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Wednesday, April 2nd
2025
The Fourth Week of Lent
·
Isaiah 49:8-15
·
Psalm 145:8-9, 13-14 & 17-18
·
John 11:25 &26
·
John 17-30
Christians, realize this: the Scribes,
Pharisees, Elders, Priests and the Sanhedrin and others tried to
kill Jesus, the Nazarene, the Christ and Messiah because of good
works; that he called God the Heavenly Father his Father was their
excuse: being as, the people were following after Christ Jesus and
not them! Understand, when Christ Jesus testified: some knew his
voice, while with the Pharisees, Christ Jesus’s word and since
Christ Jesus’s testimony are the words that God the Heavenly Father
sent him to witness, God the Heavenly Father’s word had no place in
them. Christ Jesus testifying: yes, I know you are Abraham’s seed,
but that you sought to kill me: yes, they sought to kill Christ
Jesus, and they did this because Christ Jesus’s words had no place
in them. Yes, Jesus continues and says: that he has witnessed what
he as seen from his Father: and that you do that which you have seen
from your father but that Abraham did not seek to kill a person
because they told the truth. Jesus testifies: the works that he did
in the name of God the Heavenly Father that these same works do
testify to him and do bear witness to him: Christ Jesus’s works bear
witness that he is indeed the Lord, Christ Jesus, the Son of God:
his works bear witness of him, this Christ Jesus the Lord who was
sent by God the Heavenly Father for the salvation of humankind. Now
Christians, faith is a thing of concrete and it is indissoluble;
yet, it is invisible! As love is invisible; yet, we see it but do
we know love. The love that the world tells, is the light that is
darkness, and many do not realize the truth of love nor understand
the invisibleness of faith and the invisibleness of love, but both
can be manifest or known. This then is love: love is of a
charitable countenance and works; love is of patience and the
long-suffering of patience is our joy for it is love; love is kind
and kindness is not meanness nor is it the indulgence of sin and
sinful things; love does not envy the gifts of others, the works of
other people, the blessings of wealth that others may have been
given by God the Heavenly Father; let us remember that Solomon was
the richest of men who has ever lived and his blessing came from God
the Heavenly Father creator of all things. Still, wealth that comes
from wages that were withheld for work done; wealth that was
acquired because of harlotry: child trafficking, trafficking, drug
running, prostitution and the things that is the subsidizing or
taking advantages of the weakness, the vileness and sinfulness of
the flesh: these crimes must all be brought to justice; hence, God
is light and in him there is no darkness at all. Truly, Christ
Jesus’s Gospel testifies: that the axe is laid unto the root of the
trees: therefore, every tree which brings not forth good fruit is
hewn down and cast into the fire. When the love of God is in a
person, they do not vaunt themselves but seek to love neighbor as
they love themselves; love is not puffed up: it is not egotistical;
it is not prideful or arrogant and especially not arrogant against
God, his way, truth and life, Christ Jesus. Love does not behave in
an unseemly manner. Love does not seek its own, but first seeks the
kingdom of heaven and the Heavenly Father’s righteousness. Love
does not rejoice in iniquity or wrong doing or terrorism or tyranny
or those things which harm the liberty that is in God the Heavenly
Father through the way, the truth and life that is Christ
Jesus. Love is not easily provoked and wears thick skin, but does
not turn a blind eye to injustices. Love does not think to do evil
to another person: neither through trying to enslave them, control
them or to have power over them: nor to cause murder or theft or
variance: nor does love do these evil things: back biting, bearing
false witness, the coveting of another person’s property. Whereas,
love does rejoice in truth: Christ Jesus is the way, the truth, and
the life and Jesus’s gospel is the light of life. Love bears the
light yoke and the burden of being patient and not seeking our own
but serving Christ Jesus’s Gospel with all our heart, mind, soul and
strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves: loving our neighbor
as ourselves is not the agreeing nor including, the indulgence of
their sinfulness nor wrongheadedness, but always first seeking the
kingdom of heaven and the Heavenly Father’s righteousness. Yes,
Christians, love is hope; we hope in our Lord Christ Jesus not only
for today but for eternity, for all tomorrows forever and ever: in
the love that is God the Heavenly Father and the Son the Lord Christ
Jesus. Christ Jesus testifies; consecrate them in truth Heavenly
Father; yes, consecrate them in your word and teachings; for they
are truth. Yes, Christians, love endures not only the minute, the
moment, the hour, the day and days, months, years, decades, but love
