Well, Bless My Soul

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9

There is a reason why I believe what I believe and why this church holds the positions on faith, doctrine and lifestyle that we do. Critics look at all of this and say it makes no sense. They say we conform to these beliefs out of tradition, narrow-mindedness, ignorance, guilt and a host of other reasons.

I do not know why some make these charges. In my opinion, they stem from a desire to emulate the ideas and philosophies of the world. Whatever the reason, they end up rationalizing away the real, biblical truths that motivate us.

It is no more complicated than this: We do what we do because there are specific, tangible reasons that are so convincing and so powerful that they form the basis for living our lives.

Much of this has to do with God’s pronouncement of blessing on the lives of the believing and obedient.

All of us want and need to be blessed.

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.” Hebrews 11:20-21

Some say, “I am blessed.”

It means that we understand that we are weak, frail and vulnerable. We cannot hope to survive in this world without the favor of God resting upon our lives. Too many things can go wrong with our plans.  Too many people want to encroach on our happiness and peace.  A best-selling book was recently titled “The Prayer of Jabez.” It was based on

10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:10

1. We do not say, “I bless you.” We say “God bless you.”

The lesser cannot bless the greater. Hebrews 7:7

2. The concept of blessing goes all the way back to Abraham.

1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

This blessing was not to be taken for granted.

It was not to be forgotten.  If you want a blessing, get ready for a testing!

Abraham’s faith in God’s blessing was tested by offering Isaac.

15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. Genesis 22:15-18

God’s blessing is not an entitlement.

God’s blessing is not wrung from his everlasting hands.

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. Deuteronomy 11:26-28

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12

Through faith, we are become the children of Abraham.

If we are the children of Abraham, we have a connection all the way back to the blessing that God gave to him in Genesis 12. 

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.  9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Galatians 3:8-9

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.  13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:12-14

13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:13-15

How do we inherit the blessing of Abraham today?

We become Abraham’s children.

John 3:1-8  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

That means that through the new birth, Abraham is our spiritual father.

The blessing he received from God, his father, now flows to us spiritually.

In addition to receiving the blessing of God through the new birth experience, we actualize God’s blessings upon us in this life by living according to God’s word!

1. There is a reason for the holiness lifestyle. Rom. 6:22-23 (NIV)
2. There is a reason for proclaiming the name of Jesus. Acts 3:6-8.
3. There is a reason for receiving the Holy Ghost evidence by speaking in tongues. Acts 15:7-9
4. There is a reason that we put Christ at the center of our lives. Romans 12:1-2.

God will bless your soul when you do the things that God blesses!

God On A Mission

“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” Ezek 22:23-31

INTRODUCTION

The Search for Significance still stands as one of the most powerful motives that drives human behavior. Who am I? Does my life count? Can I make a difference? What is my purpose? What calling or mission will me be a significant person in this world and the next? Last week a young man left this church to join the U. S. Army. He is applying to become an Army Ranger. What is he in for?

U. S. Army Ranger Requirements:

• 60% Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) in the 17 to 21 age group
• 5-mile run at no slower than 8 minutes per mile
• Successful completion of Combat Water Survival Test (CWST) must be able to complete 15 meters in BDU’s, boots and LBE
• Must complete 2 of 3 road marches, one of which must be a 10-mile road march
• 70% on all exams

Field instruction is the majority of the coursework; students carry gear weighing as much as 45 kg (100 lbs), spending each day planning and executing attacks against widely dispersed targets, followed by a rapid march to a new patrol base to again begin the planning cycle. Training during the course averages 19.4 hours per day, thus, students sleep only an average of 4.6, and eat two, or fewer, meals per day. This heavily fatigues them throughout the course. Common folk wisdom, reported by students, is that they begin the Ranger course at their peak life-time physical fitness, but find themselves worn down to their lowest life-time physical fitness upon completing the physically and psychologically punishing soldiering course.

Why would any sane individual purposely choose to do this?

RANGERS CREED: R-A-N-G-E-R

R ecognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of my Ranger Regiment.

A cknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move farther, faster and fight harder than any other soldier.

N ever shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be. One-hundred-percent and then some.

G allantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.

E nergetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.

