The Message
You are loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way! (Jude 1-2)
Dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the compassion of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! (Jude 20-21)
Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. (Jude 20-22)
Now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes. (Jude 24-25)
NLT
I am writing to all who are called to live in the love of God the Father and the care of Jesus Christ. May you receive more and more of God's compassion, peace, and love. (Jude 1-2)
You have fellowship meals celebrating the love of the Lord. (Jude 12)
Continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.
Live in such a way that God's love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his compassion is going to give you.
Show compassion to those whose trust is wavering.
Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. (Jude 20-23)
God is able to keep you from stumbling,
God will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy.
He alone is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Jude 24-25)
CEV
To all who are chosen and loved by God the Father and are kept safe by Jesus Christ. I pray that God will greatly bless you with kindness, peace, and love! (Jude 1-2)
Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most pure trust, as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray.
Keep in step with God’s love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind he is. (Jude 20-21)
Only God can keep you from falling and make you pure and joyful in his glorious presence. Before time began and now and forevermore, God is worthy of glory, honor, power, and authority. Amen. (Jude 24-25)
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Selections from The Message: 1 John
Jesus solved the sin problem for good—not only ours, but the whole world’s. (1 John 2:2)
Wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important has nothing to do with the Father. (1 John 2:16)
What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. (1 John 3:1)
The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil’s ways. (1 John 3:8)
God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. (1 John 3:20)
We’re no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we’re bold and free before God! (1 John 3:21)
We experience God's deep and abiding presence in us by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:24)
Don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world. (1 John 4:1)
This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)
This is the kind of love we are talking about--not that we loved God first, but that he loved us first and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins. (1 John 4:10)
God has given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. (1 John 4:13)
Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God. God is love. (1 John 4:15-16)
We're free of worry on Judgment Day--our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life--fear of death, fear of judgment--is one not yet fully formed in love. (1 John 4:17-18)
We are going to love--love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. (1 John 4:19-18)
Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both. (1 John 4:21)
Jesus—the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. (1 John 5:6)
This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life. (1 John 5:11-12)
The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The Evil One can’t lay a hand on them. We know that we are held firm by God; it’s only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One. And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. Be on guard against all clever facsimiles. (1 John 5:18-21)
Wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important has nothing to do with the Father. (1 John 2:16)
What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. (1 John 3:1)
The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil’s ways. (1 John 3:8)
God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. (1 John 3:20)
We’re no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we’re bold and free before God! (1 John 3:21)
We experience God's deep and abiding presence in us by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:24)
Don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world. (1 John 4:1)
This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)
This is the kind of love we are talking about--not that we loved God first, but that he loved us first and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins. (1 John 4:10)
God has given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. (1 John 4:13)
Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God. God is love. (1 John 4:15-16)
We're free of worry on Judgment Day--our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life--fear of death, fear of judgment--is one not yet fully formed in love. (1 John 4:17-18)
We are going to love--love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. (1 John 4:19-18)
Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both. (1 John 4:21)
Jesus—the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. (1 John 5:6)
This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life. (1 John 5:11-12)
The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The Evil One can’t lay a hand on them. We know that we are held firm by God; it’s only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One. And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. Be on guard against all clever facsimiles. (1 John 5:18-21)
Note: I didn't find anything that I wanted to select from The Message's 2-3 John.
Monday, February 11, 2013
New Covenant Forgiveness
For whatever reason, the King James translators wrongly translated the words “forgiveness,” and “remission,” from the Greek word “alphesis,” which means freedom.
Every time the word “forgiveness” is translated in the King James Bible, it means “freedom.” Every time, with the exception of one, “remission” also means “freedom.”
Also, they translated the word “forgive,” from the Greek word “alphiemi.” “Alphiemi” comes from the prefix “apo,” meaning “off, away from,” and from “hiemi” meaning to “to send away, dismiss.” Thus, forgive in the New Testament means to send away, and remove sin, not “cover sin” as in the Old Covenant.
“Alphesis” (Greek word for forgiveness and remission), also comes from the same prefix “apo.” Thus, alphesis could be more correctly translated “freedom from.” “Apo” also has a spatial nature, thus denotes distance and separation.
And in relation to sin, we are talking about “freedom from sin,” which is the heart of the gospel.
Again, here is the dictionary meaning of forgiveness:
The act of forgiving; the pardon of an offender, by which he is considered and treated as not guilty.
This definition is fine if one is dealing with a wrong that one has been done to him. The Bible teaches that we are to forgive, even to forgive our enemies. However, when dealing with God and our relation to Him as to sin in the New Testament, it is not correct. Jesus did not just pardon our sin and take the guilt of sin away at the cross; HE TOOK SIN AWAY! The blood of the New Covenant speaks of a “better sacrifice” that takes sin away, that cleanses from all unrighteousness, that destroys the sin nature, and that makes us new creations “in Christ.” All these “better things” were impossible under the Law and before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Excerpted from Forgiveness or Freedom
Every time the word “forgiveness” is translated in the King James Bible, it means “freedom.” Every time, with the exception of one, “remission” also means “freedom.”
