But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Romans 13:14

Every step forward in the gospel is important.  Every lesson learned, every difficulty overcome.  Peter referenced this proverb in his first epistle.

If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?

1 Peter 4:18 (portion)

The higher we go in the Gospel, the deeper in His love, the more opportunities we could have to step off the narrow road.

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So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12

As someone points out, if you were fully doing love, loving God with everything and loving your neighbor as Jesus loves us, we would be fulfilling the Law and the Prophets.  Said another way, if we could do that, we would be fulfill the Old Covenant, the Mosaic law.

This really is a startling proposition, and yet, like the Jews surrounding the woman caught in the act of adultery, we all turn away as we realize we have all fallen short in love.  It remains, however, that love was the sum total of the law and prophets.

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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.

Isaiah 9:6

Jesus is the same yesterday.  He is the first and the last.

The Gospel brought God into the earth, the Divine clothed with flesh.  The Holy One, the creator of Heaven and Earth, stepped into His creation, and became a servant.  His own people, His own nation missed Him, and didn’t recognize Him.  They couldn’t see the man standing in front of them.

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The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:5

The light is real.  It shines with a glory that the natural eye cannot see.

As the people around Jesus’ baptism, some heard the voice, and some say, “It only thundered”.

The things of the Kingdom cannot be seen by those who do not believe.  You could hear the principles of the Kingdom expounded for years and years but it is only when Faith comes that the light finally comes on.

As with parables, the purpose was the hide the obvious.  Yet, for the person who sees beyond the veil, they become a little more clear every day.  The parable meant to conceal becomes the best setting to display the jewel.

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Matthew 5:3-12 are what are commonly referred to as the Beatitudes.  They are simple phrases, which are the statement of the secrets of the Kingdom of God, hidden for the ages.  For some reason, even to myself, they seemed so hard to understand.  Perhaps it is that they are not taught that often, or looked at as not as relevant, but as I have come to know them, they perfectly describe the man in faith.

There are eight of them, all identical in form, each having four parts.  The word “blessed” is really a compound word meaning “happy” with the equivalent of the prefix “macro-“, so “macro-happy”, or “hugely happy”, or “super happy”, or, simply “Most Happy”.  “Most Happy are” is the first part.  Second we have a group of people.  The verb “are” is always present tense.  The people are happy in these conditions.  Third is the word “for”, meaning “because”.  The people in the condition (#2) are Most Happy  (#1) right then because (#3)…  Because of what?  That’s the place of faith.  Finally, the truth of the Kingdom of Heaven.  #4. Read more…

For momentary, light affliction…

2 Corinthians 4:17 (portion)

What awaits us in a moment from now is more important than what we see right now.  What we prize of this Earth will in a passing breath be far away, far, far out of reach.  Just down the road, in an instant, we will face a judgement, a reckoning of every of deed ever done.

In just a few glimpses, perhaps, as God reckons time, your life will be gone.  And only a few things of your previous existence will then matter.  Faith, Hope, and Love will remain, but that which does not last the fire will be forever consumed.

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Only let us live up to what we have already attained

Philippians 3:16

I am glad that Martin Luther posted His 95 thesis to the door.  Despite what other things he may have gotten wrong, including anti-semitism, he saw faith, and knew it was worth losing everything else in his entire life to not only obtain it himself, but to have it overflow and spark a revolution.

I am also glad, however, that John Wesley was not satisfied with the Lutherism of his day.  In this conversation between Wesley and Count Zinzendorf, the two saw eye to eye.  John Wesley separated from the Moravians after this conversation, and was known for his holiness church of Methodism.  What Martin Luther had brought forth with justification by faith, Wesley saw a step to sanctification, to holiness, not in exclusion to it.  What Count Zinzendorf couldn’t see, John Wesley couldn’t deny, and so they had to part ways.

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Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10 (portion)

His Kingdom is an Eternal Kingdom.  As He is never changing, neither is His Kingdom.  Jesus’ prayer for His disciples was that it would be on the Earth here even as it is there, in the Heavens.

When we pray for His Kingdom, we are not praying for a kingdom some day to show upon the Earth and rule physically in the world, although that may be a portion of its manifestation some day.  But, as the Holy Ghost is invisible, and He is like the wind which is here but you don’t know where it comes from or where it goes, so is the Kingdom by His power.

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And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Matthew 21:22

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1 KJV).  It is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (NAS).  Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (NIV).

Faith is God’s standard to reject the status quo, to step Beyond what society tells you is right and wrong and to listen to God’s standard.  Faith in God and in Christ is what causes division.

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You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

Matthew 23:26

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5).  Once we have purified our souls by obeying the truth unto the point where we can love for real, we should love each other fervently, as we ought to (1 Peter 1:22).

This is the point of the Gospel.  This is the work of the cross and the path of life.  If your gospel is not aimed at producing this life here and now, a life that is demonstrated by a visible, recognizable love (John 13:35), that does not tolerate sin so much to eat with an immoral brother (1 Corinthians 5:11), what are you living?

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