(01/15/2016) A Promise of Return

Points are shared, here, on the correctness of continuing to expect the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.  Mature Christian believers receive Christ as Messiah, and as a divine High Priest who now is making atonement for sin within the Temple of heaven.  Acknowledging our present time as also being a “Day of Atonement,” believers now afflict themselves (i.e., humble themselves in fasting, mourning (not bereavement, sorrow for sin), obedience, prayer, and study of the holy writings) knowing our High Priest is entered into the Holiest of Holies applying consecrated blood for remission of sin.  More than this, a word of divine promise has been spoken.  In the same way we are not saved by obeying the Ordinance of Humility, washing the feet of others, we are not saved by our other demonstrations of faith.  Rather, salvation is imparted on the basis of grace, proclamation, and promise.  Just as a pregnant woman and others around her become increasingly aware that the birth of a child is coming, yet, do not know exactly what day or hour she will go into labor, so we know Christ is coming, without knowing the exact time.  Believers are to persevere and prepare by continuing faith, and performing good works as the expression of new life and rebirth in Christ.  Examine again the following Scriptures, and consider the presentation below:

Leviticus 23:  27-29, King James Version (KJV):  27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement:  it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.  28 And ye shall do no work in that same day:  for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.  29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

Numbers 23:  19, KJV:  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent:  hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Isaiah 55:  10-12, KJV:  10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:  11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:  it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.  12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace:  the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Isaiah 61:  1-3, KJV:  1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;  3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

1st Thessalonians 3:  12-13, KJV:  12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:  13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

1st Thessalonians 5:  1-5, KJV:  1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day:  we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

The writer at “Yahoo! Answers” that ID “Sherry” (Level 1 with 2 points, a member since July 19, 2007) posted the following:

 

Is it a mistake to assume Jesus will never return because He didn’t return around the year 2000 ?

 

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:  and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  (2nd Timothy 4:  1-8, KJV)

 

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  In Times of Progress? (12/21/2015); Ongoing and Unfinished? (11/22/2015); Wanting To Know When? (10/18/2015); Christ Coming Soon? (10/16/2015); That GOD Is Faithful? (08/31/2015); About The End Of The World (08/30/2015); The Imminent Return of Christ? (07/19/2015); Becoming Ripe for Harvest? (07/03/2015); Sacrificed and Risen? (10/06/2013); Assurances of Salvation? (10/07/2013)

 

“Sherry”, for mature Christian believers, proclaiming the promise of Christ to come again is an undeniable aspect of sharing the full Gospel (we say, good news).  The Savior’s Advent (Second Coming) must occur for the further fulfillment of redemption and salvation begun in heaven, carried out upon the earth, and soon to be completed by his presence.  Many sensitive elements are involved that make the doctrine of his coming “non-negotiable”.  Included are manifesting the authority, legitimacy, and power in GOD’s word; continuing eternal revelation (i.e., divinity becoming known and visible to created beings and living creatures); displaying the integrity and righteousness of GOD as well as meeting all the demands of atonement, judgment, and sanctification.  For those who have received the same faith that was in Jesus upon the earth, there is no issue or question of “if” or “when” the Father will conclude the Creation.  We are commanded to be vigilant (Watch and pray!), and no further warning will be given.  Our present condition is to be acknowledged as an expression of divine mercy and salvation that affirms our expectation (we say, hope).  We are now in an ongoing process where permanent changes gradually are being made to the character, nature, and substance of those who are “born again.”  The  transformation to fit mankind as an eternal companion of divinity will be completed as we are caught up to meet the Lord at the time of his appearing.  Consider again the following:

(1.)  2nd Peter 1:  2-4, King James Version (KJV):  2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:  that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

(2.)  Revelation 1:  7-8, KJV:  7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.  8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

(3.)  John 14:  1-3, KJV:  1 Let not your heart be troubled:  ye believe in God, believe also in me.  2 In my Father’s house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (4.)  Romans 8:  5-9, KJV:  5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after 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, neither indeed can be.  8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(03/21/2014) Beyond Punishment

Divine punishment, justice, betrayal and retribution are in view, today.  Also, there is more on Christianity as a culture of judgment.  A “Yahoo! Answers” writer using the ID “Andrew”  (Level 1 with 12 points, a member since January 26, 2014) posted the following:

 

Does God punish people? 

