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Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?

5/10/2016

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Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud. And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me. My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest. By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes. (Job 30:15-19)

     Job continues his lament over his condition, and lashes out at his so called friends for their harsh words, and others that abused his condition. He is right in that they were not to kind in their explanations, especially since they were wrong about most of what they had to say. Job and his "counselors" were unaware of the spiritual battle and the trial Job was experiencing because he was righteous in the eyes of GOD and his faith and obedience to the Lord was being tested. They did not or would not acknowledge that even in times of trouble, GOD is good and right and just, because they didn't see it themselves.

     We too need to trust GOD, for He is good and right, and He does not change. That trust and faith is not blind, for he has revealed Himself to us, first in His creation, and then through the pages of His Word, the Holy Scriptures, that we might know Him and His righteousness. He has the right to expect righteousness and holiness from His people, and has revealed to us our need of Him. Our righteousness comes through Christ and our faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, not to sin all we want but to live in and through Him the life we were meant to live. In Christ we have received forgiveness which brings liberty, not to sin, but to become more like Him as He works in us to conform us to Himself for our good and His glory.

     We are here, in this broken and dying world but not of it, as ambassadors of His Kingdom, with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, to do His will and accomplish His work in this lost and sinful world. We are to serve Him as we minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We are to love one another as He loved us and disciple one another in the Word of GOD that we may grow thereby. We are to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we go, in the power of Holy Spirit who guides us and sends us as He will, and 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
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Can a man be profitable unto GOD

4/28/2016

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Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. (Job 22:21-26)
     Eliphaz tries to make an argument that contradicts what Job actually has said. Job was not trying to hide anything, and certainly knew that the Almighty could see his pain and suffering. His question was why it was happening and why GOD was, as he thought in his mind at the time, punishing him when as far as he knew he had done what was required to be righteous. GOD had called him His righteous and faithful servant, and allowed the test, but Job was not aware of that part of the conversation, and neither was Eliphaz. Eliphaz insisted that Job must be trying to hide his sin and rebellion from GOD and needed to return to GOD.

      Since this test was not punishment for egregious sin, nor was it the every day calamities that befall all of us who live in this broken and dying world, Eliphaz was in error and his admonishment to Job was misdirected. We would do well to take his words to heart if we are away from GOD or hiding from Him who sees and knows all.  For those that are secure in Christ and made righteous through repentance of our sin, and our faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we are held in His hands and no matter what comes our way we are safe. That is not a license to sin, for sin is still a reproach and rebellion against GOD, but our sins are and continue to be forgiven, and we are at liberty to live in and through Him the life we were meant to live.

     That life is a life of service, love, and commitment to His will and His work in us and by us for His glory. We minister to those around us who are hurting and in need, as His ambassadors, with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, as He provides that we might be a blessing to others and they might see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. We love one another as members one of another and children of the King, and disciple one another in His Word that we may grow thereby until we are all grown into the full measure of Him who is our Head. We take the Gospel of Jesus Christ with us as we go in the power of the Holy Ghost that is within us, and proclaim His Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in Him that those who 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, 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
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Hast thou considered My servant

3/31/2016

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And the LORD said unto satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse GOD, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of GOD, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. (Job 2:6-10)
     After allowing Job to suffer the loss of all his children and his possession, and Job did not sin against GOD, GOD now allows satan to afflict Job in his body, but not to take his life. Job is afflicted from head to foot with boils, and still does not curse GOD and die, as his wife suggested, but maintains his integrity and his faith during this trial. Not only do we see the faith of Job, but we see the foolishness of Job's wife, and that the devil had the ability, but not the permission, to take Job's life. GOD allowed all this to happen but He was, and is, still in control and still the Lord of the Universe.

     Too often, Christians begin to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, and stray from what the Scriptures teach. We have no power apart from Christ, without Him we are nothing and can do nothing. He is our strength, He is our life, He is righteousness. Through His Word, rightly divided, we have wisdom and understanding. Through His Spirit, which indwells us, we have power and discernment. We can endure the trials that come our way by resting in Him and our faith can remain strong in His Word and His redemption and eternal life which He has already purchased in His own body on that tree. Our hope is secure because of our faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Our life is now by mercy and grace, the grace of GOD extended to those that repent, not as a license to sin, but liberty to worship Him, do His will, and accomplish His work in this broken and sinful world.

