Prayer: The Truth Of Prayer: The Need Of Prayer

Finally, brethren, pray for us,

that the word of the Lord may

have free course, and be glorified,

even as it is with you: and that we

maybe delivered from unreasonable

and wicked men: for all men have

not faith. But the Lord is faithful,

who shall establish you, and keep

you from evil. And we have confidence

in the Lord touching you, that ye

both do and will do the things

which we command you. And

the Lord direct your hearts into

the love of God, and into the 

patient waiting for Christ.

2Thessalonians 3:1-5

     A most major work of an Authentic Christian is intercessory prayer. Too often pray is more of asking, asking for something for oneself putting that person in a top priority position, making God to more of a vending machine than God. Too often our prayers are mucked up with the cares of this world, we cannot shut off those things that are being faced and are often very troubling, and our prayers get short circuited.If asked, most, if not all, Christian deem themselves free of idols, but is this the case when a car, a home, clothing, or need to be rich, all these among other things that take up much of a person's thinking, even their imagination for those things are in actuality, an idol. Why? Your desire is for those things and not the desire to have a deep relationship to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our imaginations are starved and we feed on things that take our concentration away from God, from our fellow Christians and our prayers lack to be intercessory. God should be filling our minds, our prayers, feeding our starved imaginations and when you realize this then you are in the will of God and are one who prays prayers of intercession and bring glory to God and not to oneself. 

     How is this done? The test of spiritual concentration is bringing the imagination into captivity. How is this done? Is your imagination looking on the face of an idol? Is the idol yourself? Your work? Your conception of what a worker should be? Your experience of salvation and sanctification? If any of these is true then your imagination of God is starved, and when you are faced with difficulties you have no power, you can, and will, attempt to face those difficulties in your own power. 

     Paul knew that he needed prayer to enable him to face the difficulties he faced every day, those difficulties of being beaten, shouted at, driven from cities, and even prison. Paul prayed not for himself, but so that the word of the Lord would have free course. It was the Gospel that held his imagination, had his concentration, but also Paul asked for prayer to be able to face wicked people, those unreasonable people that would attempt in every way to quiet him. Paul reminded them, and in doing so reminded himself, that the Lord is faithful and He would establish him, them, and you. How is this possible? It is your heart. Where does your heart lie? Not physically as in your chest, no, in this case the word heart is a metaphorical use, and pertains to one's emotions, one's desire, for out of the heart the mouth speaks, and a person's actions are manifested. To have a heart for God is the highest desire and God will fulfill your desire: "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land,and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. commit they way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37: 3-5). Many people use verse 4 to believe that if they just ask God will provide, and this is far from the truth, a person's desire must be a desire to be in the will of God, to ask in the will of God, then God will give you your desire and that desire is to be faithful to Him, to grow in relationship to Him. What else is more important to ask? Nothing! 

     Finally, Paul commands them to quit looking for the return of Jesus Christ and focus on what, and why, God has chosen you to be one of His children. Then, direction of the heart, this assurance of God's promise to return leads you to patiently wait for Jesus Christ and His Second Coming to take back with Him His bride, and to destroy once and for all ages, evil, Satan, and all evil people. This waiting is not sitting back in some form of apathy, no, it is waiting in expectation and that expectation will lead you to bring the Gospel to all, to anyone, and for you to be one who prays prayers of intercession for all your brothers and sisters in Christ and especially for those who are in missionary work, who are leading full-time lives in service to God. Want a blessing? This will bless you, you need no other blessing than knowing that you are in the will of God. 

Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed

     unto the end of the world, 

say ye to the daughter of Zion, 

     Behold, thy salvation cometh;

behold, his reward is with him,

    and his work before him. 

And they shall call them, 

    the holy people, the redeemed 

of the LORD; and thou shalt be called,

     sought out, a city not forasaken.

                      Isaiah 62: 11-12

Pray today and intercessory prayer

Richard L. Crumb 

What It Means To Be Loved By Jesus Christ

But we are bound to give thanks

to God for you, brethren beloved

of the Lord, because God hath

from the beginning chosen you

to salvation through sanctification

of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 

whereunto He called you by our gospel,

to the obtaining of the glory of our

Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren,

stand fast, and hold the traditions 

which whether by word, or our epistle.

2Thessalonians 2:13-15

    

     God from the beginning chose to save and the Thessalonians Christians were those God had chosen to save for they were beloved by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is true of any Authentic Christian, they are loved by the Lord Jesus Christ and that love was manifested on the cross where He took the sin of the world on Himself and then by this propitiatory sacrifice presented this to the Father and by this presentation of a once for all time finished work by Jesus applies that sacrifice to those who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, and to allow the Holy Spirit to Sanctify them as God has applied Sanctification to a true Authentic believer in Jesus Christ. You are sanctified, but in this life that sanctification of God has yet to be completely fulfilled and that will not occur until Jesus comes again and you are before the throne of God. God calls, God enables, and as Paul wrote to the Romans: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Paul here once again reinstates this fact that by the glad tidings (this is a literal translation of the Greek word), you are called, and this calling is to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Think upon this; you can obtain glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and this glory is evident in your pragmatic exercise of true Authentic Christian Faith. You are to hold fast to the traditions that were taught from the beginning of the Christian church by the Apostles and inspired writers of the Bible. You see Paul did not leave this to some conjecture, the good news is by verbal instruction or by and epistle, a letter written by those God chose to write what He wants taught to His Children. The Greek word for "he called" you is aorist, that is something that had occurred and speaks to one being invited, to be called to perform a certain thing, called to the privileges of the Gospel. Christianity is not some apathetic religion, you are called to be active in service to the Lord, to God who came to save you, and to sanctify you. 

     "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself,and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work" (2Thessalonians 2:16-17). In days such as we are presently in, days that see sin being given validity, we may become discouraged, but don't for you have everlasting life, secure in Jesus Christ, by consoled, nothing man can do to you can take you out of the hand of Jesus. Speak the truth, even if it is not popular, even if you are ridiculed, and work for the Lord, this is your calling, this is your responsibility, do not shrink back God loves you and you have a hope through the grace of God that you will live eternally. Who can take that away from you? NO ONE!

When the righteous are in authority,

    the people rejoice: but when the

wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

                      Proverbs 29:2

Be a diligent Christian

Richard L. Crumb

 

     

Receiving The Love Of The Truth

...even him, whose coming is after

the working of Satan with all power

 and signs and lying wonders, and 

with all deceivableness of unrighteousness

in them that perish; because they

received not the love of the truth,

that they might be saved. And for this

cause God shall send them strong 

delusion, that they should believe

a lie: that they all might be damned

who believed not the truth, but had

pleasure in unrighteousness.

2Thessalonians 2:9-12

     When is Jesus coming again? Paul makes this very clear: "And then shall that Wicked (why capitalize this word? It is because the noun is masculine nominative with the definite article "he", therefore this word speaks of a definite person) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him whose coming is after the working of Satan...." (1Thessalonians 2:8-9a). Who is going to perish at His coming? Those who believed the Wicked One, Satan, and did not believe who Jesus is, God, come in the flesh according to Scripture that teaches us the truth about Jesus and not some man who is deceiving people in regards to who Jesus is and when Jesus is coming for if a person does not believe this truth they will perish. PERIOD! All the bells and whistles, the dancing about in some euphoric trance, will not save you, to follow after practices that are not warranted in Scripture will not save you. You are saved when you with that free gift of faith believe who Jesus is, that you are a sinner and in need of His salvation, convert, not just believe, to what Jesus has declared for all His children to do, and that is, live a quiet life, be one of His ambassadors: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present you bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:1-2).

     God is not the author of sin, so when it is said that God "sends," this sending from the Greek word: πέμψει  not άποστέλλω, which is used in the Lord's prayer are distinct from each other, άποστέλλω means to order one to go, to be sent, whereas  πέμψει denotes the orderly motion involved, especially a temporary errand. So how does God "send" this strong delusion? Simple: God leaves a person to their own devices to be deluded by Satan's instructions and his instructions are given by men who themselves are deluded and believe, teach, a lie. God will give them up to the workings of their hearts: "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour he adversaries" (Hebrews 10:26). It is not that those to be devoured by their sins, it is because they heard the truth but ignored it, and by this ignoring they are subject to damnation. 

     Now, if we hate sin and love the truth, we are bound to thank God for our selves and for each other. Many of us can remember a time when we hated the doctrines of God's word, and preferred a life of sin, those soothing times that made us feel manly, or womanly, a time of happiness but not one of joy. God then, as he did to me, allowed my circumstances, that which I conjured up in my life, to send to me His love and this through that which I had come to believe in my early life only had now left that which I knew to be true. It is in this circumstance that what I had put into my life came to send me back to God. Thank God for those who too held close to God and their relationship to Him. Do you have such friends? Are you putting in to your heart and mind the truth of God's word? If so, you deception at the moment will disappear as you apply God's truth to lead you and to run from all deception. 

Therefore He broght down their heart

     with labor; they fell down, and there 

was none to help. Then they cried unto 

    the LORD in their trouble, and He 

saved them out of their distresses. 

     He brought them out of darkness and

the shadow of death, and brake their 

    bands in sunder. Oh that men would

praise the LORD for His goodness, and

    for His wonderful works to the 

children of men!