endures now; yes, now and forever. Yes, Christians, in Christ
Jesus, we are to do the work of the day; Saint Paul testifies these
two things: not to be slothful in business, but to be fervent in
spirit: meaning, both in ministry and our work, serving only the
Lord God our Heavenly Father and secondly: we are warned about being
idle, especially women: for some wander about from house to house,
not only being tattlers, but busybodies: speaking things which they
ought not. Truly, Christians, there is a difference between being a
gossip and exposing individuals for their unjust decisions, due to
partiality and favoritism: neither, God the Heavenly Father nor his Son, the
Lord Christ Jesus are respecters of men; they do not show partiality
but their judgement is just. Hence, Saint John, testifies: the
person who says they abide in Christ Jesus that this person also
ought to walk even as Jesus Christ did; still, do not let your
thinking get lost in traditions, and remember that Christ Jesus is
the way, the truth, and the life and it is according to his Gospel
that we must walk and not some tradition dedicated by men. Again,
there are many mansions in God the Heavenly Father’s House; yet,
each of these mansions bear the fruit of God the Heavenly Father’s
way, truth, and life – giving no place to sin or sinfulness nor the
works of the devil but calling all to repentance and to be washed
clean in the blood of Christ Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross:
remember, in God the Heavenly Father and the Son the Lord Christ
Jesus and the Holy Spirit: this three in one union there is no
darkness: for God is light and in him is no darkness at all! So,
yes, Christians let us find ourselves and be thankful when we find
ourselves in the pasture and the light of Christ Jesus and God the
Heavenly Father shining in us and on us; yes, are joy is complete
and our peace verily indeed goes beyond all understanding. Now
Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be
thankful. Amen.
Wednesday, April 9th
2025
The Fifth Week of Lent
·
Daniel 3:14-2091-92, 95
·
Daniel 3:52-56
·
Luke 8:15
·
John 8:31-42
Christians, the Lord Christ Jesus said unto
those who believed in him and since, he was testifying to the
children of Israel, the Jews, Jesus is addressing them; in regard,
also, this testimony is to all, as Saint Peter, Apostle says, in the
Book of Acts: “For the promise is unto you, and to your children,
and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call!” So, Jesus is saying to remain in his word, but we
also understand that this word remain, is to abide and also to
continue in Christ Jesus’s word, his Gospel of spirit and
life. Still, what does It mean to abide in, to continue and to
remain in the words of spirit and life! We know, that in Christ
Jesus, we are no longer under the law, but we also know, if an
individual commits the obvious sins of the flesh: in no way will
that person enter into the kingdom of God: lest we repent in no way
will we enter into the kingdom of Heaven, Christ Jesus’s eternal
kingdom. If we look at this in the reverse manner: instead of
remaining in Christ Jesus’s word, that we disregard his word and his
word finds no place in us: do we not then see that, we are then
doing the things that Christ Jesus said to the Pharisees, when he
said: you are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father
you willingly do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning, and
abode not in the truth: because there is no truth in him. When he,
the devil speaks it is a lie; yet, he speaks of his own: for he is a
liar, and the father of lies. Christians, as we consider this next
reading from the Book of Daniel, it is about idolatry: now, since we
are no longer under the law, does this mean: we can commit idolatry
with impunity, no of course not: this is not what it means when it
says that we are no longer under the law, but that we are, now,
under the Holy Spirit. Truly, Christ Jesus testifies that we are to
worship God the Heavenly Father and only him are we to
serve! Clearly, we must abide in Christ Jesus’s Gospel of spirit
and life to find truth and to be free: we are not free to serve any
other gospel. Moreover, Saint Paul, Apostle testifies: though we or
an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that
which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Now in human
history, since Christ Jesus, we have the accounts of two different
peoples, who have chosen to follow, what is said to be teachings
from an angel: this would be the Mormons and the Islamist. Stating
this truth, is not said so as to cause controversy, but to remember
that Christ Jesus is Lord and that his Gospel are the words of
spirit and life. Yes, Christians, let us repent and believe in the
Gospel for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, but let us also
remember that we are to be faithful to Christ Jesus’s Gospel,
abiding in his words and teachings: by loving our neighbor as we
