Maverick's Muttering

  ”Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. ” – John 10:25-30 When Jesus answered John the Baptist’s disciples in Matthew 11, his answer was definitive that the Kingdom of Heaven has already started at his birth. (Matthew 11:1-6) Jesus referred to the prophesies of Isaiah where the blind men are restored, the lame will walk, and the meek and poor men will rejoice. (Isaiah 29:18-19 & Isaiah 35:5-6). Jacob saw this in faith and knew that it will be fulfilled in the future just like Abraham did when he blessed his Son Judah, ...

    Second Epistle to the Thessalonians Chapter 1. Paul as a matured Christian shepherd urges the Thessalonians to come together and be bounded in God’s grace. The outpouring and out flowing grace of God brings Christians together as on flock in fellowship with one another in love and in Faith. Silas, Timothy, and Paul have abounding love for the Thessalonians even in their absence from the church of Thessalonica where the Christian are going through  trials and tribulation. And they show their love in their continued prayers for their beloved brethren. Faith cannot be built by being separated from other Christians. Why?  True faith needs to show works of faith. James says faith without works is dead, being alone. (James 2:17) Therefore its crucial to come together as a church and build one another in faith with works. Paul says faith grows as it is necessary, and it must grow exceedingly in love too. This love is expressed as Agape love by Paul. Why must Paul ur...

  1 Thessalonians 4 “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Our daily walk must please God. The psalmist say that we must mark the perfect man like Paul in this letter and behold his upright walk with God, for the end of man like Paul is peace. (Psalm 37:37) We must do it more and more purposefully because it is the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Verse 2) “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” 1 Thessalonians 4:3 . It is the will of God, even our sanctification. John Murray says in this book, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, that sanctification is a work of God in us that leads to regeneration and the effects of regeneration is our consciousness in the exercise of faith, repentance, love, and obedience. He furthers expresses that the regeneration is w...

  Proverbs 1 A Wise Man Will Hear Proverbs 1:1-6 “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.” King Solomon’s give clear direction and guidance like a GPS device to all who wants to seek godly wisdom. One must first be prepared to hear and to hear wisely, to know wisdom, to receive instruction, to give knowledge and discretion. We must train and discipline ourselves to hear. Only a wise man who listens will gain in learning and understanding and able to attain wise counsels. When we read the proverbs do we listen to our own reading? Do we rea...

  “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” – 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 The Condors are only found in the American continent. In the north there are the California Condor and, in the south, the much larger Andean Condor. The Andean Condor is the largest bird capable of flight. Weighing 15kg, with a wingspan of 3.2m, its size is relative to a 1.8m tall man. This bird defies common science in its ability to fly. Any bird of this size and weight should be flightless, yet these Andean Condors are famous in soaring in high altitudes over the Andes. So how do they fly? They need strong winds common in high Andean altitudes, strong coastal winds from the ocean and thermal air current to help them lift and glide using their enormous wings. When you see them jum...

  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? – 1 Thessalonians 2:19 Paul asked these questions to the Thessalonians in 51AD. The questions remain the same at present. Many bible critiques are quick to disparage the Word of God as mere words of man. Are they right to say that? Yes, they have the right to say that but that does not mean it is the truth. Saying a relatively right thing and speaking the truth are two different things. The answer to the question if the Word of God is the truth from God lies in death. (We shall not discuss Christ Second coming, here.) If you say you are entitled to Heaven as a Christian and yet claim that the Word of God is not entirely the truth then when you face Jesus at the throne of Judgement you will be judged to have committed a Cosmic Treason against God. [1] J C Sproul calls it the “Sinfulness of Sin” in his book, “ The Truth of the Cross .” Any sin committed ag...