Peter Warns All Believers Against False Teachers Within and Exhorts Us to be Steadfast Volume 5

Making our Calling and Election Sure (to ourselves & to the world 🗺) Part 2 2 Peter 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; KJV Note: NKJV=New King 👑James Version The Apostle Peter continues onward in his declaration of what we are required to add to our gift of faith from our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ with these first words in 2 Peter 1:6 of adding to knowledge 'temperance' and this English word is translated by the Greek word egkrateia which literally means self-control. The enemy of our souls (the devil) wants to see us being influenced by him and his demons and the remaining human sinners who are still being led by him (Ephesians 2:2). However, we are now living in the light of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Light of the World (John 8:12) and He has given us to be the light of the world through Him (Matthew 5:14), therefore, for us to walk in or live in the darkness of being out of control in our speech and our behavior is not according to who we now are 'in Christ', because we have come into union with Him and so ought to walk as He walked (1 John 2:6). The impulses that are in our old man 👨and old woman 👩must be put to death daily so that the light of Christ may shine forth through us always, but when we allow those impulses' to flourish then we must recognize that and repent and seek Christ's grace in our time of need, for He is always ready to give us help, as it is written, "For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted." (Hebrews 2:18) (NKJV). Self-control and having it continuously in our lives is not a minor thing, for Peter warned us of this in his first letter when he wrote these words, "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:11-12) (NKJV). The soul being our mind and our emotions and our will. We see then how self-control is not a minor thing, but on the contrary a very major thing that we must cultivate and make it active and prevalent in our daily lives. Here is what John Wesley had to say of temperance/self-control, "Bear and forbear; sustain and abstain; deny yourself and take up your cross daily. The more knowledge you have, the more you renounce your own will; indulge yourself the less. 'Knowledge puffeth up,' and the great boasters of knowledge (the Gnostics) were those that 'turned the grace of God into wantonness.' But see that your knowledge be attended with temperance. Christian temperance implies the voluntary abstaining from all pleasure which does not lead to God. It extends to all things inward and outward: the due government of every thought, as well as affection. 'It is using the world,' so to use all outward, and so to restrain all inward things, that they may become a means of what is spiritual; a scaling ladder to ascend to what is above. Intemperance is to abuse the world. He that uses anything below, looking no higher, and getting no farther, is intemperate. He that uses the creature only so as to attain to more of the Creator, is alone temperate, and walks as Christ Himself walked." The Apostle Peter next tells us in 2 Peter 1:6 to add to temperance 'patience' and this English word is translated by the Greek word hupomonē which means cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: - enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting). Our English definition of patience is good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence. This is what we must add to our self-control. We can certainly see why they are paired together because self-control requires tolerance of delay and constancy. There is no real self-control without the willingness to wait for something even though it is eagerly desired; for example praying for someone's salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ, yet we never see any evidence that it has come to them by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). There has been no change in their lives whatsoever for years upon years. The devil will whisper to us 'Stop wasting your time ⌚, this person will never be changed.' However, patient continuance and endurance in prayer on our part must be done and we must wait patiently on our Lord knowing that He hears us. I read of George Mueller praying for the salvation of someone for 36 years then he died and went to be with our Lord Jesus never having seen any evidence that person came to Christ, however, it was recorded that this very person received Christ as Lord and Savior 8 years after Mueller was in Heaven with Jesus. Now here is a great example of adding patience to your self-control. I want this patience in all things, but especially in my prayers for the salvation of the souls I have been praying for now for 21 years. Here is what Vincent's Word Studies had to say of patience, "Literally, remaining behind or staying, from μένω, to wait. Not merely endurance of the inevitable, for Christ could have relieved Himself of His sufferings (Hebrews 12:2-3; compare Matthew 26:53); but the heroic, brave patience with which a Christian not only bears but contends. Speaking of Christ's patience, Barrow remarks, 'Neither was it out of a stupid insensibility or stubborn resolution that He did thus behave Himself; for He had a most vigorous sense of all those grievances, and a strong (natural) aversation from under going them;...but from a perfect submission to the Divine Will, and entire command over His passions, an excessive charity toward mankind, this patient and meek behavior did spring.' The same writer defines patience as follows: 'That virtue which qualifieth us to bear all conditions and all events, by God's disposal incident to us, with such apprehensions and persuasions of mind, such dispositions and affections of heart, such external deportment and practices of life as God requireth and good reason directeth (Sermon XLII., 'On Patience')." Now the Apostle tells us to add to patience 'godliness' and this English word is translated by the Greek word eusebeia which means piety, that is, reverence to our God and Father in Heaven; specifically the Gospel scheme; godliness/holiness. We have learned that the Gospel of Grace is meant to bring forth or to produce godliness in all who have ears to hear and so are born again. In the introduction of Peter's first letter (Bible by Olive Tree) to those early Jewish believers and to us who have come to Christ long after them these words are declared, "In writing to Jewish believers struggling in the midst of persecution, Peter encourages them to conduct themselves courageously for the Person and program of Christ. Both their character and conduct must be above reproach. Having been born again to a living hope, they are to imitate the Holy One who has called them." Before we were still dead in our trespasses and sins, but now we have been born again to a living hope, that is, we have been resurrected from spiritual death and made alive to God and His love for us and to us and thus He intends to make us what we are not without Him and that is godly. Godliness/holiness of all of God's adopted children is the goal of the Gospel of Christ, for it is written, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:" (Hebrews 12:14) (NKJV). If we are to make our election and calling sure to ourselves and to those in the world 🗺who are still not yet 'in Christ' we must be diligent to add the overwhelming desire, direction, and determination to live a life of godliness by the grace of God given to us and by our yielding our will to the Spirit of God and being always in the Word of God feeding on it even more than we feed on food for our tents/houses 🏘/bodies. Amen!!! Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of godliness, "The mystery of godliness-that is, Godlikeness-was made known by the Incarnation. The Son of God became man, that men might through Him be made sons of God. And godliness in the present world is Christ made manifest in the lives of His servants. Toward this imitation of Christ the believer will aspire through his patience. He takes up the dross and bears it after his Master, and thus begins his discipleship, of which the communion with Christ waxes more intimate day by day. Such was the godliness of St. Paul. It was because he had followed the Lord in all that He would have him to do that the Apostle was bold to exhort the Corinthians, 'Be ye imitators of me'; but he adds at once, 'as I am of Christ'. (1 Corinthians 11:1) And when he sends Timothy to recall his teaching to their minds he says, 'He shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ.'" If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Jesus’ Resurrection from the Dead: What does it Mean?