     All we do should point others to Him who has delivered us from sin, and can, not because He is our genie or butler, because He loves us, deliver us from our circumstances. He also may choose not to, either because He is testing us, chastising us, or conforming us to the image of His dear Son. He has left us here, to sojourn as strangers and pilgrims in, but not of, this world, to fellowship together, to reach the lost, and to grow up into the full measure of Him.

     His church is called to reach out to those around us who are hurting and in need as ambassadors of Christ with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness. We are commanded to love one another and disciple one another in the Word of GOD. We are commissioned to go with the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world in the power of the Holy Spirit and as we go, proclaim the Good News of forgiveness of sin through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ 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
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It is Finished and Jesus has won the Victory

2/24/2016

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For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of GOD for us: Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto Salvation. (Heb 9:24-28)
      The sacrifice in the flesh of the body of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ was done once for all and is sufficient and final, never to be repeated. He paid our sin price completely and perfectly when He offered Himself in our place, to pay our sin debt, and to redeem us from the Law, from sIn, and from the grave. He was without sIn, and satisfied the Father's wrath with the shedding of His blood on that tree in humble obedience to the Law and to His Father's will. He lives, having overcome sin and the grave, and sits at the right hand of the Majesty on High, ever living to intercede for His own until He comes back to judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom.

     That shed blood sprinkled on the mercy seat in Heaven is available to all who will receive it by faith and repentance, not as a license to keep on sinning or to do what we want, for Christ is not the minister of sin, but of righteousness and holiness for those who come to Him on His terms. Because of His righteousness, when we receive Him by faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary in our place and repentance of our sins, we who are dead in our trespasses and sins are made alive in Christ and born again. Because of His sacrifice for the sins of the world, slain from the foundation, we who are saved and resurrected with Him are to walk in Him in newness of life, a new creature in Christ, redeemed, made whole, and cleansed to live His life in this world until He brings us Home to be with Him.

      The abundant life we now live in Him and through Him is a life of service, not to get or keep any thing He has given us by His grace, but because of His mercy and love we obey Him. We serve as His ambassadors in ministry and with the Word of reconciliation, serving and ministering to those around us who are hurting and in need that they may see Jesus in us, the hope of Glory. We serve one another as we disciple and fellowship together, equipping the saints and edifying the believers until we are all conformed to His image through His Word. We serve as His witnesses, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as we go in the power of the Holy Spirit where and when He sends us to share the Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father that those who hear 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, 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
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Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many

2/23/2016

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But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to GOD, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living GOD? (Heb 9:11-14)
      The sacrifice of our Lord in the flesh, to pay for our sins and satisfy the wrath of the Father, was so much better than earthly sacrifices which had to be repeated, for His offering of Himself was finished and perfect, never to be repeated. His own blood, without sin, shed in our place, was given willingly and humbly by the only one who could offer Himself to pay our sin debt in His own body, as the propitiation for the sins of the world, and those who receive it by grace through faith and repentance are forgiven, made whole in Christ, born again and reconciled to the Father.

     He who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in Him. He has redeemed us from sin, the curse of the Law, and the grave, that we might live in the liberty that Christ brings, not a license to sin any more, but life more abundant and eternal the moment we are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son. Our works can't save us or keep us in Him, but His love for us, demonstrated on the Cross of Calvary, means that He holds those who truly repent and receive Him by faith in Him securely in His hands, not to do as we will, but to do His will and accomplish His work, completely surrendered to Him on His terms as He lives His life in us.

      We are crucified with Christ, reckoning ourselves to be dead to sin, and offering ourselves as living sacrifices, by the mercies of GOD, to His service. As ambassadors of His Kingdom we minister to those around us who are hurting and in need with the Word of reconciliation that they may know Him and see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. As members of His body and lively stones fitly placed in His building, we are to love one another in fellowship and disciple one another in His Word until we all grow up into the full measure of Him who first loved us and gave Himself for us. As soldiers in Christ, not with the weapons of this world, but with the Gospel of Jesus Christ we go to this lost and dying world, and as we go in the power of the Holy Spirit we take the Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father to all 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, 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
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Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus

2/12/2016

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But Christ as a Son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear His voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known My ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into My rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living GOD. (Heb 3:6-12)
    We who are secure in our Covenant relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, who have reconciled with the Father by repentance and faith in Christ, and are born again from above by the Spirit of GOD that now indwells us, are fitly placed in the Body of Christ, lively stones in the building made without hands that He is building to accomplish His work and do His will in this broken and dying world. GOD has called those who respond in faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to remain faithful, not because we can lose the Salvation that He has given us, but because He is faithful who has called us to Himself.