Let’s say a man makes fun of a blind man. Would God make the man who made fun of him blind as a punishment.

 

THE BATTLE AXE:  A Culture of Judgment? (03/20/2014)—Christianity may be spoken of as a culture of judgment, yet, it is not a culture of condemnation.  For Christian believers, peace is to be an inner condition of ones being wherein all the changes and interactions of their divine substance are in agreement, in balance, are complete, and occur smoothly.  Believers are “recruited” (we say, called) to serve as “priests and kings.”  It is the peculiar duty of a king to serve as one of the highest authorities in judgment; just as it is a peculiar duty of a priest to make offerings that secure atonement, propitiation for sin, and divine favor.  Created beings and living creatures endure by divine prerogative (we say, grace), and none may justify themselves on the basis of their deeds, their intentions, or their service.  It is their salvation that they may willingly submit to the Son of the Highest, who is justified by participation in GODhead.  Applying their own measures of faith and divine spirit, believers are established as justified in judgment by the Savior’s faithfulness, gratitude, humility, love, obedience, righteousness, and unselfish sacrifice—not their own.  There are now those in existence (we say, sinners, unbelievers) who oppose divine law, judgment, and the continuing sovereignty of GOD.  Where these can not be altered and saved, demands for universal peace and divine perfection require they absolutely must be destroyed.  See Genesis 6:  3, Isaiah 30:  8-15, Jeremiah 29:  19, Galatians 5:  15-26 and Romans 14:  16-18, KJV.

 

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.  And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  (Hebrews 10:  28-30, KJV)

 

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  GOD Enjoys Judgment? (12/19/2013); Miracles are Sacred Events (12/20/2013); Of War and Judgment (10/08/2013); Heart, Brain or Spirit? (10/09/2013); A GOD of Love? (05/07/2013); Commanding the Storm? (05/08/2013); Why So Much Murder? (01/12/2013); Confusion 2013 (01/13/2013); Justice Comes by Love? (10/01/2012); A Daily Revelation? (10/02/2012)

 

“Andrew”, the best answers for speaking about how GOD operates among mankind all go beyond the simple idea of punishment and reward.  Many times we mislabel what we see from GOD.  Consider the following:

(1.)  Vengeance (we say, justice) is only one goal of divine judgment.  Other objectives include balance, permanent change (we say, correction), perfection, purity, revelation (making the righteousness of GOD known), salvation, and sanctification (cleansing, healing, and setting one apart for divine service).

(2.)  The Bible does report instances where GOD removed affliction from one person, and leveled that same hardship upon another.  When Naaman, a Syrian general, was cured of leprosy, the disease was laid upon Ghazi and all his descendants.  Not only did the much trusted servant of Elisha covet the Syrian’s goods, Gehazi demanded payment for healing and rebirth from GOD, hid the merchandise he had been given, and then lied to the prophet about where he had been, and what he had done (see 2nd Kings 5:  1-27, KJV).

There is a lot more to be said, correctly applied, thoroughly examined, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (3.)  Divine order for the earth is not separated from divine order for heaven.  Therefore, unopposed, the violations of divine law committed among created beings and living creatures have power at a cosmic level to damage unseen features of the universe.  The operations of GOD are not to express human anger, emotion, and indignation so much as to affirm divinity that is made of spirit substance.  Included are such eternal, inseparable, and unchanging aspects of GOD as faith, forbearance, forgiveness, holiness, joy, longsuffering, love, wisdom, and wrath against sin.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?  And he answered, Fear not:  for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw:  and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.  (2nd Kings 6:  15-17, KJV)

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(01/01/2014) Chosen To Serve As Prophets

Happy New Year, everyone!  Today, focus is upon the duty and privilege of prophecy.  Also, there is more on being tested.  A writer at “Yahoo! Answers India” using the ID “King” (Level 2 with 430 points, a member since 09 October 2013) posted the following:

What are the qualities one should possess so that god choose him as prophet?

