March 2021 – Past the Surface

I Won’t Forgive You

“I Won’t Forgive You” has such a final atmosphere about it. It has that forever feeling to it. A closed door in your face hearing all the locks being pushed into place while standing there and it feels like rain. Almost, like you have died, been buried, and forgotten becoming no more and non-existent. A very sad and depressing place to have in your mind, heart, and soul. “I Won’t Forgive You” can be spoken words, looks from the eyes, or other body signals conveying the message as your eyes take permanent pictures in your mind of the pain you caused them and your heart goes into sad silence.

“I Won’t Forgive You” comes from family, friends, and even strangers you have hurt, but it also can come from your own heart. The pictures and videos inside your head playing back the memories of the pain you caused over and over beating against you like ocean waves smashing into the rocks. You feel stuck with something that can never be changed no matter how much you wish you could travel back in time.

“I Won’t Forgive You” attacks from the outside and on in the inside and no one can see your thoughts of regrets, repentance, and remorse on the inside. They judge you when they see you with the knowledge of your wrong doings in the front of their mind. You feel like spiritual rocks are flying through the air hitting you with such a hatred force. People hang onto the things you have done with a death grip towards you and you feel so bad that the thought of death would be a good thing because you feel there is nowhere else to go.

Your memories take you back to clearly seeing how you hurt someone really bad. You have many thoughts of how stupid, “why did I not stop“, “why did I not just leave“, “what was I thinking“, and then the replies come to your mind “you were not thinking“, “you wanted to prove a point“, “you had to finish what you started“, and “you were so selfish and who cares about others“. The battlefield in your mind has all the players from judges, witnesses, accusers, and wanna be executioners coming at you in your thoughts. You feel like hell is inside your mind tormenting you before your time.

You find yourself hungry for answers, solutions, or things you could do to make things better. You find yourself always looking around for something solid in your life to grab ahold of to stop the world from spinning around. The outside looks dark and the inside looks dark. Then it hits home “I need help“, but “where do I go“, and “who has the real answers“?

I can’t go to people because I get that same look of disgust, the “I can’t believe it“, or the “I have no clue how you are feeling“. Later on as time goes by, walking past them I can see the knowledge they have of me just below the surface of their face. I know I am looking for a special someone who can look beyond me, what I’ve done, and guide me in the direction of doing better everyday. There is truly only One who has this ability. I’ve got to go to Him.

Have you ever thought about giving God a try? You have tried everything else why not give God a try? What is absolutely amazing is God sees all things and still wants to help us. There are all kinds of people in the Bible God helped. You can find yourself in the Bible in all kinds of ways. God offers a peace that goes beyond all understanding of mankind and will help guard your heart, mind, and soul in Jesus Christ.

“In” Jesus Christ is the key to finding someone who will truly forgive you and take you in as you are. People are on the outside of you and do not know what is truly going on the inside of you. With Jesus it is a two way street of you getting forgiveness and born again experience inside of Him and His Spirit inside of you. A roommate in your soul like no one you have ever known.

Jesus will be patient, kind, and understanding all the days of your life, whereas people will come and go. Jesus will not leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5, Jn. 10:28). Isn’t that cool to have someone who will never leave you? You can say or ask any question in your fellowship with Him and He will guide you to answers in His word to help with whatever you are struggling with when people will not give you the time of day.

If you do give God a try my advice would be to lock yourself into believing God and His word only. When it comes to His word, the Bible, make sure if anyone tells you something Biblically don’t trust them. I know that sounds strange, but if you research it yourself and rings true then your personal effort makes it more of your own between you and God. You know how people are in doing their best and being sincere, but even with their best intentions can be absolutely wrong and fall short of the greater plan of God.

If someone tells you something they say it is of the Bible allow God who is your best friend the chance to show you if it is true or not. Don’t let anyone, ANYONE, get in between you and God. The reason I say this is because people tend to pull scriptures from different areas of the Bible to form a watered down and less than perfect walk with God. You don’t want to take a chance with your soul like that. People are people and God is beyond people because even good people can have the attitude of “I Won’t Forgive You” , God can.

The people who believe God can forgive you, but they cannot are divided within their spirit. They don’t want you around them. They don’t believe over a period of time you could prove to them God has changed you. You would think church people would understand being saved by grace from their own sins. You would think they could relate to a sin filled life and now forgiven. You would think they would be advocates for restoring someone who has sinned, but not all of them are. It is understandable for precautions, but the reaching hand of faith to restore should still be present and trust in a powerful God to take care of things.

CHURCH PEOPLE – Believed To Be

A highly religious person in the church known as a Pharisees invited Jesus to dine with him. This same Jesus who ate with sinners and publicans. When they were both reclined at the table a woman had came in behind them. She went straight to Jesus with her head down over his feet. Her heart was breaking and the tears began to flow as she watched her tears drip upon the feet of Jesus. Each tear had in it “I’m sorry“, “I’m sorry“. The tears began to saturate his feet making them wet. She knelt down using the only thing she had, which was the hair of her head to wipe the feet of Jesus. Each strokes of her hair wiping away the dirt had “forgive me“, “forgive me“. She started kissing his feet with “God has come“, “God has come“. She anointed His feet with the perfume she brought with her believing “salvation has come“, “salvation has come” (Is. 52:7). This was a powerful thing for her to do. Her beaten down sin filled life did not feel worthy of anything higher than the dirt on Jesus feet.

The actual scripture: Luke 7:36 “Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.” v37 “And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume,” v38 “and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.”

The highly religious church leader saw this woman doing what she was doing “…said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:39) People see the outside of us and judge us, but they do not see the inside of us – God does. Simon had the attitude towards the woman “I Won’t Forgive You“, you sinner and Jesus should know better.

I SEE HER – DO YOU SEE HER?

The religious leader knew who she was. He knew what kind of sins she was committing in the city. He could see the woman crying her tears onto Jesus feet. He could see her kneel down wiping Jesus feet with her hair. He could see her kissing his feet while applying the perfume to Jesus feet. He was seeing a sinner woman touching Jesus that he would say for himself, “don’t touch me you sinner“, but he could not believe or accept a man of God such as Jesus not coming to the same conclusion that this woman is a vile sinner like he did.

We see people on the outside every day. We have seen people play games and deceive others that they have changed just to slide back into their old habits, which forms a distrust or doubt. We do not see like Jesus sees. We could even give people the benefit of the doubt and let them prove over time they have changed, but some like the church going Biblically educated leader Simon could only see the forever unforgivable sinner woman.

LET ME HELP YOU SEE

We all need help in seeing the truth about others and ourselves. We are surface watchers of body language and word listeners. God always wants to help us to see past the surface of all things, but it is a natural reaction of the flesh to judge to quickly and not allow the Spirit of God to show us first.

And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both.” “So which of them will love him more?” Luke 7:40-42.

Simon the Pharisees locked onto the parable Jesus was telling and not thinking of the woman crying onto Jesus feet, wiping them with her hair of her head, kissing, and applying the perfume to them. He focused on the two people who owed money to this bank. One of them owed 500 and the other 50. The two people were doing their best to pay their debts, which was beyond both of them to pay. The one who owed 500 had to confess to the banker he could not pay it. The banker had mercy and forgave his debt of 500. The other one went to the banker and said he could not pay the 50 and the banker forgave him also of his 50. Which one left the banker’s building loving him more for his forgiveness? Which one do you feel like the 50 or the 500? Which one of the debtors remind you of Simon and the other the woman with Jesus being the banker?

ARE WE ON THE SAME PAGE?

Simon was not sure where this was going, but the logical answer was, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” Jesus said to him, “You have judged correctly.” (Luke 7:43). We all have at one time or another owed something to someone. Money is a common thing in life to owe someone along with other things. We all have experienced the in debt feeling. Some have known it more stronger than others. The answer was clear, the one who was deeper in debt would love the banker more.

NOW THE TRANSITION

Jesus turning to the woman having Simon to follow his gaze said, “Do you see this woman?” Simon saw this woman enter in with tears dripping, hair wiping, lips kissing, and perfume applying to Jesus feet a sinner in the city that everyone knows. Jesus applied another view into Simon’s mind of the two debtors owing money one with 500 and the other 50 as the banker forgave them both. Simon now has two visions in his mind side by side. The woman he saw physically and the two debtors he saw mentally. Now, the transition of understanding merging as one.

This was a custom of that day Jesus was about to remind Simon when you invite someone to your house with all the dust and dirty roads. Jesus said, “I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.” v45 “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.” v46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.” Luke 7:44-46.

Simon, are you seeing the two debtors? Does Simon have less love of the 50 and the woman has the greater love of the 500? Did Simon cherish Jesus as much as the woman did? People judge other people today without seeing the whole picture or even giving them a chance to know the whole truth. People judge from a 50 debt perspective upon someone else who has lived a 500 hundred in debt life.

We need to allow God to speak to us the transition and the merging of truth to see past the “I Won’t Forgive You“. The bottom line is God loves you and me beyond the understanding of man. Why should we let mankind stop us from crying at the feet of Jesus on our own terms, humbly wiping His feet, kissing His feet for not stomping us with judgment, and pouring anointed oil of perfume in gratitude we have not been kicked to the street like others have done us?

Do you see how important it is to have a personal walk with God and His word. There are all kinds of things in this world constantly wanting to get in between us and God to tare us down. There are all kinds of things that want us to let down our guard and accept a lesser walk with God attempting to wedging between God and us proclaiming it is no big deal.

SEE AS GOD SEES

You are about to step inside the eye sight of God towards us. When all others say, “I Won’t Forgive You” this is how God sees you. At this point does anyone else’s opinion matter greater than God Almighty? No!

Jesus said to Simon, v47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.“

The power of your gratitude and humbleness decides the depth and strength of your love towards God. Simon was living a pleasant life with a daily routine of acceptance, while the woman was living a life of “I Won’t Forgive You” you filthy sinner. You can safely unleash your love towards God without being embarrassed. With God the sins in your life is no laughing matter, but needs the attention of forgiveness.

Jesus focused on the woman, v48 “Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” v49 “Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

When God speaks we must hear Him past people and mankind’s opinion. Mankind will box God into small and limited ideals that fits between man’s ears. This is why the “I Won’t Forgive You” comes into play in this world. Now, the people were looking at Jesus questioning sins being forgiven. Jesus was a man who had God inside him healing people, casting out devils, and raising people from the dead. “…Who is this man…” was answered daily by his actions just like this woman was judged by her daily actions, but God forgave her.

v50 “And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” The amazing part here is no matter the size of your sin your faith trusting God is greater. Her faith was not wasted, cast aside, or even mocked, but cherished by God. No matter who may say, “I Won’t Forgive You” God will say, “I Will Forgive You“. Salvation was not yet given at the time of this woman because Jesus had not paid the sin debt with his blood, death, burial, and resurrection, but it was on its way.

NO ONE ELSE WILL – I WILL

The activation day of the plan of salvation started in Acts 2:37 when the people asked, what should they do? Peter told them to v38 “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Peter had already received the Holy Spirit speaking in another language he had not learned, which is what got all their attention in the first place. v39 Peter told them this plan of salvation is a promise for them and their children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.

God knows to be truly and completely forgiven it takes His blood and His Spirit that He created and placed in Jesus. God knows His blood can wash away any sin and His Spirit can guide you through any troubles life may throw at you. No matter the “I Won’t Forgive You” that you face in life God will love you beyond what any person could ever do in this world. He can go places inside our hearts that no person could ever go and what better person to trust than God.

Trust God right now like that woman and enter into His presences as she did into that house with a repented heart professing and releasing all your sins she ever committed at the feet of Jesus. Commit yourself to being baptized in Jesus name in water baptism to wash away all your sins and seek Him to fill you with the power of His Holy Spirit like He started on that day in Acts chapter 2. God has not changed nor has His plan of salvation from that day with Peter to our present day, only mankind has changed.

Repenting – I surrender to you God – I can’t do it alone – I believe in You, God – I worship You, God

Water Baptism – Jesus Name – Applies the Blood of the Lamb of God – washing away all sins – Born of Water

Holy Spirit – Mind/heart/Soul on God – Trusting His Spirit – Speak as He gives the words – Born of Spirit

It takes the living power of God’s blood in Jesus to pay the debt of sin for death and God’s Spirit in Jesus to guide us into how we ought to be and all truth about God, ourselves, and the world around us. Man will always fail us and some will have in their heart the “I Won’t Forgive You” just stay away from me and mine, but God will take you into his home where you will NEVER be alone. Don’t live for God through a man or a woman on earth, but live for God directly through your relationship with Him and His word.

As a man walking towards God we must accept the doors people close could be a door God opens or we may find ourselves on the other side of that closed door asking God to let us in and forgive us of our quick judgments. Just as this woman committed sins known throughout the city, we who are on this spiritual path to change must work on helping to restore those with a spirit of understanding and gentleness touched with their infirmities like Christ did for all of us. It is a mature thing and a level of spirituality with God to truly bear one another’s burdens. It takes God’s help into changing us into a people who fulfills the law of Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:1).

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

I Love You More

Life is full of struggles and challenges. We all have different levels of encounters, environments, and relationships. We can all agree life has been like a roller coaster ride with the ups and downs. Life has had those moments of the slow clicking sound going higher and that brief moment at the top of gazing around with the sudden drop falling downward as things become a blur around you. We find ourselves rushing forward on a level plain then suddenly a twist in our path flips us upside down and around confusing as to what just happened.

Do you remember the first lie when you discovered the real truth and on how you felt at that moment? The roller coaster of feeling angry with a few moments passing by then suddenly the “I can’t believe it” takes over. The ride is not over cycling through many other feelings. The lie was such a slap in the face.

