March 2022 "Dearly Beloved" Articles
Dearly Beloved 03/31/22 "Behold The Lamb of God"
Behold the Lamb of God
Dearly beloved of God, according to Matthew 12:40, Jesus Christ was to be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. The Word of God utilizes the historical record of Jonah as a prophetic picture of how long Jesus would be dead, and in the grave.
Jesus was absolutely dead, and in the grave for three days and three nights. God raised him from complete death to complete life, never to die again.
When the fulness of time came, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, so that they might receive the sonship.
Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law and the prophets. He was the end of the law for God’s justness to everyone who believes on him.
Christ came as a High Priest of good things to come, and by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us.
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Dearly Beloved 03/29/22 "He Understands the Trial of Our Believing"
He Understands the Trial of Our Believing
Dearly beloved of God, the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted in all things as we are, yet he was without sin. He knows what we go through because he experienced it firsthand himself.
Isaiah 53:3-5
He [Jesus] is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely He has borne our griefs [sicknesses] And carried our sorrows [pains]; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
None of us have gone through the intense suffering he endured.
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Dearly Beloved 03/28/22 "Treasures of Revelation"
Treasures of Revelation
Dearly beloved of God, the Church Epistles, the books of Romans through II Thessalonians, reveal the truth about the accomplishments of Jesus Christ, and who we are in him.
The Word of God reveals that God freely justified us through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now there is no more condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
God made us righteous in Christ. In Christ, we stand before God as justified without any consciousness of sin, guilt, or condemnation.
Jesus Christ made peace between God and us. In Christ we stand encircled by God’s grace. Now nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord; not now, not ever.
God our Father blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. God will freely give us all things with His beloved Son.
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Dearly Beloved 03/27/22 "Where Would We Be Without His Great Love?"
Where Would We Be Without His Great Love?
Dearly beloved of God, where would we be if God had not loved us? He loved us when we were dead in sin, His enemies, ungodly, and deserving of His wrath.
He demonstrated His great love by instead of condemning us, He showed us His tender mercies. Instead of sentencing us as guilty,
He justified us in Christ. He showed us His great grace, and forgiveness, and He saved us by His Son’s accomplishments.
At one time we all came under the reign of sin and death. We were dead in sin, without God, and without hope.
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one.”
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Dearly Beloved 03/25/22 "The Way of Peace"
The Way of Peace
Dearly beloved of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is the prince of peace, and he gives us peace that the world does not know. As long as we are in the world we will have tribulation, but be of good cheer; the Lord Jesus Christ has overcome the world.
Jesus Christ justified us, and we have peace with God through him. He is our peace. Not only did he make peace between God and man, he made peace between the Judeans and the Gentiles making us one new man.
The Lord Jesus Christ gives us peace, not as the world gives it; he gives us peace in the inner most part of our being.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which is more excellent than every way of thinking, will protect your hearts and your thinking in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6 and 7
Pray, dearly beloved. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you are called in one body, and be thankful. Practice the presence of God in your life; He is with us and for us.
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Dearly Beloved 03/24/22 "The Coming Salvation"
The Coming Salvation
Dearly beloved of God, the Father wants us to know the hope of His calling, and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of His power according to the working of His mighty power which He energized in the Christ when He raised him from the dead and caused him to sit at His right side in the heavenly realm.
By that same exceeding great power he made us alive with Christ, and He raised us up together, and caused us to sit together in the heavenly realm in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might display the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
The purpose of the ages that God accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord is indeed glorious, and all of it is ours by the accomplishments of Jesus Christ, and by grace of God toward us in him.
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Dearly Beloved 03/23/22 "If He Was Not Good Enough, Who Is?"
If He Was Not Good Enough, Who Is?
Dearly beloved of God, Jesus Christ is not an adornment to Christianity; he is Christianity. Everything we have as Christians is because of his accomplishments, not ours.
If Jesus Christ was not who God declares him to be in His Word, and if he did not accomplish what God sent him to accomplish we are dead in sin, and there is no hope of salvation.
