𝕾𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖍

Exodus 20:11: "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

👆🏻That settles the matter.

𝙵͢𝚘͢𝚕͢𝚕͢𝚘͢𝚠͢ @TitusMin

Ananias and Saphira

Proponents of the so-called "Hypergrace" movement frequently attempt to reinterpret or explain away scriptural passages and biblical facts in such a way that they in no case challenge their construct of an unconditionally good, merciful, and gracious God.
It goes without saying, however, that in doing so they sometimes resort to farfetched claims, for Scripture simply cannot be easily twisted.

In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, they argue that it is impossible, given God's goodness and grace, for Him to judge believers in the manner that evidently occurred here (Acts 5:3-10).

To substantiate this assumption, they teach that Ananias and Sapphira were not saved at all. They claim the couple merely attempted to secure a position within the church through their giving, or alternatively were Pharisees attempting to infiltrate the congregation.

However, the context contradicts this view:

1. Acts 4:32 speaks of the multitude of those who had come to believe. The subsequent account regarding the believers' generosity - as well as the specific examples of Barnabas, followed by Ananias and Sapphira - clearly falls under this same "heading." The latter, too, belonged to the multitude of those who had come to believe.

2. How could Peter have told them that they had lied to the Holy Spirit if they were not saved? If God were to judge unbelievers who lie to the Holy Spirit, the entire human race would have to be wiped out. The gravity of the couple's transgression lay precisely in the fact that they had sinned against the Holy Spirit who dwelt within them.

They cite Acts 15:1-5 as "proof" that there were Pharisees attempting to infiltrate the church; yet, they evidently fail to notice that even these individuals are explicitly designated as believers (Verse 5). What this passage does reveal, however, is that there were Pharisees who had come to faith and attempted to smuggle their own ideas into the community. Nevertheless, they are referred to as believers.

Even if Ananias and Sapphira had belonged to this group - which was not the case, as there is no evidence to suggest it - they would still have been believers; thus, God would have been judging "believing Pharisees."

The account makes it clear that even bornagain Christians are still capable of lying and deceiving, and that God can punish such behavior whenever He chooses to do so. In this instance, it occurred in a cautionary, exemplary manner, underscoring the immense importance God places on truthfulness, particularly in the context of giving.

Then we despise them and doubt the wisdom of God:
“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:” (Hebrews 12:5)

On the other hand, we tend to grow weary in trials and collapse under their weight. But that reveals a lack of trust in God's love.

May the faithful Lord help us not to doubt either His wisdom or His love in His ways with us! His actions are for our benefit, for our eternal profit:
“For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10)

God Spares

The third comparison of God with a man and his son occurs in the last book of the Old Testament. The days of Malachi were evil days, days of apostasy in Israel. And yet, even in this day, there was a faithful remnant—those who feared the Lord and spoke often one to another in the pursuit of His interests. The Lord took note and “heard” it. And a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and respect His name.
“And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of
hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” (Malachi 3:17)

God would have to bring judgment upon the apostate nation. But this remnant that served Him He would preserve on the day of judgment, sparing them as a man spares his son who serves him. With what prudence and care will a man hold his hand over his son in days of extreme danger to life and limb! Notice carefully: it’s about his son “that serveth him”!

Now that is the way God will deal with the believers in the day that He will make.

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” (Malachi 4:1-2)

If the Old Testament concludes with Christ as the Sun of Righteousness, the New Testament ends with reference to Christ as the Morning Star. And isn't it moving that the idea of sparing can also be found in the last book of the Bible? To the faithful remnant in the midst of an increasingly weak and compromised Christendom, the Lord Jesus calls out:

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:10-11)

How God Carries His People

When Paul and Barnabas began their first missionary journey and reached Antioch in Pisidia, the Apostle Paul gave his first major speech—at least, as far as we are told in the word of God. Since he spoke in the synagogue there, his audience consisted primarily of Jews, although there were also numerous proselytes from the Gentiles present.