                     Psalm 107: 12-15

 Turn to God: He is your Savior

Richard L. Crumb

The Taking Away The Man Of Iniquity

Remember ye not, that when 

I was yet with you, I told you

these things? And now ye know

what withholdeth that he might be

revealed in his time. For the mystery

of iniquity doth already work: only

he who now letteth will let, until he

be taken out of the way. And then

shall that Wicked be revealed, whom

the Lord shall consume with the spirit

of His mouth, and shall destroy with

the brightness of His coming: 

2Thessalonians 2:5-8

     Paul is now reminding them to remember what he had taught them before that they were taught about the man of iniquity, this one who deceives, and that iniquity was already at work, but hope is secure in Jesus Christ due to this fact: Jesus will destroy the wicked, including the wicked one. When? Not as some teach, and teaching is about Jesus coming twice, once for the Church and then coming a second time. Scripture does not teach that, for when Scripture speaks of Jesus coming it is only Him coming once. When will Jesus come in brightness? John in writing the Revelation wrote under inspiration: "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes ere as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called the Word of God" (Revelation 19:11-13). There is no two comings, only one, and when Jesus comes the man of iniquity will be done away with, gone. There is no plan "B", only "A" for Jesus comes once for His bride and by taking His bride with Him this world comes to an end and His bride enters into the world prepared for them for eternity. 

     The question is: Are you now preparing for eternity, or are you living as though Jesus is not coming? Do you believe with all faith that the words of the Bible are true and reliable so that you follow what God has inspired men to write? John wrote: And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants," (Revelations 19:5-7). Again: are you preparing? Or are living this world's culture? Only you can answer that question but others can see the answer in your living. 

     Who is this man of iniquity? Who is the deceiver? Can we look at history, even in the present to see if there is one who claims authority of Jesus Christ. Is there one who sits on a seat and claims to be the vicar of Jesus Christ. Can we see anyone, or one religion that has hid from the people as long as they could the Bible? Is there any religion making people pay indulgences to remit sin for themselves or for the dead? Is there a religion that is joined at the hip with secular governments? Does this one claim to be Christian and yet has within its doctrines and practices idolatry, or the wearing of certain clothing as though this separates them as godly? Or teaches, or better yet, does not teach, the truth of the Bible and the followers of this religion have little knowledge of the Bible? There is if one will take the time to examine anyone claiming to be Christian. 

     When Jesus comes, on a white horse to take His bride home with Him, then the wicked one, and the wicked will be revealed and destroyed. God is patient, but do not think His patience is permission. Live now for God, not to acquire some blessing, you already have the greatest blessing that any person can receive: salvation, eternal life. 

For the LORD watches over the way

     of the righteous but the way of the

wicked will perish.

           Psalm 1:6

Live now for God

Richard L. Crumb

Questions About The Second Coming Of Jesus

Let no man deceive you by

any means: or that day shall

not come, except there come

a falling away first, and that 

man of sin be revealed, the son

of perdition: who opposeth and

exalteth himself above all that

is called god, or that is worshipped:

so that he as God sitteth in the

temple of God shewing himself

that he is God.

2Thessalonians 1:3-4

     Rome in even under Nero had become both for good and evil but as things in the Roman empire became difficult to deal with changes came for the worse and that worse was much against Christianity. You see, at first the Roman empire, by its laws of justice, was the protector of Christianity for we find that Rome came to the rescue of Paul on several occasions, as in Corinth through the proconsul Annaeus Gallio, in Jerusalem through the Captian Lysias, and Caesarea through the procurator Festus, but now had become a deadly foe towards Christianity. The restraining power that kept back for a while outbreak of the Antichrist, it now openly assumed the character of Antichrist with fire and sword.  The subject to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ would become a present subject that those in Thessalonica worried over because they had misunderstood the words of Paul and needed clarification. Other churches had this same problem and Paul wanted these letters read to the churches so that they too would come to the truth of the matter.

     Today we have the same problem only it has gotten larger and more confusing as many men have written about the Second Coming and applied many speculations as though those speculations were applying Scripture truthfully. Men such as Hal Lindsay and his many books on this subject, the movies "Left Behind Series," movies about Armageddon, as did Bruce Willis made, and many other movies, all bringing horror and not being true to Scripture. We have such groups as the Seventh Day Adventist that focus on the Last Days, and bring to their congregations many speculations as though they have the truth. Jehovah Witness who have applied dates as to the Second Coming of Jesus and when He did not appear then gave some sort of spiritual coming to save their mistake. Do they have the truth? What was the understanding of the Advent in the days of the Apostles? 

     The coming of the Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom was and is a great object of expectation and desire for God's people and this from the beginning of the world. It was the subject of prophecy and promise under the old dispensation. Those ancient saints were described, as are Christians today, those who are or were constantly hoping for the coming of the Lord (Ephesians 2:12, Acts 26:6-7). Even the dying thief on the cross with Jesus knew about the resurrection and hoped to come into that kingdom. The last question the Apostles of Jesus asked was: "Lord, remember me, when thou come into they kingdom," and "Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:6). 

