How to have sound mind?

Sound mind brings healthy body. How to have sound mind? Here are some thoughts which help to bring sound healthy mind.

Andrew Wommack’s quotes
Excerpts From: Grace – the power of the Gospel
The Gospel is the most basic, foundational message of the New Testament, yet it’s the most misunderstood. Today’s religious system is not preaching the same Gospel that Paul did. They mix it with the Law, and that isn’t the Gospel at all.
It is offensive to people, particularly if they have a lot of holy actions to their names, when you tell them that all their good deeds don’t make them righteous before God. Then when you tell them sinners who only put faith in God are more righteous than they are (Matt. 21:28-32), that really puts them over the top!
We need a Savior! The only thing we have to offer is faith. We just believe the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news that Jesus died for us and paid a debt we couldn’t pay and gave us a righteousness we couldn’t earn. It’s faith righteousness!
It takes a supernatural revelation by the Holy Spirit to be able to understand this. But once you do, it’ll transform the way that you view God, the way that you relate to God, and the way that you receive from God. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. I encourage you to just humble yourself and ask God for a supernatural revelation of this truth. It’s tremendous.
When you truly get a hold of the grace of God, I guarantee you, it sets you free from sin, not free to sin. You’ll wind up living holier accidentally than you ever have on purpose. You’ll serve God out of love stricter and stronger than you ever would have out of legalism.
Jesus said you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). It’s not truth that sets you free; it’s the truth you know that sets you free. But before you can know it, you’ve got to hear it. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).
Quote from : “Whose Righteousness?”
The word “righteousness” has become a religious cliché that has lost its meaning to many people. Even Christians are confused about what righteousness is and how to receive it.
“Righteousness” and its counterpart, “righteous,” appear 540 times in 520 verses of the Bible. In contrast, “faith,” “faithfulness,” and “faithful” are only used 348 times in 328 verses. This means that there are 1.5 times as many scriptures about righteousness as there are about faith. Righteousness is important.
The mistake of thinking that doing right makes us right is the same error the Pharisees made. Religion has always preached that if we clean up our actions, our hearts will become clean too. Jesus taught just the opposite (Matt. 23:25-26). It’s through a changed heart that our actions change. The heart is the issue. Actions are only an indication of what is in our hearts. Actions are the fruit the heart produces.
Modern-day Christianity often puts the emphasis on actions instead of issues of the heart.
Jesus was in right relationship with God as no one else can be. He is the Son of God. He is God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16).
In return for Jesus taking our sin, those who put their faith in Him get His righteousness instead of their own.
Colossians 2:6 says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” That means if you were saved by putting faith in God’s grace alone, then you maintain that relationship in the same way.
Failure to understand this truth is at the root of all guilt and condemnation. Satan’s only inroad into our lives is sin. If we understand our right standing with God on the basis of what Jesus did for us, and not by our own actions, then Satan’s power to condemn is gone.
____________Sound mind Bible verses (in NKJV; boldness added)
Philippians 4:8 [Full Chapter] [ Meditate on These Things ] Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
2 Timothy 1:7 [Full Chapter] For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Galatians 5:22-23 [Full Chapter]   ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance

1 Peter 1

New Living Translation (NLT)

Greetings from Peter

1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.^{[a] 2} God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
May God give you more and more grace and peace.

The Hope of Eternal Life

³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, ⁴ and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. ⁵ And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

⁶ So be truly glad.^[b] There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. ⁷ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
⁸ You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. ⁹ The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
¹⁰ This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. ¹¹ They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
¹² They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

A Call to Holy Living

¹³ So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. ¹⁴ So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. ¹⁵ But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. ¹⁶ For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”^[c]

¹⁷ And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” ¹⁸ For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. ¹⁹ It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. ²⁰ God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.
²¹ Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

²² You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters.^[d] Love each other deeply with all your heart.^[e]
23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. ²⁴ As the Scriptures say,

“People are like grass;
    their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.
²⁵     But the word of the Lord remains forever.”^[f]

And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

Footnotes:

1. 1:1 Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia were Roman provinces in what is now Turkey.
2. 1:6 Or So you are truly glad.
3. 1:16 Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7.
4. 1:22a Greek must have brotherly love.
5. 1:22b Some manuscripts read with a pure heart.
6. 1:24-25 Isa 40:6-8.