R eadily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission though I be the lone survivor.

Rangers lead the way!

The Setting of Ezekiel 22:30

The implication in the text is that if God had found a man to make up the hedge and stand in the gap, the moment of judgment would have been saved.

• We do not understand that God stakes so much on individual.
• In the age of big business and multi-national corporations, we lose sight of individuals.
• We are conditioned to believe that God is looking for BIG answers, not small and insignificant individuals.

The Target

We need to rid ourselves of the assumption that man is a weakling in the eyes of God.

“We are constantly on a stretch—if not on a strain—to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the church and gospel. God’s plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.” E. M. Bounds.

It is not enough to know that God loves us. It is not enough to know that God saved us. It is not enough to believe that God holds us in high regard. We must also believe that WE ARE NECESSARY to His purposes and work in the universe!

In God’s own sovereign and self-limiting way, he includes us as a part of his eternal purposes. But what about our imperfections? Failures? Mistakes? What about our loves and hatreds, pleasure and disappointment, joy and grief, faithfulness and faithlessness in our lives?
I know!!!! And yet, God still uses us! Isn’t God great! Yes, we are responsible and accountable and without excuse for our actions. But God is still willing to work with us.

The Role

A critical change must take place in the church!
We must stop seeing ourselves as low, helpless victims of circumstance.
These are nothing more than sorry excuses for spiritual dereliction of duty.
We are morally and spiritually capable, and therefore accountable and responsible.
We have been placed in a system of judgment and reward.
Trust has been placed in us in which we can either succeed or fail.
When we wake up to the awesome reality of this question, we tend to shirk from the responsibility.
Heaven gains or loses on the rise or fall of the individuals to whom God entrusts his divine mysteries.

1 Corinthians 4:1 “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

The thought that God’s mysteries could or would be entrusted to us as stewards is a humbling testimony of God’s confidence in our ability to choose the right and to do right.

The scriptures teach us that despite our fallen nature, God regards us as having the capacity to engage and overcome the devil, even though the devil is the prince and the power of the air. —-Yes, we understand that apart from a right relationship with God, we can do nothing righteous. We are dependent on God in a mutually binding relationship. We are laborers together with God!

The role we play as a church in the plan of God is hugely significant.

The Examples

There are many examples in the Bible about God’s partnering with individuals to accomplish divine purposes.

Job.

Job 2:1-7 1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD…

Without explaining his purposes to either Job or to us, God entered a “wager” (to use Philip Yancey’s word) with Satan that Job’s faith could not be shaken. In other words, God permitted the destruction of all that Job had, based on his confidence that Job would not deny him, even if he was reduced to nothing but a mass of sores.

God put Job on a mission. He was charged with proving that Satan could not subvert the soul of a man if that man would not submit! With Job, God demonstrated his own faithfulness if man would place unswerving faith in him.

Enoch. Enoch walked with God when nobody else did.

Abraham. Abraham was called the “Friend of God.” God shared his intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah with Abraham, and gave Abraham the permission to try and change the mind of God!

Moses. God spoke face-to-face with Moses.

The Mission Continues

God is still looking for an individual, a man or a woman to pray great prayers.

James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

God is still looking for someone to secure an Apostle Paul for the kingdom.

Acts 9:10-16 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

God has not become indifferent, cold and interested only in huge causes.
God’s greatest need is for men, not machines, not money, not methods.
God’s plan is to make much of man.
Augustine said, “Without God, we cannot; without man God will not.”

God’s cry is still for people willing to sacrifice.

Where are you? Young person? Are you listening?
Young man…young woman…father…mother…established person…elderly person?
Do you hear the call?
Will you make a difference?

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” Job 13:!5
“Neither count I my life dear unto myself.” Acts 20:24
“Men that hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 15:26

Famous Rangers

James Earl Jones, actor famous for his deep, authoritative voice, joined the Rangers after graduating from the University of Michigan in 1953 [2]

Matt Larsen, father of the Modern Army Combatives system, founder of the US Army Combatives School and author of the U.S. Soldier’s Creed served in both the 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions as well as the 75th Regimental HQ.

