I Need HElp--You Need Help;

In the age old search for truth, all men to some degree or another have given themselves to it. In his quest, man invariably sets himself up as Judge and Jury, as well as onlooker or observer. Regardless of the Venue he might choose in which to do his searching, he always finds discrepancies or fallacies, until he turns to the Bible. Oh; he in most instances claims to find them there as well, but when you consider honestly, sincerely; what you find, immediately, (even though man doesn't see it at first observation,) is that you are introduced to the TRUTH, of everything. Immediately we are introduced to God, who we find out is the Truth of everything. If we are searching in the realm of light and all light source, we are introduced to God, who is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. Consequently He is the source of all light. If we are searching in the area of Love, and what true Love is, we are introduced to God, Who in essence is Love, and therefore we find the real Love that never fails. You hear much through out all of mans writings and declarations, about finding God. God isn't lost and never has been, it's man who is lost, and it is God in His search for lost soul's, who finds man wandering blindly, always searching in the wrong places, but never finding his way, and it is God who finds and calls him. If man searches in the realm of any of the sciences, he is always left with uncertain-ties, and unproved hypothesis. Although you have heard many times,the Bible is not a book of scienc;but it is scientific in every area, and is being proven so more and more, as man in his search finds out. The one great underlying as well as overriding fact that man is held to, through the search through the Bible, is the Revelation that God is; and there is no other God besides Him.

From the outset, even in a cursory reading, we are brought to the conscious reality that there is one supreme voice, coming from a Supreme Being that is guiding and directing every thing and every one. In the Beginning God! And God Said! And God created! And the Word of God came to me or to, so and so, saying, and it was so. These refrains run throughout the narrative until He Speaks and singles out Abraham as the Channel through which His blessings are to be brought to the whole world.

After showing His sovereignty and supremacy over His creation in bringing the flood upon the whole earth, He again demonstrates it through the many signs and wonders displayed at the time of delivering Israel from slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt. Read Paul's analysis of these events in Romans the Ninth Chapter.

Upon bringing Moses into His presence, and holding thepeople at a distance,but, so they could observe; One of His first declarations to them through Moses, was; Deut.6:4-5, "Hear O Israel! The Lord Our God, the Lord is One! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." With-in the Law, their prescription for conduct as to how they were to live their lives, He never fails in every prescribed action they are to take, to remind them of this most important fact. He is One and the Only One they are to recognize. Upon establishing the Priesthood, when Aaron's sons were disobedient, judgment was pronounced immediately, and Moses is directed,to instruct Aaron as much. Lev. 10:3-, "Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the Lord spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.' so Aaron, therefore kept silent."

Because of the enticement, the lure of people and the world around them, they had a need of, help, to be kept aware of who they were and Who it was that had given them their identity as a people considered holy, ( Set Apart) from all other people.) They were given this admonition. Deut. 5:1-7, "Then Moses summoned all Israel, and said to them, 'Hear O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing, that you may learn them and observe them carefully.' 'The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The Lord did not make this Covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive today. The Lord spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire, while I was standing between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord; for you were afraid because of the fire and did not go up the mountain. He said, '"I Am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 'YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GOD'S BEFORE ME."

God; their God, never failed to render help to them, in turning them back from their tendency to stray. But the more He tried, the more rebellious they became, till after about a thousand years of this manner of rebellious conduct, they sealed their own fate, just as they had been warned. But all this time God kept sending them Prophets with His message of Hope, if they would only listen. In the Prophecy as recorded in Isaiah, He gave the final warnings and reminder to them of Who, He was, and who they were, and the position they held in His plan and purpose for the world. Let us follow the Prophets revealing proclamation to them. Isaiah 1:1a-3, " The vision of Isaiah the son of Amos, concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw; 'Listen, O heavens, and hear O Earth; For the Lord speaks: 'Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. And ox knows its owner, and a donkey its masters manger, But Israel does not know, MY People do not understand." Ver. 9, "Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah."

