Shalom all dear doves,
I was thinking of you today ... and these scriptures came to mind to encourage me and you:
The glorious message from Heaven is 'Jesus' ... 'This is My beloved Son, listen to Him.'
Jesus in English transliterated from Greek 'Iesous' from Hebrew Yeshua = The Salvation of YHVH or YHVH my saviour. (see Isaiah 12 and note salvation=Yeshua=Jesus)
Matthew 1:
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Note in verse 21 above ... it is Jesus Himself who saves his people ... and it Is Jesus Himself who adds them to His Church ... no church or man does this ... see Acts 2:47 below:
Acts 2:47 Praising God ... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
As it was 2000 years ago at His 1st coming, so it is today at His 2nd ...
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
But note what King David recorded about 3000 years ago ...
Psalm 119:
97 MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. (NOTE! God calls David a man after His own heart ... who will do all His will.)
98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Yes, this is the hallmark of 'Heaven's approved nobility' ...
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Note again, they didn't go to any church or seek any man's interpretation ... they went straight to the scriptures ... to the 'law' .. i.e. the torah/teachings of God recorded by Moses, the prophets, and in the Psalms.
But especially note these words of Jesus ... (see following context too)
John 5:
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And[but] ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
So we see God has preserved the scriptures by the children of Israel to lead us to the real Jesus of His Own Holy Scripures ... not some false messiah or some idolatrous piece of bread put forward by some deceived and deceiving man.
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me....
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
41 I receive not honour from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Do you see what Jesus is saying ... ?
If we never read or study Moses ... then how can we ever know the One written about ... so as to believe on HIM ... and to 'hear' HIS WORD ... as Jesus said ... recorded in John 5:24 above and below ...
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
This also implies that if we will not HEAR HIS WORD ... we will then come into condemnation.
So let's hear His Word and follow Him.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Shalom,
David
P.S. "as many as received him ... were born, not ... nor ... nor of the will of man, but of God."
John 1:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
...
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)full of grace and truth.
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