Henry A. Mucci, led and trained the 6th Ranger Battalion, responsible for the Raid at Cabanatuan, one of the most successful rescue operations in U.S. military history. This action is depicted in the film “The Great Raid”.

Pat Tillman, professional American football player who, with brother, Kevin Tillman, joined the Rangers in response to 9/11; killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.

Attitude of the Armed

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. Philippians 1:27-30 KJV

Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. Philippians1:27-28 NIV

Roy Rhodes had closed his shop and was returning home just after midnight when he was attacked from behind by two armed men. One or possibly both men fired at Rhodes, who suffered a gunshot wound to his leg. Rhodes returned fire, killing one of the robbers. The other gunman was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault.  (Waycross Journal-Herald, Waycross, GA, 07/22/04)
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A young man came out of a bedroom in his grandmother’s house in Gulfport, Miss., and encountered two men who had entered the home. One of the intruders struck the young man on the head. As the victim fell, he grabbed a gun that was hidden under the bed and began firing at the two men, who then fled in a gray Oldsmobile. No one was injured at the house, but at least one victim of the home invasion had been tied up with duct tape, according to police at the scene. (The Sun Herald, Biloxi, MS, 07/27/04)
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At 1:52 AM, a Pacific Beach, Calif., resident heard someone breaking into his home. Fearing for his wife and young child’s safety, the homeowner retrieved a gun and fired at the intruder, who suffered a wound to his ankle and fled the scene. Police apprehended the suspect, took him for medical treatment and then to jail. (The San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego, CA, 07/12/04)
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James Shema, owner of Shema’s Outdoor Sports in Merrillville, Ind., knew immediately he was in a deadly situation. A man entered his store with a sawed-off shotgun and ordered Shema, his wife, Kathy, and three customers to drop to the floor. As Shema moved toward the floor, he grabbed a .40-cal. handgun he kept behind the counter and fired two shots at the robber. The wounded gunman fled the store and was soon apprehended by authorities who found him bleeding in the back seat of a nearby SUV. Shema said he just did what he had to do. “When he came in here with a shotgun and no mask on his face I didn’t think he planned to leave survivors,” Shema explained. (The Times, Munster, IN, 07/29/04)

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Although some may think this is a political speech prepared by the National Rifle Association, I am only trying to establish a specific, documented attitude that people possess when they are threatened. Their attitude is largely a function of being armed or unarmed. The difference is huge.

First, what happens to a person under attack without defense?

Imagine yourself threatened by an enemy when you have no possible means to defend yourself. You feel engulfed by a sense of helplessness to stop his advances; you pull back into a defensive mode; you lose confidence that you can survive; your attitude changes from defiance to compliance. Your thoughts are “What can I do to minimize the loss and pain?”

This is the kind of fear and panic that gives rise to surrender.

Last year, I saw a video clip of the testimonies from Vietnam veterans who were POW’s of the Viet Cong. One told of having his arms pulled behind his back and manacles on his wrists. His elbows were forced together until they touched. He was left that way for nearly thirty hours. Feeling didn’t return to his hands for a month.

Another prisoner told his captors that they were barbarians; he said they should be giving him medical treatment for his broken back instead of torturing him. When they heard this, they put the manacles on him, tied his arms behind his back and then tied an additional rope to bend him backwards, causing more pressure on his back.

The purpose of torture is to break down the resistance and will of the captive. The tormentors can extort confessions and wring strategic information out of him. It is as much psychological torture as physical.

Why? Because a prisoner---in chains, in a small room, without food or water---is under the total control of his captors. The captive knows that his torturer has unlimited capacity to ratchet up the pain. He has no fighting chance. He has no hope of relief. He has no alternative but to submit to the demands of his enemy.

Strange things can happen to a man’s mind in such circumstances.

Second, what happens to a person under attack when they are armed?

A few years ago, the highly publicized shooting deaths of six hunters in Wisconsin  by another hunter caused the expected amount of ranting against the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Gun Owners of America, however, cleared the air. "Sunday's shooting was very tragic," said GOA Director of Communications Erich Pratt. "But we must not forget that more than 4,000 people saved their lives using guns on Sunday."