Do you remember the biggest betrayal moment that stands out above the rest? Again, the barrage of the different feelings coming in like a bombardment from the ski while a deep feeling within you of a volcano is forming at the same time. Our memories fill with such discuss, shame, unbelief, anger, and desires of revenge with some kind of payback to those who did us wrong. How does the “I Love You More” blossom in these moments?

I believe you are like me in growing up collecting all these bad things storing them away inside yourself forming walls like a castle around your heart, mind, and soul lining up the walls with weapons of words to hurl back at anyone who approaches with ill intent. Your eyes and ears are alert watching and listening for any signs of evil intentions. The ‘being used‘ and the ‘embarrassment‘ causes you to live a life of distrust, disbelief of any good without a catch, and a “yeah, right” sarcasm.

Some of us have been on the naïve side, the ignorant side, and the innocent side having bad things done to us in stealing away what good things we had replacing them with the “dog eat dog” and the hard look in our eyes pushing us to the other side of being mean, hateful, full of strife, and many other dark feelings.

I don’t know how far you have gone into this dark world, but I found out the hard way my feelings of darkness towards others was hurting me more on the inside then it was them who had moved on forgetting about what they had done to me to someone else. I did not realize I had a cancer in my spirit slowly killing my mind, heart, and soul in this short life we live daily. Things can be under our own nose.

In the darkest moment in my life. I heard God’s voice whisper to my spirit, “you have tried everything else why not try Me?” I knew He was right. I had to agree with Him. So, I decided I would give Him a chance at my life, but it was going to be Him and I only. I had seen my fair share of people claiming to be Christians, but they cursed, lied, and did other hateful things I knew God did not approve.

I started this journey with God and His Bible asking Him questions without any fear. If He was going to be my friend and I was going to be His it had to be real and straight up far from any of the relationships I had on this earth. I asked Him about anger, revenge, jealousy, envy, drinking, love, hate, partying, lies, words, thoughts, and the list goes on. I did not rely upon man (preachers, teachers, and other leaders) to explain God to me. I would listen to people, but I would not believe anything they said because I did not want them to get between me and God and I wanted it to match God’s word. People have a tendency of pulling scriptures from different areas to form their beliefs without challenging them to be in harmony of the rest of the Bible forming a man made religion.

What does any of this have to do with “I Love You More“? Walking and talking with God not only saves your soul from darkness and death, but fills you with understanding, perception, and wisdom about yourself and life here on earth, which also includes heaven. I stayed with God through the roller coaster rides of emotions looking to Him to explain and help. This is what started the “I Love You More” than ever before.

When I hear hateful words being thrown around towards me or others I breathe “I Love You More“, God. I am hearing the prison of hatred in those words that use to be mine. The best actors are not in Hollywood, but among us in our work places, homes, and community. When I find out someone is a player acting out a false outward characteristic thankfulness comes over me with “I Love You More“, God. It reminds me how I went to the dark side for revenge playing a part just to get what I thought was a justified payback.

A smiling face with perfectly and well placed words in conversations leads you to believe a commonality between you and them with the realization they were stabbing you in the back with others makes me say, “I Love You More” God than ever before. My years of walking with God/Jesus Christ and His Word, I have found He will never back stab me with others.

I can see into others now with God’s help. I can see such anger and bitterness eating people alive inside their spirit like it did me, which causes me to be grateful saying, “I Love You More“. I had no escape from my prison of darkness of anger, revenge, jealousy, envy, sex, drinking, love, hate, partying, lies, instigating words, corrupt thoughts, and the list goes on until the day God said, “You have tried everything else, try Me?“

Now, I am older my spirit cannot help, but say, “I Love You More” God more than ever before. I can see freely everyday at work, at home, out in public, and when I watch the news to say, “I Love You More” God more than ever before. He is a refuge beyond the highest words you can think of expressing thankfulness and gratitude. It is absolutely wonderful to have a place you can go knowing it does not change and it is always meant for the good in your life. God has always been for the people unselfishly.

It breaks my heart to see people walking around in their fleshly prison deceived by their own selfish ideas and the voices of the other people who are not any better off than them. Looking to God beyond mankind and His word gives you a born again freedom, relief in understanding and a peace of wisdom allowing the spiritual sight of the realization. He has the words of eternal life and where else can we go to escape this dark prison of lies, hence the “I Love You More“.

“I Love You More” God, I can always come to You in my thoughts, in my heart, and in my soul finding You with open arms of Love tenderly guiding me without harsh judgments, name calling, and being treated as stupid. Sadness comes over me when I see the conditions of others. I cannot help, but say, “I Love You More” God because there goes me if it were not for You.

I read about people in the Bible from the beginning to the end who lock themselves into their own thinking is right leaving no room to ask questions and avoid all things of truth presented to them. We see this today beside us, in the news, governments, and around the world. I look to heaven and say, “I Love You More” than ever before. I am glad God told me to have no fear in questioning things. If they are of 100% truth then there should be no worries of it standing tall when being questioned.

God’s answers are pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be given, easy to be received, full of mercy, and full of good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy (Ja. 3:17). To have someone in this world with these characteristics makes me so thankful that I cannot help, but say, “I Love You More” God than ever before. What is also so very cool is that God does not change and He is consistently looking out for us.

The best thing anyone could ever do is to start a personal journey with God and His word not holding anything of this world over God. Don’t let a person, tradition, or attitude of “this is the way we have always done it” control your walk with God. There is a fullness to reach in God while there is breath in your body in this life that will cause you to say, “I Love You More” God.

“I Love You More” is constantly seeing my past in the lives of others with sadness in my heart towards them and gratitude towards God for not giving up on me. I want to help them as God has helped me with only a few who may listen and others are to deep into their darkness wanting things by their own power, which is not enough. The rest of the reading is how I developed my “I Love You More” God than ever before. My heart overflows that God would love someone like me. Thank you for reading this article.

I was raised in a certain denominational church, but I only was attending and not truly in it. All the knowledge I had was from their perspective and never researched God’s word myself while living an evil life. The day I answered God’s call to “try Me” was the day I locked myself into giving God a try and testing His word personally. I am thankful for the denomination teaching me God existed and the knowledge was not wasted.

I am thankful God let me know it was alright to question for the purpose of knowledge. God has no fear of our questions and wanting to understand from His word. Knowing is one of God’s highest desires for us. Knowing Him directly makes us solid against soothsaying words of people and ulterior motives of others. Having knowledge from God past the surface of this world makes me say, “I Love You More” God. Seeing beyond the surface of myself and around me is a glorious revelation only God can give and everything else is shallow and limited.

Having an open mind to God and His word is to have a pure examining and testing system to keep you on the right path in this life to the life eternal to come (2 Cor. 13:5). Thank you, “I Love You More” than I did in the beginning. I found a man in the Bible that I can somewhat relate to having an open mind to God’s word directly and not to mankind’s piecing together doctrines for us to accept and blindly follow.

There was a man named Apollos whose knowledge was thorough in the Old Testament of the Bible. He was a great speaker explaining the Bible. He heard John the Baptist teaching and with his knowledge of the Old Testament connected to prophetic truth of what John was saying to be true. This man started explaining fervently the scriptures about Jesus that John the Baptist was teaching, but this is all the knowledge he had at the present time. He was not familiar with what happened to the disciples of Jesus in Acts chapter 2. I had only the knowledge of the denomination. It is all I had until I started really reading for myself.

Two people heard him teaching and took him aside telling him about things after John the Baptist and the continuance of Jesus in more details. This educated man had an open mind, but it had to connect with the scriptures. He saw the details to be the way of God more perfectly and accurately taking in the more truth into his heart, mind, and soul (Acts 18:24-28; 19:1-7).

I know this made him feel the “I Love You More” God because I am seeing You more than ever before. I never knew I was putting God in a box with closed in 4 walls of thinking and believing. I did not know we as mankind say God is only this or that when the box is truly the limit in our minds and not in God. I had heard the Bible is God’s living word, but I did not give Him much room of living outside the box of man’s thinking. For Him to be truly God called by us is open ourselves that He can do all things and has done them.

I was working at an amusement park on my lunch break and a coworker I did not know discerned I was a a follower of the Bible and Jesus. He said to me “did you know no one in the entire Bible was baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?“. I knew he was referring the Matthew 28:19. He went onto say, “They only baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins“. I did not know the scripture he was speaking of, but I was opened minded to searching for it myself. I finished my lunch and went back to work. For the next several days and nights I talked with God and searched the Bible.

My love for God was stronger than any man’s words. So, I started talking to God and searching His word on my own because this was personal. Just like Apollos, the educated man I spoke of earlier, I found all kinds of scriptures of Jesus name baptism and none according to Matthew 28:19 of which I was baptized for the purpose of a public profession.

When you come into greater understandings of God it increases the flame of love towards Him in the light of seeing outside the box you had put Him in. The closer you get to God the more you understand Him, yourself, and others. “I Love You More” when You take away the blindness and one of the 4 walls that I had put You in. I guess now in my mind it does not make sense to call Him God and limit Him.

I had to admit there was no recorded record of anyone being baptized in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Ghost (Mtt. 28:19). Also, it was not Biblically for a public profession of your faith, but a baptism in the name of Jesus for the removing, washing away, and forgiveness of sins. He was right what he told me, but I still had to confirm myself with God and His word. It makes you more solid when you do it yourself.

Now, what do I do with this knowledge I found by my own searching God’s word and my own talking with God not believing what he had told me. It actually made me more hungry to understand more from God’s word and not this guy. I trusted God more than I did people because that is the world I came from when God saved me and started me on His path of truth. You can see now the core development forming in my heart as to why I say, “I Love You More” God everyday.

They ‘why‘ became very clear as I read about the lambs in the Old Testament sacrificed to put sins off for another year only to be repeated over and over because it was temporary fix for an eternal problem. Jesus, the man, came as the Lamb Of God to take away the sins of the world. The blood of the Lamb Of God was in Jesus. Jesus the man was the one who was made sin for us on the cross (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus the man was the one who could die. Jesus the man was the one brought back to life. You can’t kill God for He is a Spirit.

Ah, so that is ‘why‘ the apostles only baptized in Jesus name to apply the blood of forgiveness that is in the only name “…given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). I was missing one of THE most powerful understandings from God and His word. I never saw it until someone questioned and challenged me about God’s word. I want to know God, personally. I don’t want to live through a preacher, a church or anyone else for God. Putting a person or a people between you and God will lead to disaster because people are flesh and will fail you, but not God. I want to live through God directly and personally.

I still had to understand within myself Jesus telling his apostles in Matthew 28:19 to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost“. My mind was asking God did the apostles disobey You from Mtt. 28:19 and Acts 2:38? Is this a controversy in the Bible? Can they both be right?

Never be afraid to ask questions because you are fulfilling God’s desire for you to know. There should be no fear or frustration in asking questions about truth because if it is truth it will stand up from Genesis to Revelations, the beginning and the end of God’s word.

I understand the blood of the Lamb Of God being inside the name of Jesus, but what about Mtt. 28:19? Then God began to show me in His word. The scripture said, “…in the name…“, which was the most simplest understanding I could see name is singular and not plural, names. Father is not a name, but a title of a position as well as the Son and the Holy Ghost. I am a father, a son, and a husband, but these are titles and not my personal name. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are titles of three different times God was involved with His creations. Jesus is a name just like when you sign a document you put your name and not your title. It is a Bible common sense, but it is not so common among most denominations. So, you would never hear about it.

Jesus is the name of the Father because he said, “I have come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not…” (Jn. 5:43). The “…ye receive me not…“got my attention also about my personal relationship with God. Of course, as far as the name of the Son is a no brainer because that is what the angel told them to name him when he was born (Mtt. 1:21). The name of the Holy Ghost comes to us through the name of Jesus (Jn. 14:26). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are all covered and represented in the name of Jesus for mankind.

There was no controversy between Mtt. 28:19 and Acts 2:38. The Apostles did listen to Jesus and did what he commanded them. Also, Mtt. 28:19 was before salvation started and Acts 2 is when the born again of the water and the spirit experience started. There is no other book outside the book of Acts has the exact plan and steps of salvation. The gospels are the biographies of Jesus and the other books known as epistles are letters to already saved Christians. I have found the books of the Bible point to key events and fulfillments in other books just like John the Baptist preached make way for the coming of the Lord.

There was another part to Mtt. 28:19 that caught my attention. Jesus was talking directly to his apostles and not us today at that moment. After Jesus said 28:19 Jesus locked in all of us to “…observe all that I ‘( I being Jesus)‘ commanded you ‘(you being the apostles)‘…“. Everyone of us are to observe/keep/guard/watch over what Jesus commanded the apostles. A simple question I asked myself and God where did the apostles start? It all started in the book of Acts, especially in chapter 2. I always treated the book of Acts as a dead church history book and not a part of God’s living word. Wow, how much I have missed by my own box in thinking of God. “I Love You More” God than ever before.

A person cannot help, but have that feeling of “I Love You More” God. I don’t want to box God into my thinking or anyone else. I want God to be Himself totally. Now, I am standing before God, His word, and my best friend with this knowledge. What am I to do about it? Again, I love God and His word above the words of people. I don’t live for God through a person or a church. I live for God through God and His word directly. I made up my mind before God. I was rebaptized in the name of Jesus applying the blood of the Lamb Of God that is in that name for the removal, washing away, and forgiveness of all my past sins according to Acts 2:38. It is the born of water part of salvation and not a public profession only.

