May 7th 2017
This Land Can Still Be Healed If We Approach The Lord Humbly, And Pray!
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV)
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Three persons in each member of mankind, but can it likened to the three persons in the One God? We all have one body, which is designed to carry us through this earthly lifetime. We also have a spiritual entity within us that functions as both a physical receiver of conscious control, if we allow it to have control! Secondly, it is the spiritual entity that God/Jesus uses to alert us of impending struggles, which are present in this cursed earthly conscience state of mind. Then there is the immortal soul, which while it is present in this lifetime, is designed to live eternally, and will allow us to commune with God face-to-face, if/when it transfers our being into heaven, where it will continue to live forever.
It may be that this physical body was added when the fall of mankind occurred, as it would not have been needed, until death came into the picture. If the sin of Adam had not brought death into reality, then there would have been no need for physical body. We are told that we can take nothing from this earth with us when we die, and that does include the physical body, as it is returned to the earth as dust or ashes! When Adam and Eve realized, they were naked, immediately after they sinned may have been because now they had a mortal body, which would not have been needed, if they had not sinned! When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:6-7)
Most of us do not like something about our physical body, and we will look at other people and envy their physical stature over ours. In the Golden Rule, Jesus tells us to love others as you love yourself! The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Romans 13:9). Here Paul is writing about the importance of loving yourself so you can then love your neighbor, just as Jesus did. The loving part of us is not our physical body, it emanates from our immortal soul through our spiritual conscience.
Many people today are confused by dwelling on their physical being, and thinking that fulfillment can be obtained through physical, sexual contact, as they do not know the truth about how life is to be lived, as defined in the Bible. Many seek fulfillment in life through sex alone, and thus they cannot really love their neighbor, as themselves, as they really do not love themselves. Some are so confused about sex, and the sex drive, that they cannot except the physical sex they were blessed with. Thus, such people deny their physical sex, and claim they feel like they are the other sex, instead of their actual sex. Sex does not bring love, love brings on sexual desires! God designed all of mankind to be driven to sexual contact for the procreation of mankind. Any other use of sex is for pleasure only, and cannot bring love to the participants!
Marriage is God’s plan and is why God created one man and one woman, as the start of mankind on this earth. Jesus when He still walked this earth, and was ask about divorce quoted from Genesis. "Haven’t you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Matthew 19:4-6). Some people today are not willing to commit to marriage as it is too confining, they want to maintain their personal freedom, but as Jesus put it marriage causes the two to become one. Of course, two people cannot ever really think exactly alike, but commitment to marriage requires them to attempt it.
James wrote some interesting ideas about freedom. Jesus’ death on that cross, which created a covering for our sins, and thus, supplies us the freedom of knowing our immortal soul will be saved, even though, we are still sinners. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:12-13). Followers of Jesus will be, “judged by the law that gives freedom,” as we can still be confident of our salvation. This is because, “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” Justice would say that sinners should go to hell when they die, but through mercy, also known as grace, we can be confident about our salvation.
Then James brings into question if our salvation is assured, do we show evidence of such salvation, if we do not seek to do God’s will through helping other members of mankind who need our help. Can we accept grace from God, but then be unwilling to extent grace to others by doing good deeds for those who need our help? What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? (James 2:14). James wonders here, if a person is saved through the grace of God, but then is unwilling to extend such grace, have they actually been saved?
Jesus taught His disciples that being part of the community of God allows us to share in God’s blessings through agreement with other believers. "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20). This bodes well for communal prayer, and indicates we have power through agreements in our churches, and even in smaller groups, such as in families. Note, it says where two “come together in my name, there am I with them."
From the Old Testament, the writer of 2 Chronicles writes about how God will honor humility and prayer of a community or country. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. (2 Chronicles 7:13-15). In this country if a revival occurs, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray,” and then “I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This land can still be healed if we approach the Lord humbly, and pray!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV)
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Three persons in each member of mankind, but can it likened to the three persons in the One God? We all have one body, which is designed to carry us through this earthly lifetime. We also have a spiritual entity within us that functions as both a physical receiver of conscious control, if we allow it to have control! Secondly, it is the spiritual entity that God/Jesus uses to alert us of impending struggles, which are present in this cursed earthly conscience state of mind. Then there is the immortal soul, which while it is present in this lifetime, is designed to live eternally, and will allow us to commune with God face-to-face, if/when it transfers our being into heaven, where it will continue to live forever.
It may be that this physical body was added when the fall of mankind occurred, as it would not have been needed, until death came into the picture. If the sin of Adam had not brought death into reality, then there would have been no need for physical body. We are told that we can take nothing from this earth with us when we die, and that does include the physical body, as it is returned to the earth as dust or ashes! When Adam and Eve realized, they were naked, immediately after they sinned may have been because now they had a mortal body, which would not have been needed, if they had not sinned! When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:6-7)
Most of us do not like something about our physical body, and we will look at other people and envy their physical stature over ours. In the Golden Rule, Jesus tells us to love others as you love yourself! The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Romans 13:9). Here Paul is writing about the importance of loving yourself so you can then love your neighbor, just as Jesus did. The loving part of us is not our physical body, it emanates from our immortal soul through our spiritual conscience.
Many people today are confused by dwelling on their physical being, and thinking that fulfillment can be obtained through physical, sexual contact, as they do not know the truth about how life is to be lived, as defined in the Bible. Many seek fulfillment in life through sex alone, and thus they cannot really love their neighbor, as themselves, as they really do not love themselves. Some are so confused about sex, and the sex drive, that they cannot except the physical sex they were blessed with. Thus, such people deny their physical sex, and claim they feel like they are the other sex, instead of their actual sex. Sex does not bring love, love brings on sexual desires! God designed all of mankind to be driven to sexual contact for the procreation of mankind. Any other use of sex is for pleasure only, and cannot bring love to the participants!
Marriage is God’s plan and is why God created one man and one woman, as the start of mankind on this earth. Jesus when He still walked this earth, and was ask about divorce quoted from Genesis. "Haven’t you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Matthew 19:4-6). Some people today are not willing to commit to marriage as it is too confining, they want to maintain their personal freedom, but as Jesus put it marriage causes the two to become one. Of course, two people cannot ever really think exactly alike, but commitment to marriage requires them to attempt it.
James wrote some interesting ideas about freedom. Jesus’ death on that cross, which created a covering for our sins, and thus, supplies us the freedom of knowing our immortal soul will be saved, even though, we are still sinners. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:12-13). Followers of Jesus will be, “judged by the law that gives freedom,” as we can still be confident of our salvation. This is because, “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” Justice would say that sinners should go to hell when they die, but through mercy, also known as grace, we can be confident about our salvation.
Then James brings into question if our salvation is assured, do we show evidence of such salvation, if we do not seek to do God’s will through helping other members of mankind who need our help. Can we accept grace from God, but then be unwilling to extent grace to others by doing good deeds for those who need our help? What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? (James 2:14). James wonders here, if a person is saved through the grace of God, but then is unwilling to extend such grace, have they actually been saved?
Jesus taught His disciples that being part of the community of God allows us to share in God’s blessings through agreement with other believers. "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20). This bodes well for communal prayer, and indicates we have power through agreements in our churches, and even in smaller groups, such as in families. Note, it says where two “come together in my name, there am I with them."
From the Old Testament, the writer of 2 Chronicles writes about how God will honor humility and prayer of a community or country. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. (2 Chronicles 7:13-15). In this country if a revival occurs, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray,” and then “I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This land can still be healed if we approach the Lord humbly, and pray!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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