r L n -- really LOVE now! : March 2024

Saturday, March 23, 2024

CONTEXT Matters to GOD

The BEST-known Bible verse is probably John 3:16 -- 'For GOD SO LOVED the World that HE GAVE His ONLY Begotten SON that whoever BELIEVES INto HIM shall NOT PERISH, but have EVERlasting LIFE.' (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/the-love-of-god/)

You yourself probably KNOW it by heart--but do you REALLY understand, ACTUALLY comprehend its GREATness of meaning and WEALTH of doctrinal TRUTHs? John 3:16 is like a mountain peak with such GREAT elevation that the other great mountain peaks around it are over-shadowed and even remain UNclimbed. (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/god-so-loved-2/)

But the CONTEXT of John 3:16 is revealed by The Risen LORD JESUS Himself in verses 11-21 as He enLIGHTens the highly educated, but spiritually DEAD Nicodemus -- a Pharisee, a ruler of Israel, a teacher himself, YET ignorant of the REALity of The TRUTH, YESHUA Himself -- The CHRIST of GOD, The MESSIAH of Israel. (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/understanding-the-spiritual/)

CHRIST JESUS Himself said: 'TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, We SPEAK of what We KNOW and bear witness of what We have SEEN, and you do NOT accept Our witness. If I told you earthly things and you do NOT believe, HOW will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? And NO ONE has ascended into Heaven, but HE Who descended from Heaven, The SON of Man. And AS Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, EVEN SO MUST The SON of Man be lifted up; SO THAT whoever BELIEVES will IN Him have ETERNAL Life. (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/the-nature-of-belief/)

'For GOD (The FATHER) SO (intensely and supremely, eternally and infinitely) LOVED the (perishing and ALREADY judged and condemned) World (of SIN-natured SIN-practicing Humanity), that He GAVE (delivered up to shameful degradation, excruciating crucifixion) His ONLY Begotten (NOT created) SON (Who IS CO-Equal, CO-Essence, CO-Eternal with The Holy TRInity), that whoever BELIEVES INto Him shall NOT PERISH (condemned INto EVERlasting HELL), BUT have ETERNAL Life (with GOD The FATHER and GOD The SON and GOD The Holy SPIRIT -- forEVERmore). For GOD did not send The SON INto the World to JUDGE (condemn) the (ALREADY condemned) World, but that the World (of hopeless, helpless, perishing Sinners) might be SAVED (from the Power of SIN, Satan, SELF -- from HELL EVERlasting) THROUGH Him (The Sacrificial LAMB of GOD, The PRINCE of Peace, The KING of kings and LORD of lords -- CHRIST JESUS Himself). (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/man-and-his-need-of-salvation/)

'He who BELIEVES IN Him is NOT JUDGED; he who does NOT BELIEVE has been JUDGED ALREADY, because he has NOT BELIEVED IN the Name of the ONLY Begotten SON of GOD. And THIS is the JUDGMENT, that The LIGHT has come INto the World, and men LOVED the Darkness RATHER than The LIGHT, for their deeds were EVIL. For EVERYone who does evil hates The LIGHT, and does not come to The LIGHT lest his deeds be exposed. BUT he who practices The TRUTH comes to The LIGHT, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been done by GOD.' (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/the-light-has-come/)

The LORD JESUS proclaimed: 'I AM The (ONLY) WAY, The (REAL) TRUTH, and The (EVERlasting) LIFE. NO ONE can come to The FATHER (IN the Heavenly GLORY) except THROUGH Me' (John 14:6). (https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/the-only-way-to-god/)

Friend -- your personal response to GOD's ONLY Way of SALVATION determines your IMmortal soul's ETERNAL Destination. Your stubborn rejection OR grateful acceptance of GOD's Invitation to His Kingdom of GLORY through His ONLY Begotten SON, CHRIST JESUS, seals your EVERlasting Place. Your willful UNbelief OR heart-and-soul FAITH in The TRUTH, The Incarnate WORD Himself -- cements your Eternal NOW. May you respond GOD's Way. AMEN. \o/

Monday, March 18, 2024

You MUST be Born AGAIN!

CHRIST JESUS Himself said -- "TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, unless one is born AGAIN -- he CANNOT see the Kingdom of GOD.

"TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, unless one is born of water and The SPIRIT he CANNOT enter INto the Kingdom of GOD. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of The SPIRIT is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You MUST be born AGAIN’" (John 3:3,5-7).

