Life and Death, Blessing and Cursing!

Consider the following verse:

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen…

This statement at first appears to express a dichotomy, because anything that is “invisible” is by definition just that, invisible! That means it is something that cannot be seen at all, much less “clearly seen”.

However, the Greek word for “clearly seen” is “kathorao”, pronounced kath-or-ah’-o, which means to “behold fully” or “perceive clearly”, as in to “see from above” or “view from on high”, from a perspective or dimension higher than that which the natural eye can reach or peer into.

…being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

The phrase “being understood” confirms that we are talking about a “seeing” beyond natural sight, into the spiritual (invisible) realm, a “seeing” of comprehension, of perception, of conceptualization in one’s mind, as opposed to simply a visual (earthly) image.

We also know that “spiritual things” such as love, joy, anger, compassion, jealousy, etc., are “invisible things”, things of a dimension which cannot be “seen” with the naked eye… a fitting term for the natural (carnal) visionary condition of flesh man. But again, though we cannot actually see the spirit of anger for example, we can see it being manifested through creation, on an earthly plane, such as in the face and actions of one who is angry.

Consider how “breath” and “wind” are used in the Bible to metaphorically relate the concept of “spirit” to our minds. In the natural we cannot see the “wind”, however, we can feel and experience its force as it blows against our face. We can also see its effect on the sails of a ship or the waves of the sea, and we can both see and hear the rustling of the leaves on a tree as the wind whistles through its branches. To that end, even though we cannot physically see the wind with our natural eyes, and cannot tell either its origin or its end, just like gravity we know from that which it manifests against that it both exists and is a real power, a power of good or a power that can destroy when unleashed at hurricane strength.

And so it is we see in Rom 1:20 that His eternal power (dunamis, spiritual force) and Godhead (the nature and character of God) can be perceived or understood, as in revealed to us, through the parables and metaphors of “the things that are made”, from creation itself. The Greek word translated “are made” is poiema: a work, of the works of God as creator. And this does not just mean the creation of the world “without”, i.e. outside of and around us, but also the world “within”, for as it is written, we are the work of His hands (Isa. 64:8).

Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Then, once we begin to understand that the Bible is ultimately a spiritual book, and as such is filled with “invisible things” to be understood, we can begin to see how metaphorical and symbolic and allegorical and parabolic not only the creation is, but likewise the scriptures themselves. Now think about it! How could they be otherwise if what is written must be spiritually discerned? What did Jesus say about the flesh vs the spirit?

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

It is the “spirit” that gives life and makes us alive (quickens us, awakes us). So, if the Bible is indeed a spiritual book, then by default it must and can only be understood in the spirit. In other words, the things that are written must be spiritually discerned, which is a level above imagery, which is what the carnal mind is limited to!

That is why it is written that it is the Comforter (intercessor), the Holy Spirit, which teaches us spiritual (invisible) things, while the wisdom of man cannot. In other words it is by revelation in the spirit, not by education of the (carnal) mind, that we come to know His eternal power (dunamis, spiritual force) and Godhead (the nature of God).

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things (spiritual), and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (His words are spirit, Jn 6:63).

As confirmation to that, it is also written that the natural or carnal mind of man cannot even receive the things of the Spirit of God (1 Co. 2:14). So if you have mental (graven) images of heavenly (invisible) things (like seeing Christ as a man), that does not fall into the category of spiritual discernment. Again, love is spiritual and is therefore a matter of the heart, the place within us wherein Love (God) resides.

1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Therefore, any attempt to use carnal reasoning and apply the things that are written solely to things that are temporal, which the flesh and all things material indeed are, is foolishness, vanity (emptiness), and not profitable. That should take care of all religious activities and doctrines and dictates of men! Paul states this in far more emphatic and eloquent language in Colossians chapter 2.