God Nurtures

In the first part of his address, the apostle paints a picture of Israel's early history in just a few lines before his Jewish listeners. In doing so, he draws attention to the sovereign grace of God that was bestowed on their fathers from the beginning. God had chosen them, exalted the people in the land of Egypt, and then brought them out from there with His arm lifted up. Yes, and then follows a sentence that we are focusing on today:
“And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.” (Acts 13:18)

That is an interesting statement.

Paul does not talk about why God led them into the desert. Stephen, on the other hand, points this out in his defense speech, which is more aimed at Israel's disobedience (Acts 7:39-43). But here, the focus is on the grace of God who wanted to bless this nation: God cared for them throughout the years of their wandering in the desert. It is an allusion to Deuteronomy 1:31:
“And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.”

“Bearing” does not mean that God merely tolerated them with all their weaknesses and sins. It expresses in Deuteronomy 1 the idea of nursing, of carrying as a mother carries a child.

God cared for them in the desert.

What wonderful grace from God to Israel! For forty years God tenderly cared for her, as a father cares for and supports his son. He fed His people with manna and sustained them so that they did not perish in the wilderness. That it was their unbelief that extended the desert journey to forty years is not the point here. God preserved them despite their unbelief.

How much we can learn from this! As we look back on our journey, should we not also praise the goodness and faithfulness with which our God has borne us, just as a man bears his son? How tenderly and yet how firmly the father may hold his son when it is a matter of bringing him past all obstacles to the “place” where the desert journey ends! The fact that God deals with us in this way—throughout the journey we take—is extremely comforting and leads us to worship our God and Father.
Three times in the Old Testament, God is compared to a man who does something specific to his son. In addition to the first example just considered, it is even God Himself who uses this image of Himself and His actions.

God Chastens

However, many today want a "grace" that demands nothing and corrects nothing. But the Bible gives us a complete picture. After the bearing of the son in chapter 1 comes the chastening of the son in chapter 8 of Deuteronomy. After reminding His people of His provision, He declares:
“Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.” (Deuteronomy 8:4-5)

When God chastises us—and He does so with every son He receives—He does so in the manner that a man does with his son.
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” (Hebrews 12:6-7)

By chastisement, we must not primarily understand unbridled wrath, but rather everything that contributes to holy education, correction, and child-training. God is not a negligent parent; He disciplines His own.

The Holy Spirit warns us in Hebrews 12 of two wrong behaviors in times of trial. On the one hand, we are in danger of taking the Lord's chastisements lightly, as if they had nothing special to say to us.

WHO are you trusting to get you to heaven?

Either you’re trusting entirely in Christ and His finished work, or you’re sadly headed for hell.

𝙵͢𝚘͢𝚕͢𝚕͢𝚘͢𝚠͢ @TitusMin

😭💯

💪🏻 Don’t let some perceived weakness or lack of skill in some area stop you from serving the Lord. It is far better to rely on God’s power than on yourself.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

𝙵͢𝚘͢𝚕͢𝚕͢𝚘͢𝚠͢ @TitusMin

✍🏻 James 2 is written to eternally saved believers - Christians!

James 2:1: "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons."

𝙵͢𝚘͢𝚕͢𝚕͢𝚘͢𝚠͢ @TitusMin

the man in the middle: "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom". "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" was the astonishing answer of the man in the middle! Barabbas went weak at the knees. It was too much all at once. He couldn't understand everything that was happening, but he knew one thing: "Someone innocent is dying in my place, someone who doesnt deserve to die. For me!" He threw himself on the ground and cried, as he had done so often in the past few days. But this time not out of anger or despair, but out of sadness and gratitude towards the one who was executed in his place ... This is roughly how I imagine Barabbas' impressions. He may also have laughed scornfully at the man in the middle who behaved so differently from himself, did not rebel or covet.

The Bible is silent about what happened to Barabbas. But the story of the murderer Barabbas is basically the story of many who encountered Jesus. Have you ever stood in front of this cross one day in your life, in your thoughts? In such a moment, we realize how terrible our lives are in the eyes of God and what love the man in the middle must have had to die for a lying, depraved and godless guy like me!

Friend, are you saved?

Please take a look at this post 👈🏻

It's the most important decision in your life. Happy Easter!

