PATrobas

Reminders Numbers - 3 Numerologists like to assign meaning to numbers independent of their literal use to count things or measure time. But to manipulate numbers to discern the will or intent of God apart from the Holy Spirit’s leading is often born of man’s intellect rather than doctrinal examination of Scripture. Great caution should be exercised if doing so. I will not do that here, but I will examine valid correlations and patterns found in Scripture linking certain numbers to various people, words, or events. God uses the number 3 widely throughout Scripture and most importantly as an indication of the complete fullness of Himself as the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. Something repeated three times is often done for emphasis, such as a thrice repeated word, phrase, or action. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.” say the angels in Isaiah 6:3. And Revelation 8:13 says, “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth.” Some other noticeable uses of 3 in Scripture are when Jesus affirmed that Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a whale, while prophesying He would be dead and buried in a tomb for that same amount of time. Jonah 1:17; Matthew 12:40 The 3 yearly feasts that Jews were required to keep. The 3 patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Three gifts brought to the young child Jesus by the entourage of wise men. Three hours of darkness over the earth when Jesus hung dying on the cross. Three angels of wrath in the book of Revelation, and most significantly, the 3 manifestations of our 1 creator God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Final Thoughts: It is important for us to remember that we serve and worship only one God, not three. However, we learn from both the Old and New Testaments that there are indeed, 3 manifestations of that one and only God. A daily creed recited by the Jews is Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” Yet in Genesis 1:26 God says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” indicating a plural yet united creator. Perhaps the clearest OT reference of this is Isaiah 48:16. Jehovah, speaking as the Word of God says, “Come near unto me, hear this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and His Spirit, has sent me.” We learn from this that the Father and the Holy Spirit, sent the Word to earth to be born as Jesus. In the NT, we also see numerous references to the triunity of the Godhead, Jesus being His express image, “For in Him [Jesus] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 2:9 Jesus also said, “But the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 We may have difficulty understanding how the one and only God can be manifested in three persons, but the Bible declares it, so we by faith, reckon it to be true. God doesn’t require understanding; He requires faith in what He says. Hebrews 11:6 The apostle John sums it up this way, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.” 1 John 5:7 ph

The Green Letters by Miles J. Stanford also speak to these things. I have found them helpful to spur me on to "rest" in the completed works of Christ in me. I echo the importance of the truth in 2 Cor. 4:7 as @Alive mentioned.

Reminders - Numbers: 1 The number 1 means singular, unified, first in preeminence, or unique. Both the Old and New Testaments are emphatic about there being only one supreme God, and both Judaism and Christianity embrace that truth which is called ‘Monotheism.’ The first of the 10 commandments says, “I am the LORD thy God…Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2-3 And Isaiah 45:21-22 confirms, “there is no God beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” But just as there is but one God, there is also but one man, Adam, who brought condemnation to all mankind. And likewise, there is but one man, Jesus, by whom salvation and righteousness is offered to all. I call Romans chapter five the ‘one man’ chapter. It teaches us that mankind’s condemnation comes because of one man’s sin, not by our personal sins. :12 “as by one man, [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so, death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.” :15 “through the offence of one, [Adam] many be dead.” :16 “for the judgement was by one [Adam] to condemnation.” :17 “by one man's offence, death reigned by one [Adam.]” :18 “by the offence of one, [Adam] judgement came upon all men to condemnation.” :19 “by one man's disobedience [Adam’s] many were made sinners.” On the other hand, Romans 5 also teaches that righteousness and eternal life only come by one man’s obedience, [Jesus’] not our own good works. :15 “the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” :17 “they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” :18 “so by the righteousness of one, [Jesus] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” :19 “by the obedience of one, [Jesus] shall many be made righteous.” Romans 5 finishes this way, :21 “That as sin hath reigned unto death, [by Adam] even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Final Thoughts: 1 Timothy 2:5-6 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” The one and only man that God accepts as a ransom payment for the sin and sins of the world is Jesus. His one sacrifice satisfied God’s righteous judgement of all mankind, and all who believe it and put their trust in the risen Lord Jesus are declared righteous. “But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God. For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:12,14 Have faith in the risen, one true God, Jesus. ph

There does seem to be a connection....at least I'm not bald....yet.