Behold also, the bookstores are filled with multitudes of diverse doctrinal and prophetic teachings emanating from the wisdom of man, from the wisdom of the carnal mind that sees without and not within. I personally contributed many publications myself, all of which I have since discarded and now consider loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, who lives in us, not in the pages of a book. Again, it is the spirit that gives life… a subject we are about to discuss.

1 Cor 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

1 Cor 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.

There you have it! The carnal mind simply cannot make sense of (understand, receive) the Spirit of God! It can receive book learnin’ and factual knowledge from great scholars both past and present and can become wise according to man’s wisdom, but the results thereof are the creation of all sorts of religions and denominations, none of which equates to the knowledge of Him… who, as we just read, dwells in you!

Question: If God dwells within you, from whence are you going to listen to hear His voice? Hey, there just might be something to the old phrase “Follow your heart”. Think about it.

So what about “life” and “death”? How does all that has been said thus far relate to these? Well, most people understandably define “life” in carnal (natural) terms, pointing to walking, talking, breathing persons. Likewise, they see “death” as one who has ceased from all these activities… like walking, talking, and breathing. So, when they see and hear the phrase “eternal life” they interpret that as meaning a continuance of life or never ending existence in some form or another after death, as they see death, which again, they see as that which takes place after one ceases breathing air and his or her heart stops beating.

Now I ask you to consider that such a discernment of “life” and “death” is indeed a world view, a natural (carnal) view, and not spiritual at all. It is merely seeing life and death in the world without, outside oneself (on the physical plane), instead of seeing life and death within (on the spiritual plane), where spiritual eyes and ears are required… eyes and ears that see and hear into the spiritual realm, the spiritual kingdom, which kingdom (spiritual realm) is within you, not here on earth (Lo here!) or out there in space (Lo there!), but within you.

Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

So it is time to re-think (which is what re-pent means) the verse we read earlier in John chapter six.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

It is belief in the words of Christ that quicken you, that awake you and make you alive, for they are spirit and they are LIFE! Can you discern this? Again, it is the Spirit of God that makes you ALIVE, QUICKENS you, and gives you LIFE!

What is this LIFE given to us by the Spirit of God? Well, when you have LIFE, when you are “quickened” by the Spirit, when you are made alive, then your “heart” shall be full of JOY… filled with peace and happiness… NOW, today, which is to be blessed indeed!

Act 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Pro 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Stay with me on this! Elevate your thinking, meaning re-pent of your old thinking, as in re-think, and the spiritual reality of Christ will profit and edify your spirit, your attitude, your whole demeanor and outlook on life, even and especially during trials, tribulations, and troubled times.

You see, it’s not what happens to a person that determines the quality of his or her LIFE. It is what one does about what happens. We all go through trials and tribulations and if you think your problems, your trials, and your tribulations are unique, then you are sadly mistaken. They are common, common, common, to man!

1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man…

Now we can whine and moan and complain about our problems and trials, thereby displaying to all our lack of faith in Jesus Christ, showing to all that we disbelieve what He says is true, and we can wallow in wonder and dismay about why this whatever-the-trial-is is happening to me… one who loves and serves God (as we define it to ourselves). But I tell you of a truth that Hurricane Katrina fell on the just and the unjust.

…but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Enduring trials and tribulations and being able to bear them does not mean you suffer miserably through them. Oh contraire! The good news is that you can be lifted up and sail right through the storms on a calm ship… because Christ is on board. That’s why James says the following:

Jam 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

To be able to “count it all joy” depends on whether or not you know in your heart that the following verse is true:

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for (the spiritual) good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

One who actually believes Jesus Christ, whose words are spirit and they are LIFE, can be at peace and possess an attitude of gratitude no matter what is happening in the world around them. Hey, try to “clearly see”, as in spiritually discern, the following parable involving Paul (small) and Silas (woody).

