Personal Thoughts and Ministry

I will rise to give thanks unto Thee because of Thy righteous judgments

11/28/2014

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Mat 7:24-29)

    Our attention to GOD's Word is not just in the hearing, though that is important, but in the doing. We hear that we may observe to do all that GOD has commanded us. GOD's Word is meant to be read, but then not forgotten, like looking in the mirror and then forgetting what we saw. We are to read that we might know of Him and ourselves from its pages. We study not for knowledge sake that puffs up, but out of love for GOD and while rightly dividing the Word of Truth we may know His doctrines, reproofs, corrections, and instructions in righteousness that He has given us. We meditate upon His precepts and commands that we might walk in the Law of the Lord. We hide His Words in our heart, that we might not sIn against GOD.

    GOD inspires His Word, and His inspiration continues to give us understanding. The Holy Spirit guides us into all Truth from all that He has spoken. His Word is to be our authority in all matters of faith, what we believe, and practice, what we do. We are to be, what we were once called, people of the Book, and live out the testimony of the written Word and the living Word. We should take it in to our hearts and minds more than our necessary food. Take in its rich milk, mull over its powerful meat, feast on the bread of life, and enjoy the sweet honey of all its wonderful passages not just to say we have done it, but to grow in Him and share all that GOD has given us.

    We learn its precepts, commands, doctrines, and Law from our study and the discipleship we give and receive from one another, when we assemble together. We gather for missions and ministry to those that are hurting, speaking the Truth in love to those that are lost, and those who are astray. We go and tell the Gospel because of the grace we have received through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. As we go we share His love and proclaim His mercy to those who will hear and believe, that in believing they 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

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Be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name

11/27/2014

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the Law and the prophets. (Mat 7:7-12)

    We have not because we ask not, or we ask amiss that we might consume it upon our lusts. GOD wants to give us good things, and we are not asking for them, seeking them, or knocking on our Father's door to receive them. We want that which is not good, nor does it last. We seek after earthly treasure that we can't take with us anyway. We knock on the wrong doors, and don't get the answers we want.

    We are to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. The sum of the Law and the Prophets (The Old Testament) which points us to Christ, is our behaviour and our relationship, first with GOD, for He has the preeminence, and then with each other is to be of love. We love GOD because He first loved us, and we love one another because He commands it.

    Before Christ we sought many things that were not of GOD, and unless GOD had drawn us to Himself we would still be men most miserable. Before Christ we didn't even know what to ask for, and asked those that were not gods and could not answer or provide. Before Christ, we knocked on many wrong doors, until the right time, and GOD in His mercy saved us, because of our repentance and faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary.

    Now we are saved, forgiven, and made holy by His blood. We can ask, boldly at the Throne of Grace, because of His blood shed for us. We can seek His face, and receive His blessings, knowing Him through His Word. We can knock on others hearts as GOD sends us forth as His ministers and ambassadors, to share what we have.

    Because He has given so much to us, and we are thankful and grateful, we share with others. We minister to those that are hurting, as GOD gives the increase. We disciple one another in love and in the Word, that we may grow in Him. We take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world, from our neighbours to our communities, from our workplaces to our schoolhouses. As we go, we proclaim the Good News of Salvation to every one so that in hearing they might believe, and in believing they 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

Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment

11/26/2014

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Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. (Mat 7:1-5)

    Though we are told to judge elsewhere in Scripture, the command is to judge righteously. Here is a prohibition concerning unrighteous and hypocritical judging, especially of that which we are doing ourselves. We ought not to compare sins, for GOD has judged all sIn to be an offense against Him. We ought not to condemn our brother for whatever He may have done, while not confessing and forsaking our own transgressions. Failure to properly examine ourselves, and approaching anyone's actions with the right attitude leads to resentment and antagonism toward us and the Gospel because we are not living the Gospel we preach.

    That is not to say that we are not to speak out against sIn in general, and sins specifically, but in the right context, with the Authority of Scripture, and with the correct heart attitude, we speak the Truth in love. As GOD's ambassadors, we condemn sIn, but not the sinner, for those without Christ are condemned already. As ministers of reconciliation we are to show the sinner his error without condemnation, and show Him the love of GOD that offers forgiveness to sinners who place their faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary in repentance. We preach the Judgment of GOD and the justice of our Lord, but also mercy and grace to those who believe.

    While we are here, those of us who are truly in Christ, saved by our faith and trust in Him, having received His righteousness by His grace are to do His work and will on this earth. We are to minister to those who are hurting and in need, so that others see Jesus in us. We are to disciple one another in love and in His Word, so that all may know that we are His disciples. We are to go and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, and as we go, tell all who will hear of the Gospel, so that those who hear and believe may 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 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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My GOD shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

11/25/2014

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Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of GOD, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Mat 6:31-34)

    GOD knows your needs, He will provide for us. But He wants us to concentrate on what is important. In the light of eternity, what we are going to eat, is minor; what we are going to wear, is trivial. Even where there is a minimal supply, GOD has already taken care of it, and we are to trust Him. His Kingdom and His righteousness should be our focus and our concern. There is enough to pray about just for today, without getting hung up over a tomorrow that may never come. We must trust GOD and keep everything in its proper perspective.

