Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the Kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as Head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our GOD, we thank thee, and praise Thy glorious Name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee. (1Ch 29:11-14)
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For the grace of GOD that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great GOD and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Tit 2:11-15) GOD's gift of abundant and everlasting life that began the moment we repented of our sins and placed our trust in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary is a precious and wonderful work of grace in us. We who are in Christ now live by faith and work out our Salvation in holiness and obedience to do the work which He has for us to do. His strength empowers us, His comfort encourages us, His mercy inspires us, and His Word gives us hope.
He has made us free, free from sin to live in righteousness, free from guilt to live in liberty, free from the works of the Law to rest in Him. We live to serve Him who is our Lord and Saviour, glorifying Him in this world, who has paid our sin debt, and washed clean and made us meet for every good work in the service of the King. He has given us His righteousness, for we have none of our own. He has given us Liberty to live and love as He would have us to. He has given us peace to endure no matter what comes against us while we are here. Until He takes us from this world or comes again to receive His own unto Himself and He takes us Home to be with Him, we are here to serve Him. We are His ambassadors, representing the Kingdom of GOD, and serving in the service of our Lord and King. We minister to those around us who are hurting and in need, as He guides and blesses us, in missions and ministry. We love one another as members one of another, as He commanded us as His disciples, and grow one another in His Word in discipleship. We witness with the Gospel every where He sends us, and as we go, we share the Good News to every one that they might hear and receive Jesus Christ by faith and have eternal life in His Name. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always. In Christ, Jefferson Sweet In hope of eternal life, which GOD, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the Commandment of GOD our Saviour; We are to know the Truth through His Word and take it to this lost and dying world, not hiding in our buildings and campuses waiting for them to come to us, not shying away from the Truth because some are offended, but proclaiming and testifying of whom we have believed and His great Salvation. Because we are persuaded that He is able to take that which we have committed unto Him against that Day, we ought to be empowered and emboldened to preach the Truth. We ought not to back down in the face of adversity, or vacillate and capitulate in order to keep or get the approval of the world or its money. We are to stand firm and strong in the Truth, discerning the errors and wiles of the devil, and trusting our GOD to care for His own, as He has promised.
Those without speaking lies, and those who don't know Him but stand in positions of authority without the power He gives, are to be loved, but lovingly resisted and exposed when they don't speak the Truth. Those who corrupt the Word and sound Doctrine are to be lovingly removed from their platforms and gently but firmly given the chance to repent or leave the Church of GOD. Error is to be confronted, sin is to be exposed, and all in the love of GOD, that those who are in error and those that are in sin may repent and be restored to a proper relationship to GOD and His people. We are given the ministry of reconciliation. We are told to lovingly restore those that fall. We are commanded to love and correct in a spirit of humility. We are His ambassadors and as members of His Church we are on mission for Him to minister to those who are hurting and in need, need of the Gospel, need of His provision, need of restoration and revival, that they may know Him and see Him in us, the hope of Glory. We as His disciples and as members one of another we are on mission to one another, to love and disciple each member in His Word that we may all grow into the full measure of Him with whom we have to do. We are His witnesses and as His people we are on mission to seek and to save those that are lost with the Good News of Jesus Christ, that those who repent of their sins and believe in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary might have life in His Name. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always. In Christ, Jefferson Sweet Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. (2Ti 2:1-7) Standing strong in the faith is our duty, not to earn Salvation, for that is already paid for by His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, nor to keep our relationship secure, for He is the one who holds us in His hand, as good soldiers and ambassadors for the Kingdom of GOD. We are not to shirk or spoil the Cross we bear, for we are not above our Master. Our faith in Jesus Christ, not just a good teacher, for He was, and is, much more than that, He is GOD in the flesh, demands a strong stand in Doctrine. He rightfully demands as our Lord, obedient repentance to His reproof and correction. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of all who trust in Him and Him alone for reconciliation with the Father, has called, commanded, and commissioned our obedience to His Instructions in righteousness.