     GOD warns those who are not the Christian they think they are to make their calling and election sure, to trust in Him and Him alone for Salvation and not themselves or their works, that they not turn back from Him who is our rest when trouble and provocation comes. When faced with persecution or even the choice of Christ or this world's ways, many who are not truly in Christ will shrink back from Christ not having the Spirit of GOD to empower and encourage them to be stedfast and unmovable, or to guide them into all Truth.

     Those of us who are new creatures in Christ may waver for a time, but cannot be unborn again any more than we can be unborn. That security is not a license to sin, or to do as we will, but liberty to live in and for our Lord Jesus Christ whom we serve, not to gain or keep Salvation, but because we are His servants and seek to do His will and work in missions, ministry, and discipleship while we evangelize those who do not know Him. 

       We are called to serve as His ambassadors, with the Word of reconciliation, ministering to those around us who are hurting and in need. We are commanded to love with the unfeigned love of the brethren and disciple one another in the Word of GOD until we are all conformed to His image and He is done with us. We have been commissioned as His witnesses to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all we meet, and as we go, in the Power and at the direction of the Holy Spirit within us, we share the Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation to those who will hear, that those who trust 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, 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
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Every man did that which was right in his own eyes

1/27/2016

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And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. (Jdg 17:3-5)
     The saddest epitaph written in the book of the Judges, in which it records that every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Eyes that can, and do, lie to us. Hearts that lead us astray because they are desperately wicked. Minds and thoughts tainted with sIn and corrupted by our sIn nature that lead to all sorts of wickedness and debauchery. Since Adam sinned, that has been the norm and the problem with mankind that Jesus died and rose again to deliver us from, that we might have life and have it more abundantly, free from sin and its power and wages, not free to sin more, but a new life of liberty and grace in Christ.

      This man had stolen and hidden his own mothers silver and only returned when it was discovered. When she got it back she had it melted and made into an idol of silver and they called it god. They even declared the Lord's blessing upon it, in blasphemy toward GOD. Their worship of this false idol led to hiring a Levite to be his personal priest, instead of working in the tabernacle, and further sin of declaring his own prosperity because of his idol and his 'priest'. GOD didn't bless it, or him, and tragedy followed as others learned of his wealth, his silver idol, and his servant 'priest'.

      If we are secure in Christ through our repentance of sin and our faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we cannot blatantly sin against our Holy and Righteous GOD and expect to continue in that sin. GOD will chastise and correct His own. We cannot expect His blessing on our sinful lifestyle, for He has already judged and condemned sin, both as an offense against Him and outright acts of rebellion, and declared those who are still in their sins, and not born again, as guilty sinners in need of Salvation. He paid the price of redemption in His own body on that cruel Roman cross that we might live, not in sIn, but in Him and for Him, new creatures in a covenant relationship and fellowship with Him.

      That is the purpose of each of us, and His church as a whole, to live and work in Him to accomplish His will and do His work in this broken and sinful world, that others might come to know Jesus Christ and see Jesus in us, the hope of Glory. He has called His people to be His ambassadors while we sojourn in this world, not of the world, and to minister to those around us who are hurting and in need. He has commanded us to love one another and to disciple one another in His Word until we all grow up into the full measure of Him through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit that is within us. He has commissioned us to go to this lost and dying world and as we go tell the Good News of reconciliation and redemption to all who will hear, that those who believe the Gospel, repent of their sin, and receive Jesus Christ by faith 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 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

  
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GOD is our refuge and strength

12/21/2015

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Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime. And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled. (Jos 20:2-6)
      GOD commanded Joshua to set aside several cities of refuge, not for willful criminals to escape justice and judgment, but for those who unintentionally caused the death of others to avoid vengeance by the victims family. They would not escape justice and would be judged, but it would allow for the civil process to review the case and protect those who were not guilty of blood-guilt. GOD had recognized the nature of vengeance and allowed for it, but also protected those who were not guilty of premeditated murder and assault from the families of those they hurt or killed.

