Holy Week Focusing

I've been enjoying a Holy Week reading from Desiring God each day this week. Just trying to keep focus and get my mind more on Jesus and drawing closer to God through Him this week. 

Here is a link to Tuesdays: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/he-loved-us-through-loneliness?utm_campaign=Holy+Week&utm_content=Day+3+%28Holy+Tuesday%29&utm_medium=cio&utm_source=email

I'm not sure it will come through because I signed up to receive them in my inbox. 

Using my phone often isn't something that's enjoyable. Last week I had to use it a ton because of a texting pampered chef party. It was great to earn a ton of free products again this year which I'm very excited about getting, but being on my phone for 4 more hours per day or something insane nearly pushed me to the brink. Even so, I signed up for YouVersion's Easter week readings as well so I'm sure to get more time in the Word than I would otherwise. Running to appointments and such, extra time can be found so I try to read. 

I hope you are reading and thinking this week about what God did for you in having His One and only begotten Son come to earth about 2000 yrs ago to live a sinless life and then be crucified as one guilty, yet innocent, so He could be the payment for your sin (and mine). Trust Him today and ask Him to forgive you and put a new song in your mouth, a song of praise to our God. 

Good Friday Timeline

The times are approximate, but I find it helpful to know generally what was happening, when, on this day where we remember the crucifixion of the Son of God. 

Good Friday Timeline

**I do not endorse this website for any other material as I have not looked at it closely. 

Precept Austin-Sermon Transcript on Ephesians

The other night I was looking at posts on this blog that have been visited recently, and came upon a post which contained some links. I hadn't looked at those links in over 10 years. Well, one I deleted without looking further at it, and the other I perused reading a few articles that piqued my interest because they were slamming a doctrine I adhere to. It was interesting how I felt a bit nervous reading them, but in striving to be an honest student of the Word (albeit, very very weak) I didn't want to shy away. As I read what seemed like a scathing rebuke of what I consider truth, I was more convinced that how I see things is accurate. A terrible argument full of confusion, which lacks logic and accuracy, does nothing to substantiate a claim, for the record. I deleted that link also.

There was another link and in looking at that site the last couple of days, I'm finding it is scholarly, thoughtful, and thus far, accurate from my vantage point. This sermon transcript is very good and contains some favorite verses of Scripture. Verses that have given me great comfort and made many things seem to fall into place once I gave them an honest reading. Let's not be afraid to believe God and take Him at His word. Don't let people try to label you or put you in a box, equating all sorts of things to you because you think "X"...they can think you also think "Y"...let them. I'm not worried about it and will not let the way others act cause me to change course or spend tons of energy trying to defend myself.

God is so wonderful...you know a conversation I had recently prompted me to spend a little time on my blog. I found that old post, looked at the links, and then came upon this sermon to read. It literally says exactly what I believe and things I just said to this friend, in a very general way so as to not promote disunity, which I am careful about in live conversations. How great is our God to give me this comfort and assurance!! I've found no greater comfort than Ephesians 1, and to see this pastor explain it just how I see it is amazing. 

Sermon from Robert Morgan on Ephesians

Mark 1:5

Wisdom should lead us to not overload those in another place than we are with information they are not ready to consider. I'm certain my husband is careful with the information he gives me, and he always has been. He carries the load he's carrying as our protector and provider, and is good at weighing what everyone can take on. The comparison isn't exact, but the same general principle applies with our brothers and sisters in the faith. We need to be careful to perceive when we're not doing someone a favor by making them think about something in a way that is going to strain them or cause them to struggle. 

The Holy Spirit is the One to reveal the truth He wants to reveal in the minds of a believer reading the Word of God or hearing sound preaching. I am not equipped to debate many things, nor do I wish to, particularly with fellow church members. Unity is extremely important to God, so I generally side-step areas of disagreement that are not fundamental matters of faith and belief. I will discuss differences much more openly with people who attend other Christian churches, but even then, unity is more important than changing minds on secondary and tertiary issues. 

That said:

Mark 1:5. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Question: Did ALL of the people, every single one, go out to Jesus to be baptized? When we approach scripture with a preconceived idea that a word always has to mean X because otherwise it doesn't lead to the conclusion we want, we're not giving an honest reading. "All" does not mean ALL, as in every single one, every time the word is used. We must look at the context and not be afraid of what the Bible says or is teaching. I contend that not every single person went and I do not think the verse implies it. Figures of speech; they exist now and I believe they existed when scripture was penned. It likely means MANY, maybe even MOST, but not EVERY SINGLE person living in each country. 

John 6:37-39

37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

Question: Does every single person that the Father gives to Jesus go to Him? Yes, this statement gives the limiting factor. The people God gives to Jesus, all of THEM, will COME to Jesus. (side note: All that He GIVES will COME to Jesus. Isn't that interesting? On God's side, He is GIVING them to Jesus but on the side of people, they are COMING.) Does this say the Father gives ALL people to Him? Every single person that the Father GIVES to Jesus WILL come to Jesus. And of ALL that God has given Jesus, NONE will be lost, they will be found in Him (saved) until the end and will be with Him in eternity. 

Just to make a statement, it is OUR OWN SIN that sends us to Hell, so to say God sends people to Hell is incorrect. God is good all the time, and He would be just if we all spent eternity in Hell. The way I see it, He is just to choose some to not spend eternity in Hell. Praise God for His mercy! The mind of God is much higher than mine, and many men have minds much deeper than mine, but that is just how I see it. I think we need to be careful to not throw stones at Christians who believe we're all saved by grace through faith, and not of ourselves, but realize it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man boast. We need to believe in Jesus Christ as the only payment for our sin. If we agree on that, we're among the brethren, so why try to portray one another as wicked if we disagree on finer points?