love ourselves and also that we are to love our enemy, and we do
both of these things: because, we are to and must love God the
Heavenly Father with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Now,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego at the consequences of their death
refused, to bow down to a falsehood: worshipping a golden statue
made from human hands. Moreover, as Saint Paul, Apostle testifies
in the Book of Romans: individuals had changed the truth of God into
a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator;
verily, we know that God the Heavenly Father is blessed forever,
Amen. Yes Christians, for your consideration harken to this
testimony from Nahum: God is jealous, and to the Lord God our
Heavenly Father belongs revenge; the Lord does revenge, and the Lord
God the Creator is furious: the Lord will take vengeance on his
adversaries, and God the Heavenly Father reserves wrath for his
enemies. Christians in this testimony we have two words, one in
which we rarely consider, but the other, we have a direct
commandment: to love our enemies and when we consider the word
adversary, we may find some depth and height and width and length
that we may not usually consider, when we think of an adversary:
NASB 6862a: narrow, tight: -- cramped, limited, narrow, rushing,
tight! Then, Christians with this in mind and also, with what Saint
Paul, Apostle testifies: about the love of God dwelling in our
hearts by faith, being rooted and grounded in love that we may
comprehend and understand with all saints what is the breath,
length, depth and height; and to know the love of Christ Jesus,
which passes all knowledge that we might be filled with all the
fullness of God. Christians, do we not see and comprehend the idea
that we are to give no place for the devil, no opportunity nor room
or space, but that we are also to remember that God shows no
partiality, so then, when we do business: person to person, nation
to nation, country to country, we are not to be narrow or limiting
or tight or cramped nor rushing, but we are to with the love of
Christ Jesus in our hearts do justice and righteousness, but giving
no place to immoralities shading business with hindrances that have
no place. Christians, let us also consider this in another
testimony from Saint Paul, Apostle: when he tells to the
Corinthians, paraphrasing: I cannot give you anything but milk to
drink for you are not mature and squabble about every little thing
without maturing one degree; whereas, we may come to understand:
love, goodness, truth and the Gospel of spirit and life of the Lord
Christ Jesus, Saint Paul, saying: for you are in the carnal; for
whereas [when] there is among you envying and strife and
division, are you not carnal and walk as men. These individuals
were arguing about whom baptized who, and Saint Paul was having none
of their childishness; hence, Saint Paul says, that he had to give
them milk! So with this understanding, Christians, we also see that
if we are in the spirit that we must walk in the spirit, for if we
are walking in the flesh, then we are not under the Holy Spirit but
are under and living according to the flesh. Therefore, if we walk
according to the flesh and not in accordance with the spirit, the
Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth as Saint Paul, Apostle testifies:
for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for
it is written, cursed is every one that continues not in all things
which are written in the book of the law to do them: if we live and
walk according to the flesh, then we are responsible to law and all
the laws, statutes, decrees, ordinances and commandments; still, if
we are living according to the spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit
of Truth, then our lives are to have the fruits of the spirit and
not the works of the flesh, which there are no laws against the
fruits of the spirit. Now Christians, in the name of the Lord
Christ Jesus let us pray and be thankful. Amen.
Wednesday, April 16th
2025
Holy Week
·
Isaiah 50:4-9
·
Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 & 33-34
·
Matthew 26:14-25
Dear Christians, there is a testimony, from
Saint Peter, Apostle that alludes to Judas Iscariot, in a manner and
fashion that we as human creatures do not know rightly how to deal:
we vacillate, we squirm, we mock, we make jest; seemingly we do
every other thing other than accepting it on face value or as it is
alluded!
Now, at the Sea
of Tiberius otherwise known as the Sea of Galilee, the Apostles and
disciples and the women who accompanied them had gone to wait for
the Risen Savior, as instructed.
While at the sea, they gathered food by fishing, likely
picked berries -- if they were in season and there may have been
other wild foods available, as well.
While they were away from camp, Jesus appeared and sat a fire
ready, and also which is testified, he had fish and bread ready for
their consumption, but also beckon them to bring on more!