Act 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Act 16:24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Act 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

In the case of many of us, we would be whining and moaning and crying out to God to spare us and make bail for us… bail us out of our dilemma. Thus the prisoners would have heard our lack of faith and disbelief. Now I speak this in parallel to the parable. Just know that all this takes place in the prison of your mind.

Act 16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

Now I ask you… is this not what the Spirit of the Lord GOD does?

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

The “doors” were opened and everyone’s bands were loosed! Christ is the Door!

Act 16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword. However, the just shall live by faith!

Act 16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Act 16:29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

Do you really want to “see” and “know”? Then try putting away the sword for once and call for the Light (His revelation)!

Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

We have just “seen” the salvation of the Lord… have we not? The result of prayer and the singing of praises to God while in the midst of deep inner captivity literally shook the foundation of the prison, the very crux of the problem itself, and the “way to escape (1 Cor. 10:13)” did appear… i.e. the doors opened up! And the prisoners HEARD! And the keeper of the prison wanted to know he must do to be saved.

Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

BELIEVE in the anointed One, the Savior whom God sent unto you! You shall know the truth, the Comforter who is the Spirit of Truth (Jn. 16:13), and He shall save you and set you FREE!

Now let’s talk about the opposite of “life” which is “death”, a condition void of life, a state of mind absent peace and joy and happiness and serenity. It is a darkened state of mine fraught with a lack of faith and belief that what Jesus Christ said is in fact true… that He is the way to eternal LIFE! Many people live a life that can only be described as a living hell… because that is exactly what it is. Many are in bondage, shackled in their inner prison, made captive to all sorts of negative (evil) spirits, e.g. fear (lack of faith) and anxiety (lack of calm & peace) and worry (prayer for negative things to happen) and malcontent and unhappiness (lack of joy & gratitude). Folks in such a state feel trapped and mired in the pits, seeing only darkness with no hope of salvation from their nightmarish condition. Many resort to chemical substances or the spirits in a bottle to alleviate or anesthetize their pain and try to drown their sorrows in hopes they will vanish.

But you see, that is exactly why Jesus is (not just was) sent into the world, your world… to bring the good news of liberty, that you can be freed from imprisonment, from captivity and bondage to spiritual darkness… to deliver you, save you, from DEATH and HELL! Read Isa. 61:1 again.

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Yes, you shall know the truth, even the spirit of truth, that Comforter that He sends, and the truth shall make you free, free of the bondage of fear and anxiety, and even free of the bondage of religion… which is captivity in Babylon!

Will you trust and believe in the power (dunamis) of His might?

Deut 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Notice that “life” is associated (equated) with blessing, meaning joy and happiness, and “death” is associated (equated) with evil, meaning misery and unhappiness. LIFE is GOOD (yea!), and DEATH is EVIL (woe!)! Therefore choose life, the way of life, that both you and your seed (your family) may LIVE, as in be happy and joyful and BLESSED with all the beatitudes (beautiful attitudes).

Deut 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

We often say to people who are distraught with fear and anxiety and all stressed out over this or that, with the seas and waves (i.e. their emotions) roaring, that surely that is no way to “live”… and spiritually speaking they are not “living”. They are not spiritually “alive”, for if they were truly alive they would be joyful and full of peace and would no longer continue to receive the spirit of fear… a spirit that comes NOT from God. Don’t you know that the risen Christ IN YOU is able to calm your thoughts (winds) and your emotions (the seas)? Oh ye of little faith, why are you so fearful?

Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

So fear NOT! Fear is not of God!

2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

He gives us power, spiritual power that overcomes (defeats) death and all the evil spirits (negative thoughts and attitudes) that death entails! We just saw the power in action with Paul and Silas! Yes, He gives us the spirit of love (God is love and dwells within our hearts) and the spirit of a sound mind, a mind that wavers not!

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Have you ever heard the phrase “being on an emotional roller coaster”? Well, if you are on one, have you considered it just might be your unbelief that has you tossing you to and fro or keeping you in captivity to your fears?