𝕾𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖍

hour had struck. And then the opening of the cell door and the incredible news: "Someone else will be crucified for you - Jesus of Nazareth. You are free!" It was too good to be true. Was he dreaming? Was he already so crazy in his head that he was hallucinating?

It was only when he was freed from his chains and given back his old combat uniform that it dawned on him what had really happened. And when the warden even said goodbye to him personally, gave him a few denarii "for gluing bags in prison" and handed him his release papers, he knew that a miracle had happened: he was free! "Someone else will be crucified for you!" These words echoed in his head - over and over again! Numb with incomprehensible happiness and still slightly confused, he was caught up in the tumult that reigned in the streets of Jerusalem. His release papers read: "Pardoned!" He is free, but who is the other man who is now bound in his place? Who is this Jesus of Nazareth really? His feet habitually carried him to the usual meeting place. He expected to see astonished and surprised faces, but no one was there. It had suddenly become strangely quiet in the streets of Jerusalem. Was he dreaming after all?

The sound of people making noise had shifted towards Golgotha, and suddenly Barabbas knew what was going on: Golgotha - the nightmare of all condemned people. That was where the executions took place. Half of Jerusalem was then on its feet to watch the spectacle and have a change of scenery. That's why there were no more people to be seen here. Barabbas decided to go there by stealth. No, he certainly didn't want to be seen, who knows what the Romans would think of if they discovered him. But the words "Someone else will be crucified for you - Jesus of Nazareth!" stuck in his mind. Jesus of Nazareth - who was this man? Was he a criminal who had even more on his plate than he did? He could hardly imagine, because he knew his way around the scene. He crept closer cautiously and wondered at the huge crowd that had gathered there. He heard hammer blows that rang through his bones. But strangely enough, he heard no screams from the tortured man.

Then he saw a third cross being erected between two crosses. He rubbed his eyes to see better, because he could not believe his ears when he heard what this man in the middle was saying: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Barabbas was now all eyes and ears. The one hanging there was in his spot! He himself, Barabbas, should have been hanging there now. And now someone was dying there, surrounded by a mocking crowd of people who had obviously turned their attention to this man in the middle! He saw how the scribes forgot all dignity and mockingly bowed before him, before him who had been given an ugly, painful crown of thorns and whose face was full of blood and wounds. "He saved others; himself he cannot save" some of the crowd shouted. "If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him" others shouted. Barabbas noticed one of the crucified, he knew him from secret meetings in the past. So they had caught him too. Now he could kick the bucket too. Nevertheless, he obviously used his last reserves to mock the man in the middle. Why on earth? Barabbas couldn't take it any longer. When an unsuspicious woman scurried past him, he ran after her and asked what this Jesus of Nazareth was all about.

"Are you living on the moon or did you just get out of prison," she had replied mockingly, "that's the one they crucified for Barabbas!" Only now did Barabbas understand everything. The cry of "Barabbas" in the early morning was actually for his release and meant execution for this Jesus. "He dies in my place!" Astonished, he watched as the other co-crucified man, who was behaving strangely calmly, said a few words to the other criminal, and then he heard the words: "And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds" and now he looked almost reverently at the man in the middle, "but this man hath done nothing amiss" And then he spoke directly to

Today I would like to tell you the story of a terrorist. His story is only briefly mentioned in the Bible, and I will try to retell it from today's perspective. There is nothing to tell about his childhood and youth. It can be assumed that he met radicals relatively early on, who then shaped the rest of his life. In any case, he soon belonged to the Zealots, a kind of nationalists who had conspired to drive the enemy occupying power, the Romans, out of the country. He had an unbridled hatred of these foreigners and of all Jewish politicians and religious leaders who ate from the same pot as the Romans. In order to finance his resistance struggle, he did not shy away from theft and robbery and occasionally managed to incite the Jews to revolt, which were usually bloodily put down by the Romans.