     As the time of the Second Coming advent was unrevealed either to men or angels, the early Christians hoped it might occur in their day. The early apostles cherished that expectation, although they did  not know when the Lord was to come but what they, and us do know, there must be first an apostasy as Paul wrote to give clarification to this hope. This apostasy will be found in the Antichrist that is to come and there must be a falling away by those who claim to be Christian but will not stand up under the wiles of this Antichrist. It is good to look for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, but it is not good to speculate outside of what Scripture teaches. Think on this: if God, who know that Christ was not to come for at least eighteen centuries after his ascension could say to His people: "the day of the Lord is at hand," therefore watch, for ye know neither the day  nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh", then that language was appropriate even on the assumption that those who used it knew that the second advent was not to occur for thousands of years falls under this fact, time is not the same with God as it is with us for Peter showed us that to God a thousand years are with God as one day, and one day as a thousand years (2Peter 3:8). The Church waited four thousand years for the first advent: we may be content to wait God's time for the Second Advent. We do know this: God does not lie and if He said Jesus is coming again, He is, this fact should give to us comfort. We do know this: Jesus is coming on the Last Day, not before, therefore, build on your relationship with Jesus Christ so when you stand before Him you will hear: "Well done, faithful and discreet slave." 

Ponder the path of they feet,

     and let all they ways be establish.

Turn not tot he right hand nor to the left:

     remove thy foot from evil.

                    Proverbs 4:26-27

Jesus is coming: you do not have to speculate

Richard L. Crumb

     

       

Finding Answers To Serious Questions

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus,

unto the church of the Thessalonians

in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace unto you, and peace, 

from God our Father and the Lord

Jesus Christ.

2Thessalonians 1:1-2

      As we begin this second letter to the Thessalonica Church we must ask the question: Why the need to write? This will be answered in this blog. Paul was writing to them again from Athens and the person who came to Paul from Thessalonica was the same man who came the first time, only this time the reason was different. The Thessalonican Christians had question in regard to Paul's first letter to them and the problem was about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This needed clarification and only Paul could clarify what he wrote,therefore, this man came for that clarification. 

     Once again for those who hold fast to Arianism, that which teaches that Jesus was a man and not God, or that Jesus was "a god," but not God we look to the Greek grammar for clarification. the Greek word: "kai," translated "and," or "also," and is not used as we use the word "and" in our English language. We do at times use it as did the Greek but often it is only due to context which is a correct way to understand this word only the Greek grammar is more succinct. The Greek work, "kai," can be used copulative, that is the word means to unite and often refers to sexual intercourse, but has a larger meaning, "and" serves to connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank. In Greek when the antecedent noun does not have the definite article and then "kai" is used and the next noun does not have the definite article this word is copulative making both nouns to be equal. Therefore when Paul joins God and (kai) with Jesus in the sentence the meaning is that both are equal therefore this speaks to the fact that Jesus is God, not just equal to God but has the same rank as God. The word "kai" can also be used cumulative or have a cumulative force, a separation between nouns and often used with other particles or small words. Example: I see Bill, and John. This is cumulative or is a separation between nouns. In English we do not put the definite article with those words: I see the Bill, and the John, but in our English idiom we understand this separation between the two, in Greek there is clarity so that there is clarification as to how we are to understand this phrase: "God our Father and Lord (the word "the" in English Bibles is added for there is no definite article before Lord in the original Greek) Jesus Christ. Those who will not accept the Trinity do not understand Greek or the ignore Greek grammar. 

     Paul continues: "We ought to thank God always concerning you, brethren, as it is meet, because your faith increases exceedingly, and love abounds of every one of you all toward each other: so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you" (2Thessalonians 1:3-6). Question: Is your faith growing? This is the thrust of this blog to aid you to grow in faith, to become more like Jesus Christ, to be an Authentic Christian and not just "Christian" in name, or to be a nominal Christian, a cultural Christian. The Thessalonians were under persecution. Claudius (41-54) was having problems in Britain and elsewhere as in Alexandria for there was violence, bloodthirsty and a longstanding dispute between the Greeks and the Jews and both parties had sent to Claudius deputations and his reply: "As for the question which party was responsible for the riots and feud (or rather, if the truth be told, the war) with Jews....I was unwilling to make a strict enquiry, though guarding within me a store of immutable indignation against whichever party renews the conflict; and I tell you once and for all that unless you put a stop to this ruinous and obstinate enmity against each other, I shall be driven to show what a benevolent princeps can be when turned to righteous indignation." Christians were thought to be just another sect of Judaism and from history we are told that the Greeks in general held animosity towards both Jews and Christians. Then came Nero (54-68) and while he attempted to bring to Rome some civility, at least at the first, in time the situation in Rome was growing worse. He needed to find a way to settle this problem. Once such thing he did was to punish suspects and Paul was in Rome at this time and was apparently also considered a suspect for ecclesiastical history informs us that under Nero Paul was beheaded. While much of the persecutions Christians had to undergo from local cities and governors, this persecution had the blessing, at least in some sense, the approval of Rome. 

     Why this history? We need to understand the times, what were the Christians undergoing so we can understand their thinking and when there was some confusion about what was written they needed clarifications for some were taking this in ways that did not seem to be what Paul had written. This is done today and in the next blogs I will address how their problem is also a problem today. I hope and pray that you read this letter and take time to examine what I write. we are to grow in faith and one way this is done correctly is to have a correct view according to Scripture and not some man's speculation. 