Matthew 28:6-7 "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” NKJV The Bible for some people is just a great book written with a lot of wonderful stories in it that have made for some good entertainment at the movies and on television. Other people view the Bible as a book with very good proverbs or principles that one can govern their lives with in order to live a successful life down here on the earth. Sadly there are some who claim to believe the Bible, but their purpose is to use this book to gain earthly wealth by giving carnal people what they want to hear from this book about living a great and prosperous life on earth and so they appeal to the emotions and fear in people and use great swelling words flattering people to gain financial advantage with them and build their own earthly kingdom and not the spiritual Kingdom of God. Also there are some who flat out believe this book the Bible is only a book of lies written through the mind of men to instill fear in people about @#!*% so that they could lord over them and also gain political, social, and financial advantage over people. Lastly and gloriously there is a tiny remnant of humanity that believes every word of this book the Bible to be the only truth directly from the mind of the One True God and it is because they have encountered the Man this book is written about and the One and only Man to rise or come back from the dead, Jesus Christ. Death is the certain conclusion for every human life (as we documented in the article entitled, “Jesus Explains Man’s Death and Resurrection”) though most human beings try to block out the thought and so as to make death disappear. However, no one can make that reality disappear no matter how much money they have or how much they eat healthy foods or how much they exercise their body or how much of the best earthly medicine they ingest into their body. The first man Adam sinned against God and in so doing he passed that very same corrupt sin nature to every human being that came from him. All human beings are the product of this one man and his wife Eve. God told Adam earlier that he would die immediately if he rebelled and so he died instantly spiritually (meaning he was separated from fellowship with God) and later he died physically. We are all made from one blood and so we all have the disease of sin which leads to death as the Scripture says, “The soul that sins shall surely die.” Therefore, if death is certain for every person, then what happens after death is the most important question to be asked and answered by every living soul. Some will say well after death there is nothing and the person no longer exist. Others will say that the person goes on to a better place and some will say all will go to Heaven if they lived a good life. Well, the Bible says, “It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment.” The Bible also says, “There is none good no not one.” History clearly gives evidence of the Man Jesus Christ to have lived in the region of Galilee as the Scriptures testify of Him. The human arguments arise about who He was and what He did during the course of His life. Some continue to believe the Man Jesus was a good Man and a great Teacher and nothing more. Jesus too many was just a man and not at all the God-Man that His followers claim Him to be. But God did intervene into man’s sin dilemma with His great and awesome love for man though man rebelled against Him. God because He loves man so much did become a Man in the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Jesus Christ then lived a perfect sinless life for 331/2 years and laid down His life in death as a sacrifice or substitute for every sinful person to receive His sin payment and thereby making a way for every person to get back into fellowship with God. Jesus died on the cross shedding His blood and it is His blood that cleanses the sinners heart from wicked works to serve the living God. Finally, Jesus Christ proved that He was not just man but the God-Man by becoming the first ever human being to be resurrected from the dead and in so doing He has defeated death for every soul that comes to Him with a contrite and broken heart over their sin. Once the person cries out to God acknowledging themselves to be a sinner and turns from their sin to Jesus Christ, then at that moment the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus Christ body from death immediately raises their dead spirit (disconnected from God) to life in Christ and they receive Resurrection Life and are forever made new creatures in Christ Jesus. See article entitled "The Highest Form of Life", http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=87758). John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” NKJV Acts 10:39-41 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. NKJV Acts 13:29-30 Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. NKJV Acts 17:30-31 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” NKJV Acts 26:23 “That the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” NKJV Romans 1:3-4 Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. NKJV Romans 8:10-11 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. NKJV Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. NKJV 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you --- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. NKJV 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. NKJV Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. NKJV Colossians 2:11-12 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. NKJV 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. NKJV Hebrews 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. NKJV 1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. NKJV “On what does the Christian argument for Immortality really rest? It stands upon the pedestal on which the theologian rests the whole of historical Christianity--the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Henry Drummond 1851-1897 “Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendor.” Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892 “Let us consider this settled, that no one has made progress in the school of Christ who does not joyfully await the day of death and final resurrection.” John Calvin 1509-1564 “The truth of the resurrection gives life to every other area of gospel truth. The resurrection is the pivot on which all of Christianity turns and without which none of the other truths would much matter. Without the resurrection, Christianity would be so much wishful thinking, taking its place alongside all other human philosophy and religious speculation.” John MacArthur “In his life, Christ is an example, showing us how to live; in his death, he is a sacrifice, satisfying for our sins; in his resurrection, a conqueror; in his ascension, a king; in his intercession, a high priest.” “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf of springtime.” Martin Luther 1483-1546 “The risen life of Jesus is the nourishment and strengthening and blessing and life of a Christian. Our daily experience ought to be that there comes, wavelet by wavelet, that silent, gentle, and yet omnipotent influx into our empty hearts, this very life of Christ Himself.” Alexander MacLaren 1826-1910 If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen... Sincerely in Christ, Clifford D. Tate, Sr. Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Warns All Believers Against False Teachers Within and Exhorts Us to be Steadfast Volume 4