A Justice Department report pointed out that, "Americans use guns in self-defense as many as 4,110 times every day. This means that guns are used 50 times more to save life than to illegitimately take life."

Studies indicate that firearms are used over two million times a year for personal protection, and that the presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents crime in many instances. Shooting usually can be justified only where crime constitutes an immediate, imminent threat to life, limb, or, in some cases, property.

I want to declare to you today that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is in a war. Anyone who is slugging it out in the trenches of spiritual warfare knows that Satan has not called a truce. The stakes are heaven and hell. Families hang in the balance. Our way of life is threatened. Cutting and running is not an option. It is fight or die. The worst thing you can do is avoid the conflict, take the easy way out and expect the enemy to leave you alone.

The Arming of Israel

In the book of Numbers, there was heavy conflict going.  It was the familiar match-up of Israel versus  the barbarian tribes of Canaan. Before Israel went over the River Jordan to fight, the tribes of Reuben and Gad made a request of Moses to stay on the same side of the river and settle down. They were tired of wandering and they wanted a permanent dwelling place for their families. At one time, they were gung ho, ready to fight at the drop of a hat. Give them a sword and point them in the direction of the battle. Now, they lost their courage. Rarefied bravery turned into a wide yellow stripe down their backs. Moses did not like the request.

Num 32:6-9 “Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the LORD has given them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.” NIV

Why did these tribes back out? Was it fear of the enemy?  Did they lack confidence that they would win?  Could they visualize their families being slaughtered and their lives in ruin and chaos? We pick up the story in Numbers 32:16-23:

16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward. 20 And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, 21 And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, 22 And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. 23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Even though the Lord fights our battles, entering enemy territory unarmed is pure insanity. We are soldiers, not diplomats.  People who go into diplomatic services are not issued weapons. Their weapon of choice is talk. They intend to negotiate some kind of settlement without bloodshed. Anyone going into military service, however, gets a weapon and is trained in how to use and care for it. Spiritually, God has not called the church to engage in diplomacy with Satan. He has called us to be soldiers. God has supplied the church with an arsenal of sophisticated and powerful weapons.

Arm yourself with an attitude.

1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 1 Peter 4:1

Arm yourself with spiritual weapons.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

What weapons has God placed in our arsenal?

The Weapon of Prayer.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

The Weapon of Fasting.

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Mark 9:29

The Weapon of The Word.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17

How do these weapons work? These are spiritual weapons. Again, look at the scripture:

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:4

American Evangelicalism: A Non-Prophet Organization Doug Giles (archive) October 30, 2004

"If Christ were to go to the Christian Booksellers Convention [ CBA ] and see all the crap being hawked with his name on it, he could spend all day there turning over the tables. The reason why we have a problem with this, and not with the account of Christ cleansing the temple two thousand years ago, is that in this scenario, Christ is messing with our tables, our profits, our religious scams. Everybody is against two thousand year old sins. But it takes a prophet to be against the currently approved abominations." -Douglas Wilson

“ Come on . we don't need anymore nicety-nice clergy in charge of churches that don't equip us to face the real issues confronting our church and culture. We can do without spineless crowd pleasers, can't we? We really do not need narcissistic, solipsistic, pseudo saints. What we need are prophets, stalwart sons and daughters who will speak and defend truth, freedom and human rights in the face of atheism, lies and hellbent special interest groups! ” Doug Giles' provocative weekly one-hour radio program, 'The Clash', has re-launched with several new features. Go to clashradio.com and hit 'listen live.' ©2004 2004 Doug Giles.

You may think you are defenseless, vulnerable, abandoned. But you’ve got God’s HIGH TECH weapons system!

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26

Now, here’s a revelation for you: The Holy Spirit does not take over our job. The Spirit does not pray for us; the Spirit intercedes for us while we pray! There is a vast difference. He takes our prayers and increases them and points them in the right direction.

Remember David and the sling? Did you ever think that there may have been other sling sharpshooters in the army? Do you think it was David’s skill in using a sling that did the job? I don’t believe so. What made David different is that he had the courage to go out and use the weapon. God did the rest.

Remember the arrow that felled evil King Ahab? Some unnamed soldier drew back the bow string and let it go, not knowing whether it would do any good or not. “And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.” 1 Kings 22:34

God has well-armed and outfitted his church against all enemies!

14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee…17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:14-17

Only the unarmed have reason to fear!

What are you thinking?

Bad things are going to happen.

I am going to lose the battle.

I am a failure.

The devil is out to get me.

He always trips me up on my weaknesses.

These are the fears and trepidations of the unarmed.

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 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. 13 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. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:10-18

The greatest confirmation of your victory is that here you stand :

Despite Satan’s strongest attempt to keep you down;

Despite your personal failures;

Despite the people who hate you and want to see you fall;

Despite the trial you had this week;

Here you stand: blood bought, Spirit-filled, sin-forgiven, Bible-based…

The fact that you are saved defies all odds. Wave that in Satan’s face!

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 1 John 5:1

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

The church needs to cop an attitude.

It’s time to get the attitude of the armed.

You are armed and dangerous!

The Last Piece of the Puzzle

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. ^{[i]   9} For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. ¹⁰ And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. ^[ii] Colossians 2:8-10 (KJV)

Have you ever been the lucky one to have the honor of it all by yourself?  Maybe the whole family has been staring at the 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle scattered out on the card table for weeks.  People would go by, pick up a piece, try to make it fit four or five different places, then toss the piece back on the pile and usually grumble some comment about the idiot who invented the whole thing in the first place.  (Hint: that’s why they call it a puzzle.) Four, five, eight or ten pieces at a time, and it starts coming together.

Then, one happy day, you get on a roll and put the last piece into place. You shriek, you shout, you dance a jig (is that why they call it a jigsaw puzzle?)  Alas, no one is there to see it happen and your moment goes unappreciated except for the inner satisfaction that you have within you.

The Puzzle

Cambered and bulged, Interlocking pieces
Find their mates and Secure unique relationships.
The puzzle is still incomplete.

Smudges of blue sky and wisps of magnolias Hanging on sticks of wood,
Or perhaps brick sills and trim boards painted white, Decorate their fragmented existence.
Tentatively, they ask, “Are you…?”
A chaotic universe of lost friends and lovers Orbits around them.

Oddities of configuration Anxiously awaiting discovery,
Overlooked and pushed away.
Turned, eyed, measured and examined Time and again, success evaporates.
Hopes rise; bitter disappointment follows. No fit, no niche, no welcoming arms
Enfold them into their bosom.

Impatiently forced pieces Create false illusions. Matching
Colors lie on incongruous elements. Promising partnerships, all-but-certain fits are misfits,
Momentarily quickening the pulse, ending in misery.

The tedium continues for pieces and puzzle. Maddening trials, frustrating perceptions,
Sure that no place exists to be interlocked and secure. But, there will be a last piece, and
It will find its home. He promised.

-J. Mark Jordan, February 27, 2002

Colossians 2:8-10 is one of the most instructive passages in the Bible.  It alerts believers to the dangers that exist in the world, dangers that can threaten their faith.  We can be spoiled. That doesn’t mean turning rotten or gangrenous.  It means spoiled in the ancient sense of the word: stripped of all value and left with nothing. (As in the spoils of war; or “to the victor goes the spoil.”)

We can be stripped of value by philosophy.  We can be stripped of value by vain deceit.  We can be stripped of value by the tradition of men.  We can be stripped of value by the rudiments of the world.  (Rudiments of the world refers to evil spirits, astrology.)  The Bible answer to this threat is found in our understanding about God. 

“For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”  Too many times we think of the doctrine of the oneness of God a mere theological position.  We even have big-sounding names for these doctrines:  Theology, Christology, Pneumatology, the Prolegomena, Hypostatic Union, Soteriology, Eschatology, Hagiology…  Actually, the plenary indwelling of God in Christ Jesus, the revelation that all of God—-his height, his depth, his length, his breadth—-is somehow located in the man Christ Jesus, is a powerful concept.

And then, “And ye are complete in him…”  This is what makes it even more intriguing to me: I am complete in him!  The two words—-fulness and complete—-both come from the same root word.  In fact, the version you have may use the same word in both verses. 