If his sacrifice did not satisfy the penalty for the sin of Adam and the condemnation of the death it brought upon mankind, whose sacrifice will? What could you do that he could not?
If he did not accomplish our justification from sin and its condemnation what good work, or works could we possibly do to improve on his good work?
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Dearly Beloved 03/22/22 "God's Kindness to Us in Christ"
God’s Kindness to Us in Christ
Dearly beloved of God, by the same exceeding great power that God exerted to raise Christ from the dead, He made us alive with Christ, raised us up with him, and made us sit together with him in the heavenlies. He blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm in Christ. Why did God do this?
Ephesians 2:7
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
In the coming ages the Father will display the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
On the day of redemption the Lord Jesus Christ will transform these vile bodies so that they are like his glorious body. We will be conformed to the image of God’s Son, and be as he is. He will give us life like the life he has. We will die no more.
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Dearly Beloved 03/21/22 "This Same Jesus"
This Same Jesus
Dearly beloved of God, the same Jesus that died is the same Jesus that God raised out from among the dead, the same one that ascended into heaven, and sat down at God’s right side, and he is the same one that will return for us on the day of redemption.
Acts 1:11
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
The same Jesus that ascended into heaven is the same Jesus that will return.
Acts 2:36
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
God made that same Jesus that they crucified, both Lord and Christ.
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Dearly Beloved 03/19/22 "Christ in You, the Hope of Glory"
Christ in You, the Hope of Glory
Dearly beloved of God, the Lord Jesus Christ sent the promise of the Father, the gift of holy spirit, on the Day of Pentecost.
Luke 24:49
And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
This was done openly for all to see.
Acts 2:2-4
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them [the 12 apostles] cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the holy spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Lord Jesus Christ initiated the Administration of the Grace of God at His Father's direction by sending the promise of the Father, the giving of the holy spirit. It was now available to born again of the spirit from God.
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Dearly Beloved 03/18/22 "As Plain as the Nose on Your Face"
As Plain as the Nose on Your Face
Dearly beloved of God, we are the heirs of salvation, and we will receive that inheritance when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to gather us up to meet him in the air. We have the Word of the Lord about this future reality.
I Thessalonians 4:13 and 14
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
God does not want us ignorant of “them which are asleep.” “Are asleep” is used as a euphemism for death.
Those who have died will remain in the state of death until the Lord delivers them from it.
God confirmed that Jesus Christ was His Son by raising him out from among all the dead people.
John 3:13 reveals that no other man has ever been raised out from among the dead never to die again, and then ascend into the heavenlies, and sit down in glory at God’s right hand.
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Dearly Beloved 03/17/22 "Heirs of Salvation"
Heirs of Salvation
Dearly beloved of God, if we have confessed Jesus as Lord and believed that God raised him from the dead we shall be saved. That moment we were born again of the spirit from God, and we are His children, His heirs, and joint heirs with Christ. We are the heirs of salvation.
Salvation includes current realities and future realities. Today we have sonship rights, privileges as the children of God, and spiritual ability that enables us to operate the nine manifestations of holy spirit.
We are justified, forgiven, and made the righteousness of God in Christ.
We are redeemed from sin and death, and sanctified by the spirit. Now we are holy, and without blame, and unimpeachable in God’s sight.
We have access to God as our Father by the spirit, and He encourages us to come to Him boldly and with confidence. We have peace with God.
We stand in God’s grace, and we are highly favored in His sight, and dearly beloved by Him.
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Dearly Beloved 03/16/22 "Instead Of and What If"
Instead Of and What If
Dearly beloved of God, how did we end up with so many different opinions about spiritual matters? The Word of God reveals His Will, and it is not of anyone's private interpretation. All Scripture is God-breathed and it is profitable. The Word of God reveals the truth about spiritual matters.
God does not hide the truth from us, He reveals it in His Word. He would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. God does not want His people to be ignorant; He wants us to understand spiritual matters. He wants us to be wise unto salvation. He opens the eyes of our understanding so we can know His Will beyond any shadow of a doubt.