Making our Calling and Election Sure (to ourselves & to the world 🗺) Part 1 2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; KJV Note: NKJV=New King 👑James Version; NLT=New Living Translation The Apostle Peter right after his very warm greeting in this his second letter ✉, he wanted those early believers (and all of us who have truly believed long after their departure into Heaven) in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ to know what their/our lives should look like or produce even while they/we were/are under going intense, inordinate, and infuriating persecutions. They/we must show forth the fruit of our regeneration our new birth into the Kingdom of Heaven by being full of these things or adding them to the gift 📦of faith we have so graciously been given; just as Peter first declares with these words beginning in 2 Peter 1:5, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;" The first 2 things Peter wants us to add to our faith is 'virtue' and this little English word is translated by the Greek word aretē (which we have covered in a recent Volume) and it means manliness and valor, that is, exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger. Also 'knowledge' and this little English word is translated by the Greek word gnōsis which simply means Knowledge of God that is actual Knowledge of Him given to us by His Spirit, as it is written by Paul the Apostle to the Corinthian Church ⛪, "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." (1 Corinthians 2:10-12) (NKJV). It takes real men 🚹and real women 🚺armed by the Spirit of God with the true Knowledge of God to walk steadfastly with our Lord Jesus Christ in this world 🗺where that which is evil is called good and that which is good is called evil (Isaiah 5:20); call to mind what has just recently happened to NBA Basketball player Jaiden Ivey who was released from the Chicago Bulls all and only because he stands with and for our Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of His Holy Word, for being a true Christ follower is not for the cowardly, as it is written for us by the Apostle John with these words, "'But COWARDS, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.'" (Revelation 21:8) (NLT). Our Lord Jesus Christ told us that as His true followers we were to take up our Cross every day and follow Him no matter anything or anyone. The taking up of the Cross every day means a dying to ourselves and living for Christ Jesus our Lord and His truth no matter what the world calls truth. Many faithful brothers and sisters 'in Christ' since His death, burial, and resurrection from the dead for our sins have been murdered/martyred for their faith in Christ alone. It is still true now in 2026. We must be willing to say and to mean what the Apostle Paul said to the Church of the Philippians, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) (NKJV). Don't ever quote this verse of Scripture if you don't mean it, Paul meant it and I also mean it. I will never be in any type of union with the people the Apostle Jude speaks of in the beginning of his letter. Here is what the preface or introduction of Jude's letter ✉ says in my Bible by Olive Tree (NKJV), "False teachers have crept into the Church turning God's grace into unbounded license to do as they please. Jude reminds such men of God's past dealings with unbelieving Israel, disobedient angels, and wicked Sodom and Gomorrah. In the face of such danger Christians should not be caught off guard. The challenge is great, but so is the God who is able to keep them from stumbling." The Apostle Peter commanded us that we should be 'giving all diligence' to be adding these things to our gift 📦of faith. What does Peter mean by this phrase? Peter means we should whole-heartedly with eagerness and care and speediness' to carry inwardly bearing these things in our inner man 👨and inner woman 👩so that we can stand firm in our gift 📦of faith in this world 🗺that hates Christ Jesus our Lord whom we love; even as we do as Paul the Apostle commanded the Ephesian believers to do with these words, "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the Belt of Truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the Shield of Faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere." (Ephesians 6:10-18) (NLT). Here is what John Wesley had to say of 2 Peter 1:5, "For this very reason - Because God hath given you so great blessings. Giving all diligence - It is a very uncommon word which we render giving. It literally signifies, bringing in by the by, or over and above: implying, that good works the work; yet not unless we are diligent. Our diligence is to follow the gift of God, and is followed by an increase of all His gifts. Add to - And in all the other gifts of God. Superadd the latter, without losing the former. The Greek word properly means lead up, as in dance, one of these after the other, in a beautiful order. Your faith, that 'evidence of things not seen,' termed before 'the knowledge of God and of Christ,' the root of all Christian graces. Courage - Whereby ye may conquer all enemies and difficulties, and execute whatever faith dictates. In this most beautiful connexion, each preceding grace leads to the following; each following, tempers and perfects the preceding. They are set down in the order of nature, rather than the order of time. For though every grace bears a relation to every other, yet here they are so nicely ranged, that those which have the closest dependence on each other are placed together. And to your courage knowledge - Wisdom, teaching how to exercise it on all occasions." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 2 Peter 1:5, "The righteous must be bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1); a cowardly Christian, who is afraid to profess the doctrines or practise the duties of the Gospel, must expect that Christ will be ashamed of him another day. 'Let not your hearts fail you in the evil day, but show yourselves valiant in standing against all opposition, and resisting every enemy, world, flesh, devil, yea, and death too.' We have need of virtue while we live, and it will be of excellent use when we come to die. The believer must add knowledge to his virtue, prudence to his courage; there is a knowledge of God's name which must go before our faith (Psalm 9:10), and we cannot approve of the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, till we know it." Finally, Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of 2 Peter 1:5, "St. Peter begins his scale of graces thus: 'In your faith supply virtue.' Here virtue means the best development of such power as a man possesses. It may be little or great, but in its kind it is to be made excellent. And here it is that the Christian workers in every sphere must surpass others. They work from a higher motive. What they do is a constant attestation of their faith, is done as in God's sight, and in the confidence that in every act it is possible to give Him glory. There can be no carelessness in such lives, for they are filled with a sense of responsibility, which is the first fruit of a living faith. And in St. Peter's figurative word the believer is said to supply each grace in turn because he contributes by his careful walk to wake it into life, to make it active, and let it shine as a light before men. 'And in your virtue knowledge,' he continues. For, with duty rightly done, there comes illumination over the path of life: men understand more of God's dealings, and hence bring their lives into closer harmony with His will. And we have Christ's own assurance, 'If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching.' (John 7:17) And the same is true not only of the Lord's own lessons, but of all the promptings of the Spirit in men's hearts. If they hearken to the voice which whispers, 'This is the way,' it will become at every stage plainer, and there will be shown to them not only the how, but the wherefore." If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Jesus Angered by the Religious Merchants