For thou shalt worship no other God:

     for the LORD, whose name is Jealous,

is a jealous God: lest thou make a convenant

     with the inhabitants of the land, and they

go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice 

     unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou

eat of his sacrifice.

                Exodus 34:14-15

 God Loves you with jealousy

Richard L. Crumb

Greeting Brothers And Sisters With A Holy Kiss

Faithful is He that calleth you,

 who also will do it. Brethren, pray

for us. Greet all the brethren with 

an holy kiss. I charge you by the

Lord that this epistle be read unto

all the holy brethren. The grace

of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

1Thessalonians 5:24-28

     The subject of these verses is "faithful," and that word being nominative, masculine is "he is faithful," and this then is He who is faithful that calls you. If God calls you as written in John chapter 6, and Jesus calls you, then both persons are the same for one does not call above another. Paul then exhorts this church to have this epistle read in other churches. Now about this "holy kiss," much is misunderstood what the Greek is actually saying, and how this action was performed, and why it was performed by people living in this age. The Greek word used here:  φιλήματ, is a token of Christian brotherhood, whether by way of welcome, or farewell. This is a kiss of charity and there is an absence of formality, and hypocrisy, a freedom from prejudice  arising from social distinctions, from discrimination against the poor, form partiality toward the well-to-do. This kiss took place between those of the same sex. Respect between persons is shown. The actual kissing is not mandated, no, what is mandated is RESPECT! This respect is missing largely in many Churches whereby people come to Church hear the sermon, may say hello to those they have some relationship with, but never stay or attempt to be friendly to those they deem somewhat unworthy, due to being poor, or unhealthy, or not dressed properly, having a run-down car, etc., and there is no charity between exercised. This is so wrong, but it happens and I hope this is not you. Read Peter, read John's three epistles and then measure yourself against what the Holy Spirit had these men write. 

     Paul wrote this letter from Athens and it is interesting to say the least that a Christian Church was not founded in Athens but Paul had much to say to those Greek philosophers. Not all we do instantly bears fruit but if we do nothing then fruit cannot be born. Pretty simple: bring the Gospel to others and allow God to do His work in their lives. Our responsibility in this case is: bring the Gospel. 

     This is the end of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonian s and we can learn much how to live as Authentic Christians by reading, studying, this letter. Paul ends this letter by a farewell statement: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." And this is my words along with Him for you. I will begin tomorrow Paul's second letter and it would be good if you read it and then read my blog. Remember: the goal is to change from the inside/out. 

As God liveth, "Who hath taken away

     my judgment; and the Almighty, 

who hath vexed my soul; all the while

     my breath is in me, and the spirit 

of God is in my nostrils; my lips shall not

     speak wickedness, nor my tongue deceit.

                          Job 27:2-4

Befriend a brother or sister today

Richard L. Crumb

Learning To Be A Respectful Authentic Christian

And we beseech you, brethren,

to know them which labour 

among you, and are over you

in the Lord, and admonish you;

and to esteem them very highly

in love for heir work's sake.

And b e at peace among

yourselves. Now we exhort you,

brethren, warn them that are

unruly, comfort the feebleminded,

support the weak, be patient

toward all men. See that none

render evil for evil unto any man;

but ever follow that which is good,

both among yourselves, and to all men.

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is

the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning

you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not

prophecyings. Prove all things; hold

fast that which is good. Abstain from 

all appearance of evil. And the very

God of peace sanctify you wholly; 

and I pray God your whole spirit and

soul and body to preserved blameless

unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Thessalonians 5:12-23

 

     The ministers of God, those who are to be overseers of a congregation have a responsibility that is weighty, honorable, and useful. Paul reminds us that we ought to be looking at their work and that the man only. Some see their minister more as a celebrity than a worker for God. Ministers are to be laborers. This labor is such that they are working to instruct, to comfort, and to edify them. All this with agape love. Here is where the early Church, especially at the Reformation (1500's) where Church leaders conjoined with civil government and forced people to have one belief over another: i.e., Roman Catholicism over Protestantism. This led to some horrible things being done by both religious theologies. Christian ministers are not to exercise dominion over civil government. This does not mean that they are to sit by idly and do nothing, no, they have all right within their government laws to effect a possible change that would conform to Scripture but if not able to then still live according to Scripture and not be influenced by the culture that comes from a non-Scriptural government. Here in the United States we the people have the right to vote, to bring before the courts appeals to things we deem wrong. We have a right to support a candidate that best fits Scripture, that has a platform of being a servant, a protector of the Constitution, therefore, for citizens of the United States. We as Christians must not be apathetic and be involved or evil will reign and if not taking an active part then that person really does not have a right to complain. 