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

 

1. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
• Are you washed in the blood,
  In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
  Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
    Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
2. Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
   And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
   And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
   There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
   O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn.php/h/1007#ixzz2jFhPrZ8Q

Jonah’s journey: wavering from spirit to soul to spirit again

Jonah was an evangelist

who refused to follow the Holy Spirit. He knew the divine nature of God. He heard God clearly. He conversed with God. He knew how to turn to God even in his ‘near death’ experience. He knew God would save him so he had no fear of death. His prayer could go up to God, into His holy temple. However his knowledge of God and firm belief in the power of proclaiming God’s word did not deter him from walking by the flesh, following his own soul dictate, not wanting God to save his nation’s number one enemy!

But Jonah also realized he was not God. He could not run away from God’s purpose for him. So God saved him upon his repentance and obedience to the Holy Spirit. 

What have we learned today?

1. A spiritual man must live by the Spirit and not by flesh.

2. Spiritual gifts do not guarantee that one becomes useful to the Lord.

3. Living by the Spirit requires: knowledge of God plus obedience.

4. The words of God spoken through the prophets were the power of God. Today, all Scriptures are the words of God. Apostle Paul thus declared in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe; to the Jews first, and also to the Greek.”

————————————————————

Here are the verses from Jonah 1-4 with some notes:

Jonah 1-4 (NKJV)

God started the initiative of sending out Jonah to preach the gospel to the perishing. He called Jonah and told him what and where and to whom he should go. He also told him how to preach. There was urgency, as the report of wickedness of the city had reached God and the appointed time for judgment (or salvation) had arrived.

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ² “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

[but Jonah refused to carry out the mission]

³ But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

God sent a storm

⁴ But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.
⁵ Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.
⁶ So the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”
⁷ And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. ⁸ Then they said to him, “Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?”
[Jonah knew God had not closed this case; he knew what needed to be done. He remained composed and instructed them to throw him into the sea and the storm would calm down.]
⁹ So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
¹⁰ Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. ¹¹ Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous.
¹² And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”
¹³ Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. ¹⁴ Therefore they cried out to the Lord and said, “We pray, O Lord, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You.” ¹⁵ So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. ¹⁶ Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.

Jonah’s Deliverance from death, Prayer & Vow

¹⁷ Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

2 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. ² And he said:

“I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
And He answered me.

“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
³ For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
⁴ Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
⁵ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
⁶ I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O Lord, my God.

⁷ “When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the Lord;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.

⁸ “Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.
⁹ But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the Lord.”

¹⁰ So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

God sent Jonah a second time to the sin city to preach the salvation message. This time God reminded him of specific instruction:
“preach to it the message that I tell you.”

3 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ² “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” ³ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. ⁴ And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

The People of Nineveh Believed God. The word of God was the power of God. There was repentance actions and 100% conversion to the Lord from idols. God saw and forgave them of their sins.

⁵ So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. ⁶ Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. ⁷ And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying,

Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. ⁸ But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. ⁹ Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?

¹⁰ Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

Jonah’s conversation with God. He could not help but continuing to proclaim God’s nature: gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and is faithful to forgive those who repent.

4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. ² So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. ³ Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”

⁴ Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
⁵ So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. ⁶ And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. ⁷ But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. ⁸ And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
⁹ Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!”
¹⁰ But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. ¹¹ And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”

Overall message: God is good to us. He does not want anyone to perish. he wants all to repent and turn back to Him. This explains the following verse from Romans 8:32, “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

Today’s word: To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed

prayer and thanksgiving Psalm 9

Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgments

To the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.

9 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
² I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

³ When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
⁴ For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
⁵ You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

⁶ O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has perished.
⁷ But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
⁸ He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

⁹ The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
¹⁰ And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

¹¹ Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
¹² When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble.

¹³ Have mercy on me, O Lord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
¹⁴ That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation.

¹⁵ The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
¹⁶ The Lord is known by the judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.

Meditation. Selah

¹⁷ The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the nations that forget God.
¹⁸ For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.

¹⁹ Arise, O Lord,
Do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
²⁰ Put them in fear, O Lord,
That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah

Psalm 10

A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil

10 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
² The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

³ For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
⁴ The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.

⁵ His ways are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
⁶ He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.”
⁷ His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

⁸ He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
⁹ He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
¹⁰ So he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his strength.
¹¹ He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”

¹² Arise, O Lord!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
¹³ Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”

¹⁴ But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

¹⁶ The Lord is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
¹⁷ Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
¹⁸ To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may oppress no more.

