I FELL AT HIS FEET LIKE A DEAD MAN

The Apostle John had been banished by his persecutors to the Greek Island of Patmos to complete his days of life. John is the only Apostle who died a natural death at the end of his time on earth. Our Lord sent an angel to communicate with John, in the Spirit, to reveal the things that soon must take place in the rapidly approaching end times. We begin in Revelation, Chapter one, and Verse 17:

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last. For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. [Rev 1:17, Heb 12:18, Heb 12:22-24]

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. [Heb 12:2, Heb 4:15-16]

Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. [Isa 44:6, Isa 9:6]

Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge; And You, O Rock, have established them to correct. For who is God, besides the LORD? And who is a rock, besides our God? [Hab 1:12, 2Sa 22:32]

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OUR BROTHER, OUR LORD!

OUR BROTHER, OUR LORD

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Heb 2:17

Born in Bethlehem, raised up in Nazareth, to all appearances, just another male child growing, learning, loved by his mother and his father. Just a normal kid by any standard measure at the time.

The Bible is silent on details of Jesus younger days, beyond a few precious snippets. Registered as the son of Joseph, young Jesus learned the carpentry trade at his earthly dad's hand. Mother Mary held Him in her heart as He grew from a toddler to a teen to a man.

So, just how does a "sinless" child successfully negotiate the perils of Satan throughout His formative years to arrive error free into adulthood and subsequently through the Cross?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Joh 1:1-5, 14

The sinlessness of Jesus is His natural state. He is Lord. Even in the earthly body of a child, a teenager, a man, He is God! He is SINLESS because He IS! He can be no other way. HE IS HOLY.

Jesus was not of the seed of Adam, the seed that ushered in death and sin into each of us. Jesus was of the seed of His Father. Without error. He is Holy. This Holy man, this Savior, this Christ who gave His life and shed His blood that you and I might live; He called those who believe His brothers!

But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." Mat 12:48-50

Praise You Jesus! Praise You in the highest! Praise Your Holy Name!

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GOD IS FAITHFUL

GOD IS FAITHFUL

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1Co 10:13

God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Num 23:19

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. Heb 6:17-18

Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. 

1Pe 4:19

For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 2Ti 1:12

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 

1Th 5:24

For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. 2Co 1:20

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LOVE AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Love and the Fruit of the Spirit

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him - and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. [Gal 5:22-23, 1Jn 4:16, Rom 5:5]

This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone," - we love, because He first loved us. [1Pe 2:7, 1Jn 4:19]

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. [2Co 5:14-15]

Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;"This is My commandment, that you love one another, - just as I have loved you. [1Th 4:9, Joh 15:12]

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. - Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. [1Pe 4:8, Eph 5:2]

Of all the fruit of the Spirit, the greatest is LOVE!

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LOVE AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Love and the Fruit of the Spirit

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him - and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. [Gal 5:22-23, 1Jn 4:16, Rom 5:5]

This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone," - we love, because He first loved us. [1Pe 2:7, 1Jn 4:19]

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. [2Co 5:14-15]

Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; "This is My commandment, that you love one another, - just as I have loved you. [1Th 4:9, Joh 15:12]

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. - Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. [1Pe 4:8, Eph 5:2]

Of all the fruit of the Spirit, the greatest is LOVE!

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REPENT

REPENT

To Repent; To turn or return, to change the mind. [ISBE; International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]

Repentance is that change of a sinner's mind which leads him to turn from his evil ways and life. The change wrought in repentance is so deep and radical as to affect the whole spiritual nature and to involve the entire personality. [ISBE]

Repent. A small word, a BIG impact. It appears in our Bible 38 times over 36 verses, OT and NT. Six tiny letters that will change your life forever! Easy to pronounce. Difficult for many to perform. Will take a lifetime to maintain. An eternity to perfect.

Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.

[Lam 3:40]

Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. -- Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. -- I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies. I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

[Psa 26:2 --Psa 51:6 -- Psa 119:59-60]

But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. [1Co 11:28]

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -- Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

[1Jn 1:9 -- Heb 10:19-22]

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REPENT

REPENT

To Repent; To turn or return, to change the mind. [ISBE; International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]

Repentance is that change of a sinner's mind which leads him to turn from his evil ways and life. The change wrought in repentance is so deep and radical as to affect the whole spiritual nature and to involve the entire personality. [ISBE]

Repent. A small word, a BIG impact. It appears in our Bible 38 times over 36 verses, OT and NT. Six tiny letters that will change your life forever! Easy to pronounce. Difficult for many to perform. Will take a lifetime to maintain. An eternity to perfect.

Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.

[Lam 3:40]

Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. -- Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. -- I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies. I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

[Psa 26:2 --Psa 51:6 -- Psa 119:59-60]

But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. [1Co 11:28]

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -- Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

[1Jn 1:9 -- Heb 10:19-22]

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