Tag: series

Psalm 2:

Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
² The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed…

⁷ I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.

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¹² Kiss the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Have you considered the justice of Jehovah? For the LORD will judge the unrighteous who will not bow down to the SON, He who IS and for our sake was sacrificed on the Cross.

The Son “בַּר bar, bar; borrowed (as a title) from H1247; the heir (apparent to the throne):—son.

Christ Jesus is heir apparent to the Throne of the Father. Hear what Jesus tells us. Take heed to some of the cautions Jesus sets before Christians seeking the His Kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 7:

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Luke 13:

Repent or Perish

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish…

23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?”

And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

Sobering isn’t it, to think that you might claim to be a ‘christian’ and not be accepted at the Throne of Jesus?

“Follow me,” Jesus said; or by context you could translate the Lord’s calling into at expected action of a disciple, a true follower, into the words of the Master, Teacher and Rabbi, “Follow after me.”

You must take up your cross. You must obey.

You must trust the risen Christ with your eternal and present life!

In Christ we are no longer bound to the Law, yet by His will we are obliged to adherence to the narrow path of righteousness. In Christ we are not excused to pursue false prophets nor covered by the sheep’s skin of cheap grace.

Jesus IS a most high and perfect standard for those seeking to follow after Him. We are drawn to Christ by the Spirit of truth and the Way of love, redemption offered at no cost only to sinners like you… to sinners like me.

Take heed, that you do not offend the Son of Man. The Biblical caution, ‘take heed‘ of the old covenant still applies here.

to be on one’s guard, take heed, take care, beware
to keep oneself, refrain, abstain
to be kept, be guarded

Jesus uses the expression, ‘take heed’ in many examples for our consideration. (Some versions of the Bible use other less impactful expressions than the KJV or NKJV which follows:)

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. – Mat. 6:1

“Take heed that no one deceives you. – Mat. 24:4

“Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. Luke 11:35

“Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” – Luke 12:15

Are you following after Jesus? Every day? Unto eternity?

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Luke 21  (NKJV)

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

⁷ So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”

⁸ And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.

⁹ But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”

¹⁰ Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven…

The persecuted preacher, John Bunyan, probably summed it up best in “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” Through Evangelist he cautions Christian, who was briefly misled by false men of religion. Evangelist also offers the love of Jesus, the Son of Man for mankind, this same Anointed who will judge the world and every soul (living or dead).

Thy sin is very great, for by it thou hast committed two evils: thou hast forsaken the way that is good, to tread in forbidden paths. Yet will the man at the gate receive thee, for he has good-will for men; only, said he,

take heed

that thou turn not aside again,

lest thou “perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.”

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