But always their comes the note of Hope and Help, Ver. 16-20, "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless; defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey (simple child-like faith in Him and His Word),you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.' Truly the mouth of the Lord has spoken." Ver. 24-27, "Therefore the Lord of host, The Mighty One of Israel declares, 'Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries, and avenge Myself on My foes, I will smelt away your dross as with lye, and will remove all your alloy. Then I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; After that you will be called the city of righteousness, A faithful city. Zion will be redeemed with justice, and her repentant ones with righteousness." This fulfillment is closer than most think.

Always after introducing Himself as the God of Hope, their is the warning, if they let their sinful nature prevail, and brush aside His Righteousness. So the Prophesy continues throughout the remainder of the next couple of hundred years until they are driven off the land. Their God's patience and long-suffering is always being shown, regardless of their actions. Chapter, 5:25d, "For all this His anger is not spent, But His hand is still stretched out." He had previously told them in the face of all their rebellion, Chapter 4:2-6, In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. And it will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy--everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the Spirit of judgment and the Spirit of burning, then the Lord will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy. And their will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain."

Is it any wonder that the evil spirit in the heart of ungodly, unbelieving mankind, has put out so much effort to hold this land and the benefits promised to it and its people, in their possession. No other such Prophecy or predictions were ever made concerning any other PEOPLE OR LAND. The promises, embodied in the Covenant Promise to Abraham, concerning his seed according to the Messianic Hope, was and is all Spiritual. They all are identified with the Heavenly Kingdom, of which David is the Tree out of which the Branch would sprout. That will be a Heavenly Kingdom, come here to earth and established on David's throne, with Jesus as the Reigning King, and all believing ones, from every kingdom, and tongue, and tribe, and nation, as His regents.

Notice also how the Metaphors, Symbols, Analogies, used by God throughout the record always remain the same right up to and throughout the last book of the Bible, Revelation. One such is the next reference to Israel, as His vineyard for which He has been caring and will continue to do so until the end. Isaiah, Chapter 5:7, "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold a cry of distress." His next vision is of the Lord as He reigns over His creation, which mankind has never recognized, therefore he always has a need, to be shown. Chapter 6:1b-and 3,, "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple: And one called to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, (signifying the Triune God), Is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory." All of this speaks of The Lord Jesus Christ, as the writer of the Book of Hebrews quotes, Heb. 2:13b, Isaiah,8:18, "Behold I and the children whom the Lord has given Me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion."

In accordance with this give thought to Isaiah, Chap. 12:1-6,"Then you will say on that day, I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord; For although Thou was angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and Thou dost comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water, from the springs of salvation. And in that day you will say, Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name, Make known His deeds among the people; Make them, remember, that His name is exalted. Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth. Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitants of Zion. For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."

Notice the eternal certainty of every thing God has decreed from the beginning. Iasiah, Chap. 14:24-27, " The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, '' Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened and just as I have planned so it will stand, to break Assyria, (the power of the nations, (Ethnos), in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulder. This is, The Plan, devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against ,all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?"

Chapter 17:7, "In that day man will have regard for his Maker, And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel." Chapter 28:16, "Therefore thus says the Lord God, 'behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed, he who believes in Him will not be disturbed, (ashamed, disappointed). And I will make Justice, the measuring-line, and Righteousness the level:" Chap. 30:15, "For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said; 'In repentance and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength, But you were not willing."