Here’s the way we should understand this:  Because God dwells fully in Christ, I am full by living in Christ.  Or, because Christ has access to every attribute of God, so I have access to every attribute of God by dwelling in Christ.  Or, because Jesus Christ is utterly complete and full of deity, I am also complete as I live in Him.

But that word—-INCOMPLETE…

Not complete; not filled up; not finished; not having all its parts, or not having them all adjusted; imperfect; defective…It is the bane of our existence.  It carries the baggage of failure; it sags with disappointment; it weighs heavily with depression.  Incomplete grade; incomplete test; incomplete treatment.  There’s nothing good about an…Incomplete pass to a quarterback; an incomplete game to a pitcher; An imcomplete three-point play to a point guard. Incomplete manuscript, Incomplete call, Incomplete contract, Incomplete portrait.

1. We are incomplete in who we are.

The introduction of sin into the human race separated us from God.

Isaiah 59:1-2 (KJV)

¹ Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: ² But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid ^a his face from you, that he will not hear. ^[1]

Rick Thompson writes, “Incompleteness”, in other words, is directly associated with “aloneness”. We are incomplete in our isolation. To be alone is to be unhealthy. The worst punishment for a prisoner is to be put in solitary confinement because it has the most torturous and debilitating effect on the emotions. God created us emotionally and spiritually to live life together. There is, in fact, a direct correlation between physical and emotional disease and isolation.”

But, something happened inside of me when I knelt at an altar. When the Holy Ghost came in, the part of me that felt so incomplete suddenly changed. Now, I am complete in Christ.

2. We are incomplete in what we can know.

Do you ever get the feeling that everyone around you is speaking a foreign language? Did you ever seriously consider buying “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Life?”   We are finite in our knowledge.  Many things we cannot know.  Many things we “know” are not really true anyway.  Many things we know today will be irrelevant tomorrow.  The wisdom of this world does not solve the incomplete feeling we have.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (KJV)

20 hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. …²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. …

²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea , and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence. ³⁰ But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: ³¹ That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

But, I am complete in him.  The one who knows all things lives in me. I don’t have a need to know anymore. I have only a need to abide in Christ.

3. We are incomplete in what we can do.

Anybody tried to work a miracle lately?

Matthew 6:25-27 (KJV) ²⁵ 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? ²⁶ 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? ^{27 †} Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? …

Have you tried to cure cancer?  Have you tried to stop arthritis from creeping into your joints?  Have you tried to slow down or stop the aging process?  We can replace hair, but not the head on which it grows.  We can replace joints, but not the whole skeleton.  We can get new glasses, new teeth, new ears, new voice boxes, a whole list of parts that make the hospital sound like a human AutoZone…But, we can’t create life, and we can’t create eternal life.  We can make death run a little longer and faster to catch up to us.  But we can’t out run him altogether.  We can brag about the things we can do all we want.  But we don’t have much room to talk about the many things we can’t do.  Like, abortion, crime, divorce, depression, suicide, poverty, disease…But, I am complete in him.

4. We are incomplete in what we can have.

“I don’t need much…I just need one more thing to make me happy.
Actually, I just need a bicycle. That’s all. If I had a bicycle I could ride it to the store.
Of course, if I had a basket on the bike, I could carry more stuff.
The truth is, if I had a car, I could put a lot more stuff in the trunk.
And, I could drive a lot farther to get better bargains and sales.
I don’t ask for much, really.
In order to drive the car, though, I would need a license and plates.
And, I would have to put gas in the tank, and get some minimal maintenance done.
And, of course, if I had a car, I would need insurance.
You realize that if I have a car, gas and insurance, I need a job to pay for all of this.
I just need an application, and a couple of references, and maybe a string or two pulled for me. I’ll do anything—-flip hamburgers, run a cash register…I don’t need much.
But, in order to get a good job, I need to get my degree. I just need one more class.
If I get the class I need, I just need tuition…oh, and book money, and lunch money, and a few new clothes.
And a laptop. And a cell phone. And an iPod. And a high-speed internet connection.
But, if I moved closer to the campus, I wouldn’t have to get a car.
That would save me a lot of money.
I could get an apartment and walk to class.
If I walk a lot, though, I’m going to have to get some new shoes.
Come to think about it, if I got a place to live, though, I would need some furniture.
I wouldn’t need much—-just a sofa, a bed, a table and some chairs, that’s all.
Of course, I will need a few extra things, like curtains, linens, pots and pans.
And a few pictures to hang on the walls.
And a refrigerator. And a microwave. And a can opener. And a coffee pot.
A washer and dryer would be nice. All I need would be one of those stackable kind.
Oh yest, and some dishes.
And if I had dishes, I would need a dishwasher too.
But, before I start all of this, I need some time off to get myself mentally prepared. You know what I’m talking about…
Just a little vacation, like to Florida or California.
Really, I just need one more thing to make me happy.
I need a credit card…okay, maybe just one more credit card.
Now, I just need interest rate to be lowered. And, if I could just get a lower minimum payment, I would be happy.
Really, if I just could move into a smaller apartment,
If I could sell my bike, that’s all it would take to make me happy.
Now, if they would just raise the minimum wage
No, really, and this is it—-if you know of a better job.
Actually, if I could just move back home with Mom and Dad…”
I just need one more thing to make me happy!

