Our journey through Mark now complete, we turn our attention to the history in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Ezra was a faithful scribe who collected many of the books of the Old Testament after the books of the Law and the books of wisdom and gathered them together, though not the same way we know them, into the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament. He begins his chronicle with the command and proclamation by Cyrus for the Jews to go back to Judah and Jerusalem and rebuild the temple which Babylon had torn down when Jerusalem was overthrown and the Jews were captured. The captivity of the Jews is drawing to a close and GOD has moved to return His people to their land and build a new temple that they may worship Him in spirit and in truth.
 
     When GOD moves, we must strengthen ourselves to the work, not in our own strength, or relying simply on our talents, abilities, strengths, and knowledge, but resting in His power, gifts, wisdom, and direction, to accomplish His will and do His work in this lost and dying world. Whatever GOD has called us to do for Him, we must do His work as His ambassadors and servants in this broken and sinful world He has called us to serve in for as long as we are here. He will strengthen us to whatever He brings us to do, and provide all our needs that He may be glorified in the work He does in us, just as He did with the Jews that He sent to build a new temple for Him in Jerusalem.
 
     Then the Jews who were obedient and faithful focused their worship on the Law and the sacrifices, so they needed a temple, the priests, and all the instruments of their worship to meet GOD. Today, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit that lives within us, and we worship all the time, the GOD who redeemed us from the Law and from sin when we repented of our sin, that we might serve Him whom we have received by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Though a new temple is coming, and GOD will call back the Jews to Himself, and all nations will worship in that temple for a thousand years, and Christ Himself will be there as He rules and reigns on this earth, that is a future still to come.

     Until that day, we are called to minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as GOD provides, with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that others may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our GOD has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of GOD so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned us with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go in the power of the Holy Spirit where He sends us, and as we go, to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of GOD 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, 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

      There are many who will come in the Name of the Lord and while affirming Jesus as the Messiah of GOD wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction and mislead many. They don't preach our Gospel, for they have another gospel which will not save them, for it is all about them and promises safety and security in this life, not eternal life. They deny many things that Jesus said and did, even while affirming the person of Jesus, but usually not His deity. They serve themselves, not our Lord, even when claiming His Name, and their destruction is coming.  We must turn to the Scriptures and see if those things we hear are true, with our Biblical glasses on, and listening to the voice of our Lord, to know His Words and obey Him.

      All will be tried and tested, only those who are truly in Christ will endure. The Lord knows those who are His and will not lose any who are secure in His hand. Many trials may come, and His people will be persecuted for our faith, but the Lord is in control. The Father has resurrected all of us who have repented of our sins and placed our faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary and made us to sit in heavenly places. We who have received Him by faith, knowing that we cannot save ourselves, have been made a new creatures in Christ and we hear His voice and follow Him who is our Saviour and King. When He returns we will know our Masters voice and go to be with Him.

     Until that day, He has work for us to do. We can't sit back and wait for Him to come back and get us, for we have been called to serve, commanded to love, and commissioned to evangelize the lost, until He is done with us. We are to minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as GOD provides, with the Word of righteousness and reconciliation, rightly divided and fitly spoken, and as His ambassadors, representing His Kingdom. We are to love one another as He loved us and disciple one another in the Word of GOD that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him who is our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and prepared with the whole armour of GOD, proclaim as we go, the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of GOD 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, 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

      While the common people heard His message gladly and received His Word, the religious authorities did not, for they were threatened by His authority, knowledge, and proper application of the Scriptures which they misinterpreted for the people and yet said they believed. They looked for the adulation of the crowd and the recognition that came with their offices and titles, but didn't care for the people or their problems. Jesus spoke Truth and gave the people hope, while the scribes and elders who had the Truth spoke pious platitudes and dismissed the people, while taking from them.

     We must be on guard against those who use their position and seeming authority to speak outside the Scriptures. We must search the Scriptures daily to see if those things are so, with our Biblical glasses on, and the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit that is within us, that we may know the Truth and the Truth shall make us free. The Son of GOD who is GOD the Son who became a descendant of David after the flesh has given Himself for our sins, and when we repent and receive Him by faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary in our place we are born again and have a new life to live in and through Him who is our life. We don't have to fear this world, nor do we look to any other authority but GOD for our Salvation and deliverance. He alone can save to the uttermost, for He alone is GOD our Saviour, our Creator, Redeemer, and King.

      Until the day when He calls His own unto Himself and we depart this life and are ushered into His presence in the next, either by death or by the rapture of His saints, we are to be about our Father's business. We are called to be His servants, ministering to those around us who are hurting and in need with the Word of righteousness and reconciliation, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. We are commanded to love one another as He loved us, and to disciple one another in His Word that we may grow into the full measure of Him who is our Master, Jesus Christ. We are commissioned into His army of witnesses, not with weapons of the flesh and this world, but with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, having on the full armour of GOD, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, as we go proclaiming the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of GOD 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, 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

       Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son has authority and power to judge, to exercise dominion, to speak and teach Truth, for He is the Word made flesh. He is our Creator and has every right to set His terms for our behaviour and our redemption. He is our Redeemer and has paid the sin debt we cannot pay. He is our King and not only rules in the hearts of those who submit to His authority today, but one day He will rule His earthly Kingdom and then all eternity with the Father. He, with the Father and the Spirit, is the Supreme Authority, GOD of gods and Lord of lords, over kingdoms, princes, powers, and life itself, for He is our life, and all things come from Him. He ever liveth to make intercession for His own, and to draw all who will believe to the Father.

      The scribes, and lawyers, and leaders of the Jews could not admit that His authority was from the Father because of their unbelief, nor could they condemn John, knowing the people's reaction and belief that he was a prophet from GOD. Their unwillingness, in their own pride and self-righteousness, to admit to anything and acknowledge the work of GOD led to their equivocation and acknowledging their unbelief. Pride will keep us from surrendering to GOD on His Terms and repenting of our sins, and our trust in our own righteousness and unwillingness to admit we need GOD will keep us from trusting in Jesus Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary in our place and for our Salvation.

     Those who are secure in Him and born again are to rest in that authority, not as license to sin, but His rightful demand of holiness and righteousness, as we serve our Lord and Master, fellowship with His people, and share Him with others. We are called to minister to those around us who are hurting and in need with the Word of righteousness and reconciliation, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that others might see Christ in us, the hope of glory. We are commanded to love one another as He loved us, and to disciple one another in His Word that all may grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him who died for us. We are commissioned as His witnesses, to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world in the power of the Holy Spirit that is within us, and as we go, proclaiming the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and acknowledging our sin and reconciliation with the Father through faith in the Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of GOD, 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, 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