God’s Word did not come out of the mind of man. God was the source of the information, and He revealed it to holy men of God, and He instructed them to write it down.
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Dearly Beloved 03/15/22 "Treasure and Sufficiency"
Treasure and Sufficiency
Dearly beloved of God, the Lord has become a life giving spirit, Christ in you the hope of glory, and where the spirit from the Lord is there is liberty. So as we all with unveiled face behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are all transfigured into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord.
We have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
We have trust through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. Our Father wants us to be absolutely confident that He is our sufficiency.
We may be troubled on every side, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; knocked down, but not destroyed.
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Dearly Beloved 03/14/22 "The Knowledge of God or the Knowledge of Evil"
The Knowledge of God or the Knowledge of Evil
Dearly beloved of God, the One True and Living God is only good.
It does not matter whether you consider God’s work as the Creator of the first heavens and the earth, or His work to restore the second heaven and earth, and the garden of Eden, or His work after the fall to bring the Savior, or what He will yet do in the third heaven and earth; God is only good.
He blessed the patriarchs, He blessed Israel, and He has blessed the Church through the accomplishments of Jesus Christ. He blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. He freely gives every member of the body of Christ all things with His beloved Son; it is all of them in all of us.
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Dearly Beloved 03/13/22 "From As We Are to As He Is"
From As We Are to As He Is
Dearly beloved of God, people have the idea that they have to be a certain way before God will look their way. That’s just not true. God meets you right where you are.
Take Naaman for example; he was the captain of the host of Syria, and he was a great man with his master, and honorable because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper. The record is in II Kings 5.
Naaman went to Elijah to be healed of his leprosy. Elijah sent a messenger out to Naaman saying, “Go wash in Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to thee, and you shall be clean.”
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Dearly Beloved 03/12/22 "Realities of Redemption"
Realities of Redemption
Dearly beloved of God, “God delivered us from the authority of darkness, and He transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Colossians 1:13 and 14
The Word of God reveals that He originally gave Adam the dominion over every living thing in Genesis 1:26-28. Adam handed over his authority to the old serpent, who is the devil, or Satan when he sinned.
Job 1:12
And the LORD [the One True and Living God] said to Satan, “Behold, all that he [Job] has is in your hand [Satan’s authority]. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
God said that Job was in Satan’s hand, or authority.
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Dearly Beloved 03/11/22 "Contact with the Living God"
Contact with the Living God
Dearly beloved of God, God has revealed His Word so that we can know His Will. He would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
If we are to learn about spiritual matters, the Word of God must be our only reference for truth. God reveals His will, His plans, purposes, and desires in His Word. The Word of God gives us a point of contact with the Living God. Far too many have overlooked this foundational truth.
Since men communicate with words, God communicated to men with His Word. He is the Originator of the information in His Word. It is God’s Word, not men’s words about God.
If words have any value with which to communicate, we must take them to mean what they say. Rules and laws govern language so that we can effectively communicate. Laws govern the use of figures of speech, which are used in God’s Word; they are not arbitrary.
Words are useless as a means of communication if we cannot take them to mean what they say. If words do not mean what they say, it would be impossible for anyone to communicate with them.
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Dearly Beloved 03/10/22 "The Life Changing Gospel"
The Life Changing Gospel
Dearly beloved of God, we have been given a life changing gospel. It is the gospel of the kingdom of God. It is the gospel of God concerning Jesus Christ our Lord; the gospel of peace; the gospel of the grace of God. It is the gospel of salvation.
The gospel, or good news, is founded on the resurrection of God’s beloved Son out from among the dead. If Christ was not raised our preaching is vain, our believing is worthless, we are found false witnesses against God, we are yet in our sins, the dead in Christ have perished, and we are of all men most to be pitied for believing a lie.
I have good news for you dearly beloved, God did raise His Son out from among the dead; those that confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead will be saved when he returns to gather us up to meet him in the air.
