Witness to the Truth
Have you ever heard someone say, 'Just tell the truth and you won't be in any trouble?' That if you 'lie' it will go worse for you. Parents say that a lot don't they? Just don't lie to me. I want the truth. The truth.
Sometimes the truth can get you in trouble and most assuredly it will if you're a Christian. I'm not saying it *always* will, but the truth isn't something people want to hear all the time, not when it comes to rocking their worlds and upsetting the old apple cart, they're just as happy to be left alone. The truth calls for reproving for sins, Jesus is the truth, and He came and reproved mankind of their sins. Being reproved isn't something most people take kindly to and there in trouble ensues.
The Apostle Paul knew this, yet he was compelled to tell the truth about Jesus wherever he went, often getting him into big trouble.
Here he is Caesarea, locked up and accused of dissension and the Romans realize the Jews are after him because of their laws and yet Paul being a Roman wasn't just turned over to the Jews to deal with but was to be taken to Rome. It's a very detailed story read the entire thing if you can. Here's but a small part and it pertains to the 'truth'.
Paul explaining himself before King Agrippa- why he was in custody, why he was appealing to Caesar.
Acts
{26:19} Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision
{26:20} But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should
repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
{26:21} For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill [me. ]
{26:22} Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
{26:23} That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
{26:24} And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
{26:25} But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
**
Not mad, but speaking words of truth and soberness.
Truth!
Paul is speaking words of truth and here King Agrippa is thinking him insane. Paul is a witness for the truth and as such his telling the truth is not boding well for him in a worldly way, is it. For the truth's sake it is gaining him notoriety, the truth is being published more and more to people by his captivity, by his troubles. He goes on to tell King Agrippa more...
Acts
{26:26} For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
{26:27} King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
{26:28} Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
**
Paul's word of truth were falling on ears that understood, not necessarily accepted what was being said but just to hear the king say- 'Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.' is amazing! Paul is speaking truth, and Agrippa not blinded by hatred as most of the Jews were, did know that the crucifixion of Jesus took place. He also was a learned man that had studied the prophets for Paul to say that he believes them.
Acts
{26:29} And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
{26:30} And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
{26:31} And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
{26:32} Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
**
They know that all that Paul has done was speak facts, that he'd done nothing to warrant being locked up or put to death. They would have let him go if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.
God had His own plan though, and that plan was for Paul to go to Rome, to go before Caesar. The truth was going far and wide.
No, the truth wasn't setting Paul free here on earth, but his spiritual life was free in Christ. We too are bound to this earth for as long as Jesus deems necessary to fulfill the grand plan of salvation to it completion. We aren't to be taken out of the world, but to be kept in the world even though we are children of God through the grace of His only Son's sacrifice. Witnesses one and all, witnesses to the truth.
It's not popular. It wasn't popular back at its conception and it won't be popular at it's completion.
The truth calls for a life in Jesus, not just a few hours in a church pew or a couple hours doing good deeds, or a half hour a day prayer, not even prayers ten times a day. A life spent in Jesus.
Truth that isn't hidden upon convenience.
Truth that will transform you with the renewing of your mind.
Romans
{12:1} 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.
{12:2} 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.
When it comes to Jesus, so many people would much rather believe a lie than to embrace Him fully.
Go on and think, what does she know, she doesn't know anything, and you know... it's possible that I could have it all wrong. Jesus knows that I'm not perfect, that my life has so much in it that needs to be non-conformed to the world, by His grace and mercy, by His love and forgiveness, may the Father's will be done in me as it is in Him as He wills for all mankind. I'm not waving some 'I'm perfect' banner, far, far from it! The banner I want to wave is one that proclaims Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, the way to the Father is through the Son. By the grace of Jesus I am forgiven, by His truth I am sanctified in Him.
May God bless us all as we stand witness to the truth, even when a lie would untie the bindings - emotional and/or physical - that we are caught up in on earth here and now.