5 am lesson: How to live God’s will?

The supernatural God has placed eternity in the heart of man ever since creation. Man was not created for death. Adam’s fall was not meant to be. Death entered because of his fall. However, since then man has continued a lifelong quest to seek the everlasting design to be restored. The utmost wish is how to live a long and healthy life. Sicknesses is the number one enemy to mankind.
Why do most people prefer to linger as long as possible on earth? one main reason is fear. The fear of eternity. An average man does not know or concern with spiritual matters because spiritual matters cannot be seen and it is hard to ascertain. Oftentimes faith is required. Living in the eternal realm means living in the spiritual realm.
Faith is a key word in accessing the unseen and yet real realm of existence.
Can faith be acquired? How? Faith is a title deed given to those who want to believe in the unseen God. It is given freely to those who seek. God awards those who come to Him by faith. Eternity is not frightening. It merely means knowing God and the One Whom He sent (Jesus). It means even while on earth the believer can live and walk in eternity. There is a change of citizenship to that of a heavenly kingdom. He lives under God’s rulership and abides by God’s laws. He enjoys the rights and privileges of a citizen in this special kingdom (royal priesthood, holy nation and special people of God).
How does one enter this kingdom? By faith believing in God, and the ‘Entrance’ He has provided. The ‘Entrance’ is Jesus. Believe in Jesus having died and redeemed you on the cross, paid for your sins and suffered all the penalty for you. Believe that He is the Son of God, Who came to the world to save sinners and heal the sick. His death on the cross had paid for all sins, and the stripes He bore on His back prior being nailed on the cross had absorbed all diseases and pain. The hanging on the cross had broken all the curses on mankind.
Believe that Jesus not only died He was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He now sits at the right hand of God in heaven. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Believe that there is a heaven and a hell. No one can avoid going to either one after death.
How does one enter the kingdom of God? Believe in the salvation of Jesus. By faith just believe in God’s word telling you this Good News.
What happens at the moment you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Savior and Lord? Something happens supernaturally and spiritually in heaven.

1. The Holy Spirit (Spirit of Jesus Christ) gives birth to you.
2. The word of God becomes the incorruptible seed planted in you.
3. Your name is recorded in the Book of life in heaven.
4. You are given the citizenship in the Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Light).
5. You are given the Holy Spirit as a deposit/guarantee for your final salvation when Jesus comes again to give you the new heavenly body.
6. You are given the privilege of the citizen in the kingdom of God: the status of the son of God, the authority of the name of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of the truth and the life).
7. You can receive and enjoy all the blessings given to Abraham the father of faith.
8. You can enjoy all the gifts of the Holy Spirit and bear fruits of the Holy Spirit, living the divine nature of God.
9. You can put on the whole armor of God, overcome the devil and You can live under the supernatural divine protection of God. All the promises of divine protection in the Bible are yours to claim and receive.
10. You can live the super-abundant life that Jesus has promised to all who believe.

Eternity is wonderful. It is the answer to your prayer, as taught by the Lord Jesus to all His disciples of which you become one, “God’s Name be hallowed; God’s Kingdom comes; God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven”! Jesus advises all: “Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you!” (‘All these things’ means everything you need to live the super-abundant life that Jesus has promised evey believer of His.)

Journey to see God: Hear God's Voice

God's Voice is today's message. 

Psalm 29:3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness….

Romans 10

New International Version (NIV)

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. ² For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴ Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”⁶ But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

¹⁶ But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. ¹⁸ But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,    their words to the ends of the world.”

¹⁹ Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
    I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”

²⁰ And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;
    I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”

²¹ But concerning Israel he says,

“All day long I have held out my hands
    to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things

 The watchman was led to read 1 and 2 Thessalonians today. He was drawn to a simple truth about salvation.
1. God made the choice of whom to be called to become His. He loves those He has chosen.
2. God chose us to experience salvation.
3. Our salvation consists of the following essential ingredients:

1. God who called us.
2. Someone who told us the Good News.
3. The Good News. 
4. The Holy Spirit.
5. Our holiness through the Holy Spirit.
6. Our belief in the Truth.
7. The Truth.

4. The result of salvation:

1. Now we can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Our God will enable us to live a life worthy of His call.
3. This is possible because of the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. 
4. God will give us power to accomplish all the good things.
5. Our faith will prompts us to do them.
6. The way we live will honor the name of the Lord Jesus.
7. We will be honored with Him.

