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John Chapter One
1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by HIM; and without HIM was not anything made that was made. In HIM was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light that all men through HIM might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. HE was in the world, and the world was made by HIM, and the world knew HIM not. He came unto his own, and his own received HIM not. But as many as received HIM, to them HE gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on HIS name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld HIS glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of HIM, and cried, saying, this was he of whom I spake, HE that cometh after me is preferred before me: for HE was before me. And of HIS fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, HE hath declared him.
First Corinthians Chapter Fifteen
1.Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
First John Chapter One
1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life. And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We write these things so that our joy may be complete.
First John Chapter Four
1. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
Revelation Chapter One
I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw seven golden lamp stands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash.
His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
Lately, I have heard many people speaking about a power called the universe, or the source or the field or many other names. Many people teach many ideas of how to connect to this power to get whatever you desire in life. The sad part is many of these people began in the truth and have gone into error by forgetting that the kingdom, the power and the glory belong to a person, not just some cosmic power.
Our loving Father allows this because he is love and love meets people wherever they are in their understanding. He met Abraham who was a builder of idols. He met Moses in a burning bush. He met Paul as a blinding light and meets each of us whenever and wherever we are in understanding at the time.
If all that God is to you is a power to get whatever you want or a magic formula to live a prosperous life then you are missing the whole point.
What would happen if you thought the same of everyone in your life? What if your earthly Dad and Mom were just providers of food and shelter? What if you wife or husband was only to provide income and create children? What if you had children not because of love, but just so they could serve your needs? How sad would your life be if all your friends were only there to support you physically or financially and you had no fellowship with them? If everyone in your life was just for function and not for love how would you feel?
The reason we exist is to fellowship with our loving Father, with his Son and with his Spirit. If you had all you ever need in life including health, prosperity and good fortune but had no friends and no one to love how miserable would you be in your healthy and wealthy state?
As it is written in scripture; this is eternal life; to know the One True God and Jesus Christ whom he sent. Fellowship and knowing is the purpose.
So many have gone astray and to them our loving Father and his beloved Son who took away our sins and the sins of the whole world are forgotten and all that people want is the health and good fortune that comes from his freely giving to all.
Do you understand how our loving Father and his beloved Son must feel? Could you imagine giving birth to the world and all the people and the people went astray so you had to come and be beaten and murdered on a cross to take away those mistakes and come and heal their diseases and show them the way to friendship, love and fellowship only to have them say “No thanks, I don’t want you, I just want your stuff. I won’t even speak your name, I'll just call you source or cosmic power or unknown power field or even worse, I'll just call you the universe.”
Sadly, many in the church have fallen for these teachings. Yes you are one with God but you are not one without him. Yes you are holy but only because he made us that way. Yes we are loved and blessed but only because his nature is to love and bless us and even his enemies.
Some of the confusion comes because of what was written in the book of Galatians Chapter Four where Paul tells of how the stories of Sarah and Hagar are an allegory about the Old and New Covenant. This doesn’t mean these people didn’t exist. Did not the same apostle tell us that we are living epistles? The scriptures are alive with living examples just as Jesus told the Pharisees when He told them they searched the scriptures looking for life but the scriptures were speaking of him. He didn't say they were speaking of an allegorical character. Everything ever written in scripture is about him in one way or another.
Just because his life told a story it doesn’t mean that it was just a story. Thousands of people witnessed Jesus and his apostles. Think of how many died cruel deaths because they wouldn’t deny that he was real. Do you think you would allow yourself to be burned alive or crucified over something or someone who was not real? Look in your own heart. If you know him, did you discover him to be just some power or did you discover that he is a real personal being who loves you?
I write these things so that you won’t be deceived. Yes there is a cosmic power who holds all things together and creates all things and a power that can be used by anyone. But the power or the source or whatever the buzz word of the day happens to be is Jesus Christ. He is not a way. He is the way. He is not a truth. He is the truth. He is not a life, he is the life. An as we just heard from John the Apostle that anyone who claims that Jesus didn't come to earth in a fleshly body is an antichrist.
So don’t let so called “teachers” drag you away from your faith in the one who gave all because he loves you. Don’t settle for a life with just “things” when you can fellowship with Almighty God. Don’t settle for comfort when you can be lost in a blazing, unending, glorious love! As he said “what good is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?
All things, all creatures and all children exist in him and without him nothing exists. He is the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. He is all in all as the apostle Paul said “There is one God and Father who is above all, through all and in you all.” Even if you don’t know him; He still knows you and he loves you, so why settle for anything less than the loving relationship that he gave all for you to have?