Amen
“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.”- Romans 12:1
10/29/09
Revelation
Excerpts from Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith
Chapter 21
Verse 15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
The City's Dimensions.--According to this testimony the city is laid out in a perfect square, measuring equally on all sides. The measure of the city, John declares, was twelve thousand furlongs. Twelve thousand furlongs, eight furlongs to the mile, equal fifteen hundred miles. It may be understood that this measure is the measure of the whole circumference of the city, not merely of one side. This appears, from Kitto, to have been the ancient method of measuring cities. The whole circumference was taken, and that was said to be the measure of the city. According to this rule, the New Jerusalem will be three hundred and seventy-five miles in length on each side. The length, breadth, and height of it are equal. From this language, the question has arisen whether the city shown to John was a high as it was long and broad. The word rendered "equal" is {GREEK CHARACTERS IN PRINTED TEXT}, isos. From the definitions given by Liddell and Scott, we learn that it may be used to convey the idea of proportion: the height was proportionate to the length and breadth. Greenfield, in defining one of its cognate words, {GREEK CHARACTERS IN PRINTED TEXT}, isotes, gives to it the sense of "equal proportion," and refers to 2 Corinthians 8: 13, 14, as an example where this definition is quite admissible. And this idea is strengthened by the fact that the wall was only a hundred and forty-four cubits high. Taking the cubit at about twenty-two inches, the length which is most commonly assigned to the ancient cubit, it would give only two hundred and sixty-four feet as the height of the wall. Now if the city is just as high as it is long and broad, that is, three hundred and seventy-five miles, this wall of less than three hundred feet would be in comparison a most insignificant affair. Probably therefore the height of the buildings of the city is to be judged by the height of the wall, which is distinctly given.
The building of the wall was of jasper. This precious stone is usually described as of "a beautiful bright green color, sometimes clouded with white or spotted with yellow." This we understand to be the material of the main body of the wall built upon the twelve foundations hereafter described. Let it be remembered that this jasper wall was "clear as crystal" (verse 11), revealing all the glories within.
Verse 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysotile; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
A Literal City.--If we consider this description exclusively metaphorical, as is done by many who profess to be Bible teachers, and spiritualize away this city into ethereal nothingness, how unmeaning to these minute descriptions appear! But if we take it in its natural and obvious signification, and look upon the city as the prophet evidently intended, as a literal and tangible abode, our glorious inheritance, the beauties of which we are to look upon with our own eyes, how the glory of the scene is enhances!
Though it is not for mortal man of himself to conceive of the grandeur of the things which God has prepared for those who love Him, yet viewed as a literality, men may delight to contemplate the glories of their future abode. We love to dwell upon those descriptions which convey to our minds an idea of the loveliness and beauty which will characterize our eternal home. As we become absorbed in the contemplation of an inheritance tangible and sure, courage springs up anew, hope revives, faith plumes her wings. With feeling of thanksgiving to God that He has placed it within our power to gain an entrance to the mansions of the redeemed, we resolve anew, despite the world and all its obstacles, that we will be among the sharers in the proffered joy. Let us, then, look at the precious foundation stones of that great city, through whose gates of pearl God's people may hope soon to enter. While many gemmologists assert that it is difficult to identify the precious stones of the Bible, the following interesting tabulation by Moses Stuart will give some idea of the beauty and variety of colors in the foundation.
The Glorious Foundation.--
"The word adorned [garnished], may raise a doubt here whether the writer means to say that into the various courses of the foundation ornamental precious stones were only here and there inserted. But taking the whole description together, I do not apprehend this to have been his meaning.
"Jasper, as we have seen above, is usually a stone of green, transparent color, with red veins. But there are many varieties.
"Sapphire is of a beautiful azure, or sky-blue, color, almost as transparent and glittering as a diamond.
"Chalcedony seems to be a species of agate, or more properly the onyx. The onyx of the ancients was probably of a bluish white, and semipellucid.
"The emerald was of a vivid green, and next to the ruby in hardness.
"Sardonyx is a mixture of chalcedony and cornelian, which last is of a flesh-color.
"Sardius is probably the cornelian. Sometimes, however, the red is quite vivid.