     Authentic Christians ministers are not looking to pad their pockets with money, to have large mansion type homes, or to drive very expensive cars, or have very expensive airplanes as though they were the epitome of Christianity. This is not to say they are to live in poverty, or not have fine things, but to say you love the poor, to say that you love those in your congregations where some are struggling to have money and then to spend lavishly on yourself is wrong. This sends a message to the congregation that God will give to you if you only give back to God, and that God wants you to also have what this ministers has in abundance. They use the God key to cause people to give more than they should. This is not what Paul is saying in any way for as a minister, an Authentic Christian you are to labor in your office with honor, with service to those in your congregation. Ministers have this duty that Paul is outlining here and is also outlined in other Scriptures. The world is watching, and making judgments based on such attitudes, and actions. 

     As an Authentic Christian you to have a duty to one another. Are there needy persons in your congregation? If so, then what are you personally doing about it? Love extends itself if it is pure agape love of God and does not look for its own interests. Even if there are differences among you and another in your congregation, this does not dismiss your duty towards them. Love, peace, among us does not allow us to induce some form of hatred or dislike to a person due to some difference that is not heretical. Don't cause a person to become disheartened due to your lack of duty. 

     Now we come to a very important verse: "Abstain from 

all appearance of evil." Again, how we love those "love" verses, those verses that seem to give nothing but joy, and forget those verses that demand something from us. The Greek translated is: "from every form of wickedness abstain" (vs. 22). This Greek word is about external appearances, (Luke 3:22; 9:29, John 5:37). This word is applied to such as images, idols, and has a meaning of that which is bad. I will be blunt. Men: pull your pants up, we do not need to see you underwear, or more. Men: don't get tattoos to somehow make you feel more macho. Men: get a haircut. Men: go to Church dressed respectfully. Men: be men, have respect for yourselves and others and do not strive to live this world's culture. Now: Women, girls: Why do you have a need to show as much skin as you do? Why wear your underwear in public and call it "bathing suit?" Take a bra and paint some flowers on it, and call it a bathing top? HUH! And to have you underpants so low as to only barely cover your pubic bone. Why? First of all you must do some very private things which in some cases is not so private. You must have a bikini wax, or a Brazillian where others are shaving your private parts. Why? What is the purpose? Is this respectful? No! Is this what an Authentic Christian would do? No! You, both of you, are teasing others to want you, and that want is often sexual. You want to look sexy, or manly. Why not look as a respectful Christian and not have any appearance of evil? In verse 21 we are commanded to examine all things and hold fast to that which is good, or right. 

     We all have a duty to God and this duty is to deny ourselves and live for Him and this we should willingly do of we really love God. Not man, but God, Jesus Christ and are allowing ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit. This may go against the grain of your minds, but Jesus lived as a perfect man and willing gave up His human body for you. Can you do the same, can your reciprocate to Him? I hope so, I pray so, and while this is not easy, it can be done if you attempt to do it. Remember: we will, all of us, give an account before God for what we have said and done. 

 

But the LORD said unto me,

     Say not, I am a child:

for thou shalt go to all

     I send thee, and whatsoever

I command thee thou shall speak.

     Be not afraid of their faces:

for I am with thee to deliver thee,

    saith the LORD.

                      Jeremiah 1:7-8

 

Live For God: Leave All For Him

 

Richard L. Crumb

 

Who Is This Thief Who Attempts To Steal Your Faith?

But of the times and the seasons,

brethren, ye have no need that I

write unto you. For yourselves

know perfectly that the day 

of the Lord so cometh as a thief

in the night. For when they shall say,

Peace and safety; then sudden 

destruction cometh upon them,

as travail upon a woman with child;

and they shall not escape. But ye

brethren, are not in darkness, 

that that day should overtake you

as a thief. Ye are all the children

of light, and the children of the day:

we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; 

but us watch and be sober.

1Thessalonians 5:1-6

 

     Paul is exhorting the Thessalonians to be always ready for the coming of Jesus Christ to judge the world. Furthermore His coming with be sudden and surprising for those not watching. There has been and there is now much debating over the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Here once again to know the Greek will give understanding: The Greek word: κλέπτω, meaning a thief, the word where we get in English Kleptomanic, is not used, rather: κλέπτης, metaphorically means "false teacher" (John 10:8), figuratively of the Coming of Jesus Christ, a kleptes uses deception while the lestes is a robber who plunders, audaciously snatching away that which is another's. The English word, "thief," is hardly used as the Greeks used this word, but we do use it for we say that a person has falsely taught and usually for personal gain. Christians are being warned against false teachers who  would steal away from the the truth, but they had the truth. The Thessalonians were not in darkness in regards to the truth and neither are you if you are following Scripture and not some man's speculation about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. There are those who teach about the Second Coming and allegorically apply Scripture: i.e., helicopters, tanks, swarms of Muslims, etc., or they seem to always speak of the Second Coming of Jesus and little about how a Christian is to live Authentically. Authentic Christians should have no fear. I know when Jesus is Coming, in fact, I know the very day Jesus is coming: here it is: THE LAST DAY! Until that day we are not to sleep for if we do mentally and spiritually sleep we will be overtaken by those thieves who want to snatch you from the truth. The word for sober means to have your mind alert for those drunken have minds that are asleep, not affective. Paul adds: "For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain, salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that ,whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do" (1Thessalonians 5:7-11). 