You are correct that we don't know if they were divinely assembled in that order, but I believe it is the only reference of the OT Scriptures that numbers a particular part or chapter of the assembled writings. Thus, Paul quoted the reference to Jesus' resurrection, assigning it to the specific second Psalm. The reference may not have been inspired but Luke's quote was and was understood by Paul's audience to be the accepted numbering of the day.

Reminders - Numbers So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12 Numbers play a significant role in Scripture. Most commonly, they are used to identify which book, chapter, or verse is being referenced. Though most of these numbers were introduced by man, it appears that at least the Psalms were numbered by divine inspiration, as we read in Acts 13:33 “…as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” Can you picture what the Bible and our meetings would be like without the use of numbers? Besides taking forever to find where a particular passage is, imagine how long some sermons might go without a clock in back telling the preacher it is time to break for lunch! Some numbers in the Scriptures appear to be random, such as the 153 fish caught in John 21:11, which (as far as I can tell) simply meant that they caught 153 fish. Other numbers, such as 7, 12, and 40 are repeated often and carry spiritual significance which we will examine in the coming weeks. Some people go much deeper with numbers than I care to go, interpreting the Bible by assigning numbers to the alphabet and drawing numerical significance to certain words. Whether this is a valid method of interpretation or not is debatable. I have enough trouble understanding what I read in plain language, much less what might be hidden in the metaphorical assignment of numbers. The number 666 will be one to avoid for them who will go through the Great Tribulation. We read in the book of Revelation, “And he [the False Prophet] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” 13:16-18 Final Thoughts: For the next phase of Reminders we’ll be examining the meaning and use of different numbers used in the Bible. Some numbers will have more significance, when we’ll only cover one a week. Others can be explained more quickly, and we’ll review several at a time. However it is done, we’ll keep in mind the admonition of Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” ph

I believe you are responding to LaMonte, not me, but again, this is about warning Christians about good and bad fruit. The Chosen is bad fruit no matter how good it appears. John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. And BTW, it is the 'love of money that is the root of all evil,' not money.

I do rejoice however, I think we should be concerned how it happens. Paul certainly was, when he told the churches of Galatia not to accept anyone who proclaimed a false Gospel. I would never trust what a Mormon or Catholic or JW told an unbeliever about Jesus. Jesus said, John 7:38 "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. " The key being "as the Scripture has said" not, as so many say that they believe in "Jesus" but to them He is either still on the cross, one of many little 'gods', or a spirit brother of Lucifer. God is concerned with how He is presented, and as Christians we should be careful not to add to or subtract from Scripture when presenting the Gospel or recommending a method or presentation that is of questionable reliability, which the Chosen most assuredly is.

The original OP and message is this: "My point is NOT to tell you not to watch. My point is just to be on guard with ANY film or tv show that professes to be teaching you about Christ" There are multitudes of people that are born again that were touched spiritually while attending a Roman Catholic mass, or by the zeal of Mormon missionaries, or by the example of the persistent witnessing of Jehovah's Witnesses, but I would never recommend anyone to pursue them or their teachings or attend their services in order to be saved. God used Balaam's ass to speak but that doesn't mean we should go about listening to donkeys.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. :3 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; :4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Reminders Definitions - From Atonement to Zeal We have gone through the alphabet these last 6 months exploring Biblical definitions and concepts t0 help us in our spiritual growth. We finish the alphabet now with ‘Z’ for zeal, which means ‘fervent excitement.’ But zeal without correct knowledge and understanding of God and His will, only produces works of the flesh. Paul warned, “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes.” Romans 10:1-4 My heart’s desire and prayer is that not just Israel, but all religious groups would be saved and receive Christ’s righteousness. This righteous perfection only comes when the Holy Spirit gives knowledge and understanding of the Word of God by faith. 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 The Old Testament was penned in Hebrew by Moses around 1400 BC. It is commonly called the Torah or Pentateuch. Some unbelieving “scholars” argue against these facts, but we need only to look to the Word and at what Jesus said, to know the truth. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17 and Jesus affirmed, “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law?” John 7:19 The Greek translation of the Old Testament (called the Septuagint) was written around 250 BC. It was commonly accepted as authentic OT Scripture by both Jesus and the Apostles. The NT was written in ‘Koine’ or ‘common’ Greek from about 49 to 95 AD. Though we have none of the original manuscripts of any Scripture, the oldest OT copies are from the Hebrew Dead Sea Scrolls dating from the second century BC. The oldest Greek NT copies date back to 125 AD, and we have thousands of newer Greek, Latin, and Arminian manuscripts. These all verify the authenticity of the Scripture we read today. Final Thoughts: When we say the phrase, ‘From A to Z,’ we are talking about a full complete package, from the beginning to the end, and everything in between. A similar idiom was used by Isaiah when quoting Jehovah God, “Thus saith the LORD, the King of Israel and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no [other] God.” Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, 48:12 Moses also emphasized the oneness of the Almighty saying, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” Deuteronomy 6:4 Yet we see all 3 members of the Godhead, the Father, the Spirit, and the Word, all manifested differently in the first 3 verses of the Bible! “In the beginning God [plural] created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Hebrews 11:3 Just as Isaiah quoted God as being the “first and the last,” Jesus identified Himself the same saying, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last:” Revelation 1:8-11, 21:6, 22:13 Jesus is the Word of God, the fullness of the Godhead in human flesh. Colossians 2:9 They that have Him, also have His life, His righteousness, and His zeal. 1 John 5:11-13 ph

