SUNDAY'S SACRED SCRIPTURES: SHARING IN HIS GLORY: YOU KNOW IT DON'T COME EASY...

CREATED FOR HIS GLORY, HONOUR, and PRAISE! Humanity exists for THE LORD'S pleasure; NOT because HE needs us, instead because HE desires a relationship with us, premised upon THE TRUTH of HIS HOLINESS, and SOVEREIGNTY! HE CREATED NO ONE, nor anything to be HIS equal, nor, HIS peer; it would be impossible, for HE ALONE, IS and evermore shall be, THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, and THE CREATOR, therefore, what, or whom HE CREATES could not be greater than HIM, for HE IS THE ONE WHO brought forth everything, and everyone, and what is CREATED CANNOT equal HIM, logically, and factually---

HE CREATED us to SHARE in HIS GLORY, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and pleasure! HE LOVES us, yet, we were NOT brought forth out of a need, but out of LOVE, and HIS creativity! We WERE made IN HIS IMAGE, which IS SPIRIT, thus, our reality IS spirit, NOT flesh! Humans have been attempting to humanize THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY since early on, as opposed to ALLOWING themselves to reveal their TRUTH, which is the spiritual being, as we ARE confused, thus misguided because we ARE in the physical, carnal world, in which the prominent influence is wicked, evil, and works against whom, and what we really are, and exist for...

*GOD* GAVE us dominion over the Earth, and all in it; we are designated as caretakers, and caregivers of this amazing, abundant planet! HE also GAVE us free will, FOR the purpose of those who will seek HIM, and turn to HIM, do so in honesty, and sincerity! It would have been easy for HIM to hard wire us to, without fail, fear HIM, LOVE HIM, HONOUR HIM, and align to HIM, but HIS WISDOM depicts that it should derive from the heart...

Long ago, we lost sight of our purpose on this planet; thanks to an evil enemy, and the enmity called pride, which then, saw the TRUTH of our roles negligently removed from tradition, and other criteria in our rearing; leaving us open to what works against *GOD*, and ourselves! In the beginning, there was paradise; then, paradise was lost to sin, and now, paradise CAN BE REGAINED THROUGH CHRIST JESUS: THIS IS the core of HIS PLAN, in which we ARE part of, IF we so choose, and desire! ALL IN CREATION WAS CREATED FOR HIS GLORY, and what has been corrupted, altered, or changed to deny HIM, WILL be shown, proven, and removed, evermore, for NOTHING, and NO ONE can exist in opposition of HIM, or TRUTH, ultimately...

HIS PURPOSE for creating us, despite that HE KNEW we would fall IS that HIS GRACE, MERCY, and LOVE BE KNOWN, AND FELT, by ALL, and EVERYTHING! We NEED HIM, HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY, and HIS LOVE far more than we realize, especially in this nefarious world, which IS SHOWN, and KNOWN, AS we stumble, suffer, and struggle! Now, some will NEVER be inspired to acknowledge this need; some will figure they have plenty of time to do so; then, there are those who 'get it', and TURN TO HIM FOR THE WAY; THESE ARE those HE WILL SHARE ETERNITY with! NO ONE has an excuse either, for HE HAS placed HIMSELF in all, and everything, THAT HE IS KNOWN, in which case, again, free will proves the heart... 

ROMANS 1: 18-25...
18+++For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 
19+++because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 
20+++For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 
21+++For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22+++Professing to be wise, they became fools, 
23+++and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
24+++Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 
25+++For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

The apostle begins to show that all mankind need the salvation of the gospel, because none could obtain the favour of God, or escape his wrath by their own works. For no man can plead that he has fulfilled all his obligations to God and to his neighbour; nor can any truly say that he has fully acted up to the light afforded him. 

The sinfulness of man is described as ungodliness against the laws of the first table, and unrighteousness against those of the second. The cause of that sinfulness is holding the truth in unrighteousness. All, more or less, do what they know to be wrong, and omit what they know to be right, so that the plea of ignorance cannot be allowed from any.  

Our Creator's invisible power and Godhead are so clearly shown in the works he has made, that even idolaters and wicked Gentiles are left without excuse. They foolishly followed idolatry; and rational creatures changed the worship of the glorious Creator, for that of brutes, reptiles, and senseless images. They wandered from God, till all traces of true religion must have been lost, had not the revelation of the gospel prevented it. For whatever may be pretended, as to the sufficiency of man's reason to discover Divine truth and moral obligation, or to govern the practice aright, facts cannot be denied. And these plainly show that men have dishonoured God by the most absurd idolatries and superstitions; and have degraded themselves by the vilest affections and most abominable deeds. 