 _______________The Bible verses:

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
¹¹ So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. ¹² Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.^[a]

Footnotes: 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Or of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

¹³ As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first^[a] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Footnotes: 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Some manuscripts read chose you from the very beginning. 

how shall we escape?

DO NOT FOOL YOURSELVES. THERE IS NO ESCAPE! (Unless you repent today)

Hebrews 2:1-4

New Living Translation (NLT)

A Warning
1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? 4 And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.

Hebrews 3:12-14 (NIV)


12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

希 伯 來 書 3:12-14 12 弟 兄 们 ， 你 们 要 谨 慎 ， 免 得 你 们 中 间 或 有 人 存 着 不 信 的 恶 心 ， 把 永 生 神 离 弃 了 。 13 总 要 趁 着 还 有 今 日 ， 天 天 彼 此 相 劝 ， 免 得 你 们 中 间 有 人 被 罪 迷 惑 ， 心 里 就 刚 硬 了 。 14 我 们 若 将 起 初 确 实 的 信 心 坚 持 到 底 ， 就 在 基 督 里 有 分 了 。
希 伯 來 書 2:1-4

1 所 以 ， 我 们 当 越 发 郑 重 所 听 见 的 道 理 ， 恐 怕 我 们 随 流 失 去 。

2 那 藉 着 天 使 所 传 的 话 既 是 确 定 的 ； 凡 犯 悖 逆 的 都 受 了 该 受 的 报 应 。

3 我 们 若 忽 略 这 麽 大 的 救 恩 ， 怎 能 逃 罪 呢 ？ 这 救 恩 起 先 是 主 亲 自 讲 的 ， 後 来 是 听 见 的 人 给 我 们 证 实 了 。

4 神 又 按 自 己 的 旨 意 ， 用 神 迹 、 奇 事 和 百 般 的 异 能 ， 并 圣 灵 的 恩 赐 ， 同 他 们 作 见 证 。

End Times Witnessing: How not to miss being saved?

There are two characters in the Bible who shared some similar worldly characteristics and yet ended differently in their eternal destinations. Both were men of worldly success in terms of power and wealth.

PILATE

Pilate was a shrewd governor working for the powerful Roman Empire. He was unpopular, cruel and feared by many. He had the power to put a person to death, regardless whether the person was found guilty or not. Jesus was tried in his court and found innocent but Pilate still sentenced him to death. He was politically ambitious and correct. He knew how to appease his subjects (mostly Jewish) on one historical occasion. He avoided civil upheaval by succumbing to the majority regardless of justice. His concern was to stay out of trouble and keep his governor’s position safe. Jesus gave him three chances to know Him and even receive from Jesus salvation for him and his household. Responding to the three mundane, routine, temporal political questions he asked, Jesus revealed to him spiritual truth leading to eternal life.

He asked Jesus: “Are you the king of the Jews?” (The Jews had accused Jesus of ‘revolting’ as they wanted Pilate to execute him). So Pilate was asking the accused what he was accused of. It was a pertinent interrogation question.

Jesus answered: “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about Me?” Jesus wanted Pilate to proclaim with his mouth he wanted to know Jesus personally. This is Salvation Truth Number One: Everyone must personally seek to know Jesus, the King of kings, the only Saviour of men!

Pilate missed the spiritual point. He went on and asked: “Am I a Jew? Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?” He just wanted to get the trial over as soon as possible. He had to ascertain the criminal act done by the Jewish accused and then pass the appropriate sentence. Then he would have completed another job. His own wife knew of Jesus’ ministry and even dreamed of Him on the night before the trial. But Pilate was just being ‘practical’ and could not be bothered with foreign spiritual issue.

Jesus gave him a further chance: “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, My followers would fight to keep Me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But My Kingdom is not of the world.” Jesus stated that Salvation Truth Number Two is: Know that Jesus is the King far above human kings, and with far more superior authority and power. Only Jesus has the authority and power to life and kingdom beyond this world.

Pilate again missed the spiritual truth. “So you are a king?” He was still obsessed with earthly politics. He only wanted Jesus’ admission that He was a king so he could sentence Him (as accused by the Jewish leaders for political treason against the Roman ruler, Caesar). He was interested in getting to the earthly ‘truth’, that is, was what the Jews accusing Jesus of the truth?

