Mom didn’t drive, so on occasion Dad would have to take her somewhere. When that happened and we were left alone, it was like “the rules are suspended!” I don’t recall doing anything really delinquent while they were gone, but a lot of rules were broken while they were out. Mom had rules for living in her house. She was a cleaner. No she didn’t work outside the home. She just constantly cleaned and did laundry but to be fair she had six kids.

There was an occasion where three of my siblings were left at home alone and a fight broke out between the younger two. The disagreement resulted in some pushing and shoving and one of the two landed on the coffee table. This particular coffee table had a single pedestal under it with four legs curving out from the bottom of the pedestal. You can imagine the results.

We never really had anything nice, but what we had was well taken care of. This was not going to be good.

The two younger siblings were busy trying to glue the coffee table back together when the sound of the car door shutting came from outside. Mom and Dad were home…….and no one was ready.

I wonder what you and I will be doing when the Lord returns?

And when he (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:9-11

The faithful in Christ Jesus. The faithful are those who live as though the Word of God is true.

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

“The days of creation were ordinary days in length. We must understand that these days were actual days, contrary to the opinion of the holy fathers. Whenever we observed that the opinions of the fathers disagree with Scripture, we reverently bear with them and acknowledge them to be our elders. Nevertheless, we do not depart from the authority of Scripture for their sake.” Martin Luther

Love is not about feelings. Love is about making right choices. Love is not about feeling warm and fuzzy. It is about obedience. Love is not about physical desire. Love is about choosing the highest good for the one loved.*

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

*From the blog article ”Are You Thinking Biblically or Culturally?” dated June 11, 2016.

The kingdom of heaven is at hand. What should we do?

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matt 3:1&2

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:1-5

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:29-31

The kingdom of heaven is at hand. What should we do?

Repent: Change your mind. Turn from sin and turn unto God. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

After I left home at the age of nineteen, one of the sweet memories of home was the fragrance of blooming lilacs on a spring breeze. We had a row of lilacs down through the middle of our back yard and every spring they gave off a fragrance that you could not forget.

After we pass through their midst what do others remember about you and I? Is it the fragrance of Christ?

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

II Corinthians 2:14-17 NKJV

...let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

But whereunto shall I (Jesus) liken this generation?

It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Then began he (Jesus) to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:16-30

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

If you change your language, your lifestyle, your habits, your attitude,…..if you change anything just to please me,….you will still die and go to hell.

Someone has said probably more than once: One of these days I’m going to stop drinking, and cussing, and chasing women. Well, that would be a fine thing if you were to clean up your life, but just cleaning up your life without saving faith will still end in hell.

You see it’s not about anything that you do. It’s about what Jesus Christ has already done. This is God’s grace.

Without faith it is impossible to please Him (God).* Faith is the gangplank used to board the ship of grace.**

Faith is a firm persuasion or conviction brought about by hearing the Word of God.***

Do you have a Bible? Do you read it? Why not?

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

*Hebrews 11:6

**Author Unknown – Faith can be used to board the wrong ship. Faith in Christ’s merit alone is saving faith.

***W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Copyright 1984, 1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN.

The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians:

For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while – I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 

For the sorrow* that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow* of the world produces death.  For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow*, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 

II Corinthians 7:8-11

*Sorrow – grief, pain, heaviness of mind.

*W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Copyright 1984, 1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN.

The question to be asked is not: How can a loving God send anyone to hell? The question that should be asked is: How can a holy God let anyone into heaven?

There is a way.

For he hath made him (Messiah Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. II Corinthians 5:21

Isaiah 53

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

…let the word of Christ (Messiah Jesus) dwell (take up its life) in you richly…