After all the effort put forth by God, (Jesus said, "My father is working until now, and I Myself am working) and in the admonitions and encouragement, once again God picks up this familiar refrain. Isaiah Chap.41:4, "Who has performed and accomplished it , calling forth the generation from the beginning? I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last. I Am He." Isaiah 43:9e-13, "Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified, or let them hear and say, 'it is true.' 'You are My witnesses,' declares the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He, Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, Am the Lord; and there is no Savior beside Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; so you are My witnesses, declares the Lord, And I Am God, even from eternity I Am He; And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?" ver. 15-16, "I Am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King, Thus says the Lord." ver. 19 "Behold I will do something new, Now it will spring forth." ver. 25, I, even I, Am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My Own Sake; and I will not remember your sins." Chapter 44:6-7, "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, the Lord of hosts; I Am, the first and the last, and there is no God besides Me. And who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place." chap. 46:3-4, "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, you who have been borne by Me from birth, and have been carried from the womb; even to your old age, I shall be the same, and even to graying hairs I shall bear you! I have done it, and I shall carry you, and I still bear you, and I will deliver you." Chap. 48:12, "Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I Am He, I Am the first, and I Am also the Last." ver. 16-17, " Come near to Me and listen to this: from the first I have not spoken in secret. From the time it took place, I was there, and now the Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit. (Jesus and the Holy spirit) Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I Am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the Way you should go."

In the midst of the bedlam of voices, and the many interpretations, and confusion of understanding, that I found myself being bombarded with, down deep with-in I found myself crying out, O, God, I need help, in finding the right understanding. And just as true to His Word as He has proclaimed, I found Jesus saying as it is recorded and as He taught His disciples, "be not alarmed or be fearful, I will not leave you alone, I will, (He has), send you a comforter." John 13: 20, " Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him,who sent Me." John 14:14-21, "If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. after a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I Live, you shall live also. In that day you will know that I Am in My father, and you in Me, and I in you." John 14:23-29. "Jesus answered and said, 'If anyone loves Me he will keep My word and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our Abode with him. He who does not love Me, does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you, while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. You heard that I said to you, I go away, and I will come to you, If you loved Me you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.. And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it comes to pass, you may believe." chapter 15:26-27, "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me, and You will bear witness also, because you have been with Me from the beginning."

In my pursuit, and following this process, I was led to Jesus, teaching and enlightening these men on the whole of the First Testament teaching, which speaks so distinctly of Him in His pre-incarnate state.

As the writer of the Book of Matthew, as well as in the Book of Luke, they speak of a wealthy young man coming to Jesus and questioning, what it was that man would have to do to obtain eternal life. Let us consider the account as it is recorded in Matthew, 19:13-20:16, Space doesn't permit quoting verbatim the whole passage, but let us glean out some important points . Some children were brought to Him and the disciples rebuked them. But ver. 14, "Jesus said, 'Let the little children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these". You see God had approached the children of Israel, Jacob's descendants, as children, and so Paul also understands this. In his letter to the Galatians, he speaks of Israel as being Minor children, with the Law as their Pedagogue. God's children, Israel, had been hindered in one way or another from coming to Him. (In the spirit of a little child is the way for any of us who feel led of the Father). And immediately following, a young man of considerable material wealth came and asked the question. "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" The obvious answer is, An Heir doesn't have to do anything, but accept what is bequeathed to him. But since this was still the period of the rule of Law., Jesus put the answer on the basis of Law. Jesus lists six of the ten, Commandments, leaving out the first and the last. The love for God, and Thou shall not covet. Immediately the young man revealed what he loved the most and in so doing revealed his own covetousness, there-by being a Law breaker.

As we have considered the words of Jesus concerning the requirements for receiving the gift of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, we heard Him say it was all predicated on the love of God, and the love for Him. And this puts us all in jeopardy. His disciples evidently got the gist of what it was he was saying. For they questioned, what to them at this time was an impossibility. They questioned, ver. 25b, "Then who can be saved? Jesus answered and said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." ver. 27, Peter feeling that they, the called disciples, later to be the sent ones, the Apostles, had fulfilled the requirements, for he chimes in, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will therebe for us? Again the response of Jesus, "Truly, Truly, I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His Glorious Throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life. "But many who are first will be last; and the last first."