Or prophets are self declared?

THE BATTLE AXE:  Continuously Tested (12/31/2013)—(5.)  Christian believers must encounter the same difficulty or success as all others alive upon the earth.  However, by applying spirit substance, and continuously focusing upon the spirit content and value for things, believers transform their awareness, and all things are experienced in terms of their divine purpose, and eternal benefit.  Saying this another way:  A believer’s certainty of divine love and the holy presence of GOD becomes completely understood and visible for them as they use their own power from GOD to endure, overcome, persevere, and triumph.  Making life choices for ourselves, on behalf of loved ones, and in devotion to the Almighty transforms affliction (we say, hardship).  Obstacles become stepping stones; burdens become tools for achieving strength; and the things we once cursed and swore about using profanity become the cause and source for gratitude, joy, praise, and giving of thanks.  Indispensable spiritual focus and insights are acquired    See John 16:  33, Psalms 119:   67, 71, and 75; Colossians 3:  12-13, Galatians 5:  13-26, 1st Peter 4:  14-16, 1st Peter 5:  6-11 and 1st John 5:  1-6, King James Version.

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.  And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders:  and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.  But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad:  and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle:  and they prophesied in the camp.  And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.  And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.  And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!  (Numbers 11:  24-29, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Why Jesus Used Parables (11/03/2013); Denying Baptism to Others (11/04/2013); GOD Speaking Through Song? (11/01/2013); Why Not One Bible? (11/02/2013); Moses Killed? (09/23/2013); Salted with Fire? (09/24/2013); Jesus and the Pharisees (07/14/2013); How Could Angels Fall? (07/15/2013); Recognizing True Prophets (05/02/2013); Jesus, A Party Animal? (05/03/2013)

“King”, here are a few points shared among Christian believers you should also consider:

(1.)  The role of “prophet” (an appointed individual who serves as a spokesperson for GOD) began with Adam, was continued through the Patriarchs such as Enoch, Noah and Abraham, and was powerfully demonstrated through Moses, Samuel, Huldah (a woman), Elijah, and many others.  Their life experience as carnal, material, and social beings did not prepare them for their sacred work so much as their experience of, and participation in sacred events initiated and started by GOD, or divine responses to displays of extreme need (we say, cries for deliverance, despair and desperation) as well as human actions that revealed humility, love and unselfishness.  Included, then, were such events as fasting, meditation, miraculous birth, offerings and sacrifices, prayer, and angelic visitations.

(2.)  To submit to GOD is to allow and embrace permanent changes in ones inner makeup that then continuously appear in their consciousness, their routine functioning (e.g., attitudes, behavior, conduct), and their sense of purpose (goals, intent, motives, objectives).  Through baptism, a believer is “born again” as if having divine DNA.  Substance from GOD is imparted, and operates within the awareness and self-will of the believer.  Rebirth is instantaneous, however, the believer must learn, grow and mature over time, and by continuing to meet life challenges and “growing pains.”

There is far more to be said, properly shared, and spiritually understood.  (For example, (3.)  All who receive the Holy Spirit through the ministries of Jesus Christ, and become anchored in the holy writings, are endowed with knowledge and power that equips them to serve as spokespersons of GOD.  The Spirit of Prophecy (also called the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth) works throughout the full body of believers, and does not reside only in church officials, clergy, and special officers.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Grow in grace.

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.  (John 7:  17, KJV)

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC