Sermon On The Mount: Part 36

Do not give that which is holy (the sacred thing) to the dogs, and do not throw your pearls before hogs, lest they trample upon them with their feet and turn and tear you in pieces. Matthew 7:6

Who in the world could Jesus be talking about here? I mean aren’t we suppose to give the Gospel to the world?

And when He entered the sacred enclosure of the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him as He was teaching and said, By what power of authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this power of authority? Jesus answered them, I also will ask you a question, and if you give Me the answer, then I also will tell you by what power of authority I do these things. The baptism of John—from where was it? From heaven or from men? And they reasoned and argued with one another, If we say, From heaven, He will ask us, Why then did you not believe him? But if we say, From men—we are afraid of and must reckon with the multitude, for they all regard John as a prophet. So they answered Jesus, We do not know. And He said to them, Neither will I tell you by what power of authority I do these things. 21:23-27

Then they discerned that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:12

Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves. Matthew 7:15

Jesus was always willing to give to the poor, the lost, or what we would call the every day people, even though He knew that they did not believe Him. Jesus even gave to and fellowshipped with these people knowing that the dogs would influence them to call for His crucifixion. Regular every day people and their unbelief never stopped Jesus from giving them Holy things; things like health, food, truth, and the best wine that they had ever had. But for the so called religious leaders who were all about greed, pride, and works, He would not give them the Truth or signs that they asked for. Jesus tells us to beware of religious leaders and false teachings. 

The same holds true today. Beware of people who call their ministries after their own names. Beware of people who talk about money all of the time. Beware of people who tell you that you have to belong to their certain denomination. Beware of people who wear objects and have you kiss them or bow to them. Beware of people who seek after titles. Beware of people who love to be seen for their seemingly religious actions. These people have a form of godliness but they deny its power. These kind of people are the dogs.

For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]. 2 Timothy 3:5

Sermon On The Mount: Part 35

Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye? You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:1-5

I don’t know about you but when I am feeling like I have failed or I am feeling insecure are the times that I seem to clearly see and focus on the faults of others, misery loves company I guess. Yet when I am at peace with the Truth that it has to be Jesus and His abilities working through me, I find that Grace blocks my seeing the shortcomings of others. When we feel Grace, we freely give Grace. When we don’t feel condemned is when we freely forgive others their sins, even their willful and intentional sins. I believe this is why our Father has me tell people so often that it is God in all of His forms, Father, Holy Spirit, and Jesus that is the power working through us. Because when we don’t have to take thought for what we have to do, then we really have no reason to have any self condemnation. 

She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus [the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior], for He will save His people from their sins [that is, prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God]. Matthew 1:21

So let it be clearly known and understood by you, brethren, that through this Man forgiveness and removal of sins is now proclaimed to you; And that through Him everyone who believes [who [acknowledges Jesus as his Savior and devotes himself to Him] is absolved (cleared and freed) from every charge from which he could not be justified and freed by the Law of Moses and given right standing with God. Acts 13:38-39

THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:1-2

We are assured and know that God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] Romans 8:28-31

The Truth that sets us free is that we are totally and completely dependent on Jesus to make us who we need to be. This is a process, so we can be at peace that He has us right where He wants us to be. Think of a potter, he may be making a bowl and the lump of clay may not look like a bowl yet, but it will. The clay has to be formed and there is nothing wrong with the clay even though it doesn’t look like a bowl yet. Our Father is our Potter and we are His clay. He is responsible in making us what we need to be. This Truth has always empowered me to not be so judgmental, and I can be so judgmental, because I can so easily feel insecure. Believe me when I tell you that I am writing to myself even more so then to others with these blogs.  

Sermon On The Mount: Part 34

So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

The thing that we can take from this verse is that there are going to be troubles in our life’s. 

Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! Matthew 5:10

Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a newly married wife from her mother-in-law-- And a man's foes will be they of his own household. He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; Matthew 10:34-37

SO, SINCE Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God], 1 Peter 4:1

The Truth is that we will have troubles. Troubles do not mean that we have sinned, they mean that we are on this earth and that we have flesh. Jesus had troubles, they hated and attacked Him and eventually killed Him. Paul was sickly and imprisoned. Stephen was stoned. The believers in Jerusalem were poor even though they had sold everything they owned and shared it with those who didn’t have. Timothy had stomach problems. Do not let religion try to tell you that you have no faith when troubles come. The Truth is we are allowed to troubled to become stronger.

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

Our peace is that we are always victorious in whatever troubles our Father allows to come on us. Remember that, our Father has to first allow them to come, satan does not have free will over us. 

Yet the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen [you] and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil [one]. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
 

But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere, 2 Corinthians 2:14

Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]-- To the one only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (splendor), majesty, might and dominion, and power and authority, before all time and now and forever (unto all the ages of eternity). Amen (so be it). Jude 24-25 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 33

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.  Matthew 6:33

Look at what Jesus tells us here, we are to seek God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness. That means that we are to seek our Father’s power and His righteousness, not our own. Our life’s have nothing to do with our own abilities, they have everything to do with God’s abilities and power woking through us. Just like our hands can do nothing on their own without our head, neither can we do anything without our Father's power.   

For the kingdom of God consists of and is based on not talk but power (moral power and excellence of soul). 1 Corinthians 4:20

God’s righteousness is a very high standard, but Jesus tells us that if we seek it, then everything else will be added to us. Here are some of the reasons why seeking it is an extremely easy task. 

Now He Who has fashioned us [preparing and making us fit] for this very thing is God, Who also has given us the [Holy] Spirit as a guarantee [of the fulfillment of His promise]. 2 Corinthians 5:5

For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), [recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. Ephesians 2:10

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue). 2 Peter 3

Yet the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen [you] and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil [one]. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things which we suggest and with which we charge you. 2 Thessalonians 3:3-4

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

There are literally dozens upon dozens of other verses that tell us plainly that it is now our Father’s power and righteousness working through us.

Sermon On The Mount: Part 32

Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear? For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. Matthew 6:25-32

How Jesus? How can we even begin to be like this?

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Matthew 11:28

For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4

We can have the mind set that Jesus tells us to have because it is Jesus causing us to have it. We are victorious because we are born of God and He is now greater in us than anything that is in the world. We are victorious because of faith and Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

It is completely and totally up to Jesus to cause us to take no thought for the things of this world. Jesus is responsible for making us pray in secret, give in secret, to forgive people their willful and intentional sins, and to have perfect faith. We can do nothing on our own, but the great Truth is that we are never on our own. Everything that Jesus preaches in this Sermon is completely and totally up to Him to cause to come to pass. 

May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 2

The precise and correct knowledge of God and Jesus is that we are now one with them and they are in complete and total control of our life’s. Jesus is our Head and it is the head that directs and controls every last action of the body. So Father give us this day the minds that take absolutely no thought for our worldly needs. 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 31

The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your entire body will be full of light. But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very light in you [your conscience] is darkened, how dense is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in). Matthew 6:22-24.

We cannot serve God and money at the same time. This is the Truth, there is no getting around it, no matter how noble we claim that we are being, we cannot serve God and money at the same time. 

For work in this world our Father has me own a car lot.  Now whenever I begin to take a bunch of thought about it and begin to believe that I have to do things to make it successful, the business always suffers. It suffers because I am trying to serve the business. Most of the world would say that I am being prudent and responsible, but in reality I am serving an instrument of the world and that is not what causes us to be truly prosperous and blessed beyond expression. When I begin to take thought about the economy, gas prices, employment rates, inventory, or long range business goals the business sales drop right off. It is only when I am empowered by the Holy Spirit to actually stop taking thought about the lot and begin to take thought about serving others that it really prospers. 

The Truth is that our Father has me where I am in business only to serve others. When I am taking thought for the Kingdom and taking no thought for the car business is when IJN Auto prospers greatly. As soon as I begin to think about what I need to do or what is happening with it, it tanks. The more I try to serve it, even though that seems like the right thing to do, it suffers. 

It is a reason for pride and exultation to which our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world [generally] and especially toward you, with devout and pure motives and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God (the unmerited favor and merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, and keeps, strengthens, and increases them in Christian virtues). 2 Corinthians 1:12

There is an awesome Truth when it comes to our physical life’s and it is that our Father never leaves us and He never forsakes us. Our Father is always influencing us and He is always strengthening us. Worldly, or fleshly wisdom, stinks. It is foolishness to our Father. So where ever He has us in this world, our Father will cause us to be successful in laying up eternal treasure as He uses us to serve others.  Usually the way that He uses us makes no earthly sense either. So whether He has us in a job, in prison, in prosperity, in poverty, in sickness, or in health He will cause us to be eternally prosperous. So our peace is  that it is actually God's responsibility to keep us from taking thought for the things of this world. When this Truth sets us free things get so much easier.   

Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]— Jude 1:24

But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere, 2 Corinthians 2:14

Christmas 2015

So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). 2 Corinthians 12:10

There are a lot of people that I know who are really becoming weak and fragile in their flesh. This can be a scary and depressing thing during the Holidays and it would be if we didn’t have the Truth that sets us free from such fears. The Truth allows us to see past the physical condition of others and empowers us to see into the Spiritual. The Truth allows us to walk by faith and not by sight and it is the Truth that sometimes our Father allows our flesh to become weak. He does this so that His Spirit can be stronger in us. That may sound foolish to some, but it is the Truth. Paul was empowered by the Holy Spirit to welcome his weaknesses and my hope is that our Father allows all of us to as well.  