Now, if water baptism in Acts chapter 2 verse 38 is real then receiving the power of the infilling of the Holy Ghost must be real also because verse 39 says it is for generations and all that are a far off as many as the Lord our God shall call. I am afar off. You are afar off and God does not change. It could be for us. It is for us. It is the born again experience

The “I Love You More” is seeing people like myself who were in such bitterness, hatred, and darkness. The “I Love You More” is also walking among the religious people seeing the bondage of traditions of man, twisting God’s word to fit their desires, and the devil masking himself as an angel of light and righteousness. You can see in this life from both sides of gray light and darkness the true light of God’s direct truth shinning brightly if you ask, seek, and knock (Mtt. 7:7) for God’s word and fellowship to answer.

All things good or bad in this life pushes me everyday to say, “I Love You More” God in gratitude to be alive in Him. Thank you for everything. I would encourage you to examine, ask questions, seek and knock on God’s door for direct answers from Him and His word. First go after Him to be born again of the water and the spirit like Jesus said in John chapter 3 pointing to Acts 2:38. May God bless you and your fellowship grow sweeter everyday causing you to say, “I Love You More” God.

I Love You, God

When man will not forgive me and You will “I love you, God“. You know I am sorry with all my being, yet no one will forgive me, but you did – “I love you, God“. No matter if I wish with all my heart to go back in time to change my awful actions. It does not matter to the people around me how I feel, but with You seeing inside of me You still care – “I love you, God“.

All the hatred that I am due, I understand, but the not giving You a chance God of what you have done in my life breaks my heart. God, you don’t deserve the lack of faith for the change you have truly made in my life. The pains I have caused haunt me everyday and I know people will never forget holding it before my face as long as I live. I will still reap what I have sown, but I am off that path and on my way of sowing good seeds and I owe it all to You -“I love you, God“.

It is my fault to seek acceptance from man when I have sinned and done wrong. God, you will give me time when no one will give me the time of day – “I love you, God“. I want to have friends with others like you have friended me. I want them to see what You have done with the awful mess I made in life. I see in their eyes rejection and “I will never accept you” glares from their facial expressions. “I love you, God“

God, you are the only one who cared to take the time and look deep inside to my desperate desire to find satisfaction and happiness in this life. I am just another sack of flesh to them that they don’t care about. I feel lonely on the outside, but I am glad I at least have You Lord on the inside talking to me with Your scriptures and Your Spirit. I cannot say how much “I love you, God“.

I try to work with people, but I can tell they don’t want to work with me. Thank you, God for helping me when no one else will. “I love you, God” for looking past my rough edges helping me one day at a time to smooth out those edges. I would like for others to be brothers with me in the growing process of learning to do right, but I know at least I have You Lord – “I love you, God“.

It was strange when I was doing wrong I felt like I was in a crowd resisting, fighting, and playing the games. I know now I was in a crowd doing darkness, but now because of my sins being forgiven and I am trying to walk in Your light and I feel alone in a crowd who do not understand the depths of my sin. The only encouragement I have is You, Lord. I am not alone. I have You, Jesus, in my mind, heart, and soul. Your daily fellowship is the essences of my life. I cannot live without you. I have nowhere else to go because you have the words of eternal life for me to hear. “I love you, God“

LUKE 18:10-14

I see today a version of this parable of the two men praying. People today, just like the Pharisee write people off as no good, never trust them, and do not go around them even though God has forgiven them and saved them from their past. Time means nothing to them in allowing a level of trust to develop, but Your patience is beyond my understanding. “I love you, God“

One man had been in church so long that he had acquired a position and a high status in the church forgetting what God had done for him. The other man had lived a much harder life and was more thankful from where God had brought him from.

As I have stood at work and at church people have been looking down at me while they continue to not look closely at the pains and sorrow God has brought me through. They do not put their feet in my shoes seeing and hearing the positions of wrong doings I have had in my life seeing the greatness of God’s mercy and grace. Compassion only stops at their door or by their personal choice.

They look down their noses judging me with gladness they were not like me including extortioners, unjust, and adulterers. I see how their daily routines and their giving tithes have lulled their flesh into a better than you attitude. Their status makes them feel rich with plenty of goods and a need for nothing all the while the lies of their flesh leaves them miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Rev. 3:17) from the goodness of God. Help me to see clearly the truth, Lord. “I love you, God“

When I stand in church or home praying to You. God, I feel so unworthy of Your goodness. My head hangs down with my eyes looking at the ground continually in shame for the sinner that I am. All the seeds that I have sown of evil reminds me everyday of how unworthy I am. I cannot, but help beat my chest for Your mercy and grace to help a sinner like me. “I love you, God“

I cannot say enough everyday of how much “I love you, God“. Thank you for telling us in our low humble state you will raise us for no man would take a chance on us like You did. Why do I look for others to accept me when I know they have judged me already? There is no redemption in the people of this world, but only in the one man Jesus Christ within whom the fullness of God dwells (Col. 2:9).

“I love you, God” for all Your wisdom You share with me. I want to know, perceive, and understand Your wisdom that comes from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be given to others, full of mercy and good fruits, without having partiality, and without hypocrisy (Ja. 3:17). I would be stupid without You, Lord. “I love you, God“.

Nobody cares to work on me like You do, God. I look to You as my Savior, my best Friend, and my refuge. “I love you, God” because You were the only One that would touch my filthy heart and my dark soul. You helped me to start all over again. “I love you, Jesus“. “I love you, Jesus“. “I love you, Jesus“.

Thank you, God for bringing real and true laughter back into my life. I can feel the full warm sunshine inside my heart. Thank you, for being there when my consciousness woke up to all the evil I had done crying all the tears of sorrow for my stupidity. I may not find kind eyes from mankind, but I am glad there is tenderness of mercy and understanding in yours.

I will have to pay in this world what I owe for the things I have done (you reap what you sow, Gal. 6:7 ), but I will not have to pay the price of eternity in the flames of hell. I deserve my punishment here on earth, but I am glad you gave me a second chance. “I love you, Jesus”

“I love you, God” for hearing my prayers, listening to my dreams, and loving me when no one else will. I hope some day I could live life long enough to bring real honor and glory to your holy name. I may fail in winning mankind over to believing I am born again, but as long as I please You everyday as much as I can I will be satisfied with such a worthy goal.

For all of you who relate to being with people, but yet alone. I want to encourage you to accept God into your life. He is THE best roommate inside your body you could ever have. For the many years darkness was my roommate lying to me, deceiving me, using me, abusing me and converting me into sowing seeds of revenge, hatefulness, lies, stealing, and destructiveness in many other forms. I can tell you that the warm sunshine of God’s Spirit and the fellowship of His word makes everyday a beautiful day in spite of what comes your way.

It is easy to let God in your life because He is a loving Father just waiting on you to give Him a chance. You have tried everything else why not try God? Get you a Bible or open a Bible app to Acts chapter 2. From the very beginning you will read the power of God’s love pouring out on sinners such as you and I. He has power in His Spirit to transform your spirit and God has never changed that power to this day.