James 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Are you going to receive any wisdom, any spiritual discernment, any peace and calm in your life if you allow fear, and uncertainty, and negative thoughts (worry), to keep you tossing and turning? The answer is no.

Here is another parable, an earthly, visual display of something that has a higher level (spiritual, invisible) meaning. The disciples themselves were riding their ship upon the sea when suddenly…

Mat 8:24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

Ok, the ship (our soul, our self) is covered (covered over, i.e. overcome with emotions, which are the waves of the sea) because there is a lack of faith, an inability to believe, to “see”, an “all things work together for good” outcome to the problem, the tempest they see before them (with their natural eyes or course). In fact, in Mark 4:37 we learn that the tempest has caused their ship to “be full”, which means what? It means they are filled or all consumed, totally occupied with their problem.

BUT NOTICE, they are Disciples of Christ… and Christ is indeed aboard their ship, but He is asleep. Yes, let Him rest, and we’ll take charge of the helm and weather this storm on our own while Christ (the Head) sleeps in the “hinder part” of the ship (Mark 4:38).

So faced with the “fear” of perishing because of their lack of faith, they finally decide to go to Him and awaken Him… the One who sleeps within their ship, and cry out to Him!

Mat 8:25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

John 3:16 says that whosoever believes in Him shall NOT perish… but have eternal (continual, on going) LIFE (peace, calm, count it all joy)?

Here’s Mark’s account:

Mar 4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

“Oh, dear God, how could you let this happen to me? Aren’t you concerned about my plight? Please help me (bail me out of this)!”

This is quite the opposite of what we saw Paul and Silas doing, isn’t it? This is the prayer of a disciple who lacks faith… and I dare say we’ve all prayed this, and perhaps still do! I know I have, yet this is the prayer of one who has the spirit of fear… and not of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Again, we just read that the spirit of fear does not come from God (2 Tim. 1:7)! So the question is “Why are you fearful?”

Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

What did Christ do? HE AROSE… in their ship… and calmed their fears (winds) and emotions (the sea)! He brought them “Back to LIFE”!

Dear ones, the calming of the winds and the sea came from WITHIN… when Christ arose in the ship and overpowered the forces that were causing them to fear and believe they were going to perish!

Now let’s talk some more about death, aka perishing. Do you remember what it was God said to Adam back in the Garden of Eden? He told Adam he would surely die in “the day” he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Once again, if all you see is what the carnal mind sees, perhaps a leafy green tree with apples on it, and a person taking food or fruit into his or her mouth, and a person dying a natural death, then you have missed the “invisible things” seen in the parables and metaphors.

Let’s “see” what happened in “the day” Adam did eat from the tree of the knowledge of good evil.

Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Now metaphorically speaking, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents the carnal mind and the tree of life represents the spirit, for it is only the spirit that gives life, while to be carnally minded is death.

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

There are two definitions for us: (1) Death = to be carnally minded. (2) Life and Peace = to be spiritually minded.

The carnal mind is of the earth and therefore loves the things of the world. Here is what John has to say about loving the world.

1John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

What is it that so entices the carnal mind? It can be summed up in three basic categories, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

1John 2:16 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.

Read again the three things that enticed Eve in Gen. 3:6 and you see all three of these present. So what happened when Adam chose to listen to his carnal mind (the woman… metaphorically) instead of the Spirit?

Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

This is exactly what we do when we become aware of our spiritual nakedness! We go to great lengths to justify our thoughts and actions, to fabricate a covering to hide and protect “self”.

Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool (ruach, spirit) of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

What is it that they tried to hide? Themselves… SELF, from the voice (will) and presence (face, facing) of the LORD God!

Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

This question doesn’t address Adam’s geographical whereabouts, but rather “where he is spiritually”. Where are you at, Adam? This is confirmed by Adam’s answer which wasn’t “I’m over here behind the big oak tree” but rather “I was afraid”… a spiritual condition… the “place” he was at, or better said had fallen to!

Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

So! Adam was “afraid”… that’s where he was at! He now has the spirit of fear (a condition associated with spiritual death), which we know doesn’t come from God. He also has the pridefulness of trying to hide self! Yea, the old “man of sin” does not want to give up his position and power to the will of God, does he?

Remember we read in Deut. 30:19 that death brings cursing and in Gen 3:17 the “ground” was “cursed” in that day, wasn’t it? Again, if you think in carnal terms (looking without) and are seeing as the flesh eye sees, i.e. picturing the stuff farmers plow as “the ground”, you will not spiritually discern what this has to do with you, because it is ABOUT YOU. The “ground” is metaphorical for your fertile little carnal mind.

You see, the quote/unquote “story” of Adam and Eve is not given to us as a history lesson, but rather to reveal to us (let us “see”) our individual makeup, even how we are each wonderfully made both male and female, a right brain and a left brain, a spirit and soul… the two of which shall enter into matrimony.

Now let me asked you: Based on what we have talked about concerning death so far, would you say that Adam did die in [not on] that day?

Understand also that the “Garden of Eden” is within you, not without, not somewhere over there in Outer Mongolia. Know you not that you are the garden of God… His planting (Isa. 61:3), even a garden within a garden, a garden planted in the heart of the earth. So on the spiritual level, the field and the ground are also within, not without! Even the beasts of the field, that Adam named (natured), can be found within!

So what do we “see” from all this so far? Well, for one thing, listening to (eating from) and relying on this old carnal mind, surely brings forth sorrows, doesn’t it? Yea, lots of thorns and thistles are brought forth… ouch!

Again, Adam listened to the woman, the flesh of his flesh, even to the reasoning of his carnal mind, instead of listening to God, to the Spirit that is LIFE, and what was the result?

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Ok, now that we have reconsidered, re-thought (which is to re-pent), what “life” and “death” is, let’s talk about “life eternal”.

By the way, here’s Strong’s definition of “repent”:

G3340 metanoeo, met-an-o-eh’-o

From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): – repent.

To “KNOW” the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He sent, is “LIFE ETERNAL”.

John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

If you have the gift of “eternal life” it means you are blessed (happy) indeed. It means that spiritually you are always (eternally) alive and at rest (peaceful), even though the world around you is in turmoil. It is also something you possess in the present… here and now, not something you acquire in the future only after you die in the flesh… for if you are in Him… your “fleshness” has already died… as in the old heaven and old earth has passed away.

Now consider this next verse:

John 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

Does this not remind you of John 3:16? Why won’t you “see” death, i.e. perish, if you keep (believe) Christ’s saying? How could you possibly be downtrodden or fearful or anxious and unhappy if you are full of LIFE, if you are singing and giving praise to God, if you are filled with joy and filled with peace, if a river of living waters flows from your inner being? Now that’s living!

And when you keep His saying, which by default means you both hear His voice and believe on Him, you have everlasting, ongoing, continual, LIFE. You have “passed from death unto life”… here and now! Oh Happy Day!

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Do you enter into, engage in, condemnation either of yourself or others? Who is the accuser of the brethren? If you do, though you may be breathing air and walking above ground, you nevertheless abide in death.

1Jo 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

So, are you going to let the old serpent steal your happiness and kill your joy and destroy your LIFE? Or are going to choose LIFE, which is Door Number ONE, and be saved, even spared a life of imprisonment in hell… or would you rather abide in death and continue to eat from the cursed ground?

John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

You will no longer labor and toil to eat from the “ground”, for you will eat manna from the heavenly pasture.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

ABUNDANT LIFE! It comes by believing… and it is available to you NOW! Here are the first words of Jesus Christ as recorded in the gospel of Mark. They are said just following the imprisonment of John, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Now hear this:

Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

May God grant you the peace that surpasses all (carnal) understanding.

Amen.