The Ever Presence Of God

Let brotherly love continue.

Be not forgetful to entertain

strangers: for thereby some 

have entertained angels unawares.

Remember them that are in bonds,

and them which suffer adversity, 

as being yourselves also in body.

Marriage is honorable in all, and 

the bed undefiled: but whormongers

and adulterers God will judge. 

Let your conversation be without 

covetousness; and be content

with such things as you have: for 

He saith, I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee. So that we may

boldly say, The Lord is my helper,

and I will  not fear what man shall

so unto me.

Hebrews 13:1-6

     The writer of Hebrews gives to us such wonderful promise that God will never leave us or forsake us. In the Greek if rendered literally the clause is "No, I will not leave thee, no,no, I will not forsake thee." This repetition of the Greek is a most strong way to say something, therefore we can be assured that God will not fail us, God will not forsake His promise to His children to be with them at all times. I will use my recent past experience to drive this point home: When very sick, recovering from the anesthesia, and the pain from the surgery, not once but three times God did not take the pain away, the pills did, and after the last surgery when I could not perform I then had to have something that I wish I did not have, at least until I can see the Urologist some 15 days away. The pain at times is seemingly never to go away, and it just hurts. Should I blame God Who has not answered my prayer for relief and help? NO! You may have experienced this yourself and maybe your faith wavered: don't let it! If God allows this to happen then accept that God has a plan that you are a part of but not one that has all the information. Do you believe in the Providence of God? If so, then be content in whatever circumstances you may find yourself. Remember that God has promised to give to you eternal life and that cannot be taken from you no matter what man may do, or what disease may occur, God will turn all things for the good. Are you a member of a Church?  Good! Don't just come to hear a sermon or to have some fellowship, all good but not what you should have priority in for there are many in your church that sit silently in pain, in circumstances that need your support, your help. Look around and see where you can be of service. That is a most important reason to meet together: to serve each other. 

     "Let brotherly love continue." (vs.1). It was already present therefore do not let anything to cause you not to express "brotherly love." Jesus Christ gave Himself for us, to purchase us a peculiar people by the shedding of His blood. Will you not at least do the same and be concerned for others, to the performance of excellent duties? How can "brotherly love" become stagnated? By allowing yourself to give attention to various teachings that are not Scriptural even though they have a "ring" of truth to them, those doctrines made up by man, those speculations that man has devised to attempt to explain, even the Revelation. The enemy, Satan, will use whatever he can to destroy your faith and your witness: do not let him! Another thing that turns people away from Authenticity of the Christian Faith is that the covet more than they should, i.e., like buying a bigger house, or a newer car, or toys of all kinds (that mostly sit on the walls of the garage). Adultery is always right around the corner and with its "finger" calling you to participate in this sin and the marriage bed becomes defiled. 

     HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU MUST REMEMBER! God will not forsake you, so why forsake Him? God will not leave you, so why leave Him? The Lord is your helper and this is through the Holy Spirit Who resides in your soul, the temple of God you are, therefore, live as what you are: THE TEMPLE OF GOD! Do not make Christianity any harder than what others make it to be: If the Bible says do it: DO IT! If the Bible says do not do it: DO NOT DO IT! Easy to say, yes, hard to do, yes, but God is with you and will never leave you He is your helper, but you must allow Him to help. Do your part and God will do His. 

LORD, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? 

     Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? 

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh 

     righteousness, and speaketh the truth 

in his heart.

       Psalm 15:1-2

Remember! God is with you always

Richard L. Crumb

 

 

God Is A Consuming Fire

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.

For if they escaped not who refused

him that spake on earth, much more

shall not we escape, if we turn away

from Him that speaketh from heaven: 

hose voice then shook the earth: but now 

He hath promised, saying, Yet once

more I shake not the earth only, but 

also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, 

signifieth the removing of those things

that are shaken, as of things that are 

made, that those things which cannot 

be shaken may remain. Wherefore

we receiving a kingdom which cannot

be moved, let us have grace, whereby

we may serve God acceptably with

reverence and godly fear: for our

God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:25-29

     Authentic Christians are eternally changed for they now are the temple of God wherein resides the Holy Spirit. Authentic Christians are with the First Born, the heavenly Mount Zion. Authentic Christians are partakers of the New Covenant made by Jesus Christ for all those who believe in and upon Him. All things past have now come to a conclusion in Jesus Christ for it is He who is now the mediator of this New Covenant and as Authentic Christians there is no refusal towards Jesus Christ and all that He has spoken to and for His Bride, the innumerable persons who will and have come to Him and have put their full faith and trust in Him. All heaven and earth were shaken, especially on the day of His death. All things were changed in an instant both in heaven and earth and no one can escape what occurred. A time is coming in which all those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior will be removed forever yet all those who have believed upon Jesus will never be shaken or removed you who believe have a kingdom that cannot be moved.