     Be a man, be a woman, stand firm for your faith and watch, be steadfast in faith. Be moderate in all things and this moderation should be known among all men for they see you pragmatically working out your faith. Faith, do you believe? Do you have absolute faith in God, in Jesus Christ and in your salvation? If you have those things then your eyes will be upon God for His eyes are always upon us. We should have fervent love, true love for God and the things of God. Our hope of salvation, that salvation through the grace of God, eternal life will be your helmet, that is, you will not be drunken, or asleep mentally. You cannot earn or obtain salvation by your works, but your works should stem from your faith, to bring glory to God, to Jesus Christ Who died for you. Join together in prayer with you brothers and sisters, in praise to God, edify one another for this is a true and faithful brother or sister in Jesus Christ. 

    Think upon this: Nothing can take you out of the hand of Jesus, from the Father's grace and salvation. If they kill you, ok, your soul goes to heaven, your body to the grave. What do you have to lose? Nothing! Of course we do not want to be killed but are you willing to metaphorically "kill," that which keeps your from living Authentically for Jesus Christ. Kill it! Never forget: you are a witness for God, the bride of Jesus Christ, His ambassador, and your first responsibility is to work with Him, and from that all other things will have value and will represent Jesus Christ. All will be blessed by your faithful steward of who and whose you are. 

 

Praise ye the LORD, Praise, 

    O ye servants of the LORD

praise the name of the LORD. 

                    Psalm 113:1

 

Be awake and watch Jesus is coming

 

Richard L. Crumb 

 

 

Your Comfort: The Doctrine Of The Resurrection

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 sllep

in Jesus will God will bring

with Him. For this we say unto

you by the word of the Lord, 

that we which are alive and

remain unto the coming of the

Lord shall not prevent them

which are asleep. For the Lord

Himself shall descend from heaven

with a shout, with the voice of the

archangel, and with the trump

of God; and the dead in Christ shall

rise first: then we which are alive 

and remain shall be caught up

together with them in the clouds,

to meet the Lord in the air: and

so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

Wherefore comfort one another 

with these words. 

1Thessalonians 4:13-18

 

     I have repeated this Scripture on purpose due so many different interpretations that are confusing many people to believe what may not be true. Therefore we must dig in deeper, wade deeper into these verses to gain what the Bible actually is teaching. The Bethel School of the Supernatural here in Redding had some students go and lay on tombs to get some sort of anointing. When confronted they denied this practice but I have neighbors who attended such events and if this is true then there is a great misunderstanding about the dead. Let us get this one thing straight: When a person dies so does his/her body and that body decays or returns back to dust from which it was formed: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust hour art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Genesis 3:19). Furthermore the dead know nothing, can do nothing: The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence" (Psalm 115:17). The writer of the Ecclesiastes wrote: "For the living know that they will die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is ow perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6). Then this writer writes: "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and he spirit shall return unto god who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). John wrote" "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for he witness of Jesus, and for the word of God and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4). 

     Death is the result of sin, it is the one thing that God warned Adam about and for us as well, death is the result of sin. Jesus died a sinless man therefore His death changed everything for now by His life there can be life for the debt of sin against God had been paid. Christians should rejoice that this debt has been paid and that the souls of God's children are in His presence. The dust to which the body returns is under the protection of God, under His care and providence. Death for an Authentic Christian is not loss but gain. Sadness may come for a moment until you realize that that person is now with God never more to be subject to the ills of this world. The day will come, if Jesus tarries longer than your life, that you will die. As an Authentic Christian, one who has Authentic Christian Faith, you body will decay until the day that God resurrects your body to join with you spirit whereby with this new body: "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body" (1Corinthians 15:42-44). 

     This doctrine of the resurrection is a great antidote for the ills of this world that plague you, to give peace when a love one dies and sadness attempts to overcome you as this doctrine should do and that is to give to you assurance. How? Jesus Christ rose from the dead, alive forever, His death is effective forever, and those that sleep in death will rise again on the Last Day when Jesus comes to take His bride home to be with Him. What joy, what a glorious day that will be, Jesus will come down from heaven for you, for all of the children of God and with a shout of a loud sounding trumpet the dead will rise from death and those alive in Jesus Christ will all be caught up in the air to be with Him forever and those who are dead in their sins will no longer be, they cannot again bring sin into the world. Paul never speaks of the wicked, when they will rise for this raising will be no great moment for they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, Gehenna. 

     Be comforted by these words and realize what God has planned for you, eternal life, a new body incorruptible. Anticipate this, allow this to drive you to serve Him in anyway you can. We are here on this earth but temporary and until either we die or go to Him alive, we have work, and that work is to grow in our relationship with Jesus and to take the Gospel to our world. Authentic Christians are in a safe state, do not allow anything to make you not allow this doctrine of hope to cause you to do that which God has commanded us not to do. God loved you before you were born and had already before the foundation of the world made a way of escape and this through the death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven by means of His Son, His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Praise God!