We are to strive, not with men, but with our crucified flesh and old nature, that we may through Christ and His power over sin be victorious in this life, living in Him and He in us, the abundant and everlasting life here and now. We are to labour, not for the fruits and rewards of this life, which will pass away, but for eternal blessings, doing the will and the work of our Almighty GOD. We are to teach, not the doctrines of men or of devils, but the very Words of GOD that all may know Him in Truth and receive His great Salvation by grace through faith. Our retirement may be out of this world, our crowns waiting for us at the Throne of GOD, but we can and do see the fruits of our labours, in those who repent and are reconciled with GOD through forgiveness and faith, from the Word we share, live, and preach. We see lives changed as we minister to those around us who are hurting and in need. We see the body strengthened to the work, as we love one another and disciple one another in the Word. We see lost people saved by the power of GOD when we share His Good News with others as we go, and see those that believe the Gospel and repent receive life in His Name. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always. In Christ, Jefferson Sweet For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to GOD again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our GOD; (1Th 3:4-9) Paul gets personal here with his friends in the church at Thessalonica, relating his experiences and being concerned for their walk in the faith. He rejoices that Timothy brought Him good news of their strength and labour in the Lord and their prayers for him as he continued to minister and be on mission for GOD with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the Spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power: (Col 2:4-10) Not only should our faith be grounded in Christ and His Word, so should our thoughts, words, and deeds. We should not be influenced by the imaginations of those who don't know the Word of GOD, nor following after those who are led by the course of this world, and not by Christ. We are to have the mind of Christ who is our Head, looking unto Him who is the author and finisher of our faith. We have the Spirit of GOD, by our faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary and are to be no more children, tossed about by every wind of doctrine. The Spirit who guides us and teaches us all Truth through His Word and we are to think GOD's thoughts after Him.
We can be secure in our relationship with Him, for He is our strength. We are kept by His power through faith unto Salvation, not to continue in sIn, or to walk in our old ways, but to live in Him whom we have our being, and through Him who is our life. We who are born again were made new creatures in Christ the moment we believed, justified to live in His righteousness, not our own flesh, and unto holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. He began a good work of sanctification in us which He will perform until the Day of Jesus Christ when He takes us Home to be with Him and we are glorified, not deified, but new bodies changed from the tabernacle we now abide in and ever present with the Lord of Glory. Until that Day, His Church is to be on mission for our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, who is our Salvation. We are His ambassadors, representing His Kingdom until He returns and establishes His rule on this earth. We are to minister to those around us who are hurting and in need, as GOD gives the increase. We are to love one another as He loved us while we disciple one another in the Word of GOD as members one of another, growing up into Him and being conformed, not to this world, but to the image of His dear Son, taking every thought captive and tearing down the strongholds of false doctrine, reproving and correcting our thoughts and actions, and instructing us in righteousness. We are to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Word of GOD, ready always to give an answer to every man of the hope that is in us with meekness and fear, that those who hear the Good News of reconciliation with GOD may repent and believe, trusting Him and having life in His Name. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always. In Christ, Jefferson Sweet That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of Salvation, and that of GOD. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. (Php 1:26-30) We are to rejoice evermore, and give thanks in all things for this is the will of GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you. Our joy is to be full, even in our suffering for Christ. Our praise of Him is to be abundant, for all things are in His hands, and nothing fashioned against us will stand, without His authority. He is King and Lord of all, and He holds those of us who are truly His in His hand. The power of His grace, that by our faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary has made us new creatures in Christ, rest upon us and we glory in Him, our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
He is our life, and His love for us empowers us and constrains us to work for Him, not to earn our Salvation or any thing, for He has paid it all, but so that others may know Him and the fellowship of the household of faith. We must stand strong in the faith as members one of another, as saints of GOD. We are to be of one mind and spirit, in the unity of the bond of peace, having all been reconciled to the Father, by His Son, Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, and now indwelt by His Spirit, that worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. We are to grow in Him and minister to one another and those without as He directs and commands to accomplish His will and for His Glory. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which GOD hath before ordained that we should walk in them. We are His ambassadors, representing the Kingdom of GOD and ministering to those around us who are hurting and in need that they may see Jesus in us, the hope of Glory. We are His brethren, and members of His body, encouraging and equipping one another to the work of the ministry, loving one another and discicpling one another in the Word of GOD. We are His witnesses, taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ with us to every one we meet, that those who hear the Good News, repent of their sins, and believe might have life in His Name. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always. In Christ, Jefferson Sweet Put on the whole armour of GOD, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of GOD, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of GOD: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Eph 6:11-18) We conclude our journey through Ephesians with this final admonishment, the battle belongs to the Lord, and we fight not with the weapons of this world, or in our own strength, but through Him who is mighty, the Lord of Hosts, who has already won the victory over sIn, death and the grave. He commands us to put on His armour, each piece put on with prayer that we might stand strong in Him and He in us, to give us victory, prepared for every struggle against sin and temptation, against persecution and false accusations, and against those who would oppose themselves and the Gospel.
