Respect

Bible Matters 512: Respect

Five of these witnesses had an afterlife experience and God sent them back to earth.  Ask yourself, “Why does God send witnesses to the earth?”

Howard Pittman spent his life teaching salvation by grace and not works.  Once saved, you can never lose your salvation.   He died and showed up at the gates of hell.  God told him his works were an abomination and sent him back to earth.    

Kathy McDaniels followed the works of religion.  She died and showed up in hell.  Hell was all about doing the works of the flesh.    God said he wasn’t ready for her.

Thomas followed the works of religion and spent his life loving and coaching kids.  He died and showed up in heaven.  Heaven was beautiful and he talked to his brother that died in the womb.  God said he wasn’t ready for him in heaven.  

Rick found God later in life.   He made sure that his family was taken care of.   No religious works.   Heaven was beautiful and God said he wasn’t done with him.

An inmate arrived at the hospital to see his dying mom.  He was tazed and it stopped his heart.   He arrived in heaven with his mom.  God asked her, if she wanted to live or let her son live.  She said her son.  The inmate woke up on a bed in the hospital and his mom had passed.  The inmate remembered not being able to see his feet in heaven.

Another inmate, a thief, was running from the law and he met a homeless man named Moses on the boardwalk.  Moses asked if he had any money and a place to clean up.  There was going to be a revival.  The man took Moses to his apartment and Moses got cleaned up.  He told Moses that he could stay in the apartment and could have any of the man’s belongings.  They went to dinner and went back to the apartment.  In the morning, Moses was gone. The man went down to the boardwalk, looking for Moses.  At the end of the pier were two witnesses.  They looked up and Moses appeared to them in the clouds. 

All six witnesses knew of God’s word.  It is clear that all did not understand the truth in God’s word.  God or the Supreme’s six point gospel of Love is summarized in one word, “Respect.”  Christianity has spent thousands of years trying to look for the meaning of the gospel, while looking for the magic combination of those verses that grant everlasting life.  The conclusion is far reaching.  From doing nothing for everlasting life to the adherence of every Old and New Testament Commandment, statues, laws and judgements. Even the disciples knew that strict adherence to the laws were impossible.    

Acts 15:8-10 – And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

One thing is clear.   God’s word is not about serving self.  Fornication and drunkenness leads to death.  Death is hell.  God doesn’t care what you did in the past.   He doesn’t care how many religious laws you followed.  He doesn’t care if you go to church.  He only cares if you love him from the heart.   He demands that you respect him, respect your neighbor and respect yourself.  When you respect yourself, then you will respect the things of God.

Multiple witnesses have testified that Jesus told his apostles and followers to follow him.  (See Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Mark 10:21-22; Luke 5:27; Luke 9:23; John 10:27; John 10:26; John 21:19; Acts 12:8)

John 10:27 – My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Jesus knew that he could not serve God by being drunk on wine.  Out of the mouth of three witnesses, Jesus promised to abstain from fruit of the vine until he is with God in heaven. (See Matthew 26:29;  Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18)  

Luke 22:18 – For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

Your walk with the Lord should be sober, serving God and neighbor and not in a state of drunkenness.   The Lord will come when you least expect it.  (See Matthew 24:48-50; Luke 21:34; Romans 12:1-3; Romans 13:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8; Titus 2:2-4; Ephesians 5:17-18,21; 1 Peter 1:13; Galatians 5:21; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Corinthians 6:10)

1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour

God sent two witnesses to Lot and told him to leave Sodom.  Sodom and Gomorrah were cities of sin, lost in fornication and lust.  God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. 

Luke 17:29,32-33 – But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Remember Lot’s wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

See You Tube video: https://youtu.be/RMZg6RCboe0

Jesus told his followers to abstain from fornication. When you respect yourself, you flee fornication. (See Matthew 10:15; Matthew 15:19-20; Matthew 19:9; Mark 6:11-12; Luke 10:12; John 8:41; 1 Corinthians 6:18;2 Peter 2:6-7; Jude 1:7; Revelation 11:8)  

Luke 10:12 – But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

John 8:41 – Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We are not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

1 Corinthians 6:18 – Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sins against his own body.

Death is the result of sin. 

Revelation 11:8 – And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Not adhering to the laws of religion does not defile a man. (See Matthew 15:19-20; Mark 7:20-23)

Matthew 15:19-20 – For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defiles not a man

God’s commandments are clear for the New Testament believer:  Do not commit adultery; Do not kill; Do not steal; Do not bear false witness; Honor thy father and thy mother; Love God; Love neighbor.  You are told to walk in the light doing the will of God with a pure heart and not serving the lusts of the flesh. (See Matthew 5:19,21,27,31-32,43-44; Matthew 19:17-19; Mark 10:17-21; Mark 12:29-31; Luke 18:20-22; James 2:11; Peter 1:4; 1 Peter 4:2; 1 John 2:3,5,7-8,10; 1 John 2:16-17)

1 John 2:16-17 – For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abides forever.

Mother Teresa took the stone of love, to conquer evil in the world.  She did not judge!  She loved God and his children. 

On that day in Sandy Hook in 2012, Victoria Leigh Soto hid her students and took eleven bullets, so they could live.

Doing God’s will requires respect.

John 15:13 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

The day of your death is not the time to figure out that man and religion has sold you a lie.  Instead of doing the will of God, you may be distracted and your gut instinct will want to judge others against the sins of the flesh. You are told not to judge others, as God is the judge. 

  Start with respect.  Respect God, respect your neighbor and respect yourself.  Refrain from sin and be a disciple for God.  God needs you to love from the heart.  He needs disciples to fight for the unborn.  To visit the sick.  To visit the prisoners in jail.  To visit the homeless.  To share God’s word.  To pray.  Decide today to be a witness for the Supreme’s Gospel of Love.

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.