I don't agree. I told you why from Scripture. You are on shaky ground making such statements that have no Scriptural proof. Just because it is not recorded doesn't mean it is not so. Consider "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." John 21:25 Study more and ask for understanding. Blessings.

JESUS WAS ‘FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM CONCEPTION. Mat 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. Jesus had the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Jhn 3:34 For he whom God hath sent [Jesus] speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. Jesus did not need to be water baptized. Mat 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. Jesus did not need to be Spirit baptized either. Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Jesus, having been filled with the Holy Spirit from conception, was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His water baptism. This was not an empowerment (for He already had the fullness of the Spirit for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him) but rather a sign of His Father’s approval and beginning of His public ministry. As to asking for the Holy Spirit, there is no command to do so but the example was to Israel, not Christians, and this was to be a Jewish sign given of because of belief that Jesus was the Messiah. Jhn 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Jhn 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) There is no term in the Bible “baptism IN the Holy Spirit” BUT There is a baptism BY the Holy Spirit INTO the body of Christ. 1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. We are baptized with the HS the moment we believe. Rom 8:9 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. The disciples in the upper room had already received the Holy Spirit by Jesus 50 days prior. Jhn 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. At Pentecost, the disciples were anointed (baptized) with the Holy Spirit for SERVICE, just as Jesus was. They did not receive MORE of the HS, just a public recognition of God’s power in them. Mrk 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but He [Jesus] shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. Act 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. The filling of the Spirit is something I don’t understand but I ask to be filled nonetheless, the same way I ask to be anointed and that God would fulfill His promise of John 14:26 “to bring all things to my rememberance” before I teach. So, I don’t get drunk and pray I be totally under the HS influence as I teach. Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Our experiences should never dictate doctrine no matter how real they seem. God may do with you what He doesn't do with me and vice versa. I'm happy you speak with tongues but it is not a proof of anything. I don't, yet we are both born again and Spirit filled. 1Cor 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 1Cor 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? Keep studying . It is better to ask for understanding than power. Blessings.

Reminders Definitions - Yaweh, Yahovah, Yehoshua The one and only God of creation is known by many different names. ‘El’ and ‘Jehovah’ are the most used Hebrew words for the Lord God and sometimes, adjectives are added to those base names to produce descriptive, hyphenated names. Hebrew, Greek and English translations of the Bible, as well as Jewish traditions have contributed to some confusion about the proper use and pronunciation of God’s name. ‘Adonai’ is a Hebrew word for ‘Lord’ and could either imply a human lord (or master,) or refer to the Lord God. The other Hebrew word for Lord is spelled ‘YHVH’ and is pronounced as ‘Yaweh’ or ‘Jehovah.’ But why are there different pronunciations and spellings of the same word? The Jews consider ‘YHVH’ too sacred to speak aloud, so whenever YHVH appears, they substitute the other word for Lord, ‘Adonai.’ We get the pronunciation of ‘YHVH’ as ‘Jehovah’ because a 16th century German translator of an ancient Hebrew Bible text saw the vowels of ‘Adonai’ penciled in below the letters ‘YHVH’, so he added them to his translation making it ‘YaHoVaH.’ In English we say, ‘Jehovah,’ or the shortened ‘Yaweh.’ As a side note, there is no ‘J’ letter in Hebrew and ‘Y’ is the closest substitute. Similarly, ‘V’ and ‘W’ are close in pronunciation. Here are some other names for God you might be familiar with. ‘Elohim,’ the plural of ‘El,’ signifying all 3 members of the Godhead. “In the beginning, God [Elohim] created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1-3 ‘El-Shaddai,’ means God All Powerful. Genesis 35:11 Jacob, whose name became Israel, honored the Almighty God of Israel by building an altar of remembrance and named it ‘El-Elohe Yisrael.’ Genesis 33:20 ‘Jehovah-Jireh,’ means the Lord will provide, and is found in Genesis 22:14 where God provided a ram for Abraham to slay in the place of his only son Isaac. ‘Jehovah-Rapha,’ (healer) from Psalm 103:2-3 says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases. ‘Jehovah-Shalom,’ means the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6 and ‘Jehovah-Tsidkenu,’ means the Lord [is] our Righteousness. Jeremiah 23:6 The name ‘Immanuel,’ means God with us, and is found in the prophesy of Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Final Thoughts: The name ‘Jesus’ is a translation of the Hebrew ‘’Yehoshua’ or ‘Joshua.’ They both mean “Jehovah God is salvation.” That Jesus is Jehovah is an essential doctrine of Christianity. To deny His deity is to deny the Gospel. The apostle John tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh.” John 1:1,14 The Word of God is Jesus and He is one with God as Jesus affirmed, “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30 He is from eternity to eternity saying, “I am the first and the last.” Revelation 1:17, 22:13 He is Jehovah-Jireh, the one who provides Himself for us to live eternally, “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35 He is Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes…that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” Romans 10:4; 2 Corinthians 5:21 And Jesus is truly, God with us. “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23. ph

Reminders Definitions - X-ray OK, so I admit that the word X-ray isn’t found in the Bible, but what it symbolizes, and its function, is. In layman’s terms, an X-ray is an electromagnetic pulse sent from a wave source (an X-ray machine) through an object (such as your body) and is received by a wave receptor (photographic film) that records the results. It works because these waves pass through soft tissue (your flesh) much faster than through dense tissue (such as bone or a tumor.) The dense tissue leaves a white ‘shadow’ of itself on the film, as opposed to a darker, soft tissue shadow. X-rays are exceptionally useful in diagnosing hidden illnesses inside the body like tumors, and broken bones. If something is amiss inside you, an X-ray can help identify the problem without invasive surgery. In the spiritual realm, Jesus is like an X-ray machine as He examines what is taking place inside your heart, soul, and spirit. The Holy Spirit is like the film that records and brings to light what has been revealed, and the Father is like the doctor who has the desire, ability, and resources to heal the infirmity. Let’s examine this analogy further. Jeremiah reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 Hebrews 4:12 further pinpoints which member of the Godhead is doing this work, “For the Word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” This is none other than the Word of God made flesh, Jesus. John 1:14 He sees all things visible and invisible, for “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13 Next, these things are revealed “unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, [yes, even] the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 Like the film of an X-ray, the Holy Spirit shows us what the Word has detected, and we receive this information from Him as Biblical instruction and conviction of sin. John 14:26; 16:8 Lastly, God the Father, as the ‘doctor,’ heals us of these infirmities and sins because we are in Christ as one of His own. Scripture tells us, “Despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loves he chastens,” Hebrews 12:5-6; Proverbs 3:11-12 and “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.” Psalm 103:2-3 Final Thoughts: David submitted himself to God’s deep examination praying, “Search me O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 He realized that God knew him far better than he knew himself and that God would be merciful to guide him to the place of healing and forgiveness. The “way everlasting” for us today is the cross. Like David, we should begin our days asking God to search our hearts and reveal to us those things that need correction and healing. Listen for Him and don’t ignore the things He exposes. Instead, agree with Him and by faith receive His mercy, grace, and forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 ph

I agree that all you say pertains to "us" as the new man. The born again man. The spiritual man. As 1 John 3:9 tells us "we" (new man) cannot sin. But we are still in these bodies which still want to sin. My flesh only wants to please itself. My new man wants to please God, my flesh wants to please itself. Thus, what Paul fought in Rom. 7. The verses you didn't reference 7:17, 18, 23, 24 tell of this battle. Thus, Gal. 5:16 if we walk "in the Spirit, we won't fulfill the lust of the flesh." But we (at least I) go back and forth from walking in the Spirit to walking after the flesh at times. when I sin, the HS convicts me and I agree with Him that it is sin and thank Him for the blood of Jesus that has cleansed me at the cross, and then I move on with Him in fellowship. maybe this is what you meant anyway...correct me if not, but this is how i see it and walk with Him.

Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. :11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior. Titus 1:3 Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; 3: 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; :6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; Jesus must be, and is Jehovah God.

Acts 16:31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, I did, I do, I will. and thou shalt be saved" I was, I am, I will be! Hallelujah!

Reminders Definitions - Water When you join 2 atoms of hydrogen with 1 atom of oxygen, (H2O) you get 1 molecule of water. Like oxygen, it is essential to sustaining life and valuable for a wide variety of other purposes. It is used for: recreation, such as swimming, skiing and sailing. Commerce, in shipping, fishing, and electrical generation. Irrigation, (of both crops and landscaping,) cooking, cleaning, waste removal, and firefighting. Used for heating in the form of steam, cooling in the form of ice, and of course, for drinking. Scripture also speaks of water used in different ways. In addition to some of the uses above, water is used metaphorically as in, being washed “by the water of the Word” Ephesians 5:26 and drinking of the fountain of the “water of life.” John 4:10-14, 7:37-38; Revelation 21:6, 22:1, :17 Cisterns were receptacles of water that was conveyed from springs or filled by rain. However, they could not be relied on to remain full, as they often leaked. A dry cistern is what Joseph was cast into by his brothers, Genesis 37:24 and a leaking one is what David spoke of in Psalm 40, “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock.” :2 On the other hand, ‘living water’ was free-flowing water, fresh and cool, arising from a fountain or spring. There is an interesting way Jesus spoke of water when He used it to explain two different births to Nicodemus in John 3, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again.” :3-5 When a woman’s water breaks forth, a child is born. When God pours forth His Spirit upon a person, they are born a second time, only spiritually. This occurs when they believe that the death and burial of Jesus paid for their sin and sins, and that Jesus rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Thus, they are born twice, first by water, then by the Holy Spirit. Final Thoughts: It would not have been enough to save us if Jesus had come to earth as a baby, lived a perfect life and then said, ‘There, I did it. Now believe in me and we can all go to heaven together.’ Why not? Because we would still be dead in our trespasses and sin. Everyone has need of a savior, “For all have sinned,” “the wages of sin is death,” Romans 3:23, 6:23 and “without [the] shedding of blood [there] is no remission [of sins.]” Hebrews 9:26 The Word of God had to come to earth by water, which was His natural human birth as Jesus. He had to live a perfect life by the power of the Holy Spirit to become the spotless sacrifice. Then He had to die, shedding His blood as payment for the sins of the whole human race. At the last supper, Jesus told the apostles, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22:20 Years later, the Apostle John taught, “This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ. Not by water only, but by water and blood.” 1 John 5:6 There are three parts to the Good News. His death and burial paid the penalty for our sin and sins as the Savior. His resurrection offers eternal life as the living Lord. Like H2O, all three parts joined together produce the water of eternal life. Drink deeply. ph

2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

2 Corinthians 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. :16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. :17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. :18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. And now, the veil that was upon our hearts has been done away and we have instant access to the throne of grace by the shed blood of Jesus and are encouraged to come boldly into His presence. We now being the temple of God. Let us hold fast this profession of our faith and encourage one another as we do here and so much the more as we see the day approaching.