Also, they translated the word “forgive,” from the Greek word “alphiemi.” “Alphiemi” comes from the prefix “apo,” meaning “off, away from,” and from “hiemi” meaning to “to send away, dismiss.” Thus, forgive in the New Testament means to send away, and remove sin, not “cover sin” as in the Old Covenant.
“Alphesis” (Greek word for forgiveness and remission), also comes from the same prefix “apo.” Thus, alphesis could be more correctly translated “freedom from.” “Apo” also has a spatial nature, thus denotes distance and separation.
And in relation to sin, we are talking about “freedom from sin,” which is the heart of the gospel.
Again, here is the dictionary meaning of forgiveness:
The act of forgiving; the pardon of an offender, by which he is considered and treated as not guilty.
This definition is fine if one is dealing with a wrong that one has been done to him. The Bible teaches that we are to forgive, even to forgive our enemies. However, when dealing with God and our relation to Him as to sin in the New Testament, it is not correct. Jesus did not just pardon our sin and take the guilt of sin away at the cross; HE TOOK SIN AWAY! The blood of the New Covenant speaks of a “better sacrifice” that takes sin away, that cleanses from all unrighteousness, that destroys the sin nature, and that makes us new creations “in Christ.” All these “better things” were impossible under the Law and before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Excerpted from Forgiveness or Freedom
Was Only Part of the Law Fulfilled by Christ? by Phil Drysdale
A lot of people try to break up the law, into either two, ceremonial and moral, or three parts, ceremonial, civil and moral. I often hear people explain that it was the ceremonial law that was nailed to the cross. This is a nice idea we use to try keep a hold of as much of the law as we possibly can, while doing away with some. The problem is the Bible doesn’t break up the law as nice and neat as that, in fact it doesn’t break up the law at all.
Paul explains that the “law” which is no longer relevant in the Christian's life is the law which is “written and engraved on stones” in 2 Corinthians 3:7. Which law does that sound like? The ceremonial law? The civil law? Obviously this is the Ten Commandments Paul is talking about, they were the only laws to be engraved in stone.
Paul isn’t being vague here and wants everyone to know that when he says that the law is no longer applicable in the Christian’s life he means the whole package it came in!
If you feel a need to divide the law up, that’s fine, just so long as you know the whole thing was fulfilled in Christ and the whole thing is for the unbeliever not the believer (1 Timothy 1:9).
Excerpted from What's The Role Of The Law In The New Covenant?
Paul explains that the “law” which is no longer relevant in the Christian's life is the law which is “written and engraved on stones” in 2 Corinthians 3:7. Which law does that sound like? The ceremonial law? The civil law? Obviously this is the Ten Commandments Paul is talking about, they were the only laws to be engraved in stone.
Paul isn’t being vague here and wants everyone to know that when he says that the law is no longer applicable in the Christian’s life he means the whole package it came in!
If you feel a need to divide the law up, that’s fine, just so long as you know the whole thing was fulfilled in Christ and the whole thing is for the unbeliever not the believer (1 Timothy 1:9).
Excerpted from What's The Role Of The Law In The New Covenant?
Friday, February 1, 2013
Calling a sin a sin! by Brad Freeman
From the very beginning, God did not want man to be an expert on how to "call a sin a sin" -- the knowledge of good and evil. In the garden, He did not want Adam and Eve to know, or be concerned with, the difference between "good and evil". He commanded them to stay away from it!
When it comes to Jesus, the church needs to "call a Savior a Savior" and trust Him for our righteousness and salvation! Believe that He took away ALL of your sin! Believe that faith has placed you firmly in Him and that He is your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption and peace with God! (1 Cor. 1:30).
When it comes to the Spirit, the church needs to "call a Teacher a Teacher" and trust Him to write on our hearts and minds, comfort us, speak of Jesus and guide us into Truth! Listen to Him. When He tells you what to do, do it!
When it comes to God, the church needs to "call a Father a Father" and know that He will correct us when we need it, be merciful to our iniquities, remember our sin no more and never leave or forsake us! Know He loves you! Have faith in Him.
When it comes to Jesus, the church needs to "call a Savior a Savior" and trust Him for our righteousness and salvation! Believe that He took away ALL of your sin! Believe that faith has placed you firmly in Him and that He is your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption and peace with God! (1 Cor. 1:30).
When it comes to the Spirit, the church needs to "call a Teacher a Teacher" and trust Him to write on our hearts and minds, comfort us, speak of Jesus and guide us into Truth! Listen to Him. When He tells you what to do, do it!
When it comes to God, the church needs to "call a Father a Father" and know that He will correct us when we need it, be merciful to our iniquities, remember our sin no more and never leave or forsake us! Know He loves you! Have faith in Him.
Friday, January 25, 2013
God not only loves you but He really really likes you & enjoys you
"The greatest thing that ever happened to me, that literally changed everything for me, was when I got the revelation that God not only loved me but He really really enjoyed me & liked me. When I got that & realized that was true, literally all those little games I used to play with myself just fell away. I never ever went back to it. I don't go to bed at night & say "I'm sorry." And I did that for years, that's all I ever did. My whole prayer life was a series of forgive mes & I'm sorrys, that's all it was. It was just simply the revelation that God likes me that changed that.