Jesus gave him the third Salvation Truth: “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is truth.” Salvation Truth Number Three: Genuine Truth-seeker will believe and acknowledge that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The conviction will result in life transformation. The believer will submit to the kingship of Jesus with accompanying life changes toward God and others.

Pilate brushed aside this eternal TRUTH and remarked sarcastically, “What is truth?” In his human experience he knew there was no truth in human society. He knew he had to fit the so-called ‘truth’ to suit whoever in power at any moment.

The words that Jesus had spoken had gone into Pilate’s rational mind. They did not make sense to him. He had enough of worldly power struggle and wealth making worries to occupy his mind and emotion. The words never entered his spirit. So he missed the three chances.

ZACCHAEUS

Zacchaeus was a shrewd chief tax contractor-collector for the powerful Roman Empire. He too had wealth and power. Like Pilate he was not socially popular and was feared by those under his oppression. Like Pilate he miss-used his power and caused hardship and grievance.

But Zacchaeus differed from Pilate. He had heard of Jesus and His teachings through others. He determined to seek and know Jesus personally for himself. Undeterred by physical disadvantage he made an ingenuous effort, climbing a tree to position himself higher than anyone. Indeed Jesus noticed him and came to his house as his honored guest! Thus, Zacchaeus fulfilled Salvation Truth Number One!

Zacchaeus knew and believed that Jesus had far superior power and authority than what the worldly kings could offer. He heard and believed. When encountering Jesus personally his belief was confirmed. He submitted to this King immediately! Thus, he fulfilled Salvation Truth Number Two: Know that Jesus is the King far above human kings, and with far more superior authority and power. Believe that only Jesus has the authority and power to life and kingdom beyond this world.

Zacchaeus was convicted and submitted to the kingship of Jesus and responded by repentance and actions following repentance of his heart. He declared publicly his repentance and restitution actions. Thus, he fulfilled Salvation Truth Number Three: Genuine Truth-seeker will believe and acknowledge that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The conviction will result in life transformation. The believer will submit to the kingship of Jesus with accompanying life changes toward God and others.

Why did Zacchaeus respond to Jesus differently? Zacchaeus believed and gave priority to spiritual reality. When he encountered God he knew and submitted. Pilate did not believe in or give importance to the spiritual. Even when God appeared to him he missed God completely.

Some will get to heaven and some will miss heaven. The chance is one hundred percent either way. You choose.

Power in the Blood of Jesus

http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/murray/5f00.0572/5f00.0572.c.htm

The Power of the Blood of Jesus by Andrew Murray

CHAPTER CONTENTS

I. WHAT THE SCRIPTURES TEACH ABOUT THE BLOOD
II. REDEMPTION BY BLOOD
III. RECONCILIATION THROUGH THE BLOOD
IV. CLEANSING THROUGH THE BLOOD
V. SANCTIFICATION THROUGH THE BLOOD
VI. CLEANSED BY THE BLOOD TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD
VII. DWELLING IN “THE HOLIEST” THROUGH THE BLOOD
VIII. LIFE IN THE BLOOD
IX. VICTORY THROUGH THE BLOOD
X. HEAVENLY JOY THROUGH THE BLOOD
____________________
Excerpts:
CHAPTER 1
What the Scriptures Teach About the Blood
“Not Without Blood”-Heb. ix. 7 and 18.
GOD has spoken to us in the Scriptures in divers portions and in divers manners; but the VOICE is ever the same, it is always the WORD of the same GOD.

Hence the importance of treating the Bible as a whole, and receiving the witness it gives in its various portions, concerning certain definite truths. It is thus we learn to recognise the place these truths actually occupy in Revelation, or rather in the HEART OF GOD. Thus, too, we begin to discover what the foundation truths of the Bible are, which above others demand attention. Standing as they do, so prominently, in each new departure in God’s revelation; remaining unchanged when the Dispensation changes, they carry a divine intimation of their importance.

It is my object, in the chapters which follow this introductory one, to show what the Scriptures teach us concerning THE GLORIOUS POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS, and the wonderful blessings procured for us by it; and I cannot lay a better foundation for my exposition, nor give a better proof of the superlative glory of THAT BLOOD AS THE POWER OF REDEMPTION, than by asking my, readers to follow me through the Bible, and thus see the unique place which is given to THE BLOOD from the beginning to the end of God’s revelation of Himself to man, as recorded in the Bible.

It will become clear that there is no single scriptural idea, from Genesis to Revelation, more constantly and more prominently kept in view, than that expressed by the words-”THE BLOOD.”
Our inquiry then is what the Scriptures teach us about THE BLOOD.

FIRST, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT;
SECONDLY, IN THE TEACHING OF OUR LORD JESUS HIMSELF;
THIRDLY, IN WHAT THE APOSTLES TEACH; and
LASTLY, WHAT ST. JOHN TELLS US OF IT IN REVELATION.
CHAPTER 2

Redemption by Blood
“Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things . . . but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”-I Pet. i. 18, 79.

THE shedding of His blood was the culmination of the sufferings of our Lord. The atoning efficacy of those sufferings was in that shed blood. It is therefore of great importance that the believer should not rest satisfied with the mere acceptance of the blessed truth that he is redeemed by that blood, but should press on to a fuller knowledge of what is meant by that statement, and to learn what that blood is intended to do in a surrendered soul.

Its effects are manifold, for we read in Scripture of RECONCILIATION through the blood; CLEANSING through the blood; SANCTIFICATION through the blood; UNION WITH GOD through the blood; VICTORY over Satan through the blood; LIFE through the blood.

These are separate blessings but are all included in one sentence: REDEMPTION BY THE BLOOD.

It is only when the believer understands what these blessings are, and by what means they may become his, that he can experience the full power of REDEMPTION.

Before passing on to consider in detail these several blessings let us first inquire, in a more general way, concerning THE POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS.

1st. WHEREIN DOES THE POWER OF THAT BLOOD LIE?
2nd. WHAT HAS THAT POWER ACCOMPLISHED?
3rd. HOW CAN WE EXPERIENCE ITS EFFECTS?

CHAPTER 3
Reconciliation Through the Blood
” Being justified freely by his grace through the REDEMPTION that is in Christ Jesus, whom God bath set forth as a PROPITIATION through faith in his blood.”— iii. 24,25.

As we have seen, several distinct blessings have been procured for us by the power of the blood of Jesus, which are all included in the one word ” REDEMPTION.” Among these blessings, RECONCILIATION takes the first place. ” God hath set forth Jesus as a RECONCILIATION through faith in his blood.” In our Lord’s work of REDEMPTION, RECONCILIATION naturally comes first. It stands first also among the things the sinner has to do, who desires to have a share in REDEMPTION. Through it, a participation in the other blessings of Redemption is made possible.

It is of great importance also, that the believer, who has already received RECONCILIATION, should obtain a deeper, and more spiritual conception of its meaning, and blessedness. If the power of the blood in REDEMPTION is rooted in RECONCILIATION, then a fuller knowledge of what RECONCILIATION is, is the surest way to obtain a fuller experience of the power of the blood. The heart that is surrendered to the teaching of the Holy Spirit will surely learn what RECONCILIATION means. May our hearts be opened wide to receive it.

To understand what RECONCILIATION BY THE BLOOD means let us consider:
1. SIN, WHICH HAS MADE RECONCILIATION NECESSARY.
2. GOD’S HOLINESS WHICH FORE-ORDAINED IT;
3. THE BLOOD OF JESUS WHICH OBTAINED IT;
4. THE PARDON WHICH RESULTS FROM IT.
5. SIN, WHICH MADE RECONCILIATION NECESSARY.

CHAPTER IV
Cleansing Through the Blood
“If ye walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”-I John i. 7

WE have already seen that the most important effect of the Blood is RECONCILIATION for sin.

The fruit of knowledge about, and faith in RECONCILIATION, is the PARDON of sin. Pardon is just a declaration of what has already taken place in heaven on the sinner’s behalf, and his hearty acceptance of it.

This first effect of the Blood is not the only one. In proportion as the soul, through faith, yields itself to the Spirit of God to understand and enjoy the full power of RECONCILIATION, the Blood exerts a further power, in the imparting of the other blessings which, in Scripture, are attributed to it.

One of the first results of RECONCILIATION is CLEANSING FROM SIN. Let us see what God’s Word has to say about this. CLEANSING is often spoken about, among us, as if it were no more than the pardon of sins, or the cleansing from guilt. This, however, is not so. Scripture does not speak of being CLEANSED FROM GUILT. CLEANSING from sin means deliverance from the pollution, not from the guilt of sin. The guilt of sin concerns our relationship to God, and our responsibility to make good our misdoings,-or to bear the punishment of them. The pollution of sin, on the other hand, is the sense of defilement and impurity, which sin brings to our inner being, and it is with this that CLEANSING has to do.