    GOD will take care of tomorrow, for He is outside of time, and already knows the beginning and the end. He already knows your needs, and your wants, and will provide according to His will. That doesn't mean we don't plan, or pray, but we must not worry, or get overly concerned for what has not yet taken place. We are to, guided by His Spirit, plan and pray for the future, while living for today. Those of us who are secure in Him, because of our faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, are to continue to seek Him and desire His Kingdom, living by Kingdom principles, until He calls us Home to be with Him.

    Until that day, while we are still here, we are to do His will and work as ambassadors to this lost and dying world. We are to live the Gospel we preach, as we minister to those around us. We are to live His life, and He in us, so that others may see Jesus, the Hope of Glory. We are to minister to the hurting, as ministers of reconciliation, drawing people to the Kingdom and to Christ. We are to disciple one another, and love one another, so that all may know that we are His disciples. We are to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and as we go, tell all who will hear of His love, mercy, and grace. That those who hear the Good News and believe, may receive by faith, the forgiveness of sIn, and a new relationship with GOD the Father through Jesus Christ and 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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What is man that Thou art mindful of him

11/24/2014

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Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if GOD so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Mat 6:25-30)

    GOD knows what we need, and He is our provider. He will give us everything to meet our needs, not our wants, for that might not be good for us. He provides food and drink for our body, and clothes that we might be covered. And, yet in all that tells us that we ought not to fret over such things, for we are greater than the flowers of the field that He clothes in such dazzling displays of beauty. The one who cares for all of nature, cares so much more for His own.

    GOD will meet our needs. Yet, sometimes He allows us to be in want for a season, to humble us and to remind us that He is our provider, and our sustainer, and it is He that cares for us. We are to trust Him, just as we have for Salvation, we must die daily, and allow Him to live in us, and through us, for His will and work to be accomplished. We are His workmanship, if we are in Him by grace through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. GOD has ordained that we should walk in the Spirit, and live His life, becoming more like Him until He takes us Home to be with Him.

    Until that day, as GOD provides for our needs, and blesses us with what He wants us to use for His Kingdom, we are to minister to others. We are to be His ambassadors to this lost and dying world, that they might know Christ through us. We are to be ministers of reconciliation to the hurting and those in need, that they might see Jesus. We are to disciple one another in love, so that all may know we are His disciples. We are to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all who will hear. As we go, we are to live the Gospel we preach, so that those who hear might believe, 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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They have their reward and we have ours

11/21/2014

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After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto Thy Father which is in secret: and Thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. (Mat 6:9-18)

    As we continue our way through the Olivet discourse, we come to what is commonly known as the Lord's prayer. But, this is not His prayer at all (His is in John 17), it is the Model prayer He gave, not for vain repetition, as He warned us about, but as an example of the structure of our prayers.

    Our Lord directs us to worship our Heavenly Father, to acknowledge His Holiness. To seek His will before our own, even as He provides our immediate needs. Then He teaches us of forgiveness and temptation, before coming back to His Kingdom which shall come. He further teaches about forgiving others so we may be forgiven. He also teaches that fasting should be done, not to appear 'spiritual', but to draw closer to GOD and seek Him.

    Whatever spiritual disciplines we accomplish, should always be about Him. Our focus is not on ourselves, or to appear to others as anything in vainglory, but to seek our GOD and glorify Him. We are to die, daily, and to put on Christ, that others may see Him in us. We are to know His Word, and do His commands, not to be saved, or keep that which we already have in Salvation, or even as a license to sIn, but to become more like Him.

    As we are blessed in obedience to Him, we are to minister to the hurting and in need, as His ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation. As we grow in Him from His Word and with love one to another, we are to disciple one another in the faith, and the knowledge of our Lord. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all who will hear, and we are to live the Gospel we preach, so that by faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, they may believe and 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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Give cheerfully and pray without ceasing

11/20/2014

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Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (Mat 6:1-8)

    As our Lord continues this discourse He speaks on hypocrisy and outward show of religion in contrast to integrity and worship in Spirit and in Truth regarding our giving and our prayers, especially of that which is between us and GOD. Our giving is to be cheerful and not grudgingly, but it is not to be trumpeted and broadcast to show how much or how good we are to give. Our personal (not corporate) prayers are to be with and to GOD, and must be personal and direct, not vain repetition of words that have lost their meaning.