Christians, now we are talking about the Risen Savior, the
Lord Christ Jesus, who turned two fish and five barley loaves into
enough food to feed five thousand people, including their families:
wives and children – let us not forget the miracle, the mighty works
God the Heavenly Father performed through Elijah; whereas, God
through Elijah blessed a barrel of meal that would not empty and jar
of oil that was always full – so, Jesus had fish and bread ready for
the women and men, his disciples and Apostles, and they partook in
this meal together!
Then
Christians, as the Lord Christ Jesus was readying himself to ascend,
into heaven; to be seated at the right hand of God the Heavenly
Father; it came into their view, what is speculated to be the ghost
or soul of Judas, wandering, and Saint Peter asks the Lord Jesus:
what about him?
Now
Christians, the Lord Christ Jesus gave an answer to Saint Peter,
Apostle, which was anything but warm and fuzzy, Jesus said: if I
allow him to tarry, till, I come what is it to you Peter? you are to
follow me.
Now
Christians, reading this next testimony from Isaiah; we know that
Isaiah spoke the words and teachings God the Heavenly Father gave
him, to testify, and God the Heavenly Father was none too pleased
with the Israelites, saying of them: except the Lord of hosts had
left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and
we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Christians, do not be misled; Christ Jesus did not make the
sins of Sodom and the sins of Gomorrah acceptable to God the
Heavenly Father; rather, Christ Jesus gave and gives us the
strength, for we are no longer slaves to our flesh: Jesus Christ
gives us the strength to turn away from our sins and prefer to walk
in the light that is the Lord Christ Jesus’s Gospel of repentance
for the forgiveness of sin and sinfulness; instead of preferring to
walk in the darkness of sin.
Now, once, before, we were slaves to our flesh, in the motion
of sins, which were by the law: now, we became aware of our sins and
sinfulness, as Saint Paul testifies, it is because: the Law of
Moses, showed us, what is sin; hence, we came to know what was sin
because the law showed us our sinfulness.
Whereas, before the law, Saint Paul testifies, he did not
know that he coveted even though he was coveting!
Saint Paul also testifies: that as many died without the law,
referring to Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah as those who died under the
law: meaning those who died because of God’s wrath after the Law of
Moses was given.
Still,
now in the Lord Christ Jesus, since Christ Jesus did overcome the
world and did crucify the sinful flesh to the cross, we now, by and
through the Holy Spirit have the strength that Christ Jesus’s
crucifixion and resurrection gave and gives us to also overcome our
sinful flesh.
Truly, the
righteousness of God is now made known, it is manifest, without the
law, but the law and the prophets witness and testify to exactly
what is the holiness of God’s righteousness and how it will be at
judgment: those who are in right standing with God the Heavenly
Father, by faith, are those who will be saved.
Now Christians, in this next line, Isaiah says something
similar to what the Lord Christ Jesus testifies, Isaiah testifies:
that God gave to him the word, so that he might know how to help the
weary; whereas, Jesus Christ says; that truly the spirit is ready,
but the flesh is weak.
Christians, let us therefore understand that Christ Jesus prayed for
us, and God the Heavenly Father gave unto us a comforter, that
being, the Holy Spirit.
Yes, Jesus Christ testifies that the Holy Ghost, whom God the
Heavenly Father sends unto us, in Christ Jesus’s name: that the Holy
Spirit will teach us all the things and bring all things to our
mind’s remembrance, that is, all the things that Christ Jesus said
unto us.
Truly, Christ
Jesus testifies of these things that defile a person: from the heart
of man comes evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery,
coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride,
foolishness and blasphemies.
Yes, Christians, the Holy Spirit reminds us of these evil
things, these evil thoughts that come out of our hearts, the hearts of man,
human creatures, and they do defile us!
As well, the Holy Spirit reminds us to love God the Heavenly
Father and His Son the Lord Christ Jesus and that this is measured
by keeping their words and teachings: living their Gospel
faithfully.
Furthermore,
the Holy Spirit testifies unto us what are the fruits of the Holy
Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, self-control, temperance.
Christians, let us not be remiss; rather like Saint Paul,
Apostle testifies: above all, take up the shield of faith, wherewith
we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, that
being, the flaming darts of temptation and sinful desires.
Therefore, Christians, with these things in mind: let us
discern between: preferring darkness and how, we are to in faith:
first seek the kingdom of heaven and the Heavenly Father’s
Righteousness; this being what the Lord Christ Jesus testifies.
