High Point

It is generally accepted that Romans 8 is the high point in the Bible.

As one reads about the low point ~~ the challenges facing a believer in Romans 7:13-25, despair takes hold in verses 23 & 24 ~~ but then comes verse 25a ~~ and with it the introduction into the highest spiritual mountain peak of the Bible ~~ chapter 8 of Paul's epistle to the Romans ~~ and to us.

¹³ Has then what is good [the Law] become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good [the Law], so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 

¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 

¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 

¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 

¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 

¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 

¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 

²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 

²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 

²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 

²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 
² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 
³ For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 
⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 
⁶ For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
 ⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 
⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 

¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 

¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 

¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 

¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 

¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 
¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 

²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 

²¹ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 

²² For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 

²³ Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 

²⁴ For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 

²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to Hispurpose. 
²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 
³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 
³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 
³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 
³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 
³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
³⁶ As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 
³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 
³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From BibleGateway

a prisoner of Christ Jesus

I am listening to John MacArthur's messages on Acts and in particular Acts 21:26 and on to the end of Acts.
Paul, from Acts 21:26 on is a prisoner.
In Ephesians 3:1 he says "For this reason I Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles---".
In Philemon 1:1 "Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus,...".
In Philemon 1:9 "--being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ."

I have recently read again for the ??? time, Pilgrim's Progress, written by John Bunyan, for the most part while he was in prison more or less continuously from 1660 to 1672.
He too could say that he was a "prisoner of Christ Jesus"; and say with Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:16 "For if I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not  preach the Gospel!"

And finally, we see that the persecution of believers who proclaim and confess Christ still become "prisoner[s] of Christ Jesus..." today.  There are many, one of whom is Youcef Nadharkhani, a Christian minister in Iran who has been in prison for just under 3 years for 'apostasy' from Islam.

So True

Proverbs 16:8-9

8  Better is a little with righteousness,

    Than vast revenues without justice.

Not according to Demas who tries to entice Christian and Hopeful with dreams of silver and gold in The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.

9 A man's heart plans his way,

   But the LORD directs his steps.

I grieve for the current leadership of this country. 
They think they are soooo smart.  
They are in for such a rude awakening...

Integrity of Scripture

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

Daniel 8:25a Through his [anti-Christ] cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.

2 Peter 3:18 "3 knowing this first: that scoffers [skepticism, suppression of the truth] will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

We allow the enemy to deceive, to manipulate and to sabotage us through the world, the flesh and the devil.

1 Peter 1:8 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.

Believers do not need to be deceived.

1 John 2:13b I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.

1 John 2:14b I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.

Been too long...

For You have magnified Your Word above all Your name. Psalm 138:2c

Isaiah 40:5-8

5 The glory of the LORD shall be revealed,

And all flesh shall see it together;

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

6 The voice said, “Cry out!”

And he said, “What shall I cry?”

“ All flesh is grass,

And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades,

Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades,

But the Word of our God stands forever.”

#3 Faith=Works James 2:14-26

to continue in Romans 12

9 Let love be without hypocrisy.
Abhor what is evil.
Cling to what is good.
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,
in honor giving preference to one another;
11 not lagging in diligence,
fervent in spirit,
serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope,
patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in prayer;
13 distributing to the needs of the saints,
given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice,
and weep with those who weep.
16 Be of the same mind toward one another.
Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.
Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil.
Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”says the Lord.
20 Therefore
“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NKJV)

#2 What could that look like?

more Romans 12

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you,
not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly,
as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:
if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering;
he who teaches, in teaching;
⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation;
he who gives, with liberality;
he who leads, with diligence;
he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (NKJV)

#1 How to live

Romans 12

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV)

Our God Reigns!!

Donna and Bruce Weatherly joined us for worship at REFC on Sunday and shared their ministry to missionaries on the Asian continent.  They are members of and commended by Grace Memorial Church in Fredericksburg, VA and hail from Philipsburg, PA.  Their ministry is: Encouraging and helping other missionaries in Thailand, China, Mynamar, Mongolia and one or two other countries.

Donna presented a wonderful power point program about their work in a tiny village in Mongolia right at the Russian border.  Lotsa yurts!

Then Bruce led us in a study of Psalm 93.

