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Preface: Vol. 11
The apostle Paul exhorts us to continue in the steadfastness of our faith in Christ (the Word).
Col. 2:7 ... Rooted and built up in HIM, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
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As we think on various concepts taught us in the Bible, we water our root system, building our faith on those things that are really true and keeping our faith in God and that which HE says.
In the world, we hear things that would trouble us greatly except for the fact that we ground ourselves in that which God has said, doing those instructions authored by God by HIS Spirit.
The churches today have eliminated so much scripture that we begin to think like them about the Word if we sit among them. Most churches today approve remarriage after divorce. Most churches today will say it is okay if a man marries a divorced woman. This begins to sound reasonable to us unless we keep the doctrine of the Bible in front of us.
Mt. 5:32 ... Jesus said ... But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
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Paul said "perilous times" would come in the last days. (II Tim. 3)
We must renew our minds to scripture ... considering what is true in the sight of God.
We have hope and stability through THE WORD, through prayer, through knowing the Word of God.
For example: Because of II Peter 3, we know that no man will destroy the present earth. We know this heaven and earth will be destroyed in the end by God but no man can ever do this.
Knowing this, why would we ever be caught up in the worries of man concerning such things as the ozone layer or the "Greenhouse" effect? or even by nuclear weapons with some say will destroy the world. It will not be so. God, in HIS time, will cause this present heaven and earth to pass away.
Don't we know the truth?
II Peter 3 ... 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
(No man can do this. Only God can cause this to happen. Do not fret over man.)
13 Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.
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The wrath of God will come to judge this world and those churches who mishandle scripture and change scripture.
I Thess. 5 ... 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 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.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 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.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with HIM.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
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Don't we know that Jesus will come for us to deliver us from that which is coming on this world if we hold fast to the scripture? And not only does Jesus come for us, but when HE comes the dead in Christ will also rise to be with HIM.
I Thess. 4 ... 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with HIM.
15 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 (precede) them which are asleep (dead).
16 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:
17 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
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Those who are still alive on this earth at that time, will be changed from these present physical bodies in the "twinkling of an eye", instantly, immediately ... blink your eyes ... that is how fast this will happen. (I Cor. 15)
And such will be given new bodies which are not subject to the pain of this present flesh ... nor will we have sorrow of any kind ... nor hatred ... nor resentments which are of this flesh.
We will be taken, transported, with them to the "new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness" ... that "new Jerusalem" spoken of by the apostle John in Revelation 21.
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Knowing these truths from the Bible, how can we sorrow as this world sorrows?
How can we rejoice in this present world and seek after this present world as if it is the end of all things? For us it is not the end. We are just passing through this present world as a traveler passes through a foreign country, not getting caught up in their strifes for such does not pertain to him.
And God has made a way through faith in HIM that we can spend our days on this earth "in peace" ... "without spot and blameless" ... when we understand the concepts of God set forth in the New Testament.
Instead of fretting over rulers and governments of men as this world does, we are instructed to pray.
I Tim. 2 ... 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
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When we do the things instructed in Bible and when we believe the concepts of the Bible, we enter into a peace of God this world cannot know.The following exhortations, in this book, are based on concepts given by God to encourage us in ways of God that we might go in ways of God while we live on this present earth.
As Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world," (Jn. 18) ... neither is our kingdom of this world.
When we understand this, so many of those things that once troubled us will not trouble us now.
Joan Boney
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