The Kingdom of GOD is the eternal RULE over ALL Creation of the BLESSED and ONLY Sovereign, The KING of kings and LORD of lords, Whose throne is in the heavenly realm of UNapproachable LIGHT. The Kingdom of GOD is the SPIRITual RULE over the hearts and lives of those who have trusted and believed in the SAVING Work of CHRIST JESUS. The Kingdom of GOD is the ETERNAL destination of the born AGAIN from Above.

To enter INto GOD's PERFECT Heaven, His utterly PURE and HOLY and RIGHTEOUS and altogether LOVELY Kingdom of LIGHT -- YOU must be utterly pure, holy, righteous and altogether lovely! Since every SOUL born physically is a SIN-natured SIN-doer, he cannot enter GOD's Holy Domain. GOD abominates SIN. And His hatred of SIN was demonstrated at The CROSS, where He smote His ONLY Begotten SON, CHRIST JESUS, for your SINs and mine.

BUT at The CROSS where The LAMB of GOD was sacrificed to SAVE penitent SIN-natured SIN-doers like you and me -- GOD also demonstrated the UNsurpassed greatness of His amazing GRACE, the UNfathomable depth of His amazing LOVE, the INcomprehensible GLORY of His amazing SALVATION! HalleluYAH! \o/

'He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of REgeneration and reNEWing by The Holy SPIRIT' (Titus 3:5).

By the GRACE (UNdeserved Mercy and Favor) of GOD alone, through genuine FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone (His perfect LIFE, atoning DEATH, historical RESURRECTION and witnessed ASCENSION back INto The GLORY of Heaven) -- repentant SIN-natured SIN-doers are quickened ALIVE from spiritual DEATHness! Believers IN The Risen LORD JESUS are REborn, REgenerated, REnewed children of GOD. HalleluYAH! \o/

https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/you-must-be-born-again/ -- What is so dangerous about the religious life? "It is the mistake of trying to grow BEFORE you've been born" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones). He says that often times people who claim to be Religious are trying to live as CHRISTians without actually being SAVED. They try to be Sanctified without being Justified.

https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/born-again/ -- Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks about the clear and visible marking of the TRUE CHRISTian in that the child of GOD ought to be more interested in the state of one’s SOUL than in their nationality, class, or ability. CHRIST-like LOVE is the one common language that binds the Church together.

my Prayer For You

When i think of the wisdom and scope of GOD's plan, i fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. i pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy SPIRIT. i pray that CHRIST will be more and more at home in your heart as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of GOD's marvelous love.

And may you have the power to understand, as all GOD's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. May you experience the love of CHRIST, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from GOD.

Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by CHRIST JESUS to all generations, forever and ever. AMEN!

(Ephesians 3:14-21)

The Great I AM

I AM the Bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
(John 6:35)

I AM the Light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of life.
(John 8:12)

I AM the Door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I AM the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
(John 10:7, 9)

I AM the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. I AM the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
(John 10:11, 14)

I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I AM the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(John 15:1, 5)

I AM the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
(John 11:25)

I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
(John 14:6)

Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" JESUS answered, You say rightly that I AM a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears My voice.
(John 18:37)

LOVE is...

Though i speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, i have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though i have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though i have all faith, so that i could remove mountains, but have not love, i am nothing.

And though i bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though i give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When i was a child, i spoke as a child, i understood as a child, i thought as a child; but when i became a man, i put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now i know in part, but then i shall know just as i also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

(I Corinthians 13)

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the LORD always. i will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to GOD. And the peace of GOD, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in CHRIST JESUS.

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

(Philippians 4:4-8)

How Great Thou Art!

O LORD, my GOD! When i in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands have made.
i see the stars, i hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

And when i think that GOD, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, i scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

When CHRIST shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then i shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, my GOD, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! i once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now i see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour i first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares, i have already come; 'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

The LORD has promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease, i shall possess, within the veil, a life of joy and peace.

The world shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun refuse to shine; but GOD, who called me here below, shall be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun; we've no less days to sing GOD's praise than when we'd first begun.

The Holy BIBLE -- The Word of GOD

The BIBLE contains the mind of GOD, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the CHRISTian's charter. Here is Paradise restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of GOD its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

(Foreword from The Gideons International)