I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.

A Son is Given Is 9:6

“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”

Son of the Blessed. Mark 14:61
But He held His peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

Son of David. Matt 9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.


Son of God. Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.;
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Son of the Highest. Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David:

Son of Man. John 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. ; John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed.

Star. Num 24:17 A Star shall come out of Jacob I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

Sun of Righteousness. Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Surety. Heb 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

True God. 1 John 5:20 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

True Light. John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

True Vine. John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Truth. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him,
I am The Way,
The Truth,
and The Life:
no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.

Way. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him,
I am The Way,
The Truth,
and The Life:
no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me
Wisdom. Proverb 8:12 I Wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

Witness. Is 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a Witness to the people, a Leader and Commander to the people.


Wonderful. Is 9:6

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

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

Word of God. Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Word of Life 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;


YAH. Is 26:4

NKJV
Trust in the LORD forever,
For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

KJV
Trust ye in the LORD for ever:
for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:


NIV Is 26:4

Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.






Monday, November 3, 2008

True Treasure Hunt

The Holy Spirit and The Trinity
(from) Charles Stanley pg 3
Study Bible

Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Look closely at Genesis 1:1-2 and you’ll notice the Bible refers to “God” and the Spirit of God” without making the slightest distinction between the two.

It uses the two terms interchangeably.

Have you ever wondered why?

It’s because the two are one! This is the first allusion to the doctrine of the Trinity in Scripture.
A little later in the creation story we find a second reference to the Trinity:

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’” Genesis 1:26.

Now to whom was God speaking?

Whoever He meant, he (or they) clearly played a crucial part in the creation process: “Let Us make man.” So who was this mysterious Us”?

The only other beings then alive were animals and angels, and the Bible gives no indication that either group played any role in the creation process.

Fortunately, in the very next verse God clarifies who He meant:

“”And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).

God did not create Adam and Eve in the image of animals or angels; He created them in the image of God.

Therefore, the “Us” in Genesis 1:26 must refer to God alone, that is, to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit.

Within the eternal fellowship of the Trinity, the members of the Godhead have always enjoyed a deep and rich and unbroken relationship of love with ne another.

When God created us, He wanted us to share in some measure of that fellowship; that’s why He created us in His image. By creating us to reflect His own nature, He made it possible for us to develop a deep and intimate relationship with Himself.

In this truth we come to the heart of who God made us to be.

Our intimacy with God-His highest priority for our lives-determines the impact of our lives! So the closer we grow to Him, the more positive and lasting impact we can have on this world.

(from)The MacArthur Study Bible New King James

Holy Spirit

We teach that there is but one living and true God (Deut 6:4 )
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD

Isaiah 45:5-7

“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,
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;
I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity;
I, the LORD, do all these things.’”

I Corinthians 8:6 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. An Infinite, all knowing Spirit

John 4:24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons- Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

II Corinthians 13:14
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Amen.”

There is so much more to say; the Names and Titles of Christ; the Names and Titles of the Holy Spirit; the Character and Nature of God as seen in the Bible. Well worth seaching the scriptures to find, it is the True Treasure.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Wait upon the Lord

How can I develop and maintain an attitude of active listening before the Lord?

1 Kings 19-11-13 page 420 Charles Stanley Bible

Many people seem uncomfortable with silence, especially if they are alone.

In silence, however, we are able to hear the “still, small voice” of the Lord.

Certainly the prophet Elijah knew this. After receiving a death threat from Queen Jezebel, Elijah escaped to an isolated desert area. There in a cave, he heard the Lord say to him,

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Quietness is essential to listening. If we are too busy to sit in silence in His presece: if we are preoccupieed with thoughts or concerns that have filled our minds for hour upon hour with carnal interference and aimless chatter-then we are going to have difficulty truly listening to that still, small voice of God.

Set aside times to “wait upon the Lord” in silence. You may find that late night or early morning is a good time of solitude and quiet for you . A noonday walk in the park may be a time when you can quiet your soul before the Lord. Ask the Lord to reveal to you a time and a place where you might turn off the cares and worries of the world for a few moments and listen to Him.

So often we spend our prayer time by talking to the Lord, without spending any time just waiting in slience to see what the Lord might have to say to us. Take thime to intentionally sit or kneel in silence before the Lord. Empty your mind of all other thoughts. Concentraite on His Word and His presence with you Ask Him to speak to you.

What happens when we praise God?

Our intimacy with God –His highest priority for our lives-determines the impact of our lives

What happens when we praise God?
Charles Stanley Bible Page 722

Perhaps no book exemplifies the spirit of praise and worship more than the book of Psalms. It records more verses of praise than any other book of the Bible. Obviously, God wants the praises of His people.

God tells us to give Him thanks in everything ...

(I Thess. 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.),
....even when things press against our souls.

We may not understand what is happening, we may never understand. But God’s will in each circumstnce is that we praise and thank Him.

But why? It’s because praise is the clearest and most direct means by which you declare your dependence on God. It repeats your trust in Him in the midst of darkness. It confesses your allegiance and devotion to the One who was crucified for you and to whom you are eternally joined.

Consider a few of the specific benefits we derive from praising the Lord:

Praise magnifies God: Praise puts our focus on God, not on our problems. God’s power, and presence, and ability transform our thinking.

Praise humbles us. When we worship God, we gain a right view of ourselves. Praise deflates excess pride and ego. We gain a healthy self-image, based on God’s view of us. By removing pride, praise strengthens us against temptation.

Praise reveals our devotion to God: If I love Christ, I will prise Him. If he has first place in my life, I will honor Him with worship and thanksgiving.

Praise motivates us to holy living. Priase opens our hearts to want to live the way God desires-holy and separated unto Him, to do His will above our own, to want to be like Him more than like anyone else. The more we worship Him, the more like Him we will become.

Praise increases our joy. Joy is the constant companion of praise. If we feel depressed or discouraged, praising God will soon bring us joy.

Praise establishes our faith: The greater we seee God, the smaller we see our problems.

Praise elevates our emotions. Worry, fear, and doubt cannot survive for long in an atmosphere of praise.

If you want to see a difference in your relationship with Christ and in you walk with Him, start to praise Him today. Continue even when you feel prone to give up. Commit yourelf to a life of praise and fellowship with Jesus – and experience the fullness of what God means by “joy.”
Do you have breathe? Then praise the Lord! Praise Him before you turn the page. Praise Him in your car. Praise Him at home. Prise Him while you work. As long as you draw breath, praise Him!

Psalm 150:1-6

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.



Genesis 1:26

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

The Holy Spirit and the Trinity
Genesis 1:1,2
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

The Cover-Up
Leviticus 6:6-7
And as a penalty he must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, his guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any of these things he did that made him guilty."

Enjoying God’s Presence
Eccl. 2:26
To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

God as Our Lover
Song of Solomon 2:4
He has taken me to the banquet hall,
and his banner over me is love.

The Best Friend you will ever have

Song of Solomon 5:16

His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my lover, this my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.

Knowing All of God
Hosea 2:19-20
I will betroth you to me forever;
I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
in love and compassion.
I will betroth you in faithfulness,
and you will acknowledge the LORD.

God’s Forever Love
I Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Spiritual Growth
2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!
Amen.