    GOD knows our needs, our wants, our desires, and our thoughts. He owns it all, and wants us to give in worship of Him and acknowledgement of who He is and what He has done for us, not so others can see how much, or even the percentage, we give. He already knows what is in our hearts, but wants us to bring our supplications with thanksgiving to Him. He wants us to communicate with Him as our Father, not as the heathen do with multiple repetitions of the same words, or the same prayers each time we come to Him.

    Our prayers don't change things, but GOD will answer our prayers, and our prayers will change us, as we receive from the Lord. GOD can and does use what we give to Him to accomplish His will and His work in this lost and dying world. We are to minister to the hurting, as GOD gives the increase and multiplies our giving. We are to disciple and pray for one another that we may be equipped to the work GOD has for us to do. We are to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and leaving the results to GOD. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of Him and faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to all who will hear, that they might believe, 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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For GOD so loved the world

11/19/2014

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Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. (Matt 5:43-48)

      Our sinful nature makes this passage very hard. We don't like to love and care for those who mistreat us. Jesus commands His followers to love as He loved, even our enemies and those that despitefully use us. This love goes beyond a casual forgetfulness or forgiveness, even where that occurs, but to an actual expression of good toward those that are not good to us. We don't like to love like that, and many times it must be GOD in us to do it, for our flesh gets in the way. If it was easy anybody could do it, but GOD in us, will accomplish His work, and we will bear the fruit of His Spirit that He produces in and through us.

     For His church, that means going out to witness, and minister, to even those who have rejected us, for it is not really us that they have rejected but Christ. It may mean facing those who, because they are mad at a GOD they don't even believe in, are hateful and seek to challenge our beliefs. It can mean being kind and expressing the love of GOD to the unlovable, and spiteful, so that they can see the love of GOD with skin on.

     We are His ambassadors, and we are to be like Him, even as He is working in us to conform us to the image of His dear Son. We are to disciple one another in love so that others will see that we are His disciples. We are to minister to the hurting and in need so that they see Jesus in us, the Hope of Glory. We are to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all who will hear. As we go, we are to preach Christ and Him crucified, so that those who believe the Gospel and place their faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary may be saved and 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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Blessed art Thou, O LORD: teach me Thy Statutes.

11/18/2014

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Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (Mat 5:17-18, 21-22, 27-28, 33-37)

    As Jesus continues His discourse upon the Mount of Olives, He teaches that it is not only our outward actions that can be sinful, but our inward attitudes and thoughts as well. Anything that goes against the character and nature of our Holy GOD is sIn, for it is rebellion and disobedience. Jesus fulfilled the Law, every part, without any fault or disobedience, for He never sinned, and reminds us that He is the Standard by which all are judged.

    His fulfillment satisfied the Law, and His sacrifice in our place, gives us Liberty: not to sIn, but to live in Him and He in us. GOD is satisfied because of His Son, His perfect obedience, and His offering of Himself to pay our sIn debt. We receive His righteousness, not to sIn all we want to (we sIn far more than we want to) but to live for Him and do His work here.

    Our behaviour, attitudes, and actions must, as His children, reflect Him so that others see Jesus in us, the Hope of Glory. We minister to the hurting, as His ambassadors of the Kingdom. We teach one another in His Word and disciple in love, so that others may know that we are His disciples indeed. We proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, so that those who are captive to their sIn may be released from bondage. We preach the Gospel as we go, so that those who hear and believe may be made free, and 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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For GOD hath shined in our hearts

11/17/2014

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Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. (Mat 5:13-16)

    Jesus continues this discourse with a reminder to His followers that we are salt and light to this dark and broken world, this crooked and perverse generation. We are to minister to the hurting, spread healing, improve our community, and make people thirsty for the Living Water we have. We are to shine for Him, and He through us; to glorify our Heavenly Father, by our actions, our lifting up of His Word, and our focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    If our actions and our words are no longer flavored by His Word, and guided by His Spirit, we are no better than dirt, and our light is dimmed. It does not mean you can lose what God has done in you, but it can mean that you never had it in the first place. Unless God builds the House, the people labor in vain that build it.

    For those of us, who do have the security of the believer, because it is God who saves, and sanctifies us, we are His ministers: to go and tell, spreading a little salt wherever He sends us, and shining as His ambassadors in this lost and dying world.

    As we go, we are to minister to those in need, on mission for Jesus Christ, that others might see Jesus in us, the hope of Glory. As we go, we are to disciple one another in the Word that we might grow thereby, and in Love that all men may know that we are His disciples indeed. As we go, we are to live the Gospel we preach, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary for Salvation to all who will hear and believe, so that in believing they 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

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I will rise to give thanks unto Thee because of Thy righteous judgments

Be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name

Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment

My GOD shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

What is man that Thou art mindful of him

They have their reward and we have ours

Give cheerfully and pray without ceasing

For GOD so loved the world

Blessed art Thou, O LORD: teach me Thy Statutes.

For GOD hath shined in our hearts

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