Yes, Christians, repent and believe in the Gospel for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand!
Now Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us
pray and be thankful.
Amen.
Wednesday, April 23rd
2025
An Octave of Easter
·
Acts 3:1-10
·
Psalms 105:1-9
·
Psalms 118:24
·
Luke 24:13-35
Christians, what
wails and laments the mother and the women with her and the
disciples must have grieved, but these tears and sorrows were not
the same wails and laments that there would have been coming from
the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, as the fire and brimstone came
down from the heavens for their refusals to change their murderous,
odious morals, and their inequities. Truly, in the character and the
mechanic the sounds of the weeping from grief, the confession of
true repentance, and tears to garner sympathy are similar: still
those who mourn will be comforted; those who repent will be
forgiven, but those who cry false tears are only adding the sin of
bearing false witness to the list of sins of which they were trying
to gain sympathy. The Lord, Christ Jesus who will come again, come
quickly Lord Jesus, come quickly, will not be skewed from fake
tears, but will know the truth of hearts and minds of all people and
judge all according to their deeds: whether they be bad, eternal
damnation and whether they be good, everlasting life in the way, the
truth and the life of the Lord Christ Jesus. Now Christians, in
this testimony from the Book of Acts, we are truly
enlightened. Christians, remember and understand that Satan is
darkness pretending to be light, while the Lord Christ Jesus is the
way, the truth and the life; therefore, any dialog that endorses
sinfulness and not repentance is not of God, the Lord Christ Jesus,
but is from Satan, who with trickery, deception, and falsehood is
hoping that individuals will give place to him, he who the Lord
Christ Jesus has condemned. Now in testimony, elsewhere, from
Isaiah and also this testimony from Saint Paul and Saint Peter: this
testimony that begins with Acts 3:1 but does not end until Acts
4:33, which then a new subject is addressed, which this new address
is typically perceived and used incorrectly by some! Yet, Now
Christians, we know that we are to honor government, but the thing
is: government is upon the shoulders of the Lord Christ Jesus, and
those individuals who do not govern in accordance with Christ
Jesus’s way, truth and life are committing sins, sin that we as
Christians cannot follow! So now Christians, we see Saint Peter,
saying: we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and
heard. Yes, Christians, let us look at this a little more closely
and realize that Saint Peter, Apostle and Saint John, Apostle, these
two, are not like other worthy men and women, saints and disciples
of the Lord Christ Jesus. For these, Peter and John knew the Lord
Christ Jesus in a like manner that we know our own children or as we
know our parents or people of the body of Christ, the church; so
when they, Saint Peter and John, Apostles testify to us that we must
testify the Gospel of the Lord Christ Jesus in earnest and sincerity
and truth, we know that this testimony is love, and is, as Christ
Jesus testifies that He is the light of the world; and then Jesus
says: the person who follows him shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life! So, then Christians, we have the
crippled man, who was at least forty years old and everybody that
entered the temple knew him, and he was asking for charity. Still,
Saint Peter and John, who themselves were not men of money but
worshipped and served only God the Heavenly Father, said to this
man: money, silver nor gold do we have, but what we do have, we give
freely and with that the crippled man was crippled no more! Now, it
should be addressed here, this obvious thing, that in the History of
the Roman Catholic Church, there was a time and place and an
occurrence, when one of the leading voices said of the Church: money
and gold we do not lack, but we can no longer heal the sick nor
halt! In recollection, this was said about or during the period
between the eleventh and fourteenth century A.D. and it is truly
telling of the Church. Still, Christians, in admonishment, we must
remember and understand that this, admonishing, is a charge we must
do and it is done in love and hope of reproof, instruction, and
correction and is not to be received with hardness of heart nor
stiffness of neck. Now Christians, let us look at this Psalm;
interestingly, there are believed to be at least eight different
writers of the Psalms: Moses, David, Ethan, Asaph, Herman, Solomon,
Korah and at least two other Psalmists and in this psalm, we read
the testimony: give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name; make known
among the nations his deeds! Now, let us juxtapose this psalm with
what is testified in the last chapter of Luke, Jesus saying: that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached, in his name
among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem! So, firstly we see that
repentance is to be the overflow of our hearts and the words that
come from our mouth: for in earnest and in love we beseech all to
repent, for Christ Jesus testifies: lest you repent you will all
perish! Then secondly, we see that this is not a light that is lit
and then put under a bushel basket, in fear of offending, but is a
light, which is lit and put on a lampstand so as to give light for
the entire room, the light that is the light of the entire world:
this life and creation that was created by God the Heavenly Father
through the word, that being, the Lord Christ Jesus, through whom
creation was spoken into being! Truly, Christ Jesus was concerned
about testifying to the truth that God the Heavenly Father gave, and
this was not in offence but is for salvation! To understand: Christ
Jesus while teaching in a temple said to the Pharisees and the Jews
who were with them that they were of their father the devil, and the
lust of your father you willingly do: now, clearly, Jesus, the
Christ and Messiah did not say this to offend the Pharisees nor the
Jews, but was speaking of how their light was darkness, and not the
light of the law in spirit and truth and life.
Now Christians, as the Psalmist
continues to testify, it is said: look to the Lord in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly; truly, Christians, this is an absolute
necessity in serving the Lord Christ Jesus and working out our
salvation!
Christians, do we remember and
still acknowledge in our hearts, minds, souls and in our strength,
our lives, the teaching from Saint Paul, Apostle, when he testifies:
with fear and trembling work out your salvation or have we been
deceived as Saint Paul testifies to Saint Timothy: they shall turn
away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Again, Saint Paul testifies: the
time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lust and to suit their desires, having itchy ears, shall
accumulate unto themselves teachers who will indulge what they want
to hear.
Christians, in a paraphrasing
language, we may rightly say: they have look to fairy dust and
cotton candy, believing Christ Jesus is made in the image of their
desires and lusts; they have turned from, the sound doctrine from
Saint Paul, Apostle, as he said they would: forgetting and not
acknowledging Christ Jesus’s way, truth and life and then working
out their salvation with fear of the Lord and then also, forgetting
the Lord Christ Jesus when he says: except you repent you will
perish!
Yes Christians, realize and
understand with fear and trembling we are to believe in the Lord
Christ Jesus; seek first his kingdom of heaven and the Heavenly
Father’s Righteousness; then pray and hope with fear and trembling
that our names are written in the book of eternal life.
Now Christians, in the name of the
Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be thankful.
Amen.
Wednesday, April 30th
2025
The Second Week of Easter
·
Acts 5:17-26
·
Psalms 34:2-9
·
John 3:16
·
John 3:16-21
Christians, we all hold to what Christ Jesus
testifies in John 3:16, but then we fail to give equal weight to
what Christ Jesus testifies in John 3:36, when Jesus says: He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth
not the Son, meaning, he that disobeys the Son, shall not see life;
but the wrath of God abideth, God’s wrath remains on him!
In this last verse, John 3:21, we receive a sort of summation
testimony of both John 3:16 and John 3:36, Jesus testifying: but
whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be
clearly seen as done in God.
Let us remember, Christians, what is testified: What came to
be through Christ Jesus is life, and this life is the light of the
human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has
not overcome it.
Still,
we also receive this testimony from the Gospel of John: this then is
the verdict; that the light came into the world, but people
preferred the darkness to light, because their works were evil.
Then also, we have Saint John, Apostle testifying: This then
is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you, that
God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Now Christians, as we look to the testimony from Acts, we see
right away the sin of the flesh, which is being communicated, and
that is the sin of jealousy: this sin of the flesh, which was also
deemed is to be part of the reason, jealousy and envy were the
reason Cain killed Abel.
Truly, the testimony of Cain and Abel is very pertinent in today’s
world: for the testimony is of Abel being a good rancher, a shepherd
of his cattle, lambs and farm animals, and God the Heavenly Father
being well pleased with him.
Yet, when we look at Cain, a tiller of the soil, a
husbandman, we find that God the Heavenly Father was not pleased
with Cain, for it may be suggested that Cain did his work without
earnest or half-heartedly, sweeping things under the rug and not
completing his tasks well, and God was displeased with Cain’s work
and said to Cain: Cain, you can do better, if you but try!
However, instead of trying to do better at his work or we may
say: instead of living the truth, coming to the light, so that his
works may be clearly seen as done in God the Heavenly Father’s way,
truth and life, Cain chose to be jealous and envious of his brother
and Cain was filled with darkness.
Now Christians what should be understood from this testimony,
is that jealousy and envy are sins of the flesh that can lead to
murder: if we give these sins place in our hearts and minds, instead
of bringing our sinful flesh, our jealousy and envy to the cross of
Christ Jesus and then turning away from our sins of jealousy and
envy, that is, repent, and then choose the grace and truth
established by the shed blood of Christ Jesus, living as new
creatures in the resurrection of the Lord Christ Jesus.
Yes, Christians owing to misunderstandings: let it also be
said and known that neither being a rancher, a shepherd, one who
raises cattle, lambs, goats, farm animals or being a husbandman, the
tilling of the soil has anything to do with the sin that Cain
committed nor do they have anything to do with sin; pertinently, the
sin was jealousy and envy and the hatred that Cain chose instead of
doing better, as God the Heavenly Father told Cain he could do or as
now, instead of bringing our sinful flesh, to the cross of Christ
Jesus, so that we may crucify our sinful flesh, turning away from
our sinful flesh and in the shed blood of Christ Jesus’s cross, live
as new creatures: first seeking the kingdom of heaven and the
Heavenly Father’s Righteousness!
Now Christians, again, from this testimony from Acts, we
have: the captains or public officials, the Sadducees, and they were
filled with jealousy, throwing the Apostles into jail: the jealousy
being that the people knew what the Apostles said was the truth.
Still, the very night, that they were thrown into jail an
angel of the Lord God the Heavenly Father opened the jail door, and
released the Apostles; truthfully, the Apostles were not instructed
to run away and flee for their lives, rather, the angel of God
instructed them, “Go and take your place in the temple area, and
tell the people everything about this life!”
Now Christians, in a most interesting, pertinent, matter, we
see how life circumstances can easily be misconstrued and
manipulated: for as the priest, companions, and Sanhedrin convened,
with the full senate of the children of Israel, these requested for
the Apostles Saint Peter and John to be brought from their jail
cells, to the convened court: they had no awareness that the
Apostles were in the Temple already doing as the angel of God
instructed and as the Lord Christ Jesus taught them to do, and that
is to testify to all nations the words and teachings of spirit and
truth, that being the Gospel of the Lord Christ Jesus.
Yes, Christians, it is marvelously comical, God our Heavenly
Father having a great sense of humor; lest we forget, how Elijah was
before all the false priests, prophets: those appointed by men.
For the Israelites had itchy ears – Jezebel being Queen of
Israel, not Judah, and she was a reprobate and hater of God, so she
assembled a false clergy to tell her the things she wanted to hear –
ignoring God the Heavenly Father’s words and teachings, but God did
show unto the Israelites, a mighty deed, proof positive that God the
Heavenly Father is in heaven and all other claims about existence
are false and not life.
For Christ Jesus is life and this light is the light of the human
race!
So the comedy is
this: here we have all these, self-believing dignified men:
Pharisees, Sadducees, Sanhedrin, their companions, the captain of
the temple guard and chief priest assembled, ready to receive the
Apostles John and Peter to scold them for speaking the truth – they
must have been in their morning finest: talking about the night and
the things they did; sharing the thoughts they had about the
Apostles; how they were going to get to the bottom of these
misinformation comments and treasonous works, but all the while, God
the Heavenly Father had sent them on assignment to the Temple to
tell all the people everything about this life, namely, that Christ
Jesus is Lord!
Christians, here we have all these men assembled, looking at one
another, puzzledly: not understanding to what would come of the
matter of these men, these Apostles not being in their cells, when
the report came of them teaching all the people the truth of this
life.
Then, the Apostles
did as Christ Jesus taught, they gave no resistance to evil, and the
captain of the court officers took them, without force, again to be
confronted by the high priest and his companions and the party of
the Sadducees.
Now
Christians, as these questioned the Apostles, Saint Peter said, we
ought to obey God rather than men.
Christians, at this point the Apostle Peter addresses them!
Now, Christians, in this address, there is a most interesting
qualification, which may be overlooked, since it is not the central
point of the address, but it is most significant nonetheless: Saint
Peter, Apostle testifies: that the Holy Ghost is given to those who
obey God the Heavenly Father.
Now Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us
pray and be thankful.
Amen.
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