Israel, and the twenty-four elders, and the judges, and many of the prophets hadn't been faithful and so their places were to be taken by these who were now last, after them, but would be put before them.

In the model prayer that He taught; He had taught them to Pray, "Our father, who are in heaven, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." I don't believe many realize what it is their asking for when they recite, what is called the Lords Prayer. Think of it, we're asking for God's kingdom and God's will to actually prevail here on earth. Do we honestly, truly want that right now, if so why not let it become the prevailing factor in our own individual lives right now? Read carefully the 14th, chapter of Isaiah, and the 28th, Chapter of Ezekiel, to see how God's will prevails in Heaven as well as here on earth. For you see in the opening discourse of the 20th, chapter of Matthew, He tells us what the Kingdom of heaven is like and how it would function, and does function here or any where throughout God's universe.

He likens the Landowner to God and to Himself. In the analogy used of the Laborers, hired from the first hour till the last hour of the day, we receive an over-view, from the first to the last. And just like in the case of Peter and the Apostles,it's,His prerogative to award according to His standards, for have we not seen that the Standard of His kingdom would be, Absolute Justice and Absolute Righteousness. Ver. 14, " Take what is yours and go your way, But I wish to give to this man the same as to you". (He treats all men alike, Jew or Gentile), God is not preferential in any of His dealings, with the first or the last. ver. 15, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own ? Or is your eye envious because I Am, generous? "Thus the last shall be first, and the first last." Ver. 28, "The Son of Man, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His Life a ransom for many." He is both the First and the Last.

The promise of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, coming, has been kept, and He has been present, here in the world, and in these United States, doing just as Jesus Christ said he would. CONVICTING and CONVINCING, the world of Sin, (Falling Short, Missing the Mark), which criteria God had established and which was, HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, as it has been revealed in His Son Jesus Christ. And He would reveal Righteousness and Judgment.

The world and particularly the United States, supposedly a Nation Under God, has scoffed at and ridiculed, any and every thought of, ' The God Prescribed Way of Life'. Oh; we hear it said, "that's old fashioned". "That's all right for old Fuddy Duddy's, but this is, "The New Age", and "those ideas don't apply any more". And somehow these are the voices that prevail, and so the spirit of the age is as we heard the President Proclaim when he came to office, "If it feels good, then just do it." And no matter how depraved, and corrupt the society becomes, don't anyone dare to voice opposition to it, because then your infringing on their rights. But they are blind to the fact that these are not God given rights but rather the rights that come from the god of this World System. Which the Apostle John even in his day expressed, 1John 5:18-20, "We know, (believers, and Apostles), that no one who is born of God, (Habitually continues in) Sins; but He (Jesus) Who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him, We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is True, and we are in Him who is True, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the True God and eternal Life."

The concept of the One and only True God that was held up before Israel, is known and realized and taught under the enlighten-ment and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Let us pick up the thought once again of God's pronouncement, "Of Him being the first and the last and there never was or never will be any other God, besides Him". 1Cor. 15:9-10, and 12-4, and 16-25, and 45-50, Paul is once again witnessing to the deep, all consuming reality,of himself as a man, but aware of the exalted position in which he had been placed by His God and redeemer. " For I am the least of the Apostles, who am not fit to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more then all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." ver. 12-14, "Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith is also vain." ver. 16-25, "For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we only haved hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, THE FIRST FRUITS of those who are asleep. For since by man,(Adam),came death,by a Man,(Jesus), also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his order; Christ the first fruit, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and Power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet." ver. 45-49, "So also it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living soul. The last Adam(Christ), became a Life giving Spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."

Can it not be readily seen how He, God, in Three Persons, is the first and the last, for they ever exist, by virtue of the fact that they are God,(Deity),and there is no other.

In the realm of the human, man in Adam, who incurred the pronouncement of death, by virtue of his act of disobedience, is relegated to last place. And all who remain identified with him and his race must be relegated to this same position. But God in Jesus coming into this world assumes the position of the last of Adam's lineage, and has placed upon Himself, the pronouncement of death for the whole race of Adam, and the identity, the history of sinful man ends in death on the Cross.