"Chrysolithe, as its name imports, is of a yellow or gold color, and is pellucid. Form this was probably taken the conception of the pellucid gold which constitutes the material of the city.
"Beryl is of a sea-green color.
"The topaz of the present day seems to be reckoned as yellow; but that of the ancients appears to have been pale green. . . .
"Chrysopras, of a pale yellow and greenish color, like a scallion; sometimes it is classed at the present day under topaz.
"Hyacinth [jacinth] of a deep red or violet color.
"Amethyst, a gem of great hardness and brilliancy, of a violet color, and usually found in India.
"In looking over these various classes, we find the first four to be of a green or bluish cast; the fifth and sixth, of a red or scarlet; the seventh, yellow; the eighth, ninth, and tenth, of different shades of the lighter green; the eleventh and twelfth of a scarlet or splendid red. There is a classification, therefore, in this arrangement; a mixture not dissimilar to the arrangement in the rainbow, with the exception that it is more complex." [3]
Verse 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Gates of Pearl.--The beautiful city of God, built of materials most precious here on earth, is very appropriately described as having gates of pearl. But more than that, the scripture says that each gate is of a single pearl. Irridescent and glowing with the beautiful colors reflected from the foundations, these portals swing wide to welcome the redeemed to their eternal home.
Streets of Burnished Gold.--In this verse, as also in verse 18, the city is spoken of as built of gold, pure, like clear glass, that is, transparent glass. Think for a moment what the appearance of a street so paved would be. The gorgeous palaces on either side would be reflected beneath, and the boundless expanse of the heavens above would also appear below; so that to the person walking those golden streets it would appear that both he himself and the city were suspended between the infinite heights above and the unfathomable depths below, while the mansions on either side of the street, having also powers of reflection, would marvelously multiply both palaces and people, and would render the whole scene novel, pleasing, beautiful, and grand beyond conception.
Verse 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
The Living Temple.--With a temple is naturally associated the idea of sacrifices and mediatorial work, but when the city is located upon the new world, there will be no such work to be performed. Sacrifices and offerings, and all mediatorial work based on them, will be forever past. Hence there will be no need of the outward symbol of such work. But the temple in old Jerusalem, besides being a place for sacrificial worship, was the beauty and glory of the place. As if to anticipate the question that might arise as to what would constitute the ornament and glory of the new city if there is to be no temple therein, the prophet answers, "The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."
Verse 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
No Night There.--It is in the city alone, probably, that there is no night. There will of course be days and nights in the new earth, but they will be days and nights of surpassing glory. In speaking of this time, the prophet says, "Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound." Isaiah 30: 26. But if the light of the moon in that state is as the light of the sun, how can there be said to be night there? The light of the sun will be sevenfold, so that although the night is to be as our day, the day will be sevenfold brighter, making the contrast between day and night there as marked, perhaps, as at the present time. Both will be surpassingly glorious.
Verse 24 speaks of nations and kings. The nations are the nations of the saved, and in the new-earth state we are all kings in a certain sense. We possess a "kingdom," and are to "reign" forever and ever.
But it appears from some of our Saviours parables, as in Matthew 25: 21, 23, that some will occupy in a special sense the position of rulers, and may thus be spoken of as kings of the earth in connection with the nations of the saved. These bring their glory and honor into the city, when on the Sabbaths and new moons they there come up to worship before God. (Isaiah 66: 23.)
Reader, do you want a part in the eternal glories of this heavenly city? See to it, then, that your name is written in the Lamb's book of life; for those only whose names are on that heavenly "roll of honor" can enter there.
*******
Beauty beyond anything we can truly imagine becoming a reality yet the hope lies within us that we do see this glorious city and take part in the life that will be lived in that city with our Lord and Savior. Truly this earth as it is, is not our final home, I wouldn't want it to be not in the state it is in. Sin has marred so much of its beauty. Sin has taken even the most glorious earthly scene and marred it with the horrors of the life we live in. Unspeakable horrors with their origins of sin. Sin corrupts and while it may not seem to corrupt some things leaving beauty in its wake the vileness of it beneath the beauty is unmistakable. While we might have surface beauty it won't compare to the pure sinless beauty of a world made new in Christ.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ keep us in Him, forgiving us and standing in our place covering us in His pure righteousness of the truth. May we be with Him in the new city upon the earth made new free of all corruption living as we were meant in God to leave as His creatures filled with His love.