Incline your ear, and come unto me:

     hear, and your soul shall live;

and I will make an everlasting 

     covenant with you, even the 

sure mercies of David. 

               Isaiah 55:3

Allow the comfort of God to fill your life

Richard L. Crumb

Learning About Death

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 sllep

in Jesus will God will bring

with Him. For this we say unto

you by the word of the Lord, 

that we which are alive and

remain unto the coming of the

Lord shall not prevent them

which are asleep. For the Lord

Himself shall descend from heaven

with a shout, with the voice of the

archangel, and with the trump

of God; and the dead in Christ shall

rise first: sthen we which are alive 

and remain shall be caught up

together with them in the clouds,

to meet the Lord in the air: and

so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

Wherefore comfort one another 

with these words. 

1Thessalonians 4:13-18

     Well, I have done it: I have taken you from wading through the truths of Scripture to deep waters where you may be treading. If not treading you may be sinking due to so many doctrines, teachings, and beliefs about the resurrection. There are those who are pre-millennial, those who are post-millennial, and those who are a-millennial. Confusion is the rule of the day. I do not want to add to the confusion, therefore I will attempt to teach about what Scripture actually says or does not say. 

     It is said the the Jews cried when a baby was born and rejoiced when a person died. Just the opposite of today. Think upon this: a baby has this cruel and unjust world to deal with, problems, trials, etc., and a person who died no longer faces this world. It should be a comfort to Authentic Christians for those who die in the Lord. It is not wrong to grieve for the death of person for this is lawful, but weep also for your own death, or your loss, even though for the death of a Christian there is gain. Don't allow this grief to overcome you so that you succumb to this grief and your life reduced to sadness without hope. Christianity is not some sort of religion that forbids grief, and the grace of God does not extinguish or natural affections. We are human! Do not allow yourself to get excessive in sorrow for this means you do not have hope. This hope signifies a sure and well-founded expectation. Authentic Christians do not have hope as the heathen do for they too have a hope and even a sort of expectation in regards to a future state of mankind. All one has to do is to read the philosophers of old and you will see that they philosophies are clouded and they even grovel with one another so that they have uncertainty. This occurs also with Christianity when it comes to death, the future live, resurrection of Christians so that there is uncertainty among some Christians. Maybe you are one that is uncertain. As to Paul saying "we" there must be an understanding of what Paul meant for Paul did not believe that he would be alive necessarily when Jesus came the second time. Paul having the Holy Spirit's revelation for him to express the truth simple used "we" as an indefinite, albeit with certainty that this coming of the Lord was certain. 

     God cannot lie, this is impossible for if God could lie then all about God cannot be trusted and why would God who created all lie when the truth would suffice? Therefore, when God through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit promised that God's children would rise again, both the dead and those alive at His coming, we can believe it to be the truth. Our joys, and our sorrows should then be moderated and not succumb to this world and its untruthful teaching. 

     If you are ignorant of this truth about those who are dead or are going to die may cause immoderate grief. This is to be expected for what foundation does a person have that does not have a foundation based on the truth of God's word. Death: a powerful unknowable, unthinkable, a thing that is mysterious. Death is dark about what occurs after a person dies. The Bible is not dark about this subject, for a person dies and their soul goes to be with the Lord. There is no need for an Authentic Christian to be ignorant in regards to this subject. Our hope is in God, in His Son Jesus Christ and the work upon the cross that paid the debt of sin so that God now has His justice satisfied and can apply that justice. Our sorrow should be allayed and our joy rise to the highest for those who are asleep in Jesus Christ will rise again, and until that day they rest, rest from all their labors and sorrows and sleep in Jesus: (Read 1Corinthians 15: 14-18). Here is a great thing: they are resting with the assurance that they are now fully in union with Him and are under His special care and protection. Death is not our friend: Jesus is our friend. Death cannot do anything for a person: Jesus can do all that is required for a person. Death is the result of sin: Life is the result of the death of Jesus upon the cross. Death is defeated: life exults for its victory over death. Why then do we grieve so that our hope is lost? We do we allow ourselves to grieve as those we do not believe? Authentic Christians grieve, and Authentic Christians have loss, but Authentic Christians have a hope, and assured hope that this loss is only temporary. We will meet them in the air upon the Second coming of Jesus Christ. Not before, not as some teach, but when Jesus Christ comes to take home with Him His bride. There is no plan "B", only plan "A", and we can have assurance that when He comes it is not in stealth, but with loud sounds, all will know: Jesus Christ has come.

     This subject being so much bantered about I will take whatever time is needed to give as much information so that you can determine the truth about our resurrection and the coming of Jesus Christ. 

Our soul waiteth for the LORD:

     He is our help and our shield.

For our heart shall rejoice in Him,

     because we have trusted His

holy name. Let thy mercy, O LORD,

    be upon us, according as we hope 

in Thee.

                        Psalm 33:20-22

Rejoice, raise up your heart

Richard L. Crumb