 Mark 11:15-19 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’ ? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. When evening had come, He went out of the city.” NKJV

The money changers were those men who would exchange foreign currency to the Jewish people that would come from different places so that they could have valid money to use in the city of Jerusalem. These men like the tax collectors would so raise the exchange rates that they would make profit on average of over 100% and even as high as 300%. These men were dominated and ruled by greed and they could care less about the economic status of the people they were exploiting.

Jeremiah 7:11 “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the LORD. NKJV

Those who sold the animals did so for the people to use to sacrifice to YAHWEH in the temple. These men would so raise their prices knowing that the people had to buy from them. The Jewish people that came with their own animals for the sacrifice, these sellers would inspect their animals and find some irrelevant or made up flaw or blemish with the animal and pressure them into purchasing one of their animals to sacrifice. Probably they were business partners in some way with the chief priest, scribes, and elders of the temple. They had turned the sacred and holy temple of God into a mall or a merchant place.

Hosea 12:7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress. KJV

Our Lord has been steadfastly making His way to Jerusalem to complete the Father’s will by satisfying the wrath of God that remains on mankind for sin. He arrives and makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and into the temple. Because the time was late He took the 12 disciples and they left the city of Jerusalem for that night to lodge in Bethany and they came back the next day and as our Lord entered the temple immediately He was angered as He saw the money changers and those who sold animals doing it right inside the holy temple. Our Lord was probably at this time far from the mild, meek, and modest Shepherd, but He went through the temple with such fury that He would have made the incredible hulk look like a little school boy. It perhaps was a brief glimpse of what the Apostle John witnessed of our Lord in Revelation Chapter 1 when he saw Him he fell at His feet as dead.

