The Great Acceptation of Liffe

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

July 1, Genesis 1--- The beginning of this quarterly Bible reading, and in 1943, the "beginning" of me in this time/space world.

Notice, it is, "In the beginning God created."  Creation as we know it had an, "in the beginning."  The Blessed Trinity did not.  My mind cannot comprehend this.  I do, however, accept this.  This, in my opinion, is Biblical faith.  It is not comprehension or understanding as man counts it.  Biblical faith is acceptation of the Words of God and living my life by that acceptation.  This is the best way to work one's way through the Bible.  There are perhaps more unanswered questions in the Bible than there are answered questions.  Have you ever noticed how many questions went unanswered by our Lord Jesus?  When people say, "I know that I know that I know," they really cannot mean that any more than I can say, "I know that God has no beginning."  They should really say, "I accept that I accept that I accept"------------------- what the "God-Breathed" Word declares.

I have completed a 68 year journey, a very short journey in human history, even shorter by, "In the beginning...."  My great drive today, however, is that of the Apostle Paul, "But I press on, that I may lay hold of ("seize tight hold of") that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."  Whatever that may mean in its fulness, "I seize tight hold of that," and I pray for you and me that we will continue to, "seize tight hold of that," until, "that day."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I understand, as man counts understanding, so little of You and the Universe.  But I, "seize tight hold of," You today.  Amen.
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"Flotilla" Update:       apf327.blogspot

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

"Seems" vs. Is

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12)

I do not want the, "way that seems right."  I want the way which is right. Without the rule of Jesus Christ/His Words/Holy Spirit in me, I can only operate in the "seems right" world.  Can you remember when that was the only world you knew?  All those, "seems right," days were really wondering, confused days.  We acted as though we knew the way which is right, but life proved that the Way of Jesus can only be found in Jesus Himself.  Even after we give our hearts to the Lord, ego can keep us only in the, "ways that seems right."  Only now for many people it is just a language change--- "The Lord showed me," or, "The prophet said."  No matter; it is still a, "seems right," world. 

How do we escape the, "seems right," world?  Only through and in the, "Word of God," Himself, Jesus Christ.  But you knew this, right?  If Jesus is indeed, "the way, the truth, and the life," then the break out of the, "seems right," world into the is right world is only to the surrendered ones, the obedient ones, those who reveal love for Jesus Christ by surrendering and obeying Jesus Christ.

Throughout Church History there has been much from the, "seems right," people.  I don't want to be a part of that.  I only want, as I know you do, "the way which [Is] right," Jesus Himself, "the way, the truth, and the life."

Father, in Jesus' Name, deliver me from any, "seems right," living.  Amen.
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News, Commentary:        apf327.blogspotn   

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

The Truth is We Are Included--They Are Not Replaced

"'For I,' says the LORD, 'will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.'" (Zechariah 2:5) 

Some people worry about the future of Jerusalem and Israel; I don't.  No nation in history has ever had such guarantees of survival from the Reigning King, Jesus the Christ.  "'Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion!  For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,' says the LORD.  'Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day,(all Gentile Believers in Jesus) and they shall become My people.  And I will dwell in your midst" (with the completed Gentiles)....And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem'" (2:10-13).  

"Replacement" Christians have adopted the Old Testament prophecies for themselves and believe they no longer apply to Israel.  Too much of the "spiritual" passages in the New Testament are disassociated with "physical" references to Israel and Jerusalem in Old and New Testaments.  Metaphoric interpretations are not Hebraic; they are Grecian in nature.  The root of, "the faith of Jesus," is not Grecian; it is Hebraic.  Jesus was not using metaphor when He spoke of His coming back to Jerusalem.  It was not a metaphor when Jesus referred to Jerusalem as, "the City of the Great King."  The very establishment of the modern State of Israel, a miraculous event by anyone's account, reveals that even though Jews have experienced great judgment and suffering over the centuries, God is still fulfilling His ancient prophecies and bringing to pass His purposes for the Jew and The Land.