The Eternal Reign of the LORD

1 The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
Bruce looked at this Psalm from an 'after the cross' believer's point of view: The Lord reigns...in me!!
The LORD is clothed,
Using the New Testament he cited Scriptures which validate the LORD's reign in me.
He has girded Himself with strength.
Romans 8:9-11; Romans 6:18-23; Galatians 2 19-20
Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved.

2 Your throne is established from of old;
Philippians 2:12; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Ephesians 2:8-9
You are from everlasting.

3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD,
Matthew 27:20-25;  Satan, his minions, his world systems, his angel of light tactics are the floods
The floods have lifted up their voice;
which have been lifted up against God and his Word since the Garden of Eden.
The floods lift up their waves.

4 The LORD on high is mightier
1 Peter 5:6-11; Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart fail;
Than the noise of many waters,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Than the mighty waves of the sea.

5 Your testimonies are very sure;
Psalm 19 and 119!!
Holiness adorns Your house,

O LORD, forever.   You reign...in me!!!
 

Good Friday, 2011

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

9 And they[a] made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You 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.

11 He shall see the labor of His soul,[b]and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
(New King James Version)

God

Psalm 24

A Psalm of David.

1 The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell therein.

2 For He has founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the waters.



3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?

Or who may stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,

Nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face. Selah



7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!

And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

8 Who is this King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

The LORD mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!

Lift up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

10 Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts,

He is the King of glory. Selah

the heart of man

<sup>Matthew 5:21-22

21</sup> “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 15:17-19

17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Jeremiah 17:9-10


9 “ The heart is deceitful above all things,

And desperately wicked;

Who can know it?

10 I, the LORD, search the heart,

I test the mind,

Even to give every man according to his ways,

According to the fruit of his doings.

My prayers for the victims of today's shooting spree involving Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of AZ and at least 18 others, a number of whom have died.

Romans 8:18-25


18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Do we get it yet?...

1 John 2:15-16

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.


Revelation 19:1-5

Heaven Exults over Babylon

1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! 2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” 3 Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” 5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”

Wonderful words from Micah!

These words apply to Israel, but can be applied to believers I think.

Micah 7:7-9


7 Therefore I will look to the LORD;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.

8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;
When I fall, I will arise;
When I sit in darkness,
The LORD will be a light to me.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD,
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my case
And executes justice for me.
He will bring me forth to the light;
I will see His righteousness.

The first two lines of verse 9 rehearses the fact that we are under condemnation from the LORD because we have sinned against Him (Romans 3:23, Psalm 51).  But...

What a wonderful word UNTIL is!

Until He pleads my case ~ Revelation 5
And executes justice for me. ~ Acts 2:22-24
He will bring me forth to the light; ~ Acts 2:31-33
I will see His righteousness. ~ Galatians 2:20

Christ's righteousness, my worth.

a time to...

Isaiah 2:4

He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Joel 3:10

Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’”

Micah 4:3

He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Ecclesiastes 3

1 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

So, who is Saint Nicolas??

Linda S. shared this link on FB and I really liked it.
Saint Nicolas lived in what is now Turkey and was born in the last quarter of the 3rd century, dying in 343AD.
Benjamin Britten wrote the wonderful Cantata ~ Saint Nicolas in 1948.
You can hear the entire Canata right here!!  Rather nifty!!

Witnesses to the reality of faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Abel's sacrifice through which God confirmed that he was righteous.

Enoch,  a testimony that pleased God: "he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him".

Noah "believed that He is" and on the strength of that built an ark for a rain and a flood that had never happened before in the history of the world.

Abraham obeyed in faith and went out not knowing where he was going. 

Sarah believed she would give birth to a son for multitudes of descendants to come.

Great Spangled Fritillary hanging out

on a yummy butterfly bush. The afternoon sun is delightful on these 'wings of velvet'.May the wings of a butterfly kiss the sun

And find your shoulder to light on,

To bring you luck, happiness and riches

Today, tomorrow and beyond

~~Irish Blessing

We surely know that his wings kiss the sun and if you go to visit a 'butterfly house' one of these little wonders may light on your shoulder.

However, luck happiness and riches today or any day are beyond his capabilities!

Psalm 107:1-2, 8-9

Oh, give thanks to the LORD,

for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,

Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,

Oh, that men would give thanks to the

LORD for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the

children of men!

For He satisfies the longing soul,

And fills the hungry soul with

goodness.

Fish

See if the little fish can catch your cursor!