In the Midst of Trials and Problems or Blessings

You may be in the midst of trials and problems, or you may be in the midst of blessings. For those in trials, keep the faith.

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, insmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." - 1 Peter 4:12-13 

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 15:58 

For those that are in the midst of blessings, be careful to maintain your work for the Lord. We do not know what hour Jesus will come for His church. It is not time to ‘kick back’ but rather to be about our Father’s business. There are those around us that have not yet obeyed the gospel. (Acts 2:38).

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" - 1 Peter 4:17-18 

"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." - Matthew 25:13 

"And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 

“And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" - Luke 12:16-20 

We must be about our Father's business. (Luke 2:49). 

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." - John 9:4

The Spirit of Truth

God is Spirit. He created the universe. He is the Father. His name is Jesus.

The Father put on humanity and dwelt among us as the Son of God, the flesh and blood of God. (Acts 20:28).

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." - John 14:9-10 KJV

Jesus shed His blood, dying on a cross, and on the third day rose again. The blood that He shed washes away our sins when we are baptized in His name Jesus. (Acts 2:38).

With repentance and baptism in His name Jesus, He gave us a promise. Jesus promises us the gift of the Holy Ghost, His Spirit within us. (Acts 2:4). If we will receive His Spirit.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39

After His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus was with His disciples for forty days. (Acts 1:3).

Jesus told His disciples that after He departed from them, He would come to them. He would come to them as the Spirit of truth. The Spirit of truth is the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Jesus in us. Jesus also spoke of His Spirit as the Comforter. (John 14:15-18).

After Jesus ascended in bodily form into heaven, He poured out His Spirit beginning on the day of Pentecost. His Spirit is now within all those that have received the Holy Ghost. We are now His body – the body of Christ – here on earth. (1Corinthians 12:27). 

One of these days, we too, those dead in Christ or those alive, will ascend into heaven, in what we call the rapture, to be with Jesus. (1Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Salvation in the Name of Jesus

It is by the name of Jesus that we find salvation, for by His name our sins are remitted (forgiven) in baptism.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." - Acts 4:12 

Our sins are washed away when we are baptized in the name of Jesus.

"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." - Acts 22:16 

Jesus died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again the third day. (1Corinthians 15:31-4).

Baptism in the name of Jesus brings us into covenant relationship with God. 

When we are water baptized in the name of Jesus (the name of Jesus called upon us), the blood Jesus shed for us is applied to our life and our sins are remitted (forgiven).

"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." - Hebrews 9:22 

In the great commission recorded in the Gospel of John, the aspect and responsibility of the church to baptize is included when Jesus spoke of the power of the church to remit sins.

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." 

"And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:" 

"Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." - John 20:21-23 

Apostle Peter preached remission of sins through the name of Jesus on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost was first poured out and the church first began.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 

"And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward [sinful] generation." - Acts 2:40 

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." - Acts 2:41 

"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." - Acts 2:42 

The Kingdom

What does the Bible say about the kingdom?

In the beginning of His ministry, Jesus preached of His kingdom. 

"... Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." - Matthew 4:17 

"... Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5 

Jesus gave Peter the Keys of the kingdom.

"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." - Matthew 16:19 

Jesus taught His disciples to pray about the kingdom.

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:10 

It is God's will that all should enter His kingdom. 

"…Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 

Jesus spoke of His kingdom from the beginning of His ministry through His final days after His resurrection. 

"... Being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:" - Acts 1:3 

Up until right before He ascended Jesus spoke of His kingdom.

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…" - Acts 1:8 

On the day of Pentecost, the kingdom of God on earth fully began.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 

As Jesus taught,

"The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." - Luke 17:20-21 (John 3:8).

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." - Romans 14:17

While the disciples of Jesus had already been born of water, they were now born also of the Spirit, entering into the kingdom.

With the keys of the kingdom given to him by Jesus, Peter preached his first message of the gospel of the kingdom. (Matthew 24:14).

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38

Go Ye

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations" - Matthew 28:19 

"And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." - Acts 5:42

Jesus commanded His disciples to teach all nations. His disciples were faithful to follow His command. Even when they suffered persecution, they were determined to teach and preach Jesus.

When Jesus first poured out His Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached the gospel. He then told the people what they should do.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." - Acts 2:41 

"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." - Acts 2:42 

“And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." - Acts 2:47 

The disciples continued to preach Jesus and through Him the resurrection from the dead. (Acts 4:2, Acts 4:10-12, 4:33, Acts 5:28). They were threatened and repeatedly put in jail. (Acts 4:3, 4:21, Acts 5:18-20, 5:33). They were commanded to not speak nor teach in the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:17,18, Acts 5:40).

"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 

“When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them." - Acts 5:29-33 

Gamaliel spoke to the council. 

"And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." - Acts 5:40 

"And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." - Acts 5:41-42 

The Name

Jesus did not command His disciples in Matthew 28:19 to “baptize in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” 

Jesus commanded His disciples in Matthew 28:19 to “baptize in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 

The Bible tells us the NAME of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is JESUS.

"I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." - John 5:43 KJV

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21 KJV

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." - John 14:26 KJV

On the Day of Pentecost, when the church began, Peter obeyed the COMMAND of Jesus in Matthew 28:19 and baptized in His NAME:

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

(Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12, Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3, 1 Corinthians 1:13, Galatians 3:27, Acts 16:32-33).

God's Word

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:" - Hosea 4:6 KJV

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV 

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." 

"For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness [doesn't know how to do what is right]: for he is a babe [still an infant]." 

"But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil [have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong]." - Hebrews 5:12- 14 KJV