By His grace and mercy now and forever.
Amen.
10/29/10
10/29/11
Mat 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Believe it not.
BELIEVE … IT... NOT.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
FALSE Christs.
FALSE prophets.
GREAT SIGNS.
GREAT WONDERS.
Signs and wonders so great that IF it were possible those great signs and wonders would deceive the very elect. But it's NOT possible to deceive the very elect. Why? Because the very elect are God's, wholly God's and they are walking in the truth with the Holy Spirit guiding them, fully living under the righteousness of Jesus Christ, covered by His forgiveness, His grace, His love in all these things. The very elect are NOT blind, they are NOT deaf, they are not void of understanding. The very elect are allowed to discern between truth and error, good and evil and they are not able to be deceived by the greatest of all deceivers, Satan himself.
Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.
Mat 24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Do NOT believe those who try and convince you that Christ has come and is living on earth and we can go and travel to see Him, it's simply NOT TRUE and will NEVER be true.
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
The Lord will descend from heaven and … walk around? No. Go about working miracles? No. The Lord STAYS IN THE AIR where we who are His will meet Him!
If ANYONE ever says the Lord is somewhere here on earth and we are to go to Him just don't believe them! Do NOT, no matter what sort of miracles this pretender Christ is working. The Lord- our Bible tells us- will descend from heaven and we will meet Him in the AIR where He stays! We won't meet Him on the ground, NO ONE will meet Christ on the ground. When He returns we meet Him- He doesn't hide somewhere, He isn't inaccessible to His followers-all His followers will be caught up together in the clouds to meet our Savior in the air! This is FACT, this is TRUTH!
Mat 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
It's a fact- where there is a dead animal birds of prey will be gathered to eat from that carcass, yes? Of course it's not guaranteed but I've seen it myself- animals dead in the road and on the road side buzzards gathered to feed off what remains of animal. Now this verse to be can be of two meanings…
First- where false Christ's are preaching there will be followers of that false Christ.
Second- where Christ is in the air, there His followers will be.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken
Signs in the sun, the moon, the stars.
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
The tribes of the earth mourn as they see our Savior returning in power and glory- why? Because the people of earth, the people who call this world their home, the followers of the prince of this world do NOT want our Savior to return! Remember that broad path many find which leads to destruction? Well the tribes of the earth will have gone down that path and they'll realize their destruction is imminent when they see the Lord returning and it's too late for them to choose to walk the narrow path.
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Again…God's elect, God's chosen are GATHERED together by the angels. We are gathered together to meet our Lord in the air. Praise God! Oh glorious day!
You have to really, really take it to heart when we are told the manner of Christ's second coming, because if we don't take it to heart we will be deceived. If we ignore the truth, if we ignore the words of God, if we ignore prophecy, if we ignore the gospel of the kingdom our Savior has preached to us Himself then we will be deceived. It's so easy to believe that it's impossible for us to be deceived, and yet ALL but the very elect will be deceived. MILLIONS will be deceived. BILLIONS will be deceived. I'm not lying to you! This is the truth. We are told, we are warned, we are cautioned, we are given the word of God and we must take heed to His word or we will be among those billions of people deceived. We can't simply think we won't be deceived. We read in the very word of God that we are to TAKE HEED. If someone tells you to take heed they are giving you a warning. I know I've spoken on this a lot lately but it bears repeating over and over, we have to take all this seriously and know that deception is very possibly and highly likely if we are not heeding our Lord's warnings.
Please Lord we would be Yours and Yours alone!
All praise, all glory, all honor to YOU!
Bless us Lord, bless us with Your Holy Spirit, please Lord, please we are at your mercy in all things.
In Your amazing love!
Amen.
10/29/11