     This truth must be received with grace and that grace is to be humbled at this truth that God chose you to have everlasting life, to be a child of His so that you by this faith will serve Him all your days. It is easy, even for Authentic Christians, to become sidetracked and not be true followers of Jesus Christ our Mediator and Savior. This culture, this world often is seductive and seemingly right, when in fact it is nothing more than Satan using the sin of man, their sinful nature to mislead those who claim to be Authentic Christians. Repentance is what it takes, that is, to repent is to to turn 180 degrees from the direction you are going. God is a consuming fire and His justice will be poured upon all that who refuse Him. For His children that are walking according to their own desires and the things of this world will be chastised, even for God to remove His hand of protection so that you will come to know that God is not to be mocked. 

     The question(s) for us all is: are we serving God or ourselves? Is God the highest priority for our lives? Are we willing to go to death serving Him knowing that God is faithful and will bring us to heaven, no matter what? Are you studying to show yourself an approved workman for God? Are you preparing to defend your faith? It is not easy being an Authentic Christian, but it is possible for you as the temple of God have within you the Holy Spirit guiding you if you allow Him to do so. Now is not the time to shrink back from our service to God, now is the time for action, not that it will save you, it won't, but it is a symbol of your faith. You are blessed: God has saved you!

Go, gather together all the Jews

     that are present in Shushan,

and fast ye from me, and neither 

    eat or drink three days, night

or day: I also and my maidens will

     fast likewise; and so will I go

unto the king, which is not according

   to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

                   Esther 4:16

To stand on the fence soon both sides throw garbage at you

Richard L. Crumb

Belonging To The Church Of The Firstborn

But ye are come unto mount Sion,

and unto the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem, and to 

an innumerable company of angels,

to the general assembly and church

of the firstborn, which are written 

in heaven, and to God the Judge of all,

and to the spirits of just men made 

perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of 

the new covenant , and to the blood of 

sprinkling, that speaketh better things 

that of Abel.

Hebrews 12:22-24

     I am back to continue where we left off to continue to grow our faith as we come to understand the Scriptures and how to apply them in our lives. If anything my faith has been tested in many ways and still there are more tests that I must do to bring me back to health. The cancer seems to be gone and I will continue to be under examination from time to time to ensure that it has not returned. Twelve hours of surgery played havoc on my body but in time my strength will return. Until them I and you have work to do to make our selves ready to give an answer as to our faith to anyone who may ask.

     Who or what is this "mount Sion?" It is the gospel Church, and is the heavenly Jerusalem in opposition to Mount Sinai which tendeth to bondage whereas the New Jerusalem is free from such bondage: "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is,and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all" (Galatians 4:24-26). A note: Agar is the Hebrew word for Hagar the concubine of Abraham. 

     God has taken up residence in the Gospel Church therefore the Church is the emblem of heaven. If a Church is not teaching the Gospel and is teaching a liberal cultural form of Christianity it is doubtful that that Church is an emblem of the heavenly Jerusalem. If God is not ruling, guiding, sanctifying, and comforting the Church then those Churches are leading people away from the Church of the Firstborn. It is the Gospel that draws men to salvation, and this ministry must take first place above all other things a Church might be doing. God speaks to us by prayer and by prayer heaven is revealed to us that it is our inheritance and we come to have clearer views about the will of God. God does not speak anything different than what He has revealed and inspired men to record for us. 

     When the Church of the Firstborn, Jesus Christ, we come into the company of angels who themselves are of the same family of God with all the saints, under the same head, employed in the same work. They minister to believers for their good. There is communion with all of God's children, angels, saints wherever they reside and by faith we commune with them to fulfill the spreading of the Gospel so all may hear the word of God and receive faith (Romans 10:17). Keeping a tight reign on our wills, we seek to walk in the way of holiness, coming to the same rest and victory. 

     Life has its many hurtful and harmful circumstances that all must face in some manner. Keeping our faith strong and Scriptural will allow is to not only be led by God through these circumstances our lives will display the Gospel, our witness will prove to all that what we say is what is true of us. 

Be not rash with they mouth,

     and let not thine heart be

hasty to utter any thing before

     God: for God is in heaven, 

and thou upon the earth: therefore

    let they words by few.

                    Ecclesiastes 5:2

Walk the talk: Be blessed by God

Richard L. Crumb