Guess what? You’ll never get that one more thing!

But, you can be complete in Christ who is the head of all principality and power!

Psalm 50:10-12

¹⁰ For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. ¹¹ I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine ^a . ¹² If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. ^[2]

Matthew 6:31-34

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ³² (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. ³³ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³⁴ 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.

5. We are incomplete in what we can be.

(The man to whom Jesus said, “One thing you lack…”)  He was fortunate. He just lacked one thing.  If I had been there, Jesus would have said, “Get out a notebook, sharpen your pencil and sit down…”  Did you ever look around in the church and say to yourself, “I don’t deserve to be here?”  Where did any of us ever get the idea that we could enter into fellowship with God?  How can we approach his holiness?  How can the highest walk hand in hand with the lowest?  Everything about us offends him.  We are not just less than God, a difference of degrees;  We are the antithesis of God, a difference of essence.  We are as different as day and night, black and white, hot and cold, wet and dry, good and evil, up and down, in and out, guilty and innocent, turmoil and tranquility,

Romans 5:6-8 (KJV)

⁶ For when we were yet without strength, in due time ^a Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. ⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ^[3]

Is your life a fast array of disjointed experiences, forced relationships, misspent moments?  Are you continually looking for the last piece of the puzzle?  Are you tired of one more failure, one more “go-round”, one more stupid move?

Let me turn your wandering eyes to the ultimate one. He will not disappoint you.

He’s my doctor, my lawyer, my counselor.  He’s my need supplier, my burden bearer, my friend in need.  He’s my mother, my father, my sister, my brother.  He wakes me up in the morning and sets me on my way.  The Josh Groban song, You Raise Me Up was recorded in 2003 and has been acclaimed as the most inspirational song of our decade.

When I am down, and oh my soul, so weary,
when troubles come and my heart burdened be.
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
until You come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains.
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on Your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be.

There is no life, no life without its hunger,
each restless heart beats so imperfectly.
But when You come and I am filled with wonder,
sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains.
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on Your shoulders.
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, to more than I can be.

I’m not sure who the original composer had in mind when he wrote these lyrics.  To me, there is only one who deserves this kind of praise.  He hung on a tree for me.  He poured his Spirit into me.  He raised me from the ruins, from nothingness, from a lost condition.  I am complete in him.

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a in due time: or, according to the time

[3] The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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^[i] The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[ii] The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

It’s Not Easy, But It Sure Is Good

Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2 Peter 1:1-11 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Bridger Wilderness National Park

Visitors’ Suggestion Box:

1. Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill.

2. Too many bugs and leeches and spider webs. Please spray to rid the area of these pests.

3. Please pave the trails so that they can be plowed of snow during winter.

4. Chairlifts need to be in some places so we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them.

5. The coyote noise last night and kept me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals.

6. A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. Can I get reimbursed?

7. Escalators would help on steep sections.

8. A McDonald’s would be nice at the trailhead.

9. Too many rocks in the mountains.

1. The transformational process is both immediate and prolonged.

a. To be born again is an immediate event. John 3:3-8.