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Dearly Beloved 03/09/22 "The Exceeding Riches of God's Grace"
The Exceeding Riches of God's Grace
Dearly beloved of God, it is Christ in you, the hope of glory! If we are having hope in Christ in this life only, then of all men we are most pitiable.
The course of this evil age does not compare to the exceeding riches of God’s grace that He will show us in the coming ages.
Ephesians 2:7
That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
The length of time – “the ages to come” – is extraordinary, as is that which our Father will display, “the exceeding riches of His grace to us in Christ Jesus”, as well as His attitude in bestowing these exceeding riches of His grace to us – “in His kindness.”
We will dwell in the Father’s loving kindness and tender mercies in Christ Jesus forever. God’s great love for us is the foundation for His rich mercy, and these exceeding riches of His grace to us in Christ Jesus.
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Dearly Beloved 03/08/22 "God's Provision in Uncertain Times"
God’s Provision in Uncertain Times
Dearly beloved of God, God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all: none! The goodness of God has never wavered.
God is love. He is merciful, compassionate, and kind. He is good, not evil. He is just, not unjust. He is gracious and forgiving. He is light, not darkness. He is faithful to His Word. He is the LORD, and He does not change.
God our Father is same God that Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Hezekiah worshipped. He is able and willing to deliver us as He delivered them. He is faithful that promised.
God says, “I shall never ever leave you and I shall never ever, ever forsake you,” so that we are confident to say: ‘The Lord is my helper. I shall not be afraid. What will man do to me?’”
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Dearly Beloved 03/07/22 "You Have Been Forgiven"
You Have Been Forgiven
Dearly beloved of God, listen to the words of Psalm 130.
Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
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Dearly Beloved 03/05/22 "Who Does What?"
Who Does What?
Dearly beloved of God, in the last article I addressed who God is, and what He is like. The Word of God reveals who God is, and what He is like: His nature, His characteristics, His purposes, His Will.
God addresses someone else in His Word who is antithetical to God, and His Will. He is addressed by different names that describe him. He is called the devil, Satan, and the adversary. He is the fallen Lucifer.
Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, but he is darkness, and there is no light in him.
The Word of God identifies Satan or the devil as the serpent, the father of lies, a murderer, the tempter, the deceiver, a hinderer, a beast, a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, the prince of the power of the air, the prince of this world, the god of this age, among others. He is our adversary.
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Dearly Beloved 03/04/22 "The One True and Living God"
The One True and Living God
Dearly beloved of God, the One True and Living God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. He is the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, not even a changing shadow. Light enables us to see.
God is the Holy Spirit. He revealed His Word to make known His Will. God is not a man that He should lie. Has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it? God always speaks the truth, and He is always faithful to His Word.
The One True and Living God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, is the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. He is the God of peace and love. He is the God of all grace. He is the God of the hope.
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Dearly Beloved 03/03/22 "What Could Be Greater Than This?"
What Could Be Greater Than This?
Dearly beloved of God, through the years our God has performed incredible deliverance for His people, and He is not finished.
He delivered Israel from their captivity in Egypt by dividing the Red Sea. They passed through the sea as it stood up like walls on their right hand and their left, and they walked through it on dry ground, while the Egyptian army that pursued them was destroyed as the sea collapsed on them.
What could have been greater than that deliverance?
They entered the promised land by passing through the Jordan River when it was at flood stage. God told Joshua to have the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant before them, and when their feet touched the water it would stand up on a heap.
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Dearly Beloved 03/01/22 "Who Do You Trust?"
Who Do You Trust?
Dearly beloved of God, we read record after record in the Scriptures that God delivered His people against all odds.
Regardless of which record we read, two things are consistent: their weakness, and God’s ability and willingness to deliver them.
God was able and willing to deliver His people regardless of the odds against them.
For example, God delivered them from a worldwide flood against all odds. He make a path through the sea as the Egyptian army pursued them. He made the sun stand still in its course so they could win the battle. He turned the sun backwards ten degrees for Hezekiah as proof that He had healed him of a deadly condition. He delivered the three men from the burning fiery furnace. He delivered Daniel from the lion’s den. He delivered David from Saul.