Most of us have this idea of how God sees us because we're monitoring our sins. So we've got all these things in our mind that we're struggling with. You ask any Christian, "How you doing?" "Well I'm struggling brother. Pray for me." And he's usually got a list of 3 or 4 sinful things. They've got these little lists in their minds & know if Elijah were to appear & give them a word from the Lord it would be about one of those things.
That is kinda what happened to me. My friend Jay Dillon told me that he had a word for me. This guy is like always dead on. I had a list in my mind. I was freaking. I was so scared, I was doing nothing but praying night & day before I met him that he wouldn't reveal anything in front of my wife. That's how scared I was, I was terrified. I was sure he was going to say, "You're demonically oppressed. You are.." I had things I just knew he was going to say. When we met all he did was look at me straight in the eyes & say, "You have the heart of God. You love people. You have the heart of God."
Then I realized God is not looking at the things you think He is looking at. Church has taught us to be sin conscious. You cannot be sin conscious & ever know that you are loved by Him at the same time. They don't go together. The truth of what really happened at the cross is that your sins are no more. But we still keep counting them & trying to stop sinning. When you go down that sin conscious road you can't ever get the revelation of His love until you are willing to let that sin consciousness go. When you do it changes everything." -Darin Hufford
Most of us have this idea of how God sees us because we're monitoring our sins. So we've got all these things in our mind that we're struggling with. You ask any Christian, "How you doing?" "Well I'm struggling brother. Pray for me." And he's usually got a list of 3 or 4 sinful things. They've got these little lists in their minds & know if Elijah were to appear & give them a word from the Lord it would be about one of those things.
That is kinda what happened to me. My friend Jay Dillon told me that he had a word for me. This guy is like always dead on. I had a list in my mind. I was freaking. I was so scared, I was doing nothing but praying night & day before I met him that he wouldn't reveal anything in front of my wife. That's how scared I was, I was terrified. I was sure he was going to say, "You're demonically oppressed. You are.." I had things I just knew he was going to say. When we met all he did was look at me straight in the eyes & say, "You have the heart of God. You love people. You have the heart of God."
Then I realized God is not looking at the things you think He is looking at. Church has taught us to be sin conscious. You cannot be sin conscious & ever know that you are loved by Him at the same time. They don't go together. The truth of what really happened at the cross is that your sins are no more. But we still keep counting them & trying to stop sinning. When you go down that sin conscious road you can't ever get the revelation of His love until you are willing to let that sin consciousness go. When you do it changes everything." -Darin Hufford
Transcribed from the Into the Wild Podcast Just Let It Go
Monday, January 21, 2013
Excerpt from Redemption by Andrew Wommack
Most people, including Christians, see the forgiveness of sins as something that God can do, and continues to do, but not as something He has completed. From that comes the false concept that we must constantly confess our sins, which makes and keeps us sin conscious. The New Testament presents the forgiveness of sins as something that is already accomplished and that the effect of this redemption is that we are not even to be conscious of sin (Heb. 10:1-2).
Ask yourself, what produced the forgiveness of sins and when did that happen? Jesus was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world (John 1:29). It was through the shedding of Jesus’ blood that you received redemption, which is the forgiveness of your sins (Eph. 1:7 and Col. 1:14).
When did Jesus die and shed His blood for our sins? About 2,000 years ago. He will never die again (Rom. 6:9-10). He dealt with the sins of the whole human race once, for all time (Heb. 9:25-28 and 10:10-14). Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins is already an accomplished work.
We don’t have to ask Jesus to forgive our sins; He’s already done it. Paul didn’t tell the Philippian jailor to ask Jesus to forgive him; Paul told him to believe on what Jesus had already done and he would be saved (Acts 16:31). We confess the Lord Jesus, not our sins, to receive this gift of salvation (Rom. 10:9).
We have received eternal, not momentary, redemption (Heb. 9:12). One sacrifice was made for all sin forever, and we have been perfected forever.
Whole Article found here http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/redemption
Ask yourself, what produced the forgiveness of sins and when did that happen? Jesus was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world (John 1:29). It was through the shedding of Jesus’ blood that you received redemption, which is the forgiveness of your sins (Eph. 1:7 and Col. 1:14).
When did Jesus die and shed His blood for our sins? About 2,000 years ago. He will never die again (Rom. 6:9-10). He dealt with the sins of the whole human race once, for all time (Heb. 9:25-28 and 10:10-14). Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins is already an accomplished work.
We don’t have to ask Jesus to forgive our sins; He’s already done it. Paul didn’t tell the Philippian jailor to ask Jesus to forgive him; Paul told him to believe on what Jesus had already done and he would be saved (Acts 16:31). We confess the Lord Jesus, not our sins, to receive this gift of salvation (Rom. 10:9).
We have received eternal, not momentary, redemption (Heb. 9:12). One sacrifice was made for all sin forever, and we have been perfected forever.
Whole Article found here http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/redemption
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)