Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: salvation

  • but you have withheld your love

    but you have withheld your love

    Dearly beloved, dear sister in the Lord,

    Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

    This is the urging of Paul and Timothy to Christ’s bride, His church at Corinth (therefore they speak in the plural to the brothers, who ought to instruct in the Lord their own Christian wife and children). Their urging is for all, yet I echo their heart by paraphrase and address it to you personally, rather than as my child in the faith as do Paul and Timothy. I speak to you as Christ’s bride singularly.

    For I am not your Pastor and you are a child of your own faith, following whoever you will in the ways of the Lord or in ways of your own choosing. I therefore appeal to you as ‘my beloved,’ for your dear soul is joined to my own by your vow and your word: Jesus is Lord.

    2 Corinthians 6

    Dearly beloved,

    I have spoken honestly with you, and my heart is open to you.  There is no lack of love on my part, but you have withheld your love from me. I am asking you to respond as if you were my own beloved wife. Open your heart to me!

    (You may see that my meaning is no different from the letter of scripture.) I will add some here.)

    Who are your friends? Are they of the same vow as you and me? Is Christ Jesus their Lord, as well?

    Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?

    (Again, I will augment.)

    I understand. I have so few friends. Christian friends, too, are so involved and so far from community when I most need them. I understand. I am alone with broken heart without you.

    Yet I stand against the unbelievers where I work. They know and reject my witness. They stand against me at times. I would befriend them in times of my own need, yet again, ‘What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil?’

    What have these revelers and lovers of their bold sin have to do with one who detests the wickedness of the world and the overwhelming deceit of the devil?

    I am a believer and your partner in the Lord. You are a believer and a partner in my love, a blessing in my life and a constant plea of my prayers.

    Dearly beloved, How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?

    I appeal to you in the Name of Jesus: Be reconciled in love with me; with Christ and with the praying souls who intercede in love for you each day and each night.

    Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.

    Because we have these promises, [dearly beloved], let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

    Please open your heart to me.

    I said before that you are in my heart, and I live or die together with you.  I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you. You have greatly encouraged me and made me happy despite all our troubles.

    Even Paul changes to the singular in 2 Corinthians 7:3, pointedly appealing to you as an individual to be part of the body of Christ and to have nothing to do with those who set the example of the hardheartedness of the devil (worshiping instead, idols of their choosing).

    2 Corinthians 7 King James Version (KJV)

    Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

    2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

    3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.

    4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

    [Returning to my paraphrased appeal from the NLT:]

     I am not sorry that I send this severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it may be painful to you for a little while.

    9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.

    10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

    11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you!

    I know the true joy to which you would cling in your own heart. It is the hope and promise of Christ.

    Is your own promise to the Bridegroom so far from your heart that you do not keep a lamp lit for his return?

    Why is your answer silent to his gift?

    What is your answer to his love?

    Dare your heart keep so silent as stone?

    Has He not already forgiven your sin? Has our Lord not called out to you, dear sheep of His fold? Has He not already offered His love and humbled himself for the bride of his own promise? Will you not join Him once more, dear prodigal daughter?

    Dearly beloved, my betrothed blessing in the Lord,

    I forgive you and call out to your dear heart. Please forgive me and accept the gift of the Bridegroom, who was and is and is to come.

    Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

    Love,

    Roger

  • Wisdom Cries Out

    Wisdom Cries Out

    Proverbs 8: NKJV Does not wisdom cry out,
    And understanding lift up her voice?
    2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,
    Beside the way, where the paths meet.
    3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
    At the entrance of the doors:

    4 “To you, O men, I call,
    And my voice is to the sons of men.
    5 O you simple ones, understand prudence,
    And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

    Wisdom cries out! She calls out from the mountaintop. She echos the Truth of the Almighty from Mount Gerizim and Mount Moriah, from Mount Sinai and the Mount of Olives.

    John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

    From the echo of the Voice of Truth, through unclean lips of the Prophet; from the highest mountain of the Law to the lowest manger of the cattle and fields of sheep: Truth is born as a Son of Man and speaks softly to those who will hear. You without deafening distraction hear what the Truth of wisdom would say to your soul.

    Proverbs 8:6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
    And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
    7 For my mouth will speak truth;
    Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
    8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
    Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.

    Yet we will not sit in silence before the Very Voice of wisdom and hear what Christ Jesus would instruct to our wayward and crooked paths. (Do YOU read His gospel truth before you begin your way in this day?)

    Hebrews 1: God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things…

     

    Proverbs 9:Wisdom has built her house,
    She has hewn out her seven pillars;
    2 She has slaughtered her meat,
    She has mixed her wine,
    She has also furnished her table.
    3 She has sent out her maidens,
    She cries out from the highest places of the city,
    4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

    You with ears to hear, hear the Voice of Truth.

    Or will you yet hear the distraction of the devil, the beguiler of your soul by the lies of his snare?

    Luke 22:“For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

    And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

     

    Matthew 13:Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way…

    …at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

    If Satan had asked to sift the soul of Simon Peter as chaff, will the snarer of souls not also seek to turn you from the wisdom of Truth?

    Do YOU read your Bible?

    Do YOU hear the invitation of Christ Jesus (with ears to hear) and do you continue with Jesus as your Lord, even in the trials of this life of distraction?

    OR have you missed the invitation of the Banquet; for Wisdom will not beg your repentance and obedience.

    Proverbs 9: 6 Forsake foolishness and live,
    And go in the way of understanding.

    7 “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
    And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
    8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
    Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
    9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
    Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

    10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

    Jesus IS and will return. He will judge all sin and unrighteousness with wisdom and truth. He will gather the chaff; neither will those who only claim Him while wandering the paths of wickedness be seated at the Table of His mercy and love.

    Luke 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”

    The persistent fool will not receive the cleansed robe of His righteousness.

     Matthew 22:

    The Parable of the Wedding Feast

    And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:

    2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

    4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’

    5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business…

    8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy…

    11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

    14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

    Though wisdom and Truth have called sinners and fools to the feast, only the humble and repentant will receive the Lord’s robe of righteousness.

    The King, in His mercy, has demonstrated much patience; that you might now accept His invitation to come among the guests.

    Revelation 19: 

    5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both[c] small and great!”

    6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

    9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

     

    12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

     

    He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

    KING OF KINGS AND
    LORD OF LORDS.

    You with ears to hear, hear; for our Lord will not always contend with the dust of the earth and the chaff of the harvest.

     

  • GOD! Why have you forsaken me?

    My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!?

    The familiar words from Psalm 22 must have still been ringing in the ears of the mourners at the Cross.

    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
    2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.

    The lament must have weighed as heavy on their hearts as Romans rolled the stone to seal a new tomb where Jesus’ body lay wrapped in blood-stained linens of embalmment.

    6 But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
    7 All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
    8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

    How they must have wept bitterly for our Lord from beyond the Tomb on this Holy Sabbath of the Passover.

    Jesus is dead! Crucified on a Cross. His broken body cursed by God.

    The Passover Seder

      “why is this night different from all other nights?” 

    Jews long ago escaped from the darkness of their slavery to Egypt, only to have Jerusalem enslaved to Rome.

    All are enslaved by sin, Jew and Roman alike… until this night.

    For the Passover Lamb of Sacrifice has been killed for our sins.

    The Body of Jesus Christ lay in a grave beyond an immovable stone and Roman Guards.

    The Body of Christ Jesus… wrapped in the linens of death, stained with the blood of our sins…

    My GOD! My GOD! Why have YOU forsaken me?

    For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

    To be continued…

    Tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday

    EASTER!

    Worship Christ Jesus, who died for your sins.