Thus his name became known in Israel, notorious and secretly revered by some. As his life hung by a thread - he knew that it was only a matter of time before he would be caught and executed - his life and those of his fellow men were not worth much to him. He did not shy away from hostage-taking and murder when it seemed expedient. His life had left a trail of violence and hatred in its wake. Then came day X - whether he was betrayed or surprised in action is not known - in any case, shortly after his arrest he found himself in a dark, stinking prison cell. He was soon put on trial, there was not much to deny, the matter was clear and it was not possible to gain any advantages as a key witness at the time. His execution was a done deal, the Romans made short work of "terrorists". And to teach the many foreign Jews who were in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover a lesson, his execution was scheduled for Good Friday: Crucifixion! It is quite possible that Barabbas played it cool on the outside, especially when the Romans were watching. But at night he was probably overcome by horror, an eerie fear when he thought of his imminent agonizing death. The strain of imprisonment tugged at his nerves and the hours passed inexorably. Thoughts chased through his head, wandered back into the past, into childhood, reflected on events, became agonizing and bitter. Questions, doubts and self-reproach may have arisen: "If only I could start life all over again!" "Damned be the day I was born! Or could you at least undo the day when the course of my life was set wrong!" Was it too late to repent? Was everything lost? There was nothing and no one he could have used to work off his prison fever.

So he saved all his aggression for the few encounters he had with the hardened Roman soldiers. And then came the horrible last night. Perhaps he had shouted at the jailers when they asked him for a last meal. He had probably told them to eat the food alone and choke on it. Although he might have liked to eat his favorite dish one more time ... Barabbas could have screamed out of anger, out of self-pity, out of despair. How short life was! How pointless! How futile the attempt to turn off memories of the past and get a grip on the chaos in his head! How tempting the thought of suicide! What remained when morning dawned and the hour of execution approached? Apathy, total indifference, emptiness, despair, rebellion? A sealed fate, a completed life - over and done with? Then - suddenly - the morning silence is interrupted by a polyphonic cry in the distance. "Barabbas!" he heard clearly and then the cry: "Crucify him, crucify him!" Was this the thanks of the fatherland? Had the hated yoke of the Romans been accepted by the Jews after all? Bitterness welled up in him as he thought of how he had laid down his life for the liberation of Israel. Anxiety spread - tension was in the air - were his comrades even calling for his death? In prison, things had come to life. Unrest spread - tension was in the air - were his comrades even calling for his death? The typical rattling of prison keys and the hideous echoing footsteps of the locksmiths - clack, clack, clack ...! - brought him back to the bitter reality of his cell. The footsteps came closer and he knew what the

Romans 1:1: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God”

How much of your life do you give in service to the Lord and to sharing the gospel with as many people as possible?

💡 You’ll never miss out by giving more to God.

𝙵͢𝚘͢𝚕͢𝚕͢𝚘͢𝚠͢ @TitusMin

God‘s wonderful promises of our eternal security.

𝕾𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖍

How about reading through the entire bible in 2025?

📖 Simple Bible Reading Plan

✂️ Make Your Own Plan

📣 King James Version Audio Book

💻 Digital King James Version

⛪️ Need Help Finding A Church?

🕊Are you saved?

Should Christians celebrate Halloween?

Follow us @ShineForth1611

Get On Board, Friend.

𝕾𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖍

Don't be a scoffer.

Psalm 37:13 (KJV)

¹³The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

🕊 How to go to heaven? 🛟

Follow us @ShineForth1611

Hello, friend 👋🏻

I hope you are well. 🙂

If you are going through a difficult time or have in the past please know that there are so many beautiful things waiting for you in the eternal life ahead. Maybe you have suffered from abuse. Please do not let it turn you away from God. 🙏🏻

Psalm 147:3 (KJV)

³He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. 🩹

Or maybe you have realized that you have done wrong to loved ones or others. 💡 Remember that God promises to forgive.

1 John 1:9 (KJV)

⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

You are not a Christian yet?

The most important thing you can do in your life is to make the decision where you will spend eternity. You can and should make that decision today. 🕊

Please watch the following short video in order to know for sure that you can go to heaven when you die. 🎁

Click 👉🏻 here 👈🏻 for the video

Click 👉🏻 here 👈🏻 for text only

Click 👉🏻 here 👈🏻 for other languages