The people were praying and the room was filled with His presences. Do you want a real encounter with God? Do you want something to knock the darkness of drugs/alcohol/wrong doings right out of your life? Do you want something to take control of your out of control temper? Do you want no more playing around with fake surface positive thinking empty words? Then here is your chance.

Start talking to God with your own words straight from your heart repenting of all the things you have done. Empty them out to Him because He will take them up off of you accepting your made up mind of wanting a second chance and clean slate to start over with. Have faith in Him He will fill the air around you and upon you with His powerful presences. When you feel this the process of forgiveness is set into motion. Allow the power of God’s Spirit to fill you up, deep inside, until it overflows through the top of your mouth allowing Him to speak through you words of praise you cannot form in your own language.

If you are not filled with the Holy Ghost hearing the utterance of God the first time praying then go ahead with the other part of being baptized in water in Jesus name for the removing of all your sins. There is no greater name to remove all your sins than Jesus. The blood of Lamb of the Almighty God is inside that name of Jesus. No sin you have committed can remain against that name of Jesus.

It is three simple steps for us to allow God to save us and start the bran new life in Him. We repent (sorry for) and turn away from our sins, be submerged in water baptism in Jesus name applying the blood of forgiveness washing away all our sins, and receiving the powerful gift of the Holy Ghost. Then the greatest journey in this life begins with God as your roommate.

Acts Chapter 2 – How to be Saved

1 “…they were all with one accord in one place. v2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. v3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. v4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. v38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. v39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.“

If God wants you to have this would you want it? I am glad I told God if He wants to give this to me I will gladly receive it from Him. Where else can we go that offers this powerful acceptance? May you enjoy exploring God through the revelations of truth He will share with you daily.

How to Receive the Holy Ghost

The first thing to do is to have a concrete scriptural understanding about God’s gift of the Holy Ghost that He promised to pour out upon mankind. Why is it so important you may ask? It is because the devil, your flesh, and others around you may challenge you into doubting and possibly discouraging you. Is doubting God not the tactic the devil uses against mankind? Did the devil cause Eve to doubt about God’s words of warning about the tainted and mixed with sin fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Did not the devil try to cause Jesus to doubt and twist God’s word from its true meaning in the desert of fasting 40 days?

The first solid foundation to have in your mind and heart is ‘God said it‘. You see God knows what He is giving you by the infilling of His Spirit more than you realize. He wants to live inside your body, mind, heart, and with your Spirit more than you want because He knows He can really help you. He loves you so much and wants you to have all the tools you need to return to Him in heaven avoiding the hell He created for the devil and his angels, but not for you. God is the best roommate you will ever have inside your body sharing this life with you and the one to come after you leave this world.

Lock your mind and heart upon believing God when He said in Joel chapter two in verse twenty-eight “…that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:” He goes onto say that His Spirit will also fall upon servants and handmaids, which is for all bond or free when it comes to receiving His Spirit. God is powerful and nothing less.

The out pouring of His Spirit is a promise from God. How strong are the promises of God? Does God have a limit when it comes to His Spirit? Just saying, “God, who was inside of Jesus” provokes the most powerful being in all existences. He promised a son to be born to save us from our sins, which is the physical side to pay the debt of sin and judgment of sin. He promised the Spirit of His son to guide us into all truth and understandings of His word with sweet divine fellowship once again with our Father.

Jesus being born combined the flesh of mankind and the vessel for God’s Holy Spirit to dwell in (Col. 2:9). You and I were meant to receive the Holy Ghost from God and the forgiveness of sins all in one package through Jesus. This is why Jesus said to Nicodemus in the Gospel John chapter 3, “…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.“, “…Except a man be born of water AND of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” This born again experience started in Acts chapter 2 combining the flesh price for sin and the Spirit of Jesus inheritance for all of mankind.

You and I were meant to be freed from the death judgment of sin through the blood of Jesus and to be true sons of God lead by His Spirit just like He did Jesus. “v4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: v5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4. See how powerful He loves us. Take His word into your heart and see life changing experience beyond words.

God’s promise of His Spirit has no end while man exists upon this earth and all things to be fulfilled in His word. Ask yourself where is the scripture that says God stopped pouring out His Spirit like in Acts chapter two? There are no scripture(s) that exist saying God stopped and changed His born again of the water and of the Spirit salvation for mankind.

God’s promise of water baptism in Jesus name and the infilling of the gift of the Holy Ghost to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as He shall call (Acts2:39) has never ceased. On this first day of God pouring out of His Spirit and water baptism He had Peter under His divine anointing to remind everyone, even for us today, of the scripture and the sure foundation, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;“, which explains God keeps His promises no matter the length of time to man He is still the Same.

Peter goes onto say under God’s anointing, “v17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: v18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” (Acts 2) God has never stopped His plan of salvation for all of mankind. Don’t let anyone tell you the book of Acts is a dead history book. What part of God is dead? It is the living word of God.

How to Receive the Holy Ghost

Okay, first off read and pray with God personally. We are all different, but the one thing in common is the personal fellowship you start with God. This is a journey you must purpose in your heart to seek after Him yourself. God wants to walk with you personally and the rest of us will be in common with you later. Let the sunshine of happiness rise in your heart to feel after God and you will find Him sooner than you think because He is right there with you (Acts 17:27) and not far off at all.

None of us, mankind, truly realize the depth that we are alive in Him, move in Him, and have our solid being in Him (Acts 17:28), but we are seeking for Him to live, move, and have His being inside of us freely. We want our spirit to be free. If God wants you to have something would you want it? “If You want me to have it God, then I want it“, should be your heart beat towards the Holy Ghost in the scriptures, even though your flesh tells you otherwise. Don’t listen to your flesh of not being worthy because it will never be a Christian, only your spirit and God decides who receives His gift – upon all flesh.

STEP ONE – SCRIPTURES

First have all the scriptures you can find about God’s promises and how He has not changed (Heb.. 13:8) just like Jesus had scriptures for the devil in the wilderness. Get God’s word/scriptures in yourself because His word inside of you has been sent forth to you and you received them with belief and His word inside you will not return to Him empty, but His Word shall accomplish inside you His good pleasure of salvation, and your spirit will prosper because of His word (Is. 55:11). His scriptures are rock solid just for you to be saved. They are focused on your second chance at life. No one can win against God’s word, but only to fulfill it (2 Cor. 13:8).

STEP TWO – FOCUS

Focus on God in your mind, heart, and soul. Just you and God blocking out all others and all things. Talk to him straight up and pour yourself in complete trust out to Him. He will not betray you, turn away from you, back stab you, or leave you. He will come closer to you as you open yourself up to Him. This is the time you are opening up your spirit to Him. Do not rush yourself or put an expectancy of time on God. The breaking of your spirit under the weight of sins takes time to repent of them with a determination of wanting God and to never go back to the way you were. Cherish the moments you are spiritually walking towards His loving light with open arms knowing your redemption is nigh.