You and I, however, need to always keep in mind that we are included in the promises.  Consider:  "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh...--- that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise (which are Israel's), having no hope and without God in the world."  The Gentile nations were, "without God in the world;" the Jews were not.  "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the Blood of Christ."  The reality is that rather than the Jew being replaced, you and I were, "brought near by the Blood of Christ"--- the same way the Jews can be, "brought near."  Their salvation is not a separate "plan," but neither is ours a "replacement plan."  There may be many unanswered questions here, but one thing is certain----- history attests to the reality, "I...the LORD, will be a wall of fire all around"--- Israel, Jerusalem, the Jews.  Attention!  "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Father, in Jesus' Name, all I can say is, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of [You]!  How unsearchable are [Your] judgments and [Your] ways past finding out."  Amen.

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See a  great video concerning the truth of Israel's borders.  Highlight and drag to your search bar---   apf327.blospot 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

"Perfect"

"The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands."  (Psalm 138:8)

Yeah, right, like the Living Triune God would ever, "forsake the works of [His] hands."  You will never, ever be forsaken; everything in the "God-Breathed" Word attests to this.  All you and I have to do is accept it. 

The word for, "perfect," in our text means "will end, complete, bring to an end," but I think the phrase, "will perfect," says it best.  Far too many get hung up on "perfect," rather than "perfect."  Our Father is Perfect, and what He does is perfect, and we are His doing, so we are perfect, being perfected into, "the image of Christ."  All I have to do is be submissive clay in the Potter's Hands and the Perfect Potter will do His Perfect Work----- "will perfect that which concerns me."  Okay, now, how did you just receive that?  Do you look at yourself and see imperfection?  Well, maybe then you should look at Our Father, then you will see Perfection.  "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  Really?  Is that what we, "consider," today?  If I believe this, then I must realize that, "the glory which shall be revealed in us," is a completed (perfected) work of Jesus Christ.  My dear fellow Believer, if you and I really believe this, we are headed toward a "perfected glory."  Our graph can go nowhere but up!

The problem for struggling disciples has been always that we tend to look too much to and at ourselves rather than obeying the command, "Therefore...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus...."  Whatever the depths of, "looking," might be, it is a command, a command which liberates, a command which will enable you and me to see that Perfect One, doing Perfect things, the One Who, "will perfect that which concerns me"---------------- and you!

Father, in Jesus' Name, I receive Your perfect, perfecting work in me.  Amen.

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Just when you think nonsense and absurdity have reached their zenith, read the article at:      apf327.blogspot

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

"Grow Up Into All Things Into--------- Christ"

"Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child." (Psalm 131:2)

Strong's says that one possible translation of, "behaved," is, "adjust (counterbalance)." This is a great Biblical Theology which we would do well do consider.  The picture in our text is one of a child growing up, moving on to another stage of development.  I do not believe this ever stagnates in the life of the Follower of Jesus, viz., one never matures to a point in which growth and further development is unnecessary.

I was standing next to a person one time who was confronted with an immediate difficult decision involving another person.  She said in her very characteristic fast speech, "What should I do?---- maybe group up."  She was really talking with herself, and consequently answered herself, an answer which was indeed the right answer.   

Maybe at times the weariness of life overwhelms you, family concerns, health issues, unfulfilled dreams, abandonment by friends.  But, as Paul, we too, "press on."  What really is the alternative?  Give up?  Run?  Try to escape?  But that leads to destruction of ourselves and those around us.  Consider, therefore, carefully our text:  "Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother" (NASB); The Amplified says, "[ceased from fretting]."  The NLT says, "Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother's milk.  Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me."  I am still His child, but I grow to another "stage" in His purposes for me.  I grow into His purposes for His Church, "til we all come to...a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro...," that we, "may grow up in all things into Him who is the head---- Christ"!

Father, in Jesus' Name, may it be so in my life.  Amen.
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New Articles at:     apf327.blogspot

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 1