We talk about this much and emphasize it in our preaching and teaching.

b. To be transformed into a true saint of God is a long, painful process.

It is a mental battle.

It is a physical battle.

It is a spiritual battle.

It is a psychological battle.

It is a cultural battle.

It is a sociological battle.

It is a financial battle.

c. Why? Because it resembles the process of human growth, from infanthood to adulthood.

Teething

Walking

Feeding

Terrible twos, adolescence, puberty, teenage years, social maturity.

2. Growth is an expected process in your transformation.

God will put you in situations where this can happen.

a. It will hurt.

b. You will feel silly, stupid, angry, depressed, victimized.

c. You will get just as mad at God as children and teens do their parents.

d. Look at the situations that Jesus placed his disciples in.

Mark 4:35-41 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." (I don’t know about you, but I detect a slight twinkle in the eye of Jesus. He knew what was about to happen out on the sea, and he knew what it was going to do to his disciples.) 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41 They were terrified (This is amazing. Their terror had changed swiftly from the wind and the waves to Jesus himself.) and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" NIV

Mark 7:17-23 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. (The fact is, they were dumbfounded by the teachings of Christ. Of course, not wanting to show their ignorance in front of everyone, they waited until they got him by themselves.) 18 "Are you so dull?" he asked. (Jesus makes no effort to shield their egos. If we insist on the “kid glove treatment” from God, we will never learn much.) "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? 19 For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")

20 He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' 21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'" NIV

Mark 9:25-29 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" (Let me paraphrase: “Why did you embarrass us like this? Couldn’t you have let us be successful even though we didn’t do everything exactly right? Can’t we get one little break once in awhile?”

29 He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer." NIV

Mark 14:32-36 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."

35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." NIV

37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." NIV

3. Our problem is that we desire a safe, protected, relationship with God.

In his book, Your God Is Too Safe, Mark Buchanan lists these misguided objectives we often display in our prayers:

“Give us quick, effective formulas for prayer.

Dispel our doubts without ever making us touch wounds.

Remove our wounds and disappointments

Explain mystery, simply.

Take the risk and work out of disobedience.

Give us a God who is safe.”

4. Transformation starts with the renewing of our mind.

Our notions, our pre-conceived ideas, our story-book views of God much change.

5. 2 Peter 1:3 tells us what is given to us.

2 Peter 1:3-4 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Give all diligence. (Make every effort.)

This is not effortless.

This is not automatic.

This is a result of your aggressive and ambitious holy desire.

Add to your faith virtue. (Goodness.)

Faith unused or misused is worthless and dangerous.

Don’t abuse your faith on selfish or self-serving causes.

You need to put it into situations that call for great courage.

Otherwise, our faith is nothing more than a collector’s item.

Your faith will be tried for its virtue.

Add to your virtue knowledge.

Get Book knowledge.

Get street knowledge.

Get Spirit knowledge.

Your virtue will be tried for its knowledge.

Add to your knowledge temperance. (Self-control)

Knowledge is not to show off, but to have real answers to life.

Self-control must be imposed on your knowledge so that it works.

Judas was a prime example of knowledge without temperance.

Your knowledge will be tried for its temperance.

Add to your temperance patience. (Perserverance)

Self-control cannot last without a deeper motivation.

Patience is the ability to continue when there seems to be no reason.

When faith, virtue, knowledge and temperance say GO, patience says no.

Patience works when your “whys” go unanswered.

Your self-control will be tried for its patience.

Add to your patience godliness. (Devout, God-ward attitude, pleasing to God)

Patience cannot be motivated by a martyrs complex.

I Timothy 6:6 “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Godliness cloaks everything you do in a righteous garb.

Your patience will be tried for its godliness.

Add to your godliness brotherly kindness.

It is possible to become self-absorbed in spiritual pride.

After you develop all these virtues, use them to be kind to others.

Your godliness will be tried for its brotherly kindness.

Add to your brotherly kindness charity. (Agape love)

Phileo is love that expects reciprocation.

Agape expects nothing in return.

Phileo love is human.

Agape is divine.

Philodelphia must become agape.

Your brotherly love will be tried for its agape.

2 Peter 1:8-11 “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” NIV