It is of the greatest importance for every believer who desires to enjoy the full salvation which God has provided for him, to understand aright what the Scriptures teach about this CLEANSING.

Let us consider :
I. WHAT THE WORD CLEANSING MEANS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?
II. WHAT IS THE BLESSING INDICATED BY THAT WORD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?
III. HOW MAY WE EXPERIENCE THE FULL ENJOYMENT OF THIS BLESSING?
IV. CLEANSING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

CHAPTER V
Sanctification Through the Blood
“Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with bis own blood, suffered without the gate”-Heb. xiii. 12.
“Cleansing through the blood” was the subject of our last chapter.

SANCTIFICATION THROUGH THE BLOOD must now occupy our attention.
To a superficial observer it might seem that there is little difference between CLEANSING and SANCTIFICATION, that the two words mean about the same thing ; but the difference is great and important.

CLEANSING has to do chiefly with the old life, and the stain of sin which must be removed, and is only preparatory.
SANCTIFICATION concerns the new life and that ,characteristic of it which must be imparted to it by God. SANCTIFICATION, which means union with God, is the peculiar fulness of blessing purchased for us by the blood.
Let us then consider :
I. WHAT SANCTIFICATION IS.
II. THAT IT WAS THE GREAT OBJECT OF THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST.
III. THAT IT CAN BE OBTAINED THROUGH THE BLOOD.
IV. WHAT SANCTIFICATION IS.

CHAPTER 8
Life in the Blood
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, 1 say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink bis blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life ; and 1 will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 1-Ie that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him “-John vi. 5 35 6.
“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?”-i Cor. x. 16.

The drinking of the blood of the Lord Jesus is the subject brought before us in these words. Just as water has a twofold effect, so is it also with this holy blood.

When water is used for washing it cleanses, but if we drink it we are refreshed and revived. He who desires to know the full power of the blood of Jesus must be taught by Him what the blessing of drinking the blood is. Everyone knows the difference there is between washing and drinking. Necessary and h Pleasant as it is to use water for cleansing, it is much more necessary and reviving to drink it. Without its cleansing it is not possible to live as we ought; but without drinking we cannot live at all. It is only by drinking that we enjoy the full benefit of its power to sustain life.

Without drinking the blood of the Son of God– is without the most hearty appropriation of it— life cannot be obtained.

To many there is something unpleasant in the phrase “drinking the blood of the Son of man,” but it was still more disagreeable to the Jews, for the use of blood was forbidden by the law of Moses, under severe penalties. When Jesus spoke of “drinking his blood,” it naturally annoyed them-but it was an unspeakable offence to their religious feelings. Char Lord, we may be sure, would not have used the phrase, had He been able otherwise to make plain to them, and to us, the deepest and most glorious truths concerning salvation by the blood.

In seeking to become partakers of the salvation here spoken of, as “DRINKING THE BLOOD OF OUR LORD”let us endeavour to understand:-

I. WHAT THE BLESSING IS, WHICH IS DESCRIBED AS. “DRINKING THE BLOOD.”
II. HOW THIS BLESSING IS WROUGHT OUT IN US.
III. WHAT SHOULD BE OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS IT.
IV. WHAT THE BLESSING IS WHICH IS DESCRIBED AS “DRINKING THE BLOOD.”

CHAPTER 9
Victory Through the Blood
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony ; and they loved not their Uves unto death “-Rev. xii. i i .

FOR thousands of years there had been a mighty conflict for the possession of mankind, between the Old Serpent, who led man astray, and ” The seed of the woman.”

Often it seemed as though the kingdom of God had come in power; then at other times the might of evil obtained such supremacy that the strife appeared to be hopeless.

It was thus also in the life of our Lord Jesus. By His coming, His wonderful words and works, the most glorious expectations of a speedy redemption were awakened. How terrible was the disappointment which the death of Jesus brought to all who had believed in Him! It seemed, indeed, as if the powers of darkness had conquered, and had established them kingdom for ever.

Revelation 12:11(KJV) 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

CHAPTER 10

Heavenly Joy Through the Blood

“After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number . . . which stood before the throne, and before the Lamb. . . and they cried with a loud voice saying, g Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.’ These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb “-Rev. vii. 9-z4.