Get Behind Me Satan

Jesus and his disciples were in the region of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus was 34 years old and had spent three and one half years with his disciples traveling around Israel and proclaiming the Kingdom was near and that Jesus was the Messiah, doing miracles to authenticate His claim. Jesus told them he was going to Jerusalem and would be killed but would rise again three days later. Peter took him aside and rebuked him saying that would not happen.

"But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.” (Matthew 16:23)

Several years later, the apostle Paul reminded his apprentice Timothy...

"...we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers." (1 Timothy 4:10)

Most churches today take acceptation to that and teach that only those who accept Jesus in this life will be saved. I think Jesus would say to them "get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s".

"...such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness..." (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Nevertheless...

"...the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone." (Titus 2:11)

He Gives Grace to those He Humbles

God said...

"By Myself I have sworn; Truth has gone from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to Me, every tongue will swear allegiance. It will be said to Me: Righteousness and strength is only in the LORD." All who are enraged against Him will come to Him and be put to shame." (Isaiah 45:23-24)

Those enraged and proud will be put to shame and humbled. And when humbled, God gives them His grace.

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)

Politicians are overconfident in their ability to change things. They have to be for others to support and vote for them. Voters are an interesting lot, generally voting for whoever promises the biggest Goose in their pot. We are almost always disappointed when our "Goose is cooked".

Nevertheless, in about a month I will vote for one of those proud candidates - hoping that before he or she leaves office they will be "put to shame", "humbled" and given "grace" from "the LORD" at His "coming"!

"Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen." (Revelation 22:20)

Election Time in the USA

 I just turned 74 and have lived all my life in the US. In thinking about the upcoming election the following verse came into my mind...

"The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." (2 Chronicles 15:2)

Neither candidate is the LORD, that is for certain, and so I do not "seek after" either one of them. When voting I prayerfully consider the one who it seems to me would not "forsake" my LORD during times of crisis in this world in which we live. People can and will differ on who that is I suppose, so I will not judge them if their choice differs from mine. After all...

"...the Most High is ruler over the kingdom of men. He gives it to anyone He wants and sets the lowliest of humans over it." (Daniel 4:17)..."Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God." (Romans 13:1-2)

The Path To Future Glory - But For Now, Trump May Have To Do

Paul declared…

“I am crucified with Christ…” (Galatians 2:20)

“Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep...Ought not Christ to have suffered these things (events of his death) and to enter into His GLORY (thru his resurrection)...But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with GLORY and honor"...(1 Corinthians 15:20; Luke 24:26; Hebrews 2:9)

When Jesus hung on the cross it was a graphic declaration that death is the path to GLORY, for himself and for humans. 

Got it? Sin, death, and the grave is the path to GLORY. Christ the first fruit, then all the rest of us.

It is the SPIRIT within us which longs to live, not die, and testifies to us “the sufferings of Christ and the GLORY that should follow.” (1 Peter 1:11)

There is NO path to GLORY among the present self-righteous institutions of men in this present age. It is not our good works, nor our bad that determines the GLORY that will be ours AFTER our death and resurrection. 

Christ died…so will we die

Christ was raised….so will we be raised
Christ was glorified…so will we be glorified

All by the GRACE of God. A few of us hear and believe the good news in this life, yet all will know and believe after Jesus returns to resurrect humanity from death...

“Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep...As in Adam all die, even so in Christ SHALL ALL be made alive...sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, IT IS RAISED IN GLORY; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, the first man, Adam, became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22,42-49)

Get this straight, no one is going to heaven because of their political viewpoints. Even the low life, radical, militant, WOKE fanatics will eventually die and be resurrected to GLORY and salvation - by the grace of God.

"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of ALL HUMANITY.” (1 Timothy 4:9-10)

BUT for NOW we need a President who cares about “we the people”, the majority who are not self-righteous, tolerant, politically correct bleeding hearts…but a President who will protect Americans who are in this country legally.

I voted for Trump for the sake of our children and grandchildren while waiting for our future glory. 

The Armor of God

"...TAKE UP the complete armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all things, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with TRUTH, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod the feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace; besides all, having taken up the SHIELD OF FAITH with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..." (Ephesians 6:1 3-17)

We are instructed to "take up" God's armor of "truth", and "stand" behind the "shield of faith" in the truth of God's word. Only then can we be safe from the lier who comes to steal our security, peace, and joy in the salvation promised us by God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

"Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras some will be withdrawing from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons in the hypocrisy of false expressions...Now profane and old womanish myths refuse...Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching." (1 Timothy 4:1-11)

The Righteous Forsaken

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 37:25)

Of course King David was not alive to see the crucifixion of Jesus.

"About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)

Some saw the righteous one forsaken, but three days later the one forsaken righteous human was raised to life, never again to be forsaken - and the judgment of all other humans has been given to Him.

"And I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there is going to be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteous." (Acts 24:15)

"Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

The Power of Truth

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever — the spirit of truth. The world cannot receive it, because it neither sees it nor knows it. But you do know it, for it abides with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

The word "spirit" refers to power of truth.  

"Jesus is saying to him, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one is coming to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

When we hear the truth and believe, the truth sets us free from wasting our lives trying to save ourselves by the works of the law.Now we are aware that, whatever the law is saying, it is speaking to those under the law, that every mouth may be barred, and the entire world may become subject to the just verdict of God,

"...because, by works of law, no flesh at all shall be justified in His sight, for through law is the recognition of sin. Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing, for there is no distinction, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus (Whom God purposed for a Propitiatory shelter, through faith in His blood, for a display of His righteousness because of the passing over of the penalties of sins which occurred before in the forbearance of God), toward the display of His righteousness in the current era, for Him to be just and a Justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is debarred! Through what law?
Of works? No! But through faith's law. For we are reckoning a man to be justified by faith apart from works of law." (Romans 3:20-28)

Why have You allowed this to happen?

Job said...

"For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me." (Job 6:4)

King David said...

"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from my deliverance and from my words of groaning?" (Psalm 22:1)

Ever felt like God doesn't give a damn about you? 

Me too. There are times when I get mad at God for things that happen to me or especially my family. He could prevent it but he doesn't. Why?

To be honest, I do not know why, but in those times I find comfort knowing that even Jesus felt God had abandoned Him, and it humbles me and helps me find peace in troubling times.

"About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)

Trust Him, He's Got This!

"I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God; but their devotion is not based on true knowledge." (Romans 10:2 NLT)

"These ignorantly zealous persons think altogether too much of themselves. According to their idea it would seem to be a marvel how ever the Lord got along before they were born, and altogether a dead certainty that He will have to suspend operations altogether after they are dead." - Arthur P. Adams

Such seems to be the state of many evangelists I have heard over the years.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." (Psalm 46:10 NLT)

Trust Him, He's got this!