When the Lord God spoke to Moses and gave him those very detailed instructions on how the temple was to be built and how the worship was to be conducted to honor Him those details were very specific and meticulous because they were but a pattern of The Temple Jesus Christ that stood in their midst that day. All who have been born again are the temple of God and our bodies where our Lord Jesus Christ lives is to be a constant temple of prayer to Him as a sweet savory aroma to His Heavenly Nostrils (see sermon entitled “Are You the Temple of God”, http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=86428 ). Our Lord knew that the temple there was but a picture of Him and that their making merchandise in this holy place was a reflection of their hearts to the Father and to Him as they are One. Our Lord knew that the Jewish religious rulers would not receive Him, but He wanted them to know how sinfully rebellious to YAHWEH they had become with the veracious display of anger and wrath against turning His house of prayer into a merchant mall.

Isaiah 56:6-8 “Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants --- Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant ---Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.” NKJV

They hated reformation and wanted no part of His correction because of their love for money. This act of cleansing the temple of what He deemed to be abominable so infuriated the chief priest, scribes, and the elders that they were even more determined to kill Him. How ironic that our Lord knew their evil hearts and was in the city of Jerusalem for the very purpose of allowing them to kill Him and so fulfill the will of God.

Today we have men and women as I have stated in other writings that are addressed by the title prophet or prophetess and they are said to have the gift of prophecy. Some of these prophets charge people to prophecy over their lives and tell them things that will happen for them or to them in the upcoming year or whatever period of time the person request of the prophet or prophetess. They are serving in the same role or capacity as the occultist fortune teller or palm reader as they charge people to come to them so that they can tell them their future.

I can recall visiting Bishop T. D. Jakes church in Dallas, Texas as I was in town visiting relatives and we all decided to visit his church. The place was huge and a very nice facility. However, I was very perplexed as I walked around the front area before going to find a seat (it was built much like a basketball arena) I saw men and woman (like at a basketball game) selling t-shirts, caps, sweaters, programs, key chains, cups, and other items with Bishop T. D. Jakes picture on those things. I felt like I was at a basketball or football stadium and game. The man Bishop Jakes was merchandising his own image.

How is that going to bring glory to Jesus Christ? There is no gospel message that can save the soul of a lost person in an image on a t-shirt. That is far different from one putting his picture on a book cover with the message of the gospel contained in the book that God the Holy Spirit can use to save a soul. I held my peace about what I witnessed and did not express how repulsed I felt by seeing what I saw that day. When I reflect back on that day in Texas, I gain a much deeper understanding of why our Lord responded with such anger.

2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. KJV

“The first century money changers were in the temple, but they didn’t have the spirit of the temple... They were out of sync with the whole purpose of the Lord’s house. “The atmosphere of my Father’s house,” Jesus seemed to say, “is to be prayer. The aroma around my Father must be that of people opening their hearts in worship and supplication. This is not a place to make a buck. This is a house for calling on the Lord.” Jim Cymbala

“Christ is our temple, in whom by faith all believers meet.” Matthew Henry

“Every saint is God’s temple, and he who carries His temple about him, may go to prayer when he pleaseth.” Augustine (see article entitled “Praying for those we Love”, http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=79470 ).

“We are now the Temple of God! If the inanimate structure of the old covenant trembled and shook at God's presence, what is our response, we in whom this same glorious and holy God now lives? How can there be the slightest indifference or coldness or routine or mere ritual or mindless habit in our worship when this same God lives and abides in us?” Sam Storms

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Warns All Believers Against False Teachers Within and Exhorts Us to be Steadfast Volume 3

 Greeting all the Faithful Brothers and Sisters 'in Christ' Part 3 

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world 🌎 through lust ❤️‍🔥. KJV Note: NKJV=New King 👑 James Version 