[No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. 1 Corinthians 1:27

Religion so many times wants us to think that we have failed or sinned when our flesh weakens. Wolves in sheep’s clothing want us to think that satan has somehow been successful in penetrating our Seal of the Holy Spirit, so they encourage us to bind him and they try to cast him off of us. But I honestly believe that the Holy Spirit cannot be breached and that it is our Father weakening our flesh and not satan. Our Father does this so that we can truly become strong, because when we are weak in the flesh we can only trust in Him. Our Father is our Gardener and a gardener will prune a plant regularly so that it can become stronger and bare more fruit. This sounds foolish to the world and I would be lying if I said that I have perfect faith with these verses, but my not completely trusting them doesn’t change the fact that they are Truth. 

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

On the contrary, you know that it was on account of a bodily ailment that [I remained and] preached the Gospel to you the first time. Galatians 4:13

Our flesh being weakened is not always a bad thing. So this Christmas if you see someone that you know who is sick or frail remember that our Father is not limited by our weakness and that in our weakness He will actually become stronger in us. Weakness can allow us to be used to serve in greater and more powerful ways. Our flesh being weakened may even cause us to be used in secret, which will allow our Father to lay up treasure for us in Heaven, where moth cannot eat it and thief cannot steal it. 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 30

Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal. But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal; For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Thus, whenever you give to the poor, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites in the synagogues and in the streets like to do, that they may be recognized and honored and praised by men. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already. But when you give to charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, So that your deeds of charity may be in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:2-4

We lay up treasure in Heaven because the Holy Spirit will cause us to secretly give to the poor.

He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward. Matthew 10:41-42

We lay up our treasure in Heaven because Jesus will cause us to help others to spread the Truth.

For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

We lay treasure up up in Heaven because our Father’s Love will cause us to forgive people even their reckless and willful sins. I use to be what the world considers to be an Evangelical Christian, which means most of what I was being taught and what I was looking for revolved around worldly wealth. We would say that it was for the Kingdom, as we wanted bigger homes, nicer cars, and our preachers were buying private jets. All of these things of course were for us to better serve, which was bull, our Father knew our hearts. I can say this because I had the nicer cars, the nicer home, and the better clothes, but what I didn’t have was the treasure that brings peace. Even more so then seeking worldly treasure, what was destroying people like me was that we always thought that it was us doing it. We placed all of our faith in what we were doing for the Kingdom and not on what our Father was doing through us. We were anti-christ and very pro us. The Truth that set me free was that all of these acts: faith, love, forgiveness, hope, giving, trusting, believing, humbleness, meekness, peace, and joy are up to our Father to do through us. And amen He does them all very abundantly, so that we have life abundantly.   

Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38

We have abundantly flowing over treasure in Heaven because our Father works wonderfully through us. The Truth sets us free.

Sermon On The Mount: Part 29

And whenever you are fasting, do not look gloomy and sour and dreary like the hypocrites, for they put on a dismal countenance, that their fasting may be apparent to and seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full already. But when you fast, perfume your head and wash your face, So that your fasting may not be noticed by men but by your Father, Who sees in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open. Matthew 6:16-18

Once again Jesus tells us not to draw attention to ourselves. What is this like 3 times He tells us that if we do something in secret we will be rewarded in the open? 

For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

Our Father wants to reward us right now, for today, not tomorrow, is the Day of our Salvation. Our Father is leading us to not draw attention to ourselves, so that He can reward us openly, with peace, love, joy, power, health, and wisdom. Look at what the dictionary tells us about salvations meaning: deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ. preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.

Soteria {so-tay-ree'ah}, the original Greek Word in the Bible for salvation means: deliverer, health, rescue, and safety. Fourfold salvation: saved from the penalty, power, presence and most importantly the pleasure of sin. Deliverance from the molestation of enemies, future salvation: the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians,        redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.

The Greek word for saved is sozo and it means: to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger and destruction. To save one from perishing, to save from disease, to make well, to heal, to restore. To preserve, to deliver from the penalties of sin and judgment and finally to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of deliverance.

Our Father rewards us openly by keeping us safe and sound right now. He rewards us openly with health, preservation, and deliverance from ruin. Our Father openly rescues us, He keeps us from sin, He restores us, and He never leaves us or forsakes us. He also gives us the heart and desire to pray in secret, give in secret, and fast in secret. We are one with Jesus, we now have His mind and we are blessed because we look towards Him and not ourselves. Jesus causes us to esteem others above ourselves and He insures that everything that He preaches to us on the Sermon on the Mount is fully met through us by the power of God Himself. 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 28

For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

The Truth of our Father is that our life’s are really more about others then ourselves and the greatest gift that we can give is forgiveness.

[Now having received the Holy Spirit, and being led and directed by Him] if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained. John 20:23

We have the Holy Spirit permanently dwelling within us, which means we have the very Spirit of God never leaving us or forsaking us. God, Who is our Father, sent Himself as a man named Jesus, to be sacrificed so that we might have eternal life, and we have it completely because of Grace. We cannot earn it in any way and we can’t even accept it on our own.

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking under the power and influence of the [Holy] Spirit of God can [ever] say, Jesus be cursed! And no one can [really] say, Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3

We have been crucified with Christ, never the less we live, yet it is not us who lives, it is Christ in us Who lives. So our peace is that we will always forgive. Our Father did not leave forgiveness up to us, He left it up to Himself and we are now eternally one with Him. The Truth that we need to hear is that our Father will cause us to forgive. This burden is not on us, it is on Him.

May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 2

Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another. Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace. [There is] one body and one Spirit--just as there is also one hope [that belongs] to the calling you received-- [There is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of [us] all, Who is above all [Sovereign over all], pervading all and [living] in [us] all. Ephesians 4:2-6

God lives in us. God is Love, so Love lives in us. Love is Grace, so Grace lives in us. Grace is Forgiveness, so Forgiveness lives in us. Faith comes from hearing this Truth and this Truth sets us free: we forgive because we can’t help it. 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 27

Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors. And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father delivers us from evil. We don’t do it. We don’t keep ourselves. We don’t protect ourselves. We are kept and we are protected.

And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He [defer them and delay help on their behalf? I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth? Luke 18:7-8

I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. John 17:15

That you are not [consciously] falling behind or lacking in any special spiritual endowment or Christian grace [the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in your souls by the Holy Spirit], while you wait and watch [constantly living in hope] for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and [His] being made visible to all. And He will establish you to the end [keep you steadfast, give you strength, and guarantee your vindication; He will be your warrant against all accusation or indictment so that you will be] guiltless and irreproachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 1 Corinthians 1:7-8

For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). 2 Corinthians 3:17

JUDE, A servant of Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and brother of James, [writes this letter] to those who are called (chosen), dearly loved by God the Father and separated (set apart) and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, [soul] peace, and love be multiplied to you. Jude 1-2

Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]-- To the one only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (splendor), majesty, might and dominion, and power and authority, before all time and now and forever (unto all the ages of eternity). Amen (so be it). Jude 24-25 

We are a kept people. We are never left alone, not for one second. We are always completely sealed with and one with our Father. There is no if here either, we don't ever have to do something first for our Father to keep us from evil. Think of it like this, Jesus said that we are like little children, so if that is true, what Father ever only protects his little child if they first do something? If it was left up to the child we would arrest the father for child abuse. 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 26

Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors. And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13

I know so many people, and I use to be one of them, that thought that all I had to do was ask God to forgive me and I was forgiven. The first problem was that I thought that I had to. When I had to do it, there was boasting, whether blatantly or subtly, and there was condemnation towards myself and others. When I was feeling condemnation it would not only be directed at myself, but at others. Misery loves company. The next problem was that we are not forgiven by asking to be forgiven, we are forgiven by forgiving others.

Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a human king who wished to settle accounts with his attendants. When he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents [probably about $10,000,000], And because he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made. So the attendant fell on his knees, begging him, Have patience with me and I will pay you everything. And his master's heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him [canceling] the debt. But that same attendant, as he went out, found one of his fellow attendants who owed him a hundred denarii [about twenty dollars]; and he caught him by the throat and said, Pay what you owe! So his fellow attendant fell down and begged him earnestly, Give me time, and I will pay you all! But he was unwilling, and he went out and had him put in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow attendants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and told everything that had taken place to their master. Then his master called him and said to him, You contemptible and wicked attendant! I forgave and cancelled all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me 

to. And should you not have had pity and mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity and mercy on you? And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed. So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses. Matthew 18:23-35

This guy wasn’t truly forgiven until he forgave.

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings. Mark 11:25-26

So the Truth is that we have to first forgive, before we should even ask for forgiveness. That sounds hard and it is if you think that you have the power to forgive. We don’t, but greater is He that is in us then us who are in this world. So we forgive because Jesus is living within us and He is empowering and causing us to forgive others, 7 times, no, 70 times 7 times. Jesus ever lives to intercede for us, so that we are saved to the uttermost, so He is ever living to insure that we forgive. The battle of forgiving is completely His and the victory of His forgiveness towards others is ours.