And by virtue of His resurrection, He ushers in a New Race of man, Spiritual, with an identification with Him who is from heaven. Thus the first, Adam, becomes the Last. And the Only Begotten, who becomes the First begotten Son of God, and assumes the Identity of Adam the first, becomes the last man.

The New Man, the resurrected God Man, who was the last, now becomes the First, to be Born, as the Head of a Whole New creation, of which all who believe in Him become a part.

Thus in the Eyes of God, all who remain identified with Adam's race must and will be considered as Last. But all who will take upon themselves the Identity as son's of God, made alive in Jesus Christ,will be identified with Jesus,,the First Fruits from the dead. James 1:18, "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the Word of Truth that we might be as it were the first fruits among His creatures. (New Creation)."

Can it not be seen that, Israel, the nation raised up under David as their first King, (after God's own heart), was given first place among the nations, (All the Ethnic peoples) of that day. But because they followed the way of the nature of Adam, abdicated that number one position, that First place among the nations, and instead of remaining as the Head of the Nations, they have become the Tail.(Last) But in that promised day, when God according to His Promises, after the time of Jacob's trouble, causes a New nation Israel,to be born in a day, they will once again become the First among Nations, the Head of all nations upon the earth, during the Millennium Reign, with Jesus the Son of David as Sovereign Lord and King. Hence, the Apostles will assume first position under Him with all who came before being relegated to last place.

Notice how this First and Last concept continues on throughout the entire record, from the First book of the Bible till it finds it's consummation in the Revelation, the last book of the Bible. As Jesus is depicted as the Ancient of Day's of Daniel, and as He stands in all His splendor in the midst of the Lamp stands, which depict the Church's. Rev. 1:8, "I Am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." 1:17-19, " And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead Man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, 'Do not be afraid; I Am the First and the Last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I Am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Write, therefore, the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after these things." Chap. 2:8, "And to the angel of the church on Smyrna write: 'The First and Last, who was dead, and has come to life , says this. " Rev. 22:13, "I Am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Everything, begins and ends with God, and Jesus being there with God through it all, John 1:1-5, Therefore He is identified with God in everything. It all begins and ends in Him. Col. 1:2b-29.

Have you believed, so that He has made you a part of it ?

Everything that has been revealed to mankind and recorded for us to learn by, is predicated on His, so great unfailing Love for the world. John 3:11-21.
In that He is Love, He could not contain this Glorious Attribute with-in Himself, He was compelled to share it. Let us return to His first outspoken expression of that which was the foundation upon which all the Law and the Prophets would be built. The Love of God, and the Love for God, the Love of God for mankind, and the Love of Mankind for God. These two embody both parts of the Law and the Prophets. Matt. 22:36-40, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And He said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 'This is the great and foremost commandment.' ' And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 'On these two commandments depend the whole Law, and the Prophets."

The Lord Jesus Christ,(a true Israelite),is the only one to ever fulfill this stipulation, thus He is Worthy to be Accepted as your open door into God's prescence.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5, "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is One! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Right from the outset, the children of Israel, and all the race of mankind misconstrued the meaning. They took this expression from a God of Love, to be a demand. They saw it as an external imposition, of a demand, that they soon found out that they couldn't keep. But as has been the case of all men, they felt that they must start working at it, and soon convinced themselves that through all their efforts, even though they continually failed, that they were proving to Him that they did love Him as He required. But a command from their God embodies the idea of, they being His children, He would share Himself with them to such an extent that they would recognize His Love, and by faith accept it and offer it back to him, in holy living. This He did in Jesus Christ. 1John, 3: 16, "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us;"

Instead, they had to run the whole gamut of pain and suffering they endured in their long and trouble-some history. As was the case with them, so it has been with the Gentile Nations, and always, only a remnant out of the whole ever came to know His Love even in a measure. The great manifestation of it was dis-played before the eyes of the whole world to see, when He offered His Son up on Calvary, as a ransom for many.

