ABOUT ANGELS (part 1)

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For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works (Matt. 16:27).

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. 31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matt. 22:29-32).

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CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART

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King David prayed, “Create in me a pure heart . . .”

‘However, in his prayer David asked God to do something that He never does: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).  “The prayer of the righteous has powerful results” (James 5:16), but prayer will never create a pure heart nor renew a right spirit in anybody. In God’s plan, it is up to each person whether or not he has a pure heart and a right spirit. A pure heart is “broken and contrite,” but God does not do the breaking nor does He bring contrition. Now, as in David’s time, it is up to each individual Christian, not to God, whether or not he loves all Christians “fervently with a pure heart” (1 Pet. 1:22). It is up to each Christian, not to God, if he thinks on things that “are pure” (Phil. 4:8). God “has no pleasure in burnt-offerings,” and the only sacrifices He will accept “are a broken spirit” and “a broken and contrite heart” Ps. 51:16, 17). But God has never broken a spirit or a heart.’ —Hugo McCord (from an article entitled Internet Pornography)

Was David inspired of God? Did God work directly with King David and others?

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WHAT YOU DO IDENTIFIES YOU

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When you read a list of professions from earlier times, it reads like a roster of surnames. That’s because people were identified by what they did for a living (as opposed to recently, when we pay attention to what’s on their iPod).  John Smith was a person named John who worked as a blacksmith; Bill Sawyer was a lumberjack, and so on.  In India, in the Parsee community, you’ll find people with surnames such as Contractor, Doctor, Engineer, etc. But watch and see: when someone asks, “Who is he;” “Who is she,” invariably, people start to describe what they do and with whom they are associated.  “Oh, he is a salesman over at the Ford dealership,” or, “She is the preacher’s wife.”

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Our Initial Decision and Its Consequence

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Romans 1:18-23—For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

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IN THE NAME OF…OR BY THE AUTHORITY OF

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Knowing the one true God and the Jesus he sent (John 17:3) requires faith that there is one true God.  To God’s chosen apostle, there was one God, the Father, from whom are all things (1 Cor. 8:6).  That same God and Father made all things through Jesus (Col. 1:15-18; John 1:1-4).  That same Father gave Jesus all of his authority after the cross (Matthew 28:18).

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