The Apostle continues to make known to us how this great salvation from God to us through Christ has made us 'new creatures' because of and by the Power of God. If God is Omnipotent, meaning All Powerful, and He is, then He can and does give portions of His Power to whom He wishes (Romans 9:15). Peter now flows right from (2 Peter 1) verse 3 into verse 4 with these words, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:" This very first word 'Whereby' is translated by the Greek word dia which is a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through. That is the calling of us out of darkness, (as written by the Apostle Paul to the Colossians with these words, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14) (NKJV)) was done by the channel or passage way or through the transference of Christ Blood to us when He died as our sin bearer or sin substitute. When Paul wrote 'through His Blood' it declares the same thing Peter is writing here with 'Whereby', that is, it is 'through Christ Blood' transferred to my/our account that we now have these exceeding great and precious promises given to us as we are now 'in Christ', for example everything Paul wrote to the Church @Ephesus in Ephesians 1:3-14. These assurances to us as new creatures 'in Christ' are very great and very valuable and very costly because they cost God the Father His own Dear Son, however, if God the Father would give you and I His own Son to die in our place taking upon Himself God's wrath against our sin then what would the Father ever withhold from us, as it is written by Paul with these words to the Church @Rome, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) (NKJV). Do you see? Everything that Christ has, we can have, not just throughout eternity with Him, but now as we sojourn in time. Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of us receiving these great and precious promises, "In Christ God has offered men all the blessings of the New Covenant: repentance; faith; justification; eternal life. He, with the Son and the Spirit, comes unto the faithful and makes His abode with them. Thus they are made members of Christ's Mystical Body. He dwells in their hearts by faith; He gives them power to become sons of God; they are adopted of God, who sent His only-begotten Son into the world 🌍 that they might live through Him. These are the precious promises granted, but not forced upon men, set forth in all their greatness in the life and love of Jesus; and men are invited to choose them. And the choice is made by patiently doing the will of God so far as it is revealed to each man 👞; after that we shall receive the promises."

What do the promises from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ do for us now as we sojourn down 👇 here in this world 🌎 of woe? The Apostle Peter tells us with his last part of 2 Peter 1:4 with these words, "that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world 🌍 through lust ❤️‍🔥." You know when we step 🪜 back 🔙 and take a look at our lives before union with Christ and then after union with Christ we can see what He has done and continues to do that was utterly impossible for any of us to attain to in our sinful human nature. I just read last night 🌃 (03/27/2026) a declaration of a 57 year old man 👞 who was addicted to Meth for years and how that now our Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed him by His Blood and given him liberty, freedom, and deliverance and his right mind returned to him (2 Corinthians 3:17). I asked him to join in prayer 🙏 with me for my grandson's father (who is bound to Meth) that he too might come to know Christ and receive the same freedom that this 57 year old brother 'in Christ' has experienced. When Peter says, 'partakers of the Divine Nature', he simply means that by our union with Christ and this word union is the Key 🗝️ word, for I speak 🗣️ not of mere intellectual belief or knowledge of Christ, but union, that is, spiritually becoming a part of His Mystical Body. When this occurs through the 'new birth' then we are immediately, internally, and infinitely made 'partakers' and this English word is translated by the Greek word koinonos which means a sharer, that is, associate: - companion, fellowship, partaker, partner. Imagine the greatness of this reality that we (vile sinners) become a partner and companion with Holy, Holy, Holy God of all Heaven and earth 🌎 and He (through Christ) transfers His glory and virtue to us (His Divine Nature) empowering us to be able to walk or live in newness of life (Romans 6:4) by reason of our union with Christ. The decay, downfall, disease, and destruction that is the world 🌍 of lust ❤️‍🔥 does not any longer have to be our portion. Amen!!! Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of being a partaker of the Divine Nature, "The object of all God's promises and dispensations was to bring fallen man 👞 back 🔙 to the image of God, which he had lost. This, indeed, is the sum and substance of Christ. We have partaken of an earthly, sensual, and devilish nature; the design of God by Christ is to remove this, and to make us partakers of the Divine Nature; and save us from all the corruption in principle and fact which is in the world 🌎; the source of which is lust ❤️‍🔥, irregular, unreasonable, inordinate, and impure desire; desire to have, to do, and to be, what God has prohibited, and what would be ruinous and  destructive to us were the desire to be granted."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray 🙏 this from your heart ❤️ to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking 🗣️ directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn 🛞 from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart ❤️ and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen!!!

The Natural Man

 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (KJV)

In 1984 a movie was released entitled “The Natural.” This movie starred Paul Newman and became a big hit with sports fans and non-sports fans alike. The plot of this movie was that of a man who appeared to come out of nowhere to lead a team into Championship greatness. The main character (played by Paul Newman) appeared to be a natural at the game of baseball. He played brilliantly with little to no effort. It was evident to all that he had a natural born talent (in him) for the game.

If you have ever picked apples from an apple orchard or some other type of fruit like plums, you may have bit into a piece of the fruit and suddenly saw a worm inside. Well, the immediate reaction of most people is to spit out the fruit and throw away the remainder of the fruit and pick another piece. Well, that worm was somehow born in the fruits seed. This describes the nature of man. Man's corrupt nature is born in him from his mothers womb. Every little baby born on the planet looks so sweet, gentle, cuddly, warm, and harmless. However, inside the nature of each sweet little baby lyes a raging volcano the likes of Mount St. Helen's always ready to erupt. When Ted Bundy was born to his mother, she never would have dreamed that he would grow up to brutally murder many young women. This is the heart of every little baby born into this world. The natural birth of every man or woman is worthless, filthy, dirty, vile, abominable, and without any good thing in it at all.

Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.] (Quick Amplified Bible)

The Apostle Paul (illuminated by the Spirit of God) discovers even after having walked with the Lord Jesus Christ for almost eighteen (18) years that our corrupt nature is absolutely worthless. There is no redeeming value in our old nature at all. The nature we all inherited from Adam never wants to perform anything that is good (morally excellent or morally virtues). Before Adam's disobedience, he had Almighty God living in him and he had absolutely no knowledge of evil.

God knows and understands evil, but there is no trace of any evil in His nature. Well, Adam had the nature of God in him constantly and evil was foreign to him. Here is what Matthew Henry (1662-1714) said of Adam before the fall: “Man had a habitual conformity of all his natural powers to the whole will of God. His understanding saw divine things clearly and truly, and there were no errors or mistakes in his knowledge. His will complied readily and universally with the will of God, without reluctance or resistance. His affections were all regular, and he had no inordinate appetites or passions. His thoughts were easily brought and fixed to the best subjects, and there was no vanity or ungovernableness in them.”

All natural men and women are walking and living in the dark. For example, if you turn out the lights in any room in your home, you cannot see anything in the room. Well, we must understand that this is the reality of every natural man or woman. Sin comes natural to them and they see nothing wrong with sin and cannot understand a person who does not desire sinful indulgence in their lives. The Bible talks in 2 Corinthians Chapter 3 about a veil being over the eyes of the ancient people in the reading of the Old Testament. Well, we know that a veil is something that obscures the view. Every natural man or woman has a veil over their spiritual eyes, blinding them from seeing the majesty, splendor, glory, and beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ and His love which surpasses knowledge and understanding.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine on them. (NKJV)

Here is what Albert Barnes (1798-1870) had to say about 1 Corinthians 2:14; “The passage here proves that while a man is thus sensual, the things of the Spirit will appear to him to be folly; it proves nothing about his ability, or his natural faculty, to see the excellency of these things, and to turn from his sin. It is the affirmation of a simple fact everywhere discernible, that the natural man does not perceive the beauty of these things; that while he remains in that state he cannot; and that if he is ever brought to perceive their beauty, it will be by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Such is his love of sin, that he never will be brought to see their beauty except by the agency of the Holy Spirit.”

The English word natural comes from the Greek word psuchikos, which means man's lower or bestial nature; sensual nature. This word describes man as being under the influence of an animal nature or desires. When Adam disobeyed, the earth, the animal kingdom, and all humanity was immediately thrust into a curse.

Romans 8:20-22 For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it--[yet] with the hope that nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God's children. We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now. (Quick Amplified Bible)

Now, the Bible defines man's flesh or corrupt nature as racked with moral and physical frailty. We know that frailty is defined as that which is weak or feeble physically or morally. The Natural Man is weak physically and morally and requires a super natural miracle to make him strong morally.

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God consists of and is based on not talk but power (moral power and excellence of soul). (Quick Amplified Bible)

The physical weakness of man's flesh will continue to deteriorate due to the curse mentioned above in Romans 8:20-22. What does every Natural Man need to gain this moral strength? He needs regeneration. He must be regenerated. What is regeneration? The word regeneration is only used twice in the entire Bible and on both occasions in the New Testament. This word comes from the Greek word paliggenesia, which means the state or act of a spiritual rebirth; a spiritual renovation or restoration. How is the Natural Man regenerated? Well, Titus 3:5-7 tells us how every natural man and woman can and will be regenerated.

Titus 3:5-7 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by the cleansing bath of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out so richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. And He did it in order that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action], and that we might become heirs of eternal life according to our hope. (Quick Amplified Bible)

The Holy Spirit must convict the natural man or woman that their sin is not against man, but against a Holy and Righteous God. The Holy Spirit is the only one that can convince the natural man or woman of their need for deliverance. The natural man or woman can never come to true repentance in their own strength. Sin has them in chains and only the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit can loose or free them from those chains.

Luke 13:12 And when Jesus saw her, He called [her to Him] and said to her, Woman, you are released [loosed or fully freed] from your infirmity! (Quick Amplified Bible)

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). (Quick Amplified Bible)

Now we see that all natural men and women are hopeless and helplessly lost unless a miraculous change takes place in their lives and in their hearts. This is why a natural man or women can easily be trapped by any sin and become addicted and dependent on that behavior or substance. The soul of every natural man or woman is crying out inside for release. Christ has come to provide that release for every yearning and longing soul.

Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], to proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord. (Quick Amplified Bible)

Christ is the only solution for every natural man or woman. Remember our earlier example of the apple or plum containing the worm on the inside, well this was a picture of the condition of every natural man born into the earth. But thanks to the mercy of God, he did not leave us floundering (like fish out of water) in this condition permanently. But through Christ, God has provided a remedy to our corrupt natural state. Praise the Lord that we through Christ can become new creatures with new moral desires and be free from our old natural condition.

John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. (Quick Amplified Bible)

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Peter Warns All Believers Against False Teachers Within and Exhorts Us to be Steadfast Volume 2

 Greeting all the Faithful Brothers and Sisters 'in Christ' Part 2 

2 Peter 1:3 According as His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: KJV Note: NKJV=New King 👑 James Version 

This like precious faith that we have obtained through our union with our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ is not just a gift 🎁 that is lackluster, lame, or lifeless as may be some earthly human 🎁 gifts. The gift 🎁 of faith from God to us through Christ produces something. It produces much, for the Apostle Peter now says in 2 Peter 1:3 that "His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." First of all our redemption took the Divine Power of God. The little English word 'power' is translated by the Greek word dunamis which actually means (as used here) specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself). The salvation of every sinful soul is performed by the miraculous Power of God the Holy Spirit whereby He reaches down 👇into the inner man ♂️ and inner woman ♀️ and places Himself there and causes them/us to come to life out of their/our spiritual death to God and now we are alive to God for the first time ever and this union with God through Christ can never be severed or broken (John 10:27-30). Here is what the annotation in the Amplified Bible has to say of God's Divine Power, "This power is identified as the 'power of His resurrection' (Philippians 3:10; 4:13). This power is the third resource for godly living that Peter lists in this letter 💌. glory and excellence. These words suggest the qualities of Jesus that attract believers to Him. The glory that John saw in Jesus (John 1:14) was His Authority and power." Here also is what the annotation of Ezekiel 37:6 in the Amplified Bible says, "You may come alive. This passage is not about resurrection from physical death, but rebirth from spiritual death brought about by Divine Power. Psalm 87 is another text that speaks of spiritual rebirth. The point of Jesus' words to Nicodemus in John 3 was that he should have known and understood the concept of the second birth." The spiritual life of God is what gives us strength to walk or live a life of godliness. The goal of the Gospel of Christ/Grace can be summed up best by these words the Apostle Paul wrote to Brother Titus, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age," (Titus 2:11-12) (NKJV). As I said earlier, God's Divine Power produces something and this is the something produced. The Expositor's Bible Commentary says this, "There is a free gift 🎁 of Divine Power for all our needs, everything to foster the spiritual life and to guide into the way of holiness. Wisdom will be given that we may understand God's will and choose aright, strength to persevere in the midst of trial, boldness to make confession of the Lord before men, and watchfulness lest we, as did the teachers of error, wax overconfident. All things are granted; all things may be ours." 

In the second half of 2 Peter 1:3, the Apostle reiterates part of what he declared in verse 2 speaking 🗣️ of the Knowledge of God, whereas he says it with these words this time, "through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" We expounded on the word knowledge in Volume 1 and declared it to be full discernment. Peter wants to make us see and know that God's knowledge is all encompassing and we are to allow His gift 🎁 of grace to give us discernment in all things to give us the power to live a godly life in this world 🌎 as the Apostle Paul declared in this manner to the Philippians, "That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world 🌍," (Philippians 2:15) (NKJV). Light 🕯️ exposes and dispels darkness and this is what our life should be as we have been made new creatures 'in Christ', the walking, that is, living in newness of life (Romans 6:4). This newness of life did not originate with us or come from us, for it was given to us freely by Jesus Christ our Lord who bid us or called us from the darkness, but it is our responsibility to live in it (by His grace and by yielding to the Holy Spirit) and cultivate this life of virtue. This little English word 'virtue' is translated by the Greek word arete which properly means manliness (valor), that is, excellence which has been graciously imputed to us by God. God woke us up from our spiritual sleep 💤😴/slumber and made us real men and real women through His very own glory and virtue. Amen!!! Here also is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of God's glory and virtue, "Here the same full knowledge (epignosis) of which the Apostle has just been speaking 🗣️ is to become the channel of all our blessings: to know God, who has made Himself to be known through Christ Jesus. God's glory and virtue - that is, His Divine Power - have been manifested in Him. The disciples beheld them in Christ's miracles. 'This beginning of His signs did Jesus, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed on Him,' (John 2:2) and of His whole life St. John says, 'We beheld His glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father. He dwelt among us full of grace and truth.' (John 1:14) This is what St. Peter means by 'virtue.' And still in the hearts of men through the Spirit the same manifestation is given. He illumines them, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray 🙏 this from your heart ❤️ to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking 🗣️ directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn 🛞 from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart ❤️ and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen!!!