Of God and Mankind

2 Timothy 2:3-7 (AMPC)    “ Take [with me] your share of the hardships  and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.   4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy  and please the one who enlisted him.   5 And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).   6 [It is] the hard-working farmer [who labo u rs to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.   7 Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight  and understanding in everything.”   Dear people of God, following the Lord Jesus Christ as a disciple is not as easy and straightforward as many Christians of today believe and understand.   We saw in the first part of the post on this topic...

Revelation 5:15-19 (AMPC)  “ I (Jesus Christ) know your [record of] works  and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!   16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth!   17 For you say, I am rich; I have prospered  and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize  and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. [Hos. 12:8.]   18 Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined  and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.   19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict  and convince  and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic  and in earnest  and burning with ze...

Acts 9:17-2 2  (AMPC) “So Ananias left and went into the house. And he laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you along the way by which you came here, has sent me that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.   18 And instantly something like scales fell from [Saul's] eyes, and he recovered his sight. Then he arose and was baptized,   19 And after he took some food, he was strengthened. For several days [afterward] he remained with the disciples at Damascus.   20 And immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, saying, He is the Son of God!   21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, Is not this the very man who harassed  and overthrew  and destroyed in Jerusalem those who called upon this Name? And he has come here for the express purpose of arresting them  and bringing them in chains before the chief priests.   22 But Saul increased all the mo...

1 Timothy 5:24-25 (AMPC)  “ 24 The sins of some men are conspicuous (openly evident to all eyes), going before them to the judgment [seat]  and proclaiming their sentence in advance; but the sins of others appear later [following the offender to the bar of judgment and coming into view there].   25 So also, good deeds are evident  and conspicuous, and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden [indefinitely].”   Dear people of God, today’s lead Holy Bible text confirms to us that nothing can be hidden indefinitely.   Some people murder others, some commit adultery with another person’s husband or wife, some steal company funds, some steal church funds, some pastors sleep with their female members, some fathers sleep with their daughters, some guardians mess up their wards they should care for, some hide to watch pornography, some tell lies to cover up their deeds.   All these people believe no one sees them.   On the other hand, s...