My loved ones, God is love and love is family so love each other as he loves us and don’t trade a loving relationship for some teaching of the day that leaves out the reason we are here. God is love and love is a person, not just some cosmic power. Source is not God: Our God is the source! Come to know him, he loves you with all his heart and he wants you to have fellowship with him. He wants to be your friend and care for you when you hurt and bear you sorrows and burdens and be everything you will ever need. If you don’t know him as your very best friend then ask him to reveal himself to you. Your forever best friend is waiting to share a loving life with you. For God so loved the world He sent his Son, not some teaching, not some formula, He sent his own Son!
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all!
Michael
If all that God is to you is a power to get whatever you want or a magic formula to live a prosperous life then you are missing the whole point.
What would happen if you thought the same of everyone in your life? What if your earthly Dad and Mom were just providers of food and shelter? What if you wife or husband was only to provide income and create children? What if you had children not because of love, but just so they could serve your needs? How sad would your life be if all your friends were only there to support you physically or financially and you had no fellowship with them? If everyone in your life was just for function and not for love how would you feel?
The reason we exist is to fellowship with our loving Father, with his Son and with his Spirit. If you had all you ever need in life including health, prosperity and good fortune but had no friends and no one to love how miserable would you be in your healthy and wealthy state?
As it is written in scripture; this is eternal life; to know the One True God and Jesus Christ whom he sent. Fellowship and knowing is the purpose.
So many have gone astray and to them our loving Father and his beloved Son who took away our sins and the sins of the whole world are forgotten and all that people want is the health and good fortune that comes from his freely giving to all.
Do you understand how our loving Father and his beloved Son must feel? Could you imagine giving birth to the world and all the people and the people went astray so you had to come and be beaten and murdered on a cross to take away those mistakes and come and heal their diseases and show them the way to friendship, love and fellowship only to have them say “No thanks, I don’t want you, I just want your stuff. I won’t even speak your name, I'll just call you source or cosmic power or unknown power field or even worse, I'll just call you the universe.”
Sadly, many in the church have fallen for these teachings. Yes you are one with God but you are not one without him. Yes you are holy but only because he made us that way. Yes we are loved and blessed but only because his nature is to love and bless us and even his enemies.
Some of the confusion comes because of what was written in the book of Galatians Chapter Four where Paul tells of how the stories of Sarah and Hagar are an allegory about the Old and New Covenant. This doesn’t mean these people didn’t exist. Did not the same apostle tell us that we are living epistles? The scriptures are alive with living examples just as Jesus told the Pharisees when He told them they searched the scriptures looking for life but the scriptures were speaking of him. He didn't say they were speaking of an allegorical character. Everything ever written in scripture is about him in one way or another.
Just because his life told a story it doesn’t mean that it was just a story. Thousands of people witnessed Jesus and his apostles. Think of how many died cruel deaths because they wouldn’t deny that he was real. Do you think you would allow yourself to be burned alive or crucified over something or someone who was not real? Look in your own heart. If you know him, did you discover him to be just some power or did you discover that he is a real personal being who loves you?
I write these things so that you won’t be deceived. Yes there is a cosmic power who holds all things together and creates all things and a power that can be used by anyone. But the power or the source or whatever the buzz word of the day happens to be is Jesus Christ. He is not a way. He is the way. He is not a truth. He is the truth. He is not a life, he is the life. An as we just heard from John the Apostle that anyone who claims that Jesus didn't come to earth in a fleshly body is an antichrist.
So don’t let so called “teachers” drag you away from your faith in the one who gave all because he loves you. Don’t settle for a life with just “things” when you can fellowship with Almighty God. Don’t settle for comfort when you can be lost in a blazing, unending, glorious love! As he said “what good is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?
All things, all creatures and all children exist in him and without him nothing exists. He is the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. He is all in all as the apostle Paul said “There is one God and Father who is above all, through all and in you all.” Even if you don’t know him; He still knows you and he loves you, so why settle for anything less than the loving relationship that he gave all for you to have?
My loved ones, God is love and love is family so love each other as he loves us and don’t trade a loving relationship for some teaching of the day that leaves out the reason we are here. God is love and love is a person, not just some cosmic power. Source is not God: Our God is the source! Come to know him, he loves you with all his heart and he wants you to have fellowship with him. He wants to be your friend and care for you when you hurt and bear you sorrows and burdens and be everything you will ever need. If you don’t know him as your very best friend then ask him to reveal himself to you. Your forever best friend is waiting to share a loving life with you. For God so loved the world He sent his Son, not some teaching, not some formula, He sent his own Son!
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all!
Michael
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