STEP THREE – LOVE

Love God with not just your words, but your heart and soul surrendering at the same time allowing Him to slowly come upon you saturating His presence around you and upon you. Raise your hands to him in a humble surrendering fashion when you know the time is right in your heart. You will feel a mighty presence and a glory you know all knees will bow to this Holy presence, but realize He is there, right now, just for you. God’s Spirit is all around you and upon you all the while you are praying out loud of repentance to Him and of His promises, you are focused upon Him only, and loving Him with all your mind, heart, and soul. It is time to allow His Spirit to soak into your spirit filling up your inside with His glory. The best part is about to happen and you will never be the same.

As you are feeling God’s presences in your praying, praising, and surrendering a build-up of Holy Ghost glory grows deep inside you starting a flowing upward feeling. You are wanting to speak words matching the glory you feel building, but it is beyond you and it is the time to let God speak for you with the utterance you fall short on expressing. It is a springing up (Jn. 4:14) and overflowing praise only God can speak if you will allow Him to use the most unruly member of our bodies – the tongue (Ja. 3:8).

This is the final seal of the contract with God in being born of the Spirit allowing and trusting Him to speak through you things beyond any man’s teaching. This is the power of God’s salvation in redeeming your spirit from death unto life by His quickening Spirit. Allow God to convert your fleshly words into the fluency of His Spirit praises you could never say without Him. Once you allow God to speak with your tongue, which is a sign to your own hearing you have received His Holy Spirit just like they did in the book of Acts. Let God flow as long as you like because He never runs out and drink deeply as long as you want. Your spirit and His Spirit have now become one. You have the greatest roommate you could ever have inside your body, mind, heart, and soul.

GOD HAS NEVER STOPPED

The Old Testament set in motion the coming Messiah of Jesus Christ. The gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) set in motion the life, death, burial, and resurrection fulfilling the Old Testament requirements that Jesus completed. The book of Acts set in motion the actions of God’s plan of salvation, which is no where else in the Bible. The books after the book of Acts were for already saved churches and saints that needed corrections, teachings, and advisements for behaviors of things to come. The book of Acts is the only book that has the complete plan of salvation for mankind. We need the pure Presences, untwisted Word, and true Power of God working in our lives.

The born again of the water and of the Spirit (Jn. 3) was put into complete fulfillment in Acts 2:38 “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

This is the ONLY plan of salvation the Apostles preached because this is what God wanted and God does not change. Only mankind is the one that changes things to suit his own needs. If you have received the Holy Ghost as God gave you the utterance – praise the Lord. Now, it is time for you to apply the blood of the Lamb of God in water baptism in Jesus name for the blood is in the name of Jesus applying the power to wash away all of your sins with complete forgiveness of all of your past. God bless you and may the endless fellowship of God change you daily.

Somebody Save Me

The hunger for “Somebody Save Me” is beyond anything in this physical world could ever offer. The relaxation of drinking beer, whiskey, and wine is always under a limited time for the body to be released from the worries of the mind. The floating away feeling from marijuana, meth, and cocaine is a separation from reality and another method of disconnecting from your mind and body. These are things that come to an end and the hard reality returns for the need to repeat what you know is a temporary fix with only a tragic end.

You are looking around still hungry for a fix that will be the ultimate fix. You are tired of coming down to only return to the life you see in the mirror and in the eyes of others. You are saying to yourself, “I am sick of the same old thing and going nowhere” no matter what I try it is not enough. You begin to search other things you could try to satisfy your hunger and thirst you feel inside that has no bottom to it in your soul.

You think, “I will try religion. I have tried everything else, but which one?” There are so many, which one is the right one. Religions are like flavored drinks and mixed drugs to take your pick, but which one? Which one has the true power and not fluffed up with man’s fixes and rules? Alcohol and drugs are man made fixes and what I need is a God fix. I cannot afford to be lied to like drugs and drinking has done to me. “Somebody Save Me” beyond this world’s concoctions and make believe.

Please tell me, shoot straight with me, and tell me what God says and not man. I have lived in a world of lies, pretending to be friends, and acting out in a way to whatever it takes to get my fix. “Somebody Save Me” from beyond this world. I cannot find any satisfaction.

STRAIGHT TALK

You want real salvation with the real power of God? Do you want the real power of the blood of Jesus to wash away all your sins making you a new creature? Do you want the real power of the Holy Spirit of Jesus to empower you with the ability to overcome your habits and temptations to never thirst or hunger again? The transformation into a new creature in Christ takes the power of God and not man’s mind over matter positive thinking.

How to be saved by God satisfying your eternal soul with an eternal fix is found in the book of Acts in the Bible. The book of Acts is THE ONLY book in the entire Bible for lost souls who desire for “Somebody Save Me“. The three steps are simple: first, repent (means turn away, want to change), second, water baptism (totally under water) in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of all your sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).

The powerful blood of the Lamb of God to wash away all your sins is in the total immersion of water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ and not in the Father or the Holy Ghost. Father and Holy Ghost does not have blood. You cannot kill a Spirit, bury a Spirit, and resurrect a Spirit that does not know death. Sin can only be handled by applying the blood of God, which is in the name of Jesus who did die, was buried, and rose again. This is why in the book Acts for sinners it is written “12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

When you think of God you think of the most powerful being in all things. How can you have an encounter with Him and it be any less when it comes to Him saving your life and filling you with the power of His Spirit? Would it not be something beyond this world? When He fills you with His powerful Spirit would you not feel Him bubbling inside coming out through your voice with praises you cannot put in your own native words while you surrender your voice and He helps you speak praises in a language beyond yourself. This is the true power to the born again of the Spirit of God beyond this world as you and Him become one in spirit. He does not want you to fight alone.

GOSPELS REFLECT SALVATION

To put it simply the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are about the life of Jesus leading up to salvation. The book of Acts is the plan of salvation put into action. The other New Testament books after the book of Acts are to the churches or saints that have already experienced the plan of salvation. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament (Genesis – Malachi) in the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), the book of Acts was the plan of salvation put into motion, and the other books tells the churches how to behave and what to look for in life.

GOSPEL EXAMPLE

Jesus said to Nicodemus while they were both under the old law of the Old Testament in the Gospel John chapter 3, “…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.“, “…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Jesus said to Nicodemus. This was not salvation, but the elements in the plan of salvation in the future events of Jesus Christ. Jesus went onto say, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Again, Jesus was telling Nicodemus in the future there will come a time the actions of your faith in water baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost will bring eternal life, just not right now. Jesus was trying to get Nicodemus to see the future of God’s plan. Salvation is not in John 3 because “…the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” Jn. 7:39.

SALVATION NOT IN THE GOSPELS

What about salvation at the end of the gospels when Jesus talked to the disciples after resurrecting from the grave? The scripture was still in affect because not all was fulfilled as of yet, “…the Holy Ghost was not yet given…” Jn. 7:39. None of the gospels override the authority of the book of Acts. There is no controversy between the gospels and the book of Acts. If there is any controversy it would be with mankind’s interpretation and not the scriptures.