John the Apostle, who perhaps, more than anyone-else came to realize just how great and wonderful God's love revealed in Jesus Christ, for Him, really was. For he writes, 1John 3:16, "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Sinful mankind's concept of love has always made a mockery of God's love. Love as sinful man has misconstrued it, has always been degraded love. They, in the main, have turned it into an animalistic expression, so degraded in some instances, that even some animals, don't even participate in similar acts, and yet they call it love. But using the Greek word that is used in the Scriptures to express God's Love, John writes this. 1John 4;7B-21, "Beloved, let us love one another, for Love is from God; and every one who loves is born of God and knows God.. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is Love. By this; the Love of God was manifested in us, that, God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the Propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have come to know and have believed the Love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this Love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because, as He is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in Love. We Love because He first Loved us. If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."

Immediately you hear the retort, see, doesn't it say He gives a Commandment to love. Yes, but once again, a commandment from God is not a "demandment". When God said to the people, "You shall", He is telling us that a time would come when this possibility, would become a reality. You see, using an illustration from everyday life, when a commander gives an order for his troops to do something, it implies that all provisions necessary to carry out the task would be provided for them. Their part is, they must be of a Patriotic spirit that comes from with-in, that tells them that this task is worth undertaking in order to maintain their position as free Americans. This analogy all pertains to the physical life but these same lessons are to be learned in the Spiritual Realm as well. We, sinful man being void of this inner Spirit, is the reason God the Father and God the Son, sent the Holy Spirit,the Helper,to instill this Spirit of,"Obedience". The Spirit that makes things possible, where previously they were impossible. Having received the Holy Spirit in all of "His Fullness," the Apostle Paul could now write, Rom. 8:1-4, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 'For the Law of the Spirit of Life in CHRIST JESUS, HAS SET YOU FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of the, flesh of sin, and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirements of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

And the reason for this changed condition, is based on his previous writing, Rom. 4:25-5:6, "Him, (Jesus), who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our Justification. Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also 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 (in the midst of), our tribulation; knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint; The Love of God has been poured out with-in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." I Need Help--You need help!

WE, sinful mankind, were the one's who were helpless, But God who is the Faithful Commander, sent the Holy Spirit to supply all that we needed to fulfill His Commands.
When Paul uses the words, poured out, he is saying, the Love of God over-floods, it comes like a deluge, into our inner most being, when He is believed for His, So Great Salvation, which is offered to us, in, The Lord Jesus Christ. This in no way is a love that can be degraded, it does not express itself in anyway that can be associated with the love of the world. A description of, and an unveiling of the character of this love is given by Paul in the Letter to the Corinthian church. After explaining the nature of the Gifts of the Spirit, he lets us know just as Jesus did, to not become confused as to the purpose of the Gifts, and how the function of such were to be enacted with-in the body. They mean for the believer, to have and to know and to recognize the particular gift that each member is given. But the gift is not as important as the Giver, and the purpose for which the gift is given, is for the edification of the Body, not to draw particular attention to the one possessing the gift. And so he writes, in, 1Cor. 12:31, "But earnestly desire the greater gifts, (which is being able to speak forth the Word of God, The Truth of the Gospel, intelligently), And I show you a still more excellent way."

In Chap. 13, he elaborates in very concise, and descriptive terms, just what the difference between the more perfect way; the better way; and the way the gifts were being miss-handled, through their lack of understanding.

Paul expounds, "Even if I am one of the most accomplished linguist, with a grasp of all languages, whether they be languages of the heavenly realm or the earthly realm, and all I do is sound off at the mouth with rhetoric that isn't the truth of the word of the Gospel Message, I'm no more or better than a Brass Band, playing, Oom--Pah, Oom-Pah, as loud as it can."