Put on the belt of Truth from GOD's Word so you are not caught with your pants down, literally; or figuratively, when the time comes to answer every man of the hope that is in you. Knowing Jesus Christ and having the assurance of your Salvation by faith in Him and His Word through your repentance of sIn and trust in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, prepare yourself through His Word to speak the Gospel of peace with GOD that you have received. Having His righteousness, because of His Spirit in you and the engrafted Word of GOD, shield yourself with your faith in what He has said in His Word, not a blind faith that does not know or cannot see, but a saving faith and and a grounded faith standing on the solid Rock, the evidence of things hoped for and the substance of things not seen. Take up His Sword and know how to use His Word, earnestly defending the faith that was once delivered unto the saints, not in contention or strife but in meekness and grace. His people are not to go in our own power, but in prayerful obedience to His Word we take Him to this lost and dying world, that they might know the Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent to us and for us. We are to minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as GOD directs that they might see Jesus, the hope of Glory. We are to love one another, equipping, edifying, and encouraging every one in the body of Christ as we disciple one another in the Word of GOD and grow thereby. We are to engage and enable people to enjoy Jesus Christ, taking the Gospel to every one and as we go, sharing His Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation with GOD so that those who repent and believe in Him might have life in His Name. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always. In Christ, Jefferson Sweet And this is love, that we walk after His Commandments. This is the Commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ, hath not GOD. He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him GOD speed: For he that biddeth him GOD speed is partaker of his evil deeds. (2Jn 1:6-11) There are many who come with great speeches, and some even with miracles, that claim to be some person or another, even claiming to be from GOD, who do not have the calling or indwelling of the Holy Spirit, nor the doctrines of the Scriptures. They may have another Jesus, or deny many of the truths of who He is, or they may twist and obscure their own false doctrines to sound good or seem 'christian', but we should not be fooled. We should search the Scriptures daily to see if those things we see and hear are so and discern the truth from that which is false.
Our love for GOD should keep us in His Word that we guard our hearts with the Sword of the Spirit. GOD has given us the Scriptures, His Holy Word, that we might know Him, and through His Spirit hear from Him. It should be our daily bread, and both meat and milk for our spiritual nourishment and growth in Him. Its treasures and precepts ought to be rightly divided and understood by those who are His, not just from the hearing but also in doing for the Word of the Lord is Truth and life and abideth for ever. It is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again, and where it speaks, about history, or science, or sIn, it is without error for it is the Word of GOD. Those of us who are secure in Christ because of our faith and trust in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary are hide His Word in our heart that we might not sIn against GOD. We are to share His Word with others as we minister to those who are hurting and in need. We are to disciple one another in His Word that we may all grow into the full measure of Him. We are take His Word to this lost and dying world and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all we meet, that those who believe the Good News and repent of their sIns might have life in His Name. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always. In Christ, Jefferson Sweet If we receive the witness of men, the witness of GOD is greater: for this is the witness of GOD which He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of GOD hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not GOD hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that GOD gave of His Son. And this is the record, that GOD hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of GOD hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of GOD; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of GOD. (1Jn 5:9-13) GOD sent His only begotten Son to be the perfect sacrifice and payment for our sIn. He that was without sIn was made in the likeness of sinful flesh and put to death the flesh that we, who were without strength to save ourselves, might be made the righteousness of GOD in Him. Christ Jesus died on that cruel Roman cross, according to the Scriptures, and was buried and arose again after three days and three nights according to the Scriptures, quickened by the Spirit that we might have eternal life in, through and with Him in whom we have believed in repentance and trust in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary as sufficient for the payment for our sIn.
We who have turned from sIn and to our righteous GOD and still cling to that old rugged Cross have Salvation, not by any works of righteousness that we have done, for all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, but by His precious blood. We know we have the assurance of His great Salvation, not by our works, but by His grace and the authority and power that Jesus has to judge, to save, and to mediate for. To judge those who reject or ignore Him as the only righteous Judge, to save those that come to Him in repentance and faith and in no wise cast out any, to mediate on behalf of those who are His and secure in His Hand because they have been born again by His power and Spirit. We are to proclaim this Good News to all who will hear, that GOD came into this world to save sinners and that those who believe in Him can be assured of eternal life now and always. We witness of Him as we minister to those who are hurting and in need that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. We share Him with others as we disciple one another in His Word and grow in grace and the knowledge of Him. We testify of Him as we go in His power with the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who don't know Him that they might repent and believe the Good News and in believing have life in His Name. For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always. In Christ, Jefferson Sweet |
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Comments on the Scriptures, book by book. Working our way through the Scriptures with commentary, encouragement, and equipping. Feel free to add your own comments, or to send me a message concerning what GOD is saying through His Word. Archives
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