MATTHEW 28:19, 20

Mtt. 28:17 “And when they saw him…” The “they” is Peter and the disciples. v19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” This did not happen right now, but started later and went into motion in the book of Acts chapter 2. v20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:..” The “…whatsoever I have commanded you” is Jesus, Himself, giving the apostles direct orders, which goes above all preachers after this point, to start doing what was done in the book of Acts and not right now in the gospels.

Now, back to “…baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” as the water baptism plan of salvation, which it IS NOT because the church started in the book of Acts and not here. The first saved souls under the born again of the water and the Spirit experience was in the book of Acts not in Matthew. Jesus here in the gospel was explaining to Peter and the disciples what all was IN that name, THROUGH that name, and BY that name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus was focused the three stages of God with mankind. One true God coming to us at three different times, stages, or phases.

In the name of Jesus was the Spirit Word presences of God that created all things through Jesus. In the beginning Adam was made in the Spirit likeness and Spirit image of Jesus into physical form known to be stage one from what we know as the Father of All Creation. Stage two with mankind was the same Spirit Word of God focused into the body/flesh of Jesus (Col. 2:9) being made flesh to walk among us bringing salvation and redemption through his blood. Stage three is the focused wind of the Holy Spirit of God through Jesus Christ into us as as a pledge or earnest of our inheritance.

This is what is inside the name of Jesus: the Father of Creation, the blood Son of redemption, and the Holy Spirit of reviving life or quickening spirit. So, water baptism in Jesus name in the book of Acts is not a contradiction to Matthew 28:19 because Jesus is “the name of the Father” (Jn. 5:43, I come in my Father’s name), “and of the Son” (Mtt. 1:21), “and of the Holy Ghost” (Jn. 14:26, send in my name). Salvation did not start here in Matthew 28:19 because”…the Holy Ghost was not yet given…” Jn. 7:39. Look for the day the Holy Ghost was given and you will find the plan of salvation put into motion.

MARK 16:15-17

The gospel of Mark after the resurrection has Jesus telling his disciples, not preachers interpretations today, to go into all the world and preach to every creature. Jesus said about those in the future “…that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…“, which tells us there is more to being saved than just believing only and it also lines up with “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” in Acts 2:38, but at the end of that scripture it concluded with “…but he that believeth not shall be damned.“. You can see the importance of Jesus name baptism. Also, in verse 17 Jesus points out signs that will follow the presence of God in those born of His Spirit casting out devils and speaking with new tongues, which also lines up with what happens in the infilling of the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts2:4, 6, 8).

The Gospel Mark did not have salvation right at that moment because “…the Holy Ghost was not yet given…” Jn. 7:39, but it was for the things to come in the book of Acts. It is the biggest eternal mistake to write off the book of Acts as some dead history book of the Christian church. It is the only book with the active plan of salvation put into motion with Mark sealing this plan of salvation was more than just believing with other things being required.

LUKE 24:47-49

Jesus told Peter and the disciples what should be preached in the days to come, but not now because “…the Holy Ghost was not yet given…” Jn. 7:39. Peter and the disciples were to preach “…repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Did you notice “…in his name…” referring to Jesus name and “…beginning at Jerusalem.” the starting place for the plan of salvation to be put into motion? v49 Shows us salvation has not happened in the gospels, but to wait for the promise will come later in Jerusalem as Peter along with the other disciples to “…be endued with power from on high.”

Salvation had not happened yet at the end of the gospel Luke. At the end of the gospels salvation had not happened yet. It was about the things to come, which occurred on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. We should never box God into our ideas, but let God flow freely as Himself throughout His word from (Genesis – Malachi) into the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) putting into motion the plan of salvation in the book of Acts to the other books telling us how to behave and what to look for in life today.

Any religion that proclaims salvation from the gospels need to read all the scriptures in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John with the thought from John 7:39 “…the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” The Lord is soon to come and we do not need to play around connecting His scriptures for our own plan of salvation.

BOOKS AFTER THE BOOK OF ACTS

You do not have to read all of the scriptures below, but they are there for you to see ALL of them are written to saints and to the churches who have already been born again (Romans – Revelation). There is NO plan of salvation in them only the encouragement and warnings of daily living as an already saved people in God who needs to improve.

Romans 1:7 “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints…”; 1 Corinthians 1:2 “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth…”; 2 Corinthians 1:1 “…unto the church of God which is at Corinth…”;Galatians 1:2 “…unto the churches of Galatia:”; Ephesians 1:1 “…to the saints which are at Ephesus…”; Philippians 1:1 “…to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi…”; Colossians 1:2 “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse…”; 1 Thessalonians 1:1 “…unto the church of the Thessalonians…”; 2 Thessalonians 1:1 “…unto the church of the Thessalonians…”; 1 Timothy 1:2 “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith…”; 2 Timothy 1:2 “To Timothy, my dearly beloved son…”; Titus 1:4 “To Titus, mine own son after the common faith…”; Philemon 1:2 “And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house…”; Hebrews 12:23 “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn…”; James 1:1,2 “…to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” v2 “My brethren… “; 1 Peter 1:2 “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God…”; 2 Peter 1:1 “…to them that have obtained like precious faith”; 1 John 1:4 “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”; 2 John 1:1 “The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth”; 3 John 1:1 “The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.”; Jude 1:1 “…to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ…”; Revelation 1:4 “John to the seven churches which are in Asia…”.

Any religion that proclaims salvation from the books after the book of Acts (Romans – Revelation) needs to read all the scriptures as to already saved Christians and who have already been born again according the Acts 2:38. The apostles only preached one plan of salvation to everyone and anything outside that gospel has a curse laid upon them (Gal. 1:8) until they repent and change their ways.

GOD FOCUSED ALL IN JESUS

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 Do you see the power of the name of Jesus? The blood and the Spirit in that name is one with knowing “…the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom ‘He’ hast sent“, “this is life eternal…” (Jn. 17:3).

The real born again of the water and of the spirit powerful second birth experience comes from the original fountain that has never ran dry, but it is a promise from God unto ALL generations and for ALL who are afar off (Acts 2:39) from Jerusalem as many as the Lord our God shall call because “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Heb. 13:8).

When did the book of Acts die in the power of God’s living word? When was the book of Acts cut off to be only dead words of history? Who dares to stand before mankind proclaiming the book of Acts void of the plan of God’s living salvation? Apostle Paul wrote, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8,9). It is a very scary thing to deny Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.“

I pray that you study for yourself and decide for yourself how much of God’s word you will allow to live in your life. After all you will face God alone and be accountable for your decisions as well as I. Who has the power to stand before God to plead your case? I want the blood of Jesus, the name of Jesus, and the Spirit of Jesus applied to my life for it is ALL in Him (Col. 2:9, 10, 13).

Please feel after the Lord though He is not far from you and you will never be the same. You will walk in the light of the knowledge of good seeing glory that this world will never be able to give you.