And though I'm the, most Generous, Person, in all the world, and don't have the Love of God shed abroad, (poured out), so that it floods my whole being, it is of no profit to me. But isn't this the,('Kick) that the mentality of the world and particularly the United States is on, but all with the wrong motivation, and with the wrong motives. All effort is just so we can be recognized in the rest of the world,but are being blinded to the real needs of our society, here at home. We Don't let God into our affairs, we'd rather do it, Our Way. Even in the dissected, fragmented body of the Professing Church, this is the philosophy.

But let us return to ver. 4--, and see what real Love; what True Love, is: "Love is Patient, Love is Kind, Love is ,not jealous; Love does not brag, (about ones-self, or ones possessions), Love is not arrogant, ('I'm better then mentality:' which amounts to just a bunch of Hoopla), Love, Does not act unbecomingly, (In private or in Public), Love does not seek its own; ( I want to be recognized, and I want my rights) and (I can conduct myself in a Lewd manner if I want to and it's no body's business). Love is not provoked, (Rom. 12:16-21, Tconduct motivated by the Love of God). But pertaining to being provoked, ver.16-21, "Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN ESTIMATION. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men, Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with Good."

Returning to 1Cor. 13:5b-,Love does not take into account a wrong suffered, Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but Love rejoices with the Truth; Love bears all things, Love believes all things, Love hopes all things, Love endures all things. LOVE NEVER FAILS;"

AND IMMEDIATELY I CRY; OH GOD I'M A COMPLET-LY HELPLESS, HOPELESS INDIVIDUAL, I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO FULFILL ANY OF THIS ! And The answer comes, "of course you don't your totally depraved of any Spiritual Capability in your self". "But I've given you the ability through the Gift of My Son and the Gift of the Holy Spirit". "This description of Love in the writings of Paul is a description of the Lord Jesus Christ", "This is the expression of My Love as it was expressed in Him". LOVE, never fails, because God never fails. Jesus never failed, because He is God the Son, Heb. 1:3, "And He is the radiance of His Glory and the exact representation, of His Nature, and He upholds all things by the Word of His Power." And He becomes the Believer's very Life. By faith!

But let us remind ourselves of what we read, as we read. The Apostle John also wrote; the way this Love which is shed abroad in our hearts by the,(Helper), Holy Spirit, is perfected, (Matured, completed) is by , Abiding, Resting, living His Life daily, by Faith, with-in the realm of the Life that the Holy Spirit, the giver of life, is bringing life, (is channeling life) to us. 1John 4:16b-17, "God is Love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. BY THIS LOVE IS PERFECTED WITH US."

I NEED HELP! YOU NEED HELP! God in Jesus Christ and the Gift of His Holy Spirit, has, (Past tense) given all the Help you or I or anyone needs to live the Life that he has given us, FREELY, GRATUITOUSLY, NO COST TO US, AND NO STRINGS ATTACHED!

NO WORK REQUIRED; AND NO PAYMENTS TO BE MADE:

Is this not Keeping and fulfilling that which God had expressed; (commanded) and is that not which man, shall do. And so it was done by a man, and through Him provision was made and placed at our disposal,to appropriate by faith in the corporate union brought about by placing the believer in the Risen Lord of Life, where-by we can avail ourselves of all of Him, and live His Life to the Glory of God. Phil. 2: 12c-13, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work, (Live), for His good pleasure. But it is God, in Christ who has accomplished it all for us. And then gives Him to us as a gift.

Hebrews, 4:14-16, " Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we might receive mercy and find grace to Help in time of need."

The expression of the Believer, who has come to the Spiritual, Knowledge, and Wisdom, and therefore the Reality of Eternal Life, cries out with these men and women, Eph. 3: 20-21, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

Macodamia Nut trees in one of the Worlds largest Mac. Nut Groves,Kau, HI..

What Is Truth?

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