We are encompassed in various degrees, and means by an evil which INTENDS to darken our senses, completely, that we are dumb, and numb enough to be shackled to this world, and therefore, denied the TRUTH of our existence, and the pride we cling to as we are influenced, contributes to our constant struggles! THE TRUTH IS THERE for the taking, as IS THE PATH TO THE KINGDOM, yet, here we are, ever tripping, with many being trapped forever... 

2 THESSALONIANS 2: 3-12...
3+++Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessnessa is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 
4+++He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5+++Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
6+++And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 
7+++For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
8+++And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 
9+++The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 
10+++and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
11+++For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 
12+++and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

If errors arise among Christians, we should set them right; and good men will be careful to suppress errors which rise from mistaking their words and actions. We have a cunning adversary, who watches to do mischief, and will promote errors, even by the words of Scripture. 

Whatever uncertainty we are in, or whatever mistakes may arise about the time of Christ's coming, that coming itself is certain. This has been the faith and hope of all Christians, in all ages of the church; it was the faith and hope of the Old Testament saints. All believers shall be gathered together to Christ, to be with him, and to be happy in his presence for ever. We should firmly believe the second coming of Christ; but there was danger lest the Thessalonians, being mistaken as to the time, should question the truth or certainty of the thing itself. 

False doctrines are like the winds that toss the water to and fro; and they unsettle the minds of men, which are as unstable as water.  

It is enough for us to know that our Lord will come, and will gather all his saints unto him. A reason why they should not expect the coming of Christ, as at hand, is given. There would be a general falling away first, such as would occasion the rise of antichrist, that man of sin. 

There have been great disputes who or what is intended by this man of sin and son of perdition. The man of sin not only practices wickedness, but also promotes and commands sin and wickedness in others; and is the son of perdition, because he is devoted to certain destruction, and is the instrument to destroy many others, both in soul and body. As God was in the temple of old, and worshiped there, and is in and with his church now; so the antichrist here mentioned, is a usurper of God's authority in the Christian church, who claims Divine honours.

Something hindered or withheld the man of sin. It is supposed to be the power of the Roman empire, which the apostle did not mention more plainly at that time. Corruption of doctrine and worship came in by degrees, and the usurping of power was gradual; thus the mystery of iniquity prevailed. Superstition and idolatry were advanced by pretended devotion, and bigotry and persecution were promoted by pretended zeal for God and his glory. This mystery of iniquity was even then begun; while the apostles were yet living, persons pretended zeal for Christ, but really opposed him. 

The fall or ruin of the antichristian state is declared. The pure word of God, with the Spirit of God, will discover this mystery of iniquity, and in due time it shall be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming. Signs and wonders, visions and miracles, are pretended; but they are false signs to support false doctrines; and lying wonders, or only pretended miracles, to cheat the people; and the diabolical deceits with which the antichristian state has been supported, are notorious. The persons are described, who are his willing subjects. Their sin is this; They did not love the truth, and therefore did not believe it; and they were pleased with false notions. God leaves them to themselves, then sin will follow of course, and spiritual judgments here, and eternal punishments hereafter.  

These prophecies have, in a great measure, come to pass, and confirm the truth of the Scriptures. This passage exactly agrees with the system of popery, as it prevails in the Romish church, and under the Romish popes. But though the son of perdition has been revealed, though he has opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; and has spoken and acted as if he were a god upon earth, and has proclaimed his insolent pride, and supported his delusions, by lying miracles and all kinds of frauds; still the Lord has not yet fully destroyed him with the brightness of his coming; that and other prophecies remain to be fulfilled before the end shall come. 

The enemy of our LORD is a fool, and those who follow this enemy are as well! ONLY WITH *GOD*, AND KNOWLEDGE, CAN we be brought into our reality! Thus, daily, even hourly, we seek HIM, and learn what HE HAS placed before us, FOR our ability to grow, and the safety of our soul, which IS known, and cared for, via the spiritual being, NOT the flesh! Let us HEED TRUTH, and FOLLOW CHRIST JESUS, our LORD *GOD*, and SAVIOUR, and NOT the confounding, negative, harmful, and dishonest ways of this realm...

We WERE CREATED TO KNOW, and ENJOY THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, HIS KINGDOM, AND ETERNITY; IN PEACE, JOY, and EVERLASTING LOVE! There is NOTHING of this world worth risking this for; NOTHING! You know, it don't come easy, but it IS MORE than beneficial, now and forevermore!!!

LWINSOR © 2018
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS