“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:…” Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (KJV)

“Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me Days without number.” Jeremiah 2:32 (NASB)

Do you think I speak only to you? What I teach or share, you are to teach or share! What you may already possess, give! What you may learn, apply then give. For God is our teacher and the lover of our souls.

We live two lives, one as a nation, the second as an individual. As a nation we are swept into the flow of the majority. As the nation goes so go we. As the nation is perceived so are we. Only as an individual do we separate ourselves from that majority and we must do this or they establish our identity.

God (if you believe in God, really believe) is watching, measuring, and weighing us in light of eternity. It is not to be an oppressive thing in our minds. It is simply a fact that we cannot escape His observance nor should we want to. He looks for maturity in Christ, not perfection as we understand the word.

What God observes could be very positive and much more, very confirming of our true soulful belief and dependence upon Him. This is all the more positive as we turn to Him in our errors and receive the grace or distribute the grace toward others to help us, in our time of need.

In and through Christ there is nothing God does not understand about our lives and our trials. In Christ the Father shows us what He expects of His own, relative to those difficulties. It was hard for Jesus. It will be hard for us. Acceptance can be peace.

Paul said, “…we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, …” Romans 5:2-3 (NASB)

The potential value toward the unsaved or those squandering their “reconciliation,” by disobedience to Christ, is in our withstanding the difficult with and by grace and intercession. The more difficult our trial the more powerful our witness as we reflect Christ. How can Christ be dead or imagined when He is alive in us!

Christ as, the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God, stood and saw Himself reflected in the countenance of Stephen as the understanding of the ages came out of Steven’s heart and then mouth. “…he [Stephen] called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” [Where have we heard that before?] Then falling on his knees, he [Stephen] cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7: 59-60 NASB [added for clarity]

Stephen had just told those who stoned him, “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.” Acts 7:52-53 (NASB)

Am I the killer or the killed? Better to be killed in righteousness than to be a killer of righteousness!

For I announce the coming of the Righteous One for the righteous. I speak of how we maintain the righteousness freely given, for I speak only what He has already spoken.

In doing so I leave you with what all the prophets left our forefathers. I leave you two choices. No not my choices lording over you but our choices as He is Lord or not. Not one single choice that is sufficient for a lifetime but many choices daily and in a lifetime.

This is hard? We are to have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead! He should by now have brought to our remembrance the supporting assuring Words of Christ that ease the once sin sick soul. Our hope is in Him and His perfecting His work in us.

What are these immediate choices, be they many, compared to doing right for a thousand years? And what is that compared to right choices forever? How can we except we learn?

If we think it is not possible to be righteous now, with the grace and the gift of righteousness provided us to outweigh our fleshly challenges, to give us help in time of need, why would we think it possible to live righteously forever? Righteousness was given here to be accomplished by maintaining it here first, in preparation for eternity.

“…much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17 NASB

Paul goes on to say, “.. so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:21 (NASB)

He is coming for the righteous, those without spot or blemish, holy and blameless! How can that be if it is not possible for us to walk in righteousness until He comes or we die? He tells us how!

“… so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:26-27 NASB

Notice He cleanses us by the Word, His Words, His teachings given by the Father, by His life as Paul said in Romans 5:10 NASB, and He can only do so if we let Him do so assisted by the Holy Spirit whom God sent to lead us into ALL Truth. Our path to this righteousness begins with the “Alpha” of His death for us and the “Omega” of His finished work in us!

“Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me Days without number.” Jeremiah 2:32 (NASB)

As a nation, we know where we stand. How many of “us” have forgotten God and for how long? He did say “My people.”

As individuals, God forbid this would speak of you or I dear loved ones. Still Lord, help us see as You see. Let Your righteous standard of measure be ours as we examine ourselves. This verse is about those it does apply to. Lord, You know who.

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

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