Reminders Definitions - Veil Moses was instructed by God to build a tabernacle, or mobile home, where God would make His presence known among His people. This earthly, holy place of God was used until about 1000 BC when Solomon built a tabernacle of stone on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. This temple was a center of worship for approximately 400 years until it was destroyed by the Babylonians, then rebuilt by Zerubbabel 70 years later. Called the ‘Second Temple’ it was expanded and upgraded by Herod the Great in the first century BC and stood until it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Now the Temple Mount awaits the throne of a third temple, from which Jesus will rule as King of kings during the millennium. A most interesting feature of these earthly dwellings of God was the veil, a massive curtain that separated man from God’s holy place. The temple veil was 30 feet tall, 30 feet wide, and 4 inches thick. Only the Levitical High Priest was allowed to pass through this veil into God’s presence once a year on the Day of Atonement. He brought the blood of an animal sacrifice as proof that the payment of death for the sins of the people had been made. A remarkable incident occurred in the temple when Jesus died on the cross. “The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.” Mark 15:38 That veil symbolized three things: 1) Sin. The barrier between sinful man and a Holy God was the sin of Adam. Jesus was made to be sin for all men, and sin died on the cross. By that death, “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 The barrier was torn in two, now giving man direct access to God. 2) The veil was a type of the body of Jesus. Jesus’ body was ‘torn’ and His blood shed. He became the “once for all” sacrifice, making full payment for all sin and sins. Hebrews 10:10 3) There were not multiple ways into God’s presence. The veil was the only way, just as the resurrected Lord Jesus is the only way. False teachers and religions claim there are many ways that lead to God. Jesus says otherwise, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes unto the Father but by me.” John 14:6 God ordained Jesus as the only way and showed that salvation was from above by tearing the veil in half from top to bottom. Man’s attempt to obtain salvation through any other means would leave the veil intact, God hidden, and man forever lost. Final Thoughts: There is no better time than now to believe the Gospel. “Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 But what does all this mean for Christians who have already put their faith and trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for eternal life? We are to believe it, trust it, and obey it. “Having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way which he has consecrated for us through the veil, which is to say his flesh; And having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:19-25 ph

Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. If truly saved, then truly justified by His faith. Satan can do miraculous things. That doesn't make him justified.

It is the sin of Adam that condemned humanity. Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; We were conceived in Adam and before we were born, condemned. Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. It is the sin nature that makes us sinners, which we received at conception. Ephesians 2:3 and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. A baby is just as condemned as a 100 year old. Committing sins does not make us a sinner, having Adam's nature does. Thus, all are condemned, even those who have not committed sins in the womb, "there is NONE righteous, no NOT ONE." Rom. 3:10 We don't like to hear these things because it doesn't seem fair or just, but it is so according to Scripture and we know that God IS just. But, as we also see from Scripture, God does not save anyone according to what they do, but He saves according to what and on whom they believe. This takes place in the human spirit, not the mind, not the soul, not the body, but in the spirit of man. It is God who saves according to His purpose. He is fully capable of enlightening the spirit of a baby in the womb with the Gospel and saving that baby before it is ever born. Thus we see John the baptist leaping in his mother's womb being full of the Holy Spirit at the announcement of Mary's arrival. Luke 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. It was God who filled him with the Holy Spirit before he ever did right or wrong. The idea of a child not being responsible and being saved to go to heaven until they reach the 'age of accountability' makes no sense and is not a scriptural idea. If it were true, then every parent, in wanting and raising children to go to heaven should kill them before the age of accountability to be sure they would be saved. A stupid and gross idea. We must remember that it is God who saves according to His good pleasure. We who have lived long enough, have believed through the faculties of our minds, our souls, our bodies and eventually in our spirits after hearing the Gospel preached and believing it. It is an act of God worked out through our lifetimes until we believe it or not. God can see a baby in the womb (that perhaps will be aborted) and speak the Gospel to that baby's spirit and save him/her if He so chooses. In my puny little mind, this makes sense and fits my understanding of a righteous and just God, but according to Scripture that baby was condemned already when conceived and deserves hell just as all men do, save for the grace of God. Jesus is the antidote to Adam's sin. He died making payment for the sin that condemns all mankind. Mankind can be saved by believing that good news, whether in the womb or at 100 years old.