      It is also a picture of Jesus Christ, who is our refuge. We, by our very nature, are guilty of sIn, and yes some of that premeditated. But GOD in His mercy and out of His love for His creation, sent His only begotten Son, to put on flesh, and live a perfect human life as a man, and to pay for our sins, that we might receive mercy and grace through Him, and not the vengeance, judgement, and justice we deserve. GOD's grace is a free gift extended to those who have repented of their sins and put their faith and trust in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary for our Salvation. GOD's mercy means we are free from sin, not to sin more, or to live as we please, but true liberty to live in Christ, through His Word and indwelling Spirit, living His life in us and for His glory.

    Living the life of liberty and service that He has fore-ordained that all who come to Christ should live means living for Him and by Him. We live His life as we minister to others in His power and by His direction, that those around us who are hurting and in need might know Him.  We live His life as we disciple one another, the members of His body, in His Word and with love one to another, as He also loved us. We live His life as we go in His authority to this lost and dying world with His Gospel and share the Good News of reconciliation with GOD through Jesus Christ to all who will hear, that those who repent 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 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
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And the land rested from war

12/15/2015

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And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions; In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day. Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD GOD of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as He said unto them. (Jos 12:7-8, 13:13-14)

     Joshua and the people of Israel, under the direction and the mighty hand of GOD, conquered much of the promised land, but left some under subjection and servanthood. Others were were never fully conquered or driven out, but were are trouble and a snare to the people of GOD. This did not reflect on GOD's holiness or His perfect will for His people, but on their lack of obedience to the will and Word of GOD. They had great victories, but also a few setbacks because of sIn.

     Sin will always take us farther than we want to go, cost us more than we want to pay, and hold us longer than we want to stay. But, thanks be to GOD which hath given unto us the victory over sIn, death, and the grave by His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Our repentance of our sIn, and our faith and trust in Him and Him alone for Salvation means we are at Liberty to live victoriously in Him and through Him the new life He has for us. Our new forgiven life is not a license to sIn all we want to, but with it also come the reality that now we sIn more than we want to, because our 'want-tos' have changed as we become more like Him.

     GOD gives us the victory for our redemption and His glory that we might serve Him, not to earn or keep His free gift, but because of our love for Him. We are His servants to minister to those around us who are hurting and in need. We are His disciples to serve one another in love and in discipleship through the Word of GOD. We are His witnesses to share His grace and mercy through the Gospel from the Word of GOD that others may know the victory we have received, and that those who believe the Good News of Jesus Christ and His forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father might believe and have new 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
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The wages of sIn is death; but the gift of GOD is eternal life

12/8/2015

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O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto Thy great Name? And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed My Covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. (Jos 7:8-12)
     Sin in the camp has weakened and corrupted Israel and Israel is defeated by the townspeople of Ai. The town of Ai should have been a victory, not so easy that they didn't need GOD, but in His power and at His direction they could have taken the city. But, disobedience in taking the spoils of war, the things of this world which GOD had cursed, meant that Israel was accursed and powerless for the moment in her overcoming the land GOD had promised them. The desire for the things of this world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, turned to sIn, and defeat.

      Sin will take us farther than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay, and cost us more than we want to pay, but thanks be to GOD who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. When we surrender to Him on His terms and repent of our sins, GOD is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to give us His great Salvation. That is not a license to sIn, nor is it deliverance from the consequences of our sIn, but it is freedom and liberty for us to live in Him and His power, free from sIn and the temptation of sIn.

     Just as Joshua and the Children of Israel had to face their sIn and deal with it, first with GOD and then among themselves, so we have to deal with our sIn. Confession is made unto GOD, acknowledging our sIn is an offense to Him, and forsaking that sIn which doth so easily beset us, and repenting from our sIn and turning away from it and to GOD that through Him we may overcome the sIn and its temptation, for He will give us a way to escape, that we may be able to bear the temptation and live in Him and for Him in victory and holiness.

     For GOD has work for us to do, in this world but not of it nor seeking the things of the world, but strangers and pilgrims sojourning in this world to accomplish His will and do His work. We are His ambassadors ministering to those around us who are hurting and in need with the Word of reconciliation. We are His disciples, who are to love one another as He loved us, and we are to disciple one another in the Word of GOD that we may grow thereby. We are His witnesses, taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world, and